Snap Closure Of Largest Nursing Home In St. Louis Forces Out Residents
December 19, 2023
Morning Briefing
Northview Village Nursing Home, the largest skilled nursing home in the city, closed abruptly after workers were told they may not be paid and walked out of the facility. About 170 residents were forced to find other care. Also in the news: California’s sober living homes; AI in hospice care decisions; and more.
12 Months of Trauma: More Than 3,600 US Health Workers Died in Covid’s First Year
By Jane Spencer, The Guardian and Christina Jewett
April 8, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Lost on the Frontline, a yearlong investigation by The Guardian and KHN to count health care worker deaths, ends today. This is what we learned in a year of tracing the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
CDC Busy Retraining Staff, Releasing Data, Updating Website
April 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Axios reports on efforts to overhaul the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with director Rochelle Walensky noting the progress that’s been made. In other news, HHS and CMS unveil a hospice and home health agency ownership database; the DOJ targets some providers for wrongful billing; and more.
CMS Warns 500 Hospitals Missing Price Transparency Requirements
February 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
As an early step in increased efforts to enforce transparency rules, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says that 300 of the 500 facilities have addressed the cited issues and are now compliant. In other news: hospitals feel greater lawmaker scrutiny of outpatient billing, and CMS overhauls hospice inspections.
Hospice Nurse Staffing Also Hit By Pandemic Shortages
April 1, 2022
Morning Briefing
Modern Healthcare reports that the hospice care industry has also been suffering the same kind of staffing issues during the pandemic as other medical services. Meanwhile, in Boston, Atrius Health is laying off dozens of nurses as pandemic needs wane.
The Do’s and Don’ts on Social Media for Vaccine Haves and Have-Nots
By Chaseedaw Giles
February 22, 2021
KFF Health News Original
In the thick of a global pandemic, and with a vaccine rollout that has been less than optimal, it’s no surprise that selfies featuring the coveted covid shot surface on social media timelines. But is posting a vaccine selfie on your social media account a faux pas or a needed encouragement for others to get the shot?
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
June 10, 2022
Morning Briefing
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on abortion, covid, hospice, “emotional perfectionism,” parental burnout, and more.
Patients Want A ‘Good Death’ At Home, But Hospice Care Can Badly Strain Families
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
January 23, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Fewer Americans are dying in a hospital, under the close supervision of doctors and nurses. That trend has been boosted by an expanded Medicare benefit that helps people live out their final days at home in hospice care. But as home hospice grows, so has the burden on families left to provide much of the care.
Are Vital Home Health Workers Now A Safety Threat?
By Phil Galewitz
March 25, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Hundreds of thousands of health care workers go into homes to provide important services for seniors and disabled people. But with the rising concerns about the danger of the coronavirus pandemic, especially for older people, these health workers could be endangering their patients and themselves.
Getting a Prescription to Die Remains Tricky Even as Aid-in-Dying Bills Gain Momentum
By Katheryn Houghton
March 30, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Access to physician-assisted death is expanding across the U.S., but the procedure remains in Montana’s legal gray zone more than a decade after the state Supreme Court ruled physicians could use a dying patient’s consent as a defense.
Morning Briefing for Friday, April 1, 2022
April 1, 2022
Morning Briefing
Friday’s roundup covers genome map complete, covid aid deal, vaccines, insulin costs, teen mental health, abortion, hospice care, and more. Plus, weekend reads.
How a Bounty of Vaccines Flooded a Small Hospital and Its Nearby College
By Julie Appleby
February 1, 2021
KFF Health News Original
An ad hoc, chaotic distribution system is leading to a bizarre mix of vaccine haves and have-nots.
If I Have Cancer, Dementia or MS, Should I Get the Covid Vaccine?
By Judith Graham
January 27, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Older patients with cancer, dementia or other serious illnesses should check with their doctors, but medical experts recommend the vaccine for most people.
My Mother Died Of The Coronavirus. It’s Time She Was Counted.
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
May 27, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Not having an accurate, honest, nationwide way to tally COVID-19 cases will only add to the current tragedy.
The ‘Grief Pandemic’ Will Torment Americans for Years
By Liz Szabo
June 2, 2021
KFF Health News Original
More than 5 million Americans lost a loved one to covid, and the ripple effects could lead to serious illness down the road.
Readers and Tweeters Give Tips on Treating Diabetes and Long Covid
April 12, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Dangerous Ransomware Group Is Targeting Health Care, HHS Warns
April 21, 2022
Morning Briefing
Also: Health and Human Services Department data on health care consolidation; five ways CMS’ proposed hospital rule could impact patient safety; Humana is planning to sell its hospice business; Texas omitted a key group when issuing pay support for health workers; and more.
UnitedHealth Buying In-Home Health Provider LHC For $5.4 Billion
March 30, 2022
Morning Briefing
The deal by Optum — UnitedHealth’s health-services arm — is to purchase LHC Group, one of the largest home-health companies. Fraud in California’s hospice industry, a $5 million fine for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Black-owned health care centers in Indianapolis and more are also in the news.
Former ICU Nurse Found Guilty Of Homicide In Drug Error
March 28, 2022
Morning Briefing
News outlets report on the conviction of former Tennessee nurse RaDonda Vaught for criminally negligent homicide — a case that has gripped the health care industry. Addiction recovery workers in Oregon, the North Country Home Health & Hospice Agency, a record-breaking 911 operator in Cobb County, and more are also in the news.