Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Colorado Initiative Would Further Limit Access in Middle America’s ‘Abortion Desert’
Colorado voters will decide whether to ban most abortions after 22 weeks of pregnancy, which would eliminate a haven for people seeking to end their pregnancies in the Midwest and Mountain West.
Déjà Vu for California Voters on Dialysis
Californians are again being asked to weigh in on a dialysis ballot measure. This one purports to target patient safety, and dialysis industry giants are once again spending big to defeat it.
¿Viajas para el Día de Acción de Gracias? Deberás atravesar la barrera de COVID
En todo el mundo, los feriados nacionales han impulsado la propagación de COVID-19 de manera explosiva. Expertos comparten consejos y sus propias experiencias.
Travel on Thanksgiving? Pass the COVID
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
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
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.
Californians Asked to Pony Up for Stem Cell Research — Again
More than a decade of research tied to California’s stem cell agency hasn’t yielded many cures or much revenue. But backers of a ballot initiative that asks voters for billions more in funding say the work is vital for patients and the scientific community.
“Todo lo que quieres es que te crean”: el prejuicio inconciente en la atención de salud
Los latinos y los afroamericanos suelen ser menos propensos a recibir analgésicos o atención avanzada que los pacientes blancos no hispanos con las mismas quejas o síntomas.
Bridging the Miles — And the Pandemic — Teledentistry Makes Some Dentists Wince
Teledentistry allows dentists to remotely review records and diagnose patients’ teeth over video. Some smile about its promise, while others see the potential for cutting corners. And it faces hurdles to widespread adoption.
‘All You Want Is to Be Believed’: The Impacts of Unconscious Bias in Health Care
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
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.
‘No Mercy’ Chapter 4: So, 2 Nuns Step Off a Train in Kansas … A Hospital’s Origin Story
Mercy Hospital and the people of Fort Scott, Kansas, have a long, tangled history. To understand what the town lost when the hospital shut its doors, we rewind the story to 1886.
UVA Health Still Squeezing Money From Patients — By Seizing Their Home Equity
The University of Virginia promised reforms but has stopped short of announcing them, while hospital giant VCU Health has freed tens of thousands from property liens.
Musicians Improvise Masks for Wind Instruments to Keep the Band Together
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.
COVID en LA: prevención en los trabajos ha salvado vidas de latinos, dicen oficiales
La agresiva aplicación de las normas de salud y la apertura de líneas para denunciar si no se cumplen han contribuido a la disminución de muertes.
COVID Crackdowns at Work Have Saved Black and Latino Lives, LA Officials Say
Strict enforcement of coronavirus protocols at factories and shops where some of the worst outbreaks have occurred has reduced the racial and ethnic disparities in COVID deaths and illness, say public health officials. They want to expand the effort by creating workplace safety councils.
Aunque preferiría cerrar, la cadena de tiendas COVID-19 Essentials se expande
Las máscaras han evolucionado de ser un producto utilitario a una forma de expresar la personalidad, las inclinaciones políticas o el fanatismo deportivo.
Making Money Off Masks, COVID-Spawned Chain Store Aims to Become Obsolete
A new chain of stores is spreading in malls across America, just like the disease that is giving it business. COVID-19 Essentials is selling masks and all the gear needed to stay safe — and the owner can’t wait to go out of business.
‘No Mercy’ Chapter 3: Patchwork of Urgent Care Frays After a Rural Hospital Closes
Fort Scott, Kansas, went without an ER for 18 days, after the local hospital shut down. Documenting local trauma during that “dark period” helped investigative reporter Sarah Jane Tribble unravel some of the complications that come after a rural hospital closes.
Black Doctors Work to Make Coronavirus Testing More Equitable
The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium has increased access to coronavirus testing in the Philadelphia region, testing more than 10,000 people. The group’s mobile unit and pop-up testing sites also offer patients an opportunity to connect with African American health care providers.
