Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Health Care Workers of Color Nearly Twice as Likely as Whites to Get COVID-19
Harvard research shows minorities are most likely to report inadequate PPE and to work with COVID-positive patients.
Hospital Merger in Washington State Stokes Fears About Catholic Limits on Care
Virginia Mason Health System and CHI Franciscan announced plans in July to merge 12 hospitals and more than 250 other treatment sites in the Puget Sound region and the Yakima area. Some patient advocacy groups warn the proposal would jeopardize access to needed services, such as emergency termination of pregnancies, contraception and physician aid in dying.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Republicans in COVID Disarray
President Donald Trump’s sobering view of COVID-19 didn’t last long – this week, he was back to pushing hydroxychloroquine, a drug that has been shown not to work in treating the virus. Meanwhile, Republicans on Capitol Hill are still scrambling to agree among themselves and with the White House on the next coronavirus relief bill, as both a moratorium on evictions and extra unemployment payments expire. And the debate over drug prices, which was going to be one of the biggest health issues of this election year, makes a brief appearance. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Markian Hawryluk, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” story about a surprise bill from a surprise surgical assistant.
Three home health aides. A social worker who provided trauma rehabilitation to victims of crime. A mental health counselor who connected with troubled youth. These are some of the people just added to “Lost on the Frontline,” a special series from The Guardian and KHN that profiles health care workers who died of COVID-19.
Public Health Experts Fear a Hasty FDA Signoff on Vaccine
The FDA must approve any coronavirus vaccine before it’s widely distributed, but political pressure could cloud the decision.
Biden Is Right. Pay for Home Health Workers Is Paltry.
These workers rely on public assistance — and, sometimes, a side gig to get by.
Dental and Doctors’ Offices Still Struggling with COVID Job Loss
Newly released employment data underscores the lingering toll the pandemic has taken on a range of outpatient services in California and across the U.S., from pediatric and family medical practices to dental offices, medical labs and home health care.
Watch: When a Surprise Helper During Surgery Is Out-of-Network
“CBS This Morning” features the July installment of KHN-NPR’s Bill of the Month about a surgical assistant’s out-of-network bill for helping during knee surgery.
The Color of COVID: Will Vaccine Trials Reflect America’s Diversity?
Although racial minorities, older people and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk from COVID-19, they’ve historically been the least likely to be included in clinical trials for treatments for serious diseases. Will that change with COVID-19?
COVID Runs Amok in 3 Detroit-Area Jails, Killing At Least 2 Doctors
Amid overcrowding and a shortage of personal protective equipment, at least 208 workers and 83 inmates in the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office jail system have been infected with the coronavirus.
Ever Heard of a Surgical Assistant? Meet a New Boost to Your Medical Bills
A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.
Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money
With millions out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare’s trust fund intact.
Watch: COVID Patients and Families Battle to Get Benefits
KHN senior correspondent Christina Jewett describes the obstacles facing workers and their families trying to secure death benefits or workers’ compensation after COVID-19 struck.
For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation
Additional guidance issued late last month by the Trump administration added to the confusion. Some consumers may find themselves unexpectedly on the hook for the cost of a test.
KHN’s Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber drills through the vital health care policy stories of the week, so you don’t have to.
States Allow In-Person Nursing Home Visits As Families Charge Residents Die ‘Of Broken Hearts’
Half the states are rolling back strict policies that have kept family members out of nursing homes because of fears of spreading the coronavirus.
KHN executive editor Damon Darlin wades through mounds of health care policy stories — so you don’t have to.
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: ‘Open The Schools, Close The Bars’
While COVID-19 cases continue to surge in more than half the country, the Trump administration has decided its top priority is for schools to open for in-person learning this fall. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court hands Trump a victory in a case to limit the reach of the birth control benefit under the Affordable Care Act. Joanne Kenen of Politico, Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call and Kimberly Leonard of Business Insider join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss this and more. Also, Rovner interviews KHN’s Sarah Varney about the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month.”
As COVID Testing Soars, Wait Times For Results Jump To A Week — Or More
The delays can be excruciating, with some extreme cases running more than 20 days. People getting tested at urgent care centers, community health centers, pharmacies and state-run drive-thru or walk-up sites are often waiting a week or more to find out if they tested positive for the coronavirus.
Amid Surge, Hospitals Hesitate To Cancel Nonemergency Surgeries
Unlike earlier in the year, most hospitals are not proactively canceling elective surgeries, even in some places seeing spikes in coronavirus patients.
