Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Newsom Likes To ‘Go Big’ But Doesn’t Always Deliver

KFF Health News Original

The COVID-19 pandemic is showcasing California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership style to a national audience. The first-term Democrat doesn’t shy away from making splashy announcements and lofty promises, but his plans often lack detail and, in some cases, follow-through.

Hiring A Diverse Army To Track COVID-19 Amid Reopening

KFF Health News Original

Experts estimate local and state health departments will have to hire 100,000 to 300,000 people as contact tracers to get the economy back on track. Many states are trying hard to hire from the racial and ethnic minority communities hit hardest by the virus.

California AG Seeks More Power To Battle Merger-Hungry Health Care Chains

KFF Health News Original

Xavier Becerra has made battling health care consolidation a priority since he became attorney general. Now that COVID-19 threatens vulnerable health care practices, he’s pushing to expand his authority to slow health care mergers.

‘Why Do We Always Get Hit First?’ Proposed Budget Cuts Target Vulnerable Californians

KFF Health News Original

Safety-net health care programs that keep low-income Californians out of nursing homes are on the chopping block as Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers attempt to plug a massive budget deficit caused by the COVID-19 emergency.

Hate Unmasked In America

KFF Health News Original

As a journalist, she wrote during the winter about the hostility shown toward Asian Americans for wearing masks. In May, she got cursed at for not wearing a mask herself.

Some Ivory Towers Are Ideal For A Pandemic. Most Aren’t.

KFF Health News Original

As reopening decisions approach for the fall semester, colleges and universities are casting about for strategies to keep students safe without bankrupting their institutions. A few have natural advantages.

Coronavirus Tests The Value Of Artificial Intelligence In Medicine

KFF Health News Original

The pandemic offers an opportunity to use artificial intelligence programs to help doctors in COVID-19 diagnosis. But some leading hospital systems have shelved their AI technology because it wasn’t ready to roll.

Beyond The Glam: Feeding The Coachella Valley’s Most Vulnerable Residents

KFF Health News Original

Poverty is real in the Coachella Valley, a region known for its glitzy resorts and music festival. During the COVID crisis, the California National Guard and California Conservation Corps are helping an area food bank distribute food to older residents and those with disabilities.

Racial Status And The Pandemic: A Combustible Mixture

KFF Health News Original

The novel coronavirus is affecting black Americans disproportionately, which some community leaders and public health experts say is not surprising. So why didn’t anyone sound an alarm?

Hospital Workers Complain of Minimal Disclosure After COVID Exposures

KFF Health News Original

From cafeteria staff to doctors and nurses, hospital workers around the country report frustrating failures by management to notify them when they have been exposed to co-workers or patients known to be infected with COVID-19.