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Efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 undermined by concerns over vaccine side effects
Physicians say they hear: “You don’t need a vaccine if you’ve had COVID-19,” “The vaccine modifies your DNA,” and “The vaccine contains a microchip.”
Telehealth usage varies widely among Medicare beneficiaries
More than a quarter of Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services during the summer and fall in 2020, but usage varied significantly when factoring in metrics such as age and race, finds a new
HHS distributing $3 billion in American Rescue Plan funds for addiction, mental health block grants
Two block grant programs will disperse $1.5 billion each to states and territories, following supplementing funding of $2.5 billion.
NYC Health + Hospitals ceases two race-based clinical assessments in new initiative
The system has eliminated two diagnostic tests that have embedded race-based calculations for severity of illness and risk.
Six drugmakers are in violation of 340B statute, says HRSA
Six drugmakers who have violated the 340B statute should immediately begin offering drugs at discounted prices to hospitals participating in the federal drug-pricing program, according to a letter sent to the drugmakers this week from the Health Resour…
Vulnerable Americans are forgoing mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS data shows
The ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency is continuing to have an impact on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beneficiaries, as well as the utilization of health services, according to data from the Centers for Medicare and Me…
CMS releases guidance on COVID-19 relief funds for state Medicaid programs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued guidance last week on how states could receive enhanced funding through the American Rescue Plan to increase access to home and community-based services for Medicaid beneficiaries.
Benefits for home…
National Nurses United opposed to CDC rollback on new COVID-19 mask guidance
National Nurses United has spoken out in disagreement with new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance stating that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks, avoid crowds or large gatherings, isolate after exposure, or get teste…
Biden Administration to invest $7 billion from American Rescue Plan to hire, train public health workers
The Biden Administration on Thursday said it planned to invest $7.4 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to hire and train more public health workers with the goal of being better prepared for future pandemics.
