Category: Health Industry

Antibody Tests Were Hailed As Way To End Lockdowns. Instead, They Cause Confusion.

Some communities considered community antibody testing as a way out of lockdown. But they’ve pulled back as they realized antibody testing is the Wild West in an oversight vacuum.

COVID-Like Cough Sent Him To ER — Where He Got A $3,278 Bill

A dad in Denver tried to do everything right when COVID symptoms surfaced. Still, he ended up with a huge bill from an insurer that had said it waived cost sharing for coronavirus treatment. What gives?

Must-Reads Of The Week

KHN executive editor Damon Darlin wades through mounds of health care policy stories — so you don’t have to.

Congress Said COVID-19 Tests Should Be Free — But Who’s Paying?

Some large employers interpreted themselves as exempt from new federal laws that say tests for the coronavirus should be free to patients. Large academic medical centers are holding back from sending bills to these patients to avoid a backlash over surprise billing.

Scientist Has ‘Invisible Enemy’ In Sights With Microscopic Portraits Of Coronavirus

As an electron microscopist at the National Institutes of Health’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Montana, Elizabeth Fischer has captured stunning images of emerging pathogens such as Ebola, the MERS coronavirus and now SARS-CoV-2.

How A Company Misappropriated Native American Culture To Sell Health Insurance

Maine investigators find one patient’s saga with O’NA HealthCare offers a cautionary tale for anyone looking for cut-rate coverage online.

Fewer Traffic Collisions During Shutdown Means Longer Waits For Organ Donations

Accident deaths are typically the biggest source of donor organs nationwide. But when the coronavirus forced Californians indoors, accidents declined.

The Pandemic Is Hurting Pediatric Hospitals, Too

Children’s hospitals were generally in good shape before COVID-19, but now their revenues are plunging as beds they reserved to assist in the pandemic effort remain empty.

‘Last Responders’ Seek To Expand Postmortem COVID Testing In Unexplained Deaths

Early in the outbreak, some coroners and medical examiners didn’t have enough tests to use for people who died unexpectedly at home to see whether the coronavirus was a factor. Now, as testing gradually becomes widely available, more such mysteries could be solved.

‘An Arm And A Leg’: Angst And Advice From A Health Insurance Insider

A podcast listener who works in the health insurance industry says that when you’re trying to untangle a problem with your health insurance company ask the representative on the phone to slow down. And if need be, don’t hesitate to ask to speak with a supervisor.