Category: NPR

In Fine Print, HHS Seems To Have Banned Surprise Medical Bills During The Pandemic

Guidance regarding the CARES Act says health care providers who take emergency funds aren’t allowed to “balance bill” coronavirus patients ― and every patient is a possible COVID-19 patient.

Doctors Bring Coronavirus Testing To Underserved Communities

Three doctors, all women, all black, from cities that have been hit hard by Covid-19, bring tele-health services and testing to marginalized communities.

Childhood Friends On The Health Crisis Front Lines Connect Virtually

Sam Dow and Josh Belser are working in different cities amid the coronavirus pandemic. “I’m not at all surprised that we both ended up working in health care,” Belser said in a StoryCorps interview.

CRISPR And Spit Might Be Keys To Faster, Cheaper, Easier Tests For The Coronavirus

Researchers are racing to develop quick, home-based tests for the virus that could deliver test results in minutes. None do that yet, but several under development hold promise, scientists say.

The View From A Seattle Emergency Room As COVID-19 Cases Level Off

Dr. Sachita Shah of Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center updates NPR’s Ari Shapiro about how her hospital is dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak.

Brooklyn Hospital Workers Protest, Demanding Equipment To Prevent More Staff Deaths

Health care workers at a small hospital in Brooklyn are taking to the streets in protest. They say they don’t have the protective care they need, and that their co-workers are dying.

Long Before COVID-19, Dr. Tony Fauci ‘Changed Medicine In America Forever’

New Yorker writer Michael Specter covered Fauci’s early work in the AIDS epidemic. “He’s always taken an open-minded approach to the problems,” Specter says of the infectious-disease expert.

Families Say They Received Form Letters From N.J. Nursing Home As Loved Ones Died

An anonymous tip led to the discovery of 17 deceased people at the Andover Subacute nursing facility this week. Families say the home sent them form letters saying patients had COVID-19.

San Francisco Ramps Up Back-To-Basics Contact Tracing To Stop COVID-19

Citing concerns about privacy and civil liberties, the city’s not relying on a smartphone app to track cases. Instead, it’s recruiting public health staff, librarians and med students to make calls.

How To Stay Healthy When Your Child, Spouse Or Roommate Has COVID-19

Sharing a home with someone who has COVID-19 raises your risk of catching the virus. But the sick person needs your support, as well as good hygiene skills. Try these “best practice” tips.