At Nursing Homes, Long Waits for Results Render Covid Tests 鈥楿seless鈥
As omicron surges, more nursing homes are facing a double whammy: Lab tests are taking too long, and fast antigen tests are in short supply.
Biden Administration
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Faxes and Snail Mail: Will Pandemic-Era Flaws Unleash Improved Health Technology?
The covid-19 pandemic exposed how state and local governments鈥 severely outdated technology can hinder unemployment benefits, food stamps, Medicaid, vaccine registrations, and the flow of other critical information. Now, with hefty federal pandemic relief and unexpected tax windfalls, states may finally have the chance to revamp their information technology for health care and social services. But can they?
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Record ACA Enrollment Puts Pressure on Congress
Temporary subsidies helped boost enrollment under the Affordable Care Act to a record 14.5 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. But unless Democrats in Congress extend those subsidies, many of those new enrollees will be in for a rude surprise just ahead of midterm elections. Meanwhile, the need to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer further crowds an already tight legislative schedule. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Diana Greene Foster, author of 鈥淭he Turnaway Study: Ten Years, a Thousand Women, and the Consequences of Having 鈥 Or Being Denied 鈥 An Abortion.鈥
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CDC Tells Pharmacies to Give 4th Covid Shots to Immunocompromised Patients
The health agency and the White House acted in the wake of a KHN story about pharmacists refusing to give shots to patients with moderate to severe immune suppression.
By Liz Szabo -
Why Medicare Doesn鈥檛 Pay for Rapid At-Home Covid Tests
The laws governing Medicare don鈥檛 provide coverage for self-administered diagnostic tests, which is precisely what the rapid antigen tests are and why they are an important tool for containing the pandemic.
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Biden Administration鈥檚 Rapid-Test Rollout Doesn鈥檛 Easily Reach Those Who Need It Most
Two rapid-testing initiatives the Biden administration released in the past week are inaccessible to some residents of multifamily housing, people who don鈥檛 speak English well, or those without internet access.
By Hannah Recht and Victoria Knight -
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Roe v. Wade鈥檚 (Possibly Last) Anniversary
Jan. 22 marks the 49th 鈥 and very likely last 鈥 anniversary of the Supreme Court鈥檚 landmark abortion decision, Roe v. Wade. The court鈥檚 conservative supermajority seems poised to overturn later this year the ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Also this week, the Biden administration turns 1, with much of its domestic and health agenda yet unrealized. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of the 19th, and Kimberly Leonard of Insider join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, about what a post-Roe world might look like.
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5 Things You Should Know About 鈥楩ree鈥 At-Home Covid Tests
Telling insurance companies to pay for rapid covid-19 tests is just the latest covid-related cost the federal government expects them to bear. But who really ends up paying for it?
By Damon Darlin -
Justices Block Broad Worker Vaccine Requirement, Allow Health Worker Mandate to Proceed
The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a federal rule requiring larger businesses to mandate employees be vaccinated or wear masks and undergo weekly testing. At the same time, however, it allowed a federal order that health care workers be vaccinated.
By Julie Rovner -
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Dealing With Drug Prices
Medicare officials tentatively plan to restrict the use of a controversial Alzheimer鈥檚 drug to only those patients participating in clinical trials, while the Department of Health and Human Services looks into lowering the monthly Medicare Part B premium. Meanwhile, covid confusion still reigns, as the Biden administration moves, belatedly, to make more masks and tests available. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
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Supreme Court Weighs Biden鈥檚 Workplace Vaccine Requirements
The court is considering whether to let the rules go into effect as opponents fight them in lower courts. Conservative justices pressed lawyers hard about whether the administration overstepped its authority, but liberal members of the high court questioned why the government shouldn鈥檛 be expected to move forcefully when facing a severe health crisis.
By Julie Rovner -
KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Manchin Blows Up Biden鈥檚 鈥楤uild Back Better鈥
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dealt a blow to congressional efforts to pass President Joe Biden鈥檚 domestic agenda bill, forcing Democrats to regroup starting in 2022. Meanwhile, the omicron covid variant spreads rapidly in the U.S., threatening the stability of the nation鈥檚 health care system. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, Rachel Cohrs of Stat and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more, plus a look back at the year in health policy. Also this week, Rovner interviews Ceci Connolly, president and CEO of the Alliance of Community Health Plans.
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2021 COVID Year in Review
The Vaccine Rollout Was a Success. But Events Within and Beyond Biden鈥檚 Control Stymied Progress.
There were variants, vaccine hesitancy and messaging mix-ups. And, despite campaign promises, Biden and his administration sometimes took actions or made statements without waiting for full scientific evidence to back them up.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Oh, Oh, Omicron
Even before the omicron variant of covid starts to spread widely in the U.S., hospitals are filling up with post-holiday delta cases. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court signals 鈥 loudly 鈥 that 2022 will be the year it rolls back abortion rights in a big way. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Call join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
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Nurses in Crisis Over Covid Dig In for Better Work Conditions
In tough labor negotiations across the nation, here's what nurses don鈥檛 want: 鈥渁ppreciation that is lip service,鈥 鈥渕arketing campaigns鈥 and 鈥渟hiny new buildings.鈥 And this year might well prove to be a turning point in efforts to organize health care鈥檚 essential workers.
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Suit by Doctors, Hospitals Seeks Change in How Arbitrators Settle Surprise Billing Cases
The American Medical Association and American Hospital Association are not arguing to halt the law that protects patients from unexpected bills from providers they didn鈥檛 know were outside their insurance network. Instead, they want to change the rules for the mediators who will settle the dispute between insurers and providers.
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KHN鈥檚 鈥榃hat the Health?鈥: Much Ado About (Vaccine) Mandates
The fight over covid vaccines continues to intensify, with Republicans on Capitol Hill pushing 鈥 with some success 鈥 to cancel President Joe Biden鈥檚 鈥渢est regularly or vaccinate鈥 requirement for private employers. Meanwhile, abortion is not the only health issue before the Supreme Court this term. Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet and Rachel Cohrs of Stat News join KHN鈥檚 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
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Never Mind Toys, It鈥檚 Time to Ask Santa for Crutches and Catheters
As hospitals juggle holiday covid surges and all their other patients, the global supply chain crisis has left them short of critical supplies.
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Oncology Doctors Say the Build Back Better Act Will Slash Cancer Care Funding 鈥 A Skewed Argument
The Community Oncology Alliance is targeting the prescription drug provisions of the Build Back Better Act, saying they will trigger deep cuts in oncologists鈥 pay, causing clinics to close and health care costs to rise. But it leaves out some important details.
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Is It Time to Change the Definition of 鈥楩ully Vaccinated鈥?
Experts weigh in as the federal government urges everyone to get boosted amid concerns over omicron, a new covid variant.