Con récord de infecciones de transmisión sexual, California impulsa las pruebas caseras
By Rachel Bluth
California se ha convertido en el primer estado en exigir que los seguros médicos cubran las pruebas caseras para infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS) como el VIH, la clamidia y la sífilis.
‘Then the Bill Came’: Year 4 of KHN-NPR’s Bill of the Month Is a Wrap
Our crowdsourced investigation of the high, confusing and arbitrary medical bills generated by our health system is set to begin its fifth year in 2022.
Laws Shield Hospitals From Families Who Believe Loved Ones Contracted Covid as Patients
By Lauren Weber and Christina Jewett
Families who believe their loved ones contracted covid-19 while hospitalized are finding they have little recourse following a wave of liability shield legislation pushed by business interests.
Daily Edition for Thursday, December 23, 2021
Sudden Spike In Covid Cases Causes Alarm: California’s winter covid-19 surge intensified Wednesday, with new overall coronavirus cases likely tied to holiday gatherings spiking up, along with confirmed cases of the omicron strain, which health officials in some parts of the state expect will become dominant within weeks. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, LA Daily News and Orange County Register.
Watch: One City’s Effort to Raise Vaccination Rates Among Black Residents
By Sarah Varney and Jason Kane, PBS NewsHour
In Hartford, Connecticut, public health leaders engage barbers and faith leaders to combat vaccine skepticism in the Black community.
As Patients Fell Ill With Covid Inside Hospitals, Government Oversight Fell Short
By Lauren Weber and Christina Jewett
Photos by Heidi de Marco
A KHN investigation finds that hospitals with high rates of covid patients who didn’t have the diagnosis when they were admitted have rarely been held accountable due to multiple gaps in government oversight.
Nursing Homes Bleed Staff as Amazon Lures Low-Wage Workers With Prime Packages
By Sarah Varney
Add nursing homes to the list of industries jolted by Amazon’s handsome hourly wages. Enticed by an average starting pay rate of $18 an hour and the potential for benefits and signing bonuses, low-wage workers are fleeing entry-level elder care for jobs packing boxes.
Deep Roots Help This Chicago Pharmacist Avoid Creating Another Drugstore Desert
By Markian Hawryluk
Predominantly Black and Hispanic urban areas are more likely than white neighborhoods to see local pharmacies close and are more likely to be pharmacy deserts. In Chicago, one pharmacist is bucking the trend, operating the drugstore his father opened in the 1960s in a Black neighborhood.
Rural Communities Left Hurting Without a Hospital, Ambulance or Doctors Nearby
By Andy Miller
Rural areas such as Echols County, Georgia, have high levels of uninsured people and profound physician shortages that compound the lack of health care options, especially in the 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid.
An Anesthesiology Practice’s Busy Day in Court Collecting on Surprise Bills
By Jay Hancock
Legislative crackdowns on out-of-network bills haven’t kept specialists from hitting patients with unexpected charges running into thousands of dollars.
