Latest Morning Briefing Stories

In Tamer Debate, Trump and Biden Clash (Again) on President’s Pandemic Response

KFF Health News Original

Trump claims the U.S. is “rounding the corner” on COVID, while Biden predicts a “dark winter.” On another front, Trump warns Biden’s health care plan will lead to socialized medicine; Biden promises private insurance isn’t going anywhere.

Travel on Thanksgiving? Pass the COVID

KFF Health News Original

Staying home in your bubble is the safest advice, but family get-togethers, especially at the holidays, mean an awful lot. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci has gone back and forth on whether to have his daughters fly in for Thanksgiving.

Workers Fired, Penalized for Reporting COVID Safety Violations

KFF Health News Original

Many workers are resisting what they feel are unsafe, unhealthy conditions as companies restart. A few states have passed laws specifically aimed at protecting workers who face COVID-related safety risks and retaliation for speaking up, but advocates say stronger federal protections are needed.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: A Little Good News and Some Bad on COVID-19

KFF Health News Original

Glimmers of hope are beginning to appear in the fight against the coronavirus, such as a decreasing death rate. But there’s not-so-good news, too, including a push for “herd immunity,” which could result in millions more deaths. Meanwhile, the Trump administration doubles down on work requirements for Medicaid. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

‘All You Want Is to Be Believed’: The Impacts of Unconscious Bias in Health Care

KFF Health News Original

One woman shares her experience trying to get care in a Bay Area hospital for COVID symptoms. At nearly every turn, a doctor dismissed her complaints. Is bias part of why people of color are disproportionately affected by the coronavirus?

Despite Pandemic Threat, Gubernatorial Hopefuls Avoid COVID Nitty-Gritty

KFF Health News Original

As the pandemic continues to cast shadows on everyday life, some candidates for governor are talking about everything except the specifics of how they would manage COVID-19 into the future.

Health Care Groups Dive Into Property Tax Ballot Fight, Eyeing Public Health Money

KFF Health News Original

Health care leaders say Proposition 15, a ballot initiative that would raise property taxes for large-business owners, could help boost revenue for chronically underfunded public health departments.

Most Home Health Aides ‘Can’t Afford Not to Work’ — Even When Lacking PPE

KFF Health News Original

Home health aides flattened the curve by keeping the most vulnerable patients — seniors, the disabled, the infirm — out of hospitals. But they’ve done it mostly at poverty wages and without overtime pay, hazard pay, sick leave or health insurance.

Musicians Improvise Masks for Wind Instruments to Keep the Band Together

KFF Health News Original

Instrumentalists in ensembles, marching bands and other groups are getting creative with pantyhose, air filters, fabric and sewing machines to reduce the risk of COVID without silencing the music.

No, the WHO Didn’t Change Its Lockdown Stance or ‘Admit’ Trump Was Right

KFF Health News Original

The World Health Organization has been consistent throughout the pandemic in communicating that lockdowns should be employed only when COVID-19 cases are high — to give governments and health systems time to redouble efforts. Forced closures should not be the primary strategy to combat coronavirus transmission.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Democrats May Lose on SCOTUS, But Hope to Win on ACA

KFF Health News Original

Barring something unexpected, Democrats in the Senate appear to lack the votes to block the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. So, instead they used the high-profile confirmation hearings to hammer on Republicans for again putting the Affordable Care Act in peril. Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call, Shefali Luthra of The 19th and Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, about public health challenges in dealing with COVID-19.