Category: Washington

Senators Ask GAO to Examine Medicaid’s Low Covid Vaccination Rates

Sens. Robert Casey Jr. and Ron Wyden want a probe into what barriers are keeping Medicaid plans from reaching enrollees.

Other States Keep Watchful Eye on Snags in Washington’s Pioneering Public-Option Plan

Washington was the first state in the U.S. to introduce a public option for health insurance, but the rollout hasn’t been smooth. Other states with public options in the works are taking notice.

Firefighters on Front Lines, No Strangers to Risk, Push Back Against Covid Vaccine Mandates

Among the people still reluctant to get vaccinated — and pushing against mandates — are firefighters, many of whom also respond to medical calls as paramedics and EMTs and have witnessed the ravages of the pandemic firsthand.

‘My Time to Live’: Through Novel Program, Kidney Patients Get Palliative Care, Dialysis ’Til the End

Seattle’s Northwest Kidney Centers, which pioneered kidney failure treatment 50 years ago, now pairs dying patients with hospice services, without forcing them to forgo the comfort dialysis can provide.

Jaw Surgery Takes a $27,119 Bite out of One Man’s Budget

A Seattle patient discovers the hard way that you can still hit a lifetime limit for certain types of care. And health plans can vary a lot from one job to the next, even if the insurer is the same.

A Chilling Cure: Facing Killer Heat, ERs Use Body Bags to Save Lives

Doctors in Washington state used human body bags filled with ice and water to rapidly cool the sickest patients affected by record heat last month.

Battle Brews Over Neutral Zone Where Border-Crossing Parties Rendezvous, Risking Detection and Infection

Peace Arch Park on the U.S.-Canadian border has become a rare place where families and friends on either side of the border can see one another in person. But it raises questions on covid safety as the two countries handle the pandemic differently.

Nosing In on Kids Who Had Covid and Lost Their Sense of Smell

Clinicians at pediatric hospitals are experimenting with “smell training” among children who had covid-19 and have now lost this sense.

Nosing In on Kids Who Had Covid and Lost Their Sense of Smell

Clinicians at pediatric hospitals are experimenting with “smell training” among children who had covid-19 and have now lost this sense.

A Battle-Weary Seattle Hospital Fights the Latest COVID Surge

Harborview Medical Center was at the epicenter of the first wave of coronavirus in the U.S. Staffers have a better understanding of the disease as cases surge, but fatigue and a lack of backup staff are big challenges.