Category: NPR

Wisconsin was already facing a shortage of caregivers who provide crucial health services and help their clients live and work independently. The pandemic has eroded this workforce even more.

More than 35% of students surveyed experienced mistreatment in a U.S. medical school. “There’s a direct link between this abuse and how some … health care disparities play out,” a black doctor says.

Congress required health plans to fully cover COVID-19 testing, but insurance companies say they should only have to pay if tests are “medically necessary” or ordered by a doctor.

Alcohol and drug consumption have increased recently, but fewer patients have sought treatment. Most treatment centers face possible closure even as they anticipate a post-pandemic surge in need.

The standard test for infection with the coronavirus looks for a genetic fingerprint. Laboratory errors, including contamination, can lead to false results, a problem seen with environmental testing.

California is paying to train a huge contingent of contact tracers by July. Many of the new recruits are librarians: they’re curious, tech savvy, and great at talking to strangers.

The Trump administration has finalized a rule on Friday that would remove non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people when it comes to health care and health insurance.

Trump has reversed Obama-era protections that prohibit discrimination in health care based on gender identity. Critics warn the rule could harm a vulnerable group — LGBTQ people — during a pandemic.

Claire Panke, a neonatal intensive care nurse, talks about the changes COVID-19 has brought to her unit. For example, parents must visit babies one at a time and wear masks.

Dallas is one of the major Texas cities facing disparities in access to COVID-19 testing, resulting in less testing in black neighborhoods. A visit to the city’s north and south reveals the divide.