Mental telehealth services have declined since end of pandemic emergency: study

The JAMA study comes as lawmakers debate whether to permanently expand telehealth flexibilities in Medicare this year. 

By Sydney Halleman • July 30, 2024

US hikes tariffs on medical products from China

The rate hikes focus on areas where the Biden administration has sought to boost domestic production, such as medical supplies that were essential to the COVID-19 pandemic response.

By Elise Reuter • May 14, 2024

AstraZeneca withdraws COVID-19 vaccine, citing declining demand

The move ends a turbulent saga for AstraZeneca, which successfully developed a coronavirus shot but struggled to sell it amid competition and the emergence of rare but serious side effects. 

By Delilah Alvarado • May 8, 2024

Lawmakers mull telehealth quality, reimbursement as extension deadline looms

Legislators worked to hash out details about Medicare telehealth policy as a deadline to continue pandemic-era flexibilities draws closer.

By Emily Olsen • April 11, 2024

One year, 19M disenrollments: A look at Medicaid redeterminations so far

Threats of fines, procedural errors and more: Here are the major headlines from the past year of states unwinding Medicaid.

By Sydney Halleman • April 2, 2024

BeMe’s CEO Nicki Tessler on digital behavioral health programs and payer partnerships

Depression and anxiety climbed among teens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nicki Tessler, CEO and cofounder of BeMe Health, breaks down solutions.

By Brian T. Horowitz • Feb. 5, 2024

Healthcare labor churn increased through 2021, study finds

To keep up with elevated COVID-19 turnover, healthcare organizations hired more workers who were unemployed or hadn't previously worked in the industry, according to a study published in JAMA.

By Susanna Vogel • Jan. 29, 2024

Mask mandates return to health facilities amid soaring COVID, flu cases

New York City yesterday joined Chicago, Los Angeles, Massachusetts and other communities in reinstating mask mandates to reduce the spread of viruses. 

By Nish Amarnath • Jan. 4, 2024

Research flags ‘concerning’ employment losses at nursing homes amid Biden administration staffing push

As employment continues to decline in skilled nursing facilities, regulators, healthcare industry leaders and workers’ unions are split on how to make roles more attractive.

By Susanna Vogel • Nov. 6, 2023

Physicians spend more time after hours on EHR tasks post-COVID, report finds

The switch to virtual care has increased documentation burden for physicians, according to a new analysis in JAMA.

By Susanna Vogel • Nov. 2, 2023

Calling healthcare burnout a crisis is an ‘understatement,’ CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sounding the alarm on increasing levels of burnout and harassment in the healthcare industry.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 25, 2023

How 4 health system executives are tackling supply chain challenges

After the COVID-19 pandemic caused worldwide disruptions, executives at four major health systems shared how they’re innovating supply chain tactics.

By Sydney Halleman • Oct. 23, 2023

Healthcare worker exodus continued through 2022, new data shows

Physicians accounted for nearly half of departures from 2021 through 2022, with staffing shortages putting care quality at risk, according to a new report from Definitive Healthcare.

By Susanna Vogel • Oct. 17, 2023

The future of vaccine storage: Why cold chain innovation is critical

From vaccines protecting against the varicella-zoster virus or Hepatitis B to those used to safeguard our pets against rabies, many widely-used immunizations are sensitive to overheating, freezing or both.

Oct. 16, 2023

Tennessee BCBS sued by former employees over COVID vaccine mandate

The new lawsuit alleges the nonprofit health plan violated employees' religious rights by not granting them an exemption to its inoculation requirement.

By Rebecca Pifer • Sept. 18, 2023

CDC endorses new COVID boosters as focus turns to rollout

Agency advisers voted 13-1 to recommend the updated shots for everyone over the age of 6 months, greenlighting the vaccines’ rollout one day after the FDA’s approval.

By Delilah Alvarado • Sept. 13, 2023

More than 80% of healthcare executives say recruiting talent is a top business risk, report finds

Healthcare executives are more likely than those in other industries to label staffing shortages a business risk, according to a report from business services firm PwC.

By Susanna Vogel • Aug. 28, 2023

Mental health service utilization and spending increased during the pandemic, study finds

Telehealth options helped providers meet increased patient demand for mental healthcare services during the pandemic, according to a new report.

By Susanna Vogel • Aug. 28, 2023

‘Project NextGen’ to spend $1.4B in search for better COVID drugs, vaccines

Inspired by Operation Warp Speed, the new federal program aims to fund development and testing of new therapies that can stay ahead of an evolving virus.

By Ben Fidler • Aug. 25, 2023

Pandemic relief funds bolstered operating margins at vulnerable hospitals, Health Affairs finds

The funds have come under scrutiny, with some reports suggesting that high-performing hospitals capitalized on them to post record operating margins.

By Susanna Vogel • Aug. 23, 2023

OHSU, Legacy Health plan to combine

The deal, which the health systems said would create the largest employer in the Portland area, could be a financial lifeline for Legacy.

By Emily Olsen • Aug. 21, 2023

Physicians used social media to spread COVID misinformation to thousands, report finds

Some physicians played a role in spreading COVID-19 misinformation by posting erroneous information on social media, according to a JAMA study.

By Susanna Vogel • Aug. 16, 2023

Primary care providers say field is ‘crumbling’

Three years after the onset of the pandemic, providers remain overwhelmed, burned out and pessimistic about the future, according to a new report.

By Susanna Vogel • July 20, 2023

COVID relief funds helped some hospitals soar to ‘all-time high’ operating margins

The findings led JAMA researchers to conclude pandemic relief funds “may not have been necessary” for some for-profit hospitals and affiliated health systems.

By Susanna Vogel • July 19, 2023

States’ varying approaches complicate effort to determine impact of Medicaid redeterminations

Millions of people have been disenrolled from Medicaid, but it’s too early to get a full picture of redeterminations’ effect on vulnerable Americans, experts say.

By Emily Olsen • July 13, 2023