From Kaiser Health News Network – Their latest podcast, What the Health, Democrats on Capitol Hill missed their deadline to finish two huge bills that constitute the bulk of President Joe Biden’s domestic agenda, but negotiations continue over expansions to major health programs, as well as ways to rein in prescription drug costs.
CMS is making it easier to check COVID-19 vaccination rates for nursing home staff and residents with a new feature on Medicare.gov. The announcement makes vaccination data available in a user-friendly format to help people make informed decisions when choosing a nursing home for themselves or a loved one.
By Rachana Pradhan – President Joe Biden’s failure to name someone to lead the Food and Drug Administration, more than 10 months after the election, has flummoxed public health experts who say it’s baffling for the agency to be without a permanent leader during a national health crisis.
The Biden-Harris Administration will require COVID-19 vaccination of staff within all Medicare and Medicaid-certified facilities to protect both them and patients from the virus and its more contagious Delta variant. Facilities across the country should make efforts now to get health care staff vaccinated to make sure they are in compliance when the rule takes effect.
By Phil Galewitz & Andy Miller – In the so-called Before Times, sitting shoulder to shoulder inside a stadium with tens of thousands of boisterous spectators — after a few hours of pregame tailgating — was a highlight of many fans’ autumn. But with covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths soaring from the delta variant, many fans are wondering if that is a wise idea.
From Kaiser Health News Network – Their latest podcast, What the Health, The FDA gave full approval to the covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech, which will henceforth be known as “Comirnaty.” It is not clear how many vaccine-hesitant Americans will now be willing to get a jab, but the approval has prompted many public and private employers to implement mandates for their workers.
From Kaiser Health News Network – Their latest podcast, What the Health, As covid-19 cases in the U.S. continue to rise, the Biden administration is countering with new strategies. The latest efforts include preparing for vaccine boosters starting this fall, requiring that nursing home workers be vaccinated and pushing back against state bans on mask mandates in schools.
To increase vaccination coverage and protect more people from COVID-19, including the more transmissible Delta variant, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will require more than 25,000 members of its health care workforce to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
By Katherine H. Capps – “Blame the unvaccinated!” That cry has grown louder in recent days. We hear it from respected people across the political spectrum, from President Joe Biden, a Democrat, to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a conservative Republican. We hear it from our vaccinated friends and neighbors. I get it. We are in the midst of a crisis. Again.
Below is a letter sent by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to insurers and providers following recent reports of ongoing concerns about Americans facing costs associated with COVID-19 vaccinations or testing.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that Health Resources and Services Administration Health Center Program-funded health centers and Health Center Program look-alikes have administered more than 10 million COVID-19 vaccine doses nationwide—with 61% provided to racial and ethnic minorities.
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez – Extending the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to preteens and young adolescents adds nearly 17 million more Americans to the pool of those eligible to be immunized against covid-19, helping to build a vaccinated population closer to herd immunity.
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