Category: NPR

Amid Nursing Shortage, Hospital CEO Says Vaccine Mandates Can Deter Staff

NPR’s Michel Martin speaks with Dr. Randy Tobler, CEO of Scotland County Hospital in Memphis, Missouri, about Covid cases and staffing shortages at his facility.

NY Hospitals Worry About Staff Shortages As Monday Vaccine Deadline Approaches

The statewide COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers takes effect Monday and hospitals and nursing homes fear it could lead to staff shortages.

Rural Hospitals Fear A Vaccine Mandate Would Dwindle Already Overextended Staffs

Rural hospitals want to see their workforce get vaccinated against COVID-19. But they’re worried Biden’s new mandate will cause staff shortages, and they’re asking the administration for help.

Methamphetamine Deaths Soar, Hitting Black And Native Americans Especially Hard

Newly published U.S. data finds overdose deaths from methamphetamine use more than doubled in recent years. Use of the stimulant among Black Americans surged nearly tenfold.

Entergy Resisted Upgrading New Orleans’ Power Grid. Residents Paid the Price

Entergy failed to rebuild a stronger system after hurricanes repeatedly damaged its electric grid. Then Hurricane Ida knocked out power for more than a week in the middle of a heat wave.

The FDA Has Been Without A Permanent Leader For 8 Months, As COVID Cases Climb

Dr. Janet Woodcock, an administrative veteran of the Food and Drug Administration since the 1980s, has been acting director of the agency since January. Why is the permanent job so hard to fill?

The Best Time For Rehabilitation After A Stroke Might Actually Be 2 To 3 Months Later

Intensive rehabilitative therapy that starts two to three months after a stroke may be key to helping the injured brain rewire, a new study suggests. That’s later than covered by many insurance plans.

The Affordable Care Act Can Help Au Pairs Avoid Medical Debt

Child care workers from outside the U.S. often buy health coverage through an agency. But those policies can have big gaps, critics warn. ACA plans are comprehensive and, with subsidies, can be cheap.

Overwhelmed With COVID Patients, Oregon Hospitals Postpone Surgeries And Cancer Care

Patients with advanced cancer and heart disease are among those who have had to wait for surgeries and other procedures as critically ill, unvaccinated COVID patients strain the medical system.

Data Mining Helped Medicare Advantage Plans Commit Fraud, Justice Department Alleges

In a civil suit filed this week, the Justice Department accuses a New York medical analytics company and two consultants of helping health plans for seniors cheat Medicare out of millions of dollars.