Hype Collides With Science As FDA Tries To Rein In ‘Wild West’ of COVID Blood Tests
Amid questions about the accuracy of the COVID-19 antibody tests flooding the market — and the usefulness of the results they provide — the FDA has belatedly stepped in to try to rein in the chaos.
ICUs Become A ‘Delirium Factory’ For COVID Patients
The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 targets more than just the lungs. New research shows it also penetrates the brain, complicating treatment and risking lifelong damage. And the pandemic limits hospitals from running MRIs or other tests on coronavirus patients.
Open (Your Wallet) Wide: Dentists Charge Extra For Infection Control
A growing number of dental offices across the country are now charging patients an “infection control fee” of $10 to $20 to pay for masks, face shields, gowns and air purifiers to help keep the offices free of the coronavirus.
Contratar a un “ejército” diverso para rastrear COVID-19 durante la reapertura
Los expertos estiman que los departamentos de salud locales y estatales tendrán que agregar entre 100.000 y 300.000 personas para que la economía vuelva a funcionar.
Hiring A Diverse Army To Track COVID-19 Amid Reopening
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.
Pandemic Presents New Hurdles, And Hope, For People Struggling With Addiction
Relaxed regulations in response to the pandemic means more access to addiction treatment medications. But recovery programs are accepting fewer people, and the danger of overdose remains high.
California AG Seeks More Power To Battle Merger-Hungry Health Care Chains
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.
Por qué los recortes en salud perjudican siempre a los californianos más vulnerables
En California, donde casi 2,9 millones de personas han solicitado el desempleo en los últimos dos meses, Newsom describió los recortes propuestos como “prudentes” y “estratégicos”.
‘An Arm And A Leg’: The $7,000 COVID Test And Other Lessons From SEASON-19
“An Arm and a Leg” wraps an all-COVID podcast season with three different perspectives on what the pandemic is costing us — and what might come next.
‘Why Do We Always Get Hit First?’ Proposed Budget Cuts Target Vulnerable Californians
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.
Coronavirus Surprise: IRS Allows Midyear Insurance And FSA Changes
Last month, the Internal Revenue Service announced it would let employees add, drop or change some of their benefits for the remainder of 2020. The catch: Your employer has to allow the changes. KHN explains how it could work.
KHN executive editor Damon Darlin wades through mounds of health care policy stories — so you don’t have to.
As COVID Cuts Deadly Path Through Indiana Prisons, Inmates Say Symptoms Ignored
Since the start of the pandemic, prisoners and their families have contradicted state officials about the conditions inside Indiana prisons. Many inmates report they’ve had no way to protect themselves from close contact with other inmates and staff members. They believe contracting the coronavirus is inevitable.
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.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Still Seeking A Federal Coronavirus Strategy
Democrats were not impressed with the Trump administration’s COVID-19 national testing strategy document submitted to Congress this week. They say the pandemic requires more direction from the federal government, while the administration wants to give nearly all the responsibility to the states. Meanwhile, in an effort to shore up his base of senior voters, President Donald Trump has unveiled a plan to limit what those on Medicare must pay out-of-pocket for insulin. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Erin Mershon of STAT News and Joanne Kenen of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Phil Galewitz, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment about a patient who thought he might have COVID-19, did everything right and got a big bill, anyway.
Some Ivory Towers Are Ideal For A Pandemic. Most Aren’t.
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.
For Seniors, COVID-19 Sets Off A Pandemic Of Despair
The guidance to stay sheltered as society slowly reopens wears on older Americans, who have a growing sense of isolation and depression.
Antibody Tests Were Hailed As Way To End Lockdowns. Instead, They Cause Confusion.
Some communities considered community antibody testing as a way out of lockdown. But they’ve pulled back as they realized antibody testing is the Wild West in an oversight vacuum.
Going The Distance By Bus Through A Pandemic
Transit ridership has plummeted because of COVID-19, but millions of Americans still rely on buses and trains to get around, often because they have no other choice.
My Mother Died Of The Coronavirus. It’s Time She Was Counted.
Not having an accurate, honest, nationwide way to tally COVID-19 cases will only add to the current tragedy.
