Category: Public Health

Washington State Retools First-in-the-Nation Long-Term Care Benefit

The WA Cares Fund program, which would provide workers in the state a lifetime benefit of $36,500, was set to begin collecting money through a payroll tax in January, but it was delayed while lawmakers made adjustments to address equity problems. Now the payroll deductions will begin in July 2023, and benefits will become available in 2026.

Attendance Plummets at LA Covid Vaccination Events

Across Los Angeles County, few people are showing up at covid vaccination drives even though nearly 2 million residents remain unvaccinated.

COVID-19 hospitalizations tick up nationwide: 9 CDC findings

COVID-19 hospitalizations increased nationwide this week for the first time since late January, according to the CDC’s COVID-19 data tracker weekly review published April 15.

10 places where COVID-19 cases are projected to jump the most

Mississippi is projected to have the highest rate of COVID-19 cases of any state by April 25, according to forecasts from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic. 

How the Test-to-Treat Pillar of the US Covid Strategy Is Failing Patients

The federal “test-to-treat” program was designed to be a one-stop shop for people to get tested for covid and to receive treatment. But as covid cases rise again, many communities have no participating locations, and website bugs make it difficult to book an appointment at the biggest participant.

It’s Not Just Doctors and Nurses. Veterinarians Are Burning Out, Too.

Empathy overload and compassion fatigue contribute to the mental health woes of veterinarians, who are more likely than other Americans to attempt suicide. And with 23 million families adopting pets during the pandemic, vets’ stress burden is no doubt heavier now.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: News You Might Have Missed

Congress is in recess, so the slower-than-average news week gives us a chance to catch up on underreported topics, like Medicare’s coverage decision for the controversial Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm and ominous new statistics on drug overdose deaths and sexually transmitted diseases. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: News You Might Have Missed

Congress is in recess, so the slower-than-average news week gives us a chance to catch up on underreported topics, like Medicare’s coverage decision for the controversial Alzheimer’s disease drug Aduhelm and ominous new statistics on drug overdose deaths and sexually transmitted diseases. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Joanne Kenen of Politico and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read, too.

BA2 subvariants likely contributing to rising cases in New York, officials say

Two sublineages of the BA.2 omicron subvariant are circulating in New York and are likely factors in the state’s rising COVID-19 cases, state health officials said April 13. 

California drops 5-day quarantine for asymptomatic people exposed to COVID-19

In a departure from CDC guidelines, California health officials are no longer recommending quarantine for people who were exposed to COVID-19 but don’t have symptoms, the Los Angeles Times reported April 13.