Bird Flu Lands as the Next Public Health Challenge

The Host

Public well being officers are watching with concern since a pressure of chook flu unfold to dairy cows in not less than 9 states, and to not less than one dairy employee. However within the wake of covid-19, many farmers are loath to let in well being authorities for testing.

In the meantime, one other giant well being firm — the Catholic hospital chain Ascension — has been focused by a cyberattack, resulting in critical issues at some amenities.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

• Stumbles within the early response to chook flu bear an uncomfortable resemblance to the early days of covid, together with the troubles defending staff who may very well be uncovered to the illness. Notably, the Division of Agriculture benefited from tens of millions in covid reduction funds designed to strengthen illness surveillance.
• Congress is working to increase protection of telehealth care; the query is, methods to pay for it? Lawmakers seem to have settled on a two-year settlement, although extra on the extension — together with how a lot it’s going to price — stays unknown.
• Talking of telehealth, a brand new report reveals about 20% of treatment abortions are supervised through telehealth care. State-level restrictions are forcing these in want of abortion care to show to choices farther from dwelling.
• And new reporting on Medicaid illuminates the variety of folks falling via the cracks of the federal government well being system for low-income and disabled People — together with how insurance coverage corporations profit from people’ confusion over whether or not they have Medicaid protection in any respect.

Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Atul Grover of the Affiliation of American Medical Faculties about its current evaluation displaying that graduating medical college students are avoiding coaching in states with abortion bans and main restrictions.

Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose you need to learn, too: 

Julie Rovner: NPR’s “Why Writing by Hand Beats Typing for Considering and Studying,” by Jonathan Lambert.  

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Time’s “‘I Don’t Have Religion in Medical doctors Anymore.’ Ladies Say They Had been Pressured Into Lengthy-Time period Delivery Management,” by Alana Semuels.  

Rachel Cohrs Zhang: Stat’s “After A long time Preventing Massive Tobacco, Cliff Douglas Now Leads a Basis Funded by His Former Adversaries,” by Nicholas Florko.  

Sandhya Raman: The Baltimore Banner’s “Folks With Extreme Psychological Sickness Are Caught in Jail. Montgomery County Is the Epicenter of the Drawback,” by Ben Conarck.  

Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:

To listen to all our podcasts, click on right here.

And subscribe to KFF Well being Information’ “What the Well being?” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, or wherever you hearken to podcasts.