Latest Morning Briefing Stories

‘Painless’ Glucose Monitors Pushed Despite Little Evidence They Help Most Diabetes Patients

KFF Health News Original

The numbers of people wearing these monitors are soaring as prices have fallen and device-makers promote them to doctors and patients. But few studies show the devices lead to better outcomes for the nearly 25 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes who don’t inject insulin to regulate their blood sugar.

For Spring Season, Young Athletes Get Back in the Game Despite Covid Risk

KFF Health News Original

With schools opening up classrooms, millions of young athletes are also getting out on fields and courts. But pandemic precautions and delays are spurring conflicts among parents, coaches and doctors.

How Covid Has Changed Our Movement, as Revealed by Your Cellphone

KFF Health News Original

Californians are venturing out to shop, dine and work far more now than a year ago, when state officials issued the first sweeping stay-at-home order. But we’re still sticking to home way more than before the pandemic, according to mobile phone tracking data.

A Year Into the Pandemic, Three Huge Losses in One Family

KFF Health News Original

The Aldaco family of Phoenix suffered more than most in this year of unfathomable losses. Three brothers perished in the pandemic: Jose in July, Heriberto in December and Gonzalo in February.

‘Explained by KHN’: Consumer Concerns About the Covid Vaccines

KFF Health News Original

Our newsroom has some of the best and smartest health care and health policy reporters in the business. We’ve created a new video series — “Explained by KHN” — in which our correspondents and editors answer common health care and policy questions. In this edition we cover consumer concerns over the covid-19 vaccines.

To Extract More Doses per Vial, Vaccinators Put Squeeze on FDA to Relax Vaccine Handling Advice

KFF Health News Original

Although vaccine supply is ramping up, the supply gap puts pressure on vaccinating teams to extract every drop they can. Some are asking the FDA to waive guidance against extracting vaccine from two vials with the same needle. It’s worth a shot.

In a Year of Zoom Memorials, Art Exhibit Makes Space for Grief

KFF Health News Original

After his father died, artist Taiji Terasaki created a ritual to memorialize him. Now, Terasaki honors front-line health care workers who succumbed to covid with an exhibit inspired by “Lost on the Frontline,” the investigation by KHN and The Guardian.

Texas Winter Storm Exposes Gaps in Senior Living Oversight

KFF Health News Original

As the recent winter storm disaster in Texas showed, many long-term care sites aren’t required to have backup power supplies or other redundancies to keep residents safe when disaster strikes.