Category: KHN & PolitiFact HealthCheck

Florida Gov. DeSantis Falsely Claims Bivalent Booster Boosts Chances of Covid Infection

Experts say the Florida governor’s conclusion could not be drawn from the study he cited, adding that the research focused on health care workers, who are likelier to be exposed to covid and more likely to be vaccinated. Those findings should not be applied to the general public.

Ad Goes Too Far With Claim That Joe Biden Promotes Surgery for Trans Teens

Even some medical experts who are skeptical of gender-affirming care say the White House is not promoting breast removal and genital surgery for teens. But that’s not what an ad, funded by a group led by a former adviser to President Donald Trump, would have you believe.

No, the Senate-Passed Reconciliation Bill Won’t Strip $300 Billion From Medicare

Under the Medicare drug negotiations provisions in the reconciliation bill, the federal government would see its outlays reduced by about $300 billion. That reduction wouldn’t result from cuts in benefits. Instead, Medicare would be empowered to leverage its market power to pay lower prices for certain drugs.

Rapper Fat Joe Says No One Is Making Sure Hospitals Post Their Prices

A TV and social media ad offers a reason to check on the enforcement of a sweeping rule that requires hospitals to post information about what they charge insurers and cash-paying patients.

A GOP Talking Point Suggests Birth Control Is Not at Risk. Evidence Suggests Otherwise.

Republicans say Democrats are wrong to claim that birth control could be the Supreme Court’s next target. But Democrats have plenty of evidence that it might be.

Ad Targeting Manchin and AARP Mischaracterizes Medicare Drug-Price Negotiations

The advocacy group American Commitment said empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices would raid it of billions of dollars. Drug pricing experts say that that’s not the case and that such policies would instead reduce costs for the Medicare program and seniors.

US Rep. Gaetz’s Diagnosis of What’s Driving Insulin Costs Misses the Root Cause

A diabetes diagnosis is not always related to a person’s weight or overall health, especially for those with Type 1 diabetes, who are dependent on insulin treatment for life.

Biden’s Blanket Statement — ‘No More Surprise Billing’ — Doesn’t Quite Cover It

The president used broad language to say that Americans no longer needed to worry about surprise bills, but there are exceptions to the new law that could cost unsuspecting consumers.

Ask KHN-PolitiFact: Is My Cloth Mask Good Enough? The 2022 Edition

With the omicron variant surging throughout the U.S., many experts warn that a single-layer cloth mask is not enough protection. Instead, they recommend an upgrade: layering wardrobe masks with surgical masks or wearing an N95 or KN95 respirator.

Oncology Doctors Say the Build Back Better Act Will Slash Cancer Care Funding — 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’ pay, causing clinics to close and health care costs to rise. But it leaves out some important details.