Category: states

Surprise! Congress Takes Steps to Curb Unexpected Medical Bills

A long-debated measure to stop doctors, hospitals and other health care providers from billing patients for charges not covered by their insurance will gain congressional approval as part of the sweeping government spending package.

Democrats Are Running Hard on Health Care in Georgia’s Senate Runoffs. Republicans? Not So Much.

Democrats are treating health care as a more critical issue than their Republican counterparts in Georgia’s two U.S. Senate runoffs. It’s a strategy they hope will woo independents and motivate base voters. The results will determine which party controls the chamber during the first years of the Biden administration.

California’s COVID Enforcement Strategy: Education Over Citations

Gov. Gavin Newsom said in July that California would target businesses that flagrantly violate public health orders. But the state’s strategy of education over enforcement means that businesses that don’t comply face few — if any — consequences.

‘Nine Months Into It, the Adrenaline Is Gone and It’s Just Exhausting’

A UCSF emergency room physician reflects on California’s response to COVID-19 and on lessons learned — or not — as the coronavirus makes its second devastating surge.

‘Nine Months Into It, the Adrenaline Is Gone and It’s Just Exhausting’

A UCSF emergency room physician reflects on California’s response to COVID-19 and on lessons learned — or not — as the coronavirus makes its second devastating surge.

Montana’s Mask Mandate in Doubt With Incoming Governor

Republican Greg Gianforte said that he will encourage people to wear masks and wear one himself when he’s sworn in as governor, but that he trusts Montana residents to make the right health decisions for themselves.

No More ICU Beds at the Main Public Hospital in the Nation’s Largest County as COVID Surges

As some patients linger near death, staffers at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center seek ways to expand capacity for a surge of cases that isn’t letting up.

Ski Resorts Work to Stay Open as COVID Cases Snowball

Colorado’s Telluride is a case study in the challenges ski resorts across the U.S. face in staying open as COVID-19 surges.

Pandemic-Related Paid Sick Days and Leave to Expire Dec. 31 — With No Extension in Sight

Enacted in March, an emergency measure covers about half of full-time workers nationwide, permitting 10 days of paid sick leave for all who fall ill or need to quarantine, and 50 more days of extended leave for parents who need to care for a child at home due to COVID-related school or day care closures.

Trusted Messengers May Help Disenfranchised Communities Overcome Vaccine Hesitancy

Persuading vulnerable low-income and ethnic communities hit hard by the coronavirus to take a new vaccine may be challenging. But established local health leaders, like a group in Rochester, Minnesota, may be one answer.