KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': 3 Health Policy Experts You Should Know
In this special episode of KFF Health News’ “What the Health?” host Julie Rovner interviews three health policy experts.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Au Revoir, Public Health Emergency
The public health emergency in effect since the start of the covid-19 pandemic will end on May 11, the Biden administration announced this week. The end of the so-called PHE will bring about a raft of policy changes affecting patients, health care providers, and states. But Republicans in Congress, along with some Democrats, have been […]
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Debt Deal Leaves Health Programs (Mostly) Intact
The bipartisan deal to extend the U.S. government’s borrowing authority includes future cuts to federal health agencies, but they are smaller than many expected and do not touch Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, Merck & Co. becomes the first drugmaker to sue Medicare officials over the federal health insurance program’s new authority to negotiate drug prices. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about the perils of visiting the U.S. with European health insurance.
The Do’s and Don’ts on Social Media for Vaccine Haves and Have-Nots
By Chaseedaw Giles
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?
As Covid Vaccinations Slow, Parts of the US Remain Far Behind 70% Goal
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR and Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
Vermont and Massachusetts lead the nation, with more than 70% of adults having had at least one dose of a covid-19 vaccine. Southern states like Tennessee lag far behind.
Why Pregnant People Were Left Behind While Vaccines Moved at ‘Warp Speed’ to Help the Masses
By Liz Szabo
Clinical trials of covid-19 vaccines excluded pregnant people, which left many women wondering whether to get vaccinated.
The Hard Realities of a ‘No Jab, No Job’ Mandate for Health Care Workers
By Christine Spolar
Despite a hearts-and-minds campaign and millions spent in incentives, managers struggle to get staffs vaccinated against covid. Some workers have threatened to quit over the pressure to get a shot, which employers can’t afford.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Slow Your Disenroll
More than a million Americans have lost Medicaid coverage since pandemic protections ended. The Biden administration is asking states to slow disenrollment, but that does not mean states must listen. Meanwhile, a Supreme Court decision gives Medicaid beneficiaries the right to sue over their care, and a new deal preserves coverage of preventive services nationwide as a Texas court case continues. Rachel Cohrs of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Dan Mendelson, CEO of Morgan Health, a new unit of JPMorgan Chase, about employers’ role in insurance coverage.
Lie of the Year: The Downplay and Denial of the Coronavirus
By Daniel Funke, PolitiFact and Katie Sanders, PolitiFact
It’s no worse than the flu, and other deadly disinformation about the coronavirus
Grief Grew Into A Mental Health Crisis And A $21,634 Hospital Bill
By Laura Ungar
She spent five days in the hospital undergoing psychiatric care. The bill she got is about the same price as a new Honda Civic.