Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Record Number of Americans Sign Up for ACA Health Insurance

KFF Health News Original

Nearly 14 million Americans have enrolled in Affordable Care Act marketplace health plans for next year — a record since the health law’s coverage expansion took effect in 2014. A boost in subsidies marketing and assistance in navigating the process increased the rolls of the insured.

As Pandemic Wears Down Hospital Staff, One Town Offers Groceries to Say Thanks

KFF Health News Original

To help relieve the stress and time strains on employees at a Park City, Utah, hospital, community leaders created a pop-up grocery store, where workers can get complimentary meals and staples to take home.

NICU Bill Installment Plan: That’ll Be $45,843 a Month for 12 Months, Please

KFF Health News Original

After baby Dorian Bennett arrived two months early and spent more than 50 days in the neonatal ICU, his parents received a bill of more than $550,000 — despite having insurance. The Florida hospital had a not-so-helpful suggestion: monthly payments of more than $45,000 for a year.

Covered California’s Insurance Deals Range From ‘No-Brainer’ to Sticker Shock

KFF Health News Original

Families of four with incomes of less than about $40,000 a year can pay no premiums and have low deductibles. For some others, health insurance in 2022 will cost more than in 2021 — in some cases, significantly more.

Some Groups Are Left Out of Montana Covid Test Giveaway Program

KFF Health News Original

Public health officials and policymakers alike see rapid antigen tests as a strong tool to keep businesses open and parents working. But a look at Montana’s distribution of the tests shows a patchwork system with limited access for many.

Local Pharmacists Fill Rx Void as Big Brands Pull Out of Rural Areas

KFF Health News Original

Stores like Walmart and Shopko opened pharmacies in small towns, either buying out the local pharmacy or driving it out of business. What happens when those chains later withdraw, leaving communities with no pharmacy?

The Vaccine Rollout Was a Success. But Events Within and Beyond Biden’s Control Stymied Progress.

KFF Health News Original

There were variants, vaccine hesitancy and messaging mix-ups. And, despite campaign promises, Biden and his administration sometimes took actions or made statements without waiting for full scientific evidence to back them up.

As Hospitals Fill Up, Paramedics Spend More Time Moving Patients, Less on Emergencies

KFF Health News Original

Gunnison paramedics cover the largest response zone in Colorado. Because of covid and the lack of nearby hospital beds, patients increasingly are transported long distances, leaving few ambulances to respond to emergencies.

Seeking Refills: Aging Pharmacists Leave Drugstores Vacant in Rural America

KFF Health News Original

Independent pharmacists who want to retire often have trouble attracting new pharmacists to take over their practices, particularly in rural areas. That can cause smaller towns to lose their pharmacies. With many pharmacists near retirement, the problem may only get worse.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Oh, Oh, Omicron

KFF Health News Original

Even before the omicron variant of covid starts to spread widely in the U.S., hospitals are filling up with post-holiday delta cases. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court signals — loudly — that 2022 will be the year it rolls back abortion rights in a big way. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

Nurses in Crisis Over Covid Dig In for Better Work Conditions

KFF Health News Original

In tough labor negotiations across the nation, here’s what nurses don’t want: “appreciation that is lip service,” “marketing campaigns” and “shiny new buildings.” And this year might well prove to be a turning point in efforts to organize health care’s essential workers.

Covid Shots for Kids Are Scarce — And Demand Is Mixed — In Rural Montana

KFF Health News Original

Although covid vaccines have been available to children as young as 5 for more than a month, they’re not being offered in some rural Montana counties, and parents don’t know where to find them in others.

Mattresses and Mold Removal: Medi-Cal to Offer Unconventional Treatments to Asthma Patients

KFF Health News Original

In January, California’s Medicaid program will begin offering nontraditional services —such as ridding homes of roaches, replacing mattresses and installing air purifiers — to some low-income asthma patients. But the rollout could be chaotic, with insurance companies struggling to identify groups that can deliver the services.