Kaiser Health News

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Kristyna Wentz Graff/OPB

To the Bat Cave: In Search of Covid’s Origins, Scientists Reignite Polarizing Debate on Wuhan ‘Lab Leak’

The scientist at the center of the storm can't disprove that the virus resulted from a lab leak in China -- though he doesn't believe it.

May 19, 2021

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In a white-dominated society, Black men are less likely to have family members with high incomes or social and business connections who can open doors for them, says Thomas LaVeist, a sociologist and dean of the school of public health at Tulane University./Paula Burch-Celentano/Tulane University

Racism Derails Black Men’s Health, Even as Education Levels Rise

Black men are more likely to die from chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer than white men, and their life expectancy, on average, is lower.

May 19, 2021

Latinos Are the Most Eager to Get Vaccinated, Survey Shows — But Face Obstacles

One-third of unvaccinated Hispanics say they want the shots, compared with 17% of Blacks and 16% of whites, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey.

May 17, 2021

Telemedicine Is a Tool — Not a Replacement for Your Doctor’s Touch

Many of the new types of telemedicine being promoted by start-ups more clearly benefit providers’ and investors’ pockets, rather than yielding more high-quality and cost-effective medicine for patients.

May 6, 2021

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Nurses at Legacy Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland. | LYNNE TERRY/THE LUND REPORT

COVID ‘Doesn’t Discriminate by Age’: Serious Cases on the Rise in Younger Adults

“We’re now seeing people in their 30s, 40s and 50s — young people who are really sick,” said Dr. Vishnu Chundi, an infectious disease specialist.

May 4, 2021

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SHUTTERSTOCK

Mental Health Services Wane as Insurers Appear to Skirt Parity Rules During Pandemic

A report on patient access to behavioral health care during the COVID-19 crisis casts doubt on whether insurers are abiding by federal law requiring parity in insurance coverage.

May 3, 2021

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KRISTIAN FODEN-VENCIL/OPB

CVS and Walgreens Have Wasted More Vaccine Doses Than Most States Combined

Federal data show that CVS was responsible for nearly half of more than 180,000 wasted doses nationwide, while Walgreens was responsible for about one-fifth.

May 3, 2021

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The PDX Commons Cohousing is located in Southeast Portland./Joanne Fox

COVID Forces Cohousing Communities to Examine Shared Values and Relationships

Members of PDX Commons, a Portland community for adults 55 and older, disagreed about what to do about unvaccinated visitors -- allow them in or ban them?

Apr 29, 2021

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Kaiser Health News illustration.

Doctors More Likely to Prescribe Opioids to COVID ‘Long Haulers,’ Raising Addiction Fears

A new study in the journal Nature found alarmingly high rates of opioid use among COVID survivors with lingering symptoms at Veterans Health Administration facilities.

Apr 28, 2021

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Humana sells health insurance across the U.S. including from this location in Louisville, Kentucky./Shutterstock

Humana Health Plan Overcharged Medicare by Nearly $200 Million, Federal Audit Finds

The Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General's recommendation to repay, if finalized, would be “by far the largest” audit penalty ever imposed on a Medicare Advantage company.

Apr 20, 2021