Latest California Healthline Stories
Verily’s COVID Testing Program Halted in San Francisco and Oakland
Health officials in San Francisco and Alameda counties have cut ties with Verily’s state-funded COVID testing sites amid concerns about data collection and privacy.
Florida Fails to Attract Bidders for Canada Drug Importation Program
No private firms bid on the $30 million contract to set up and operate the state’s plan to bring in cheaper drugs. The setback is likely to delay by at least several months Florida’s effort to become the first state to import drugs under new federal regulations.
Arguing to Undo the ACA. Harming Medicare. Do They Go Hand in Hand?
A Biden campaign ad out this month attacks President Donald Trump for pushing to slash Medicare benefits. A campaign spokesperson said the claim comes from the administration’s support for a legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act that seeks to nullify the entire law.
Did Trump Confuse the Public Option With ‘Medicare for All’?
President Donald Trump was off the mark when he said Vice President Joe Biden’s health plan — which includes a public options — will terminate the private insurance of 180 million people.
In Tamer Debate, Trump and Biden Clash (Again) on President’s Pandemic Response
Trump claims the U.S. is “rounding the corner” on COVID, while Biden predicts a “dark winter.” On another front, Trump warns Biden’s health care plan will lead to socialized medicine; Biden promises private insurance isn’t going anywhere.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Analysis: Winter Is Coming for Bars. Here’s How to Save Them. And Us.
To stop the coronavirus, we need to stop super-spreader events.