Federal COVID-19 aid fueled huge jump in national health spending last year

The pandemic accounted for major changes in who paid for healthcare as job losses spurred changes in coverage types, while people deferred care and spent less out of their own pockets.

By Shannon Muchmore • Dec. 16, 2021

HHS to funnel $9B in relief funds to providers

The federal government will reimburse smaller providers more favorably in this funding round, regulators said, acknowledging these facilities tend to operate on shakier financial footing compared to larger peers.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 15, 2021

Huge variance in state costs for complex hospitalizations from COVID-19, analysis finds

New Jersey has the highest in-network costs for complex hospitalizations from COVID-19 of any U.S. state, nonprofit Fair Health said. Maryland, which uses an all-payer model, had the lowest.

By Rebecca Pifer • Dec. 15, 2021

Coronavirus variants are accelerating front-line worker burnout to new heights

While physicians said chaotic work environments are to blame for their burnout, nurses cited after-hour workloads, according to a recent report from KLAS Research's Arch Collaborative.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 14, 2021

SCOTUS blocks challenge to New York's health worker vaccine mandate

The lawsuit was filed by a group of doctors and other medical professionals protesting that the state's requirement for staff in hospitals, long-term care and other healthcare facilities does not allow for a religious exemption.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 14, 2021

In final analysis, Pfizer's COVID-19 pill remains highly effective

Full study results show Paxlovid cut the risk of COVID-19 hospitalization or death by about 90% among high-risk adults, matching the interim findings the drugmaker disclosed last month.

By Ben Fidler • Dec. 14, 2021

Omicron cuts Pfizer vaccine's potency, but data shows booster may restore protection

Preliminary laboratory testing by Pfizer and partner BioNTech indicated three doses may protect against omicron as well as two doses perform against the original coronavirus strain.

By Ned Pagliarulo , Ben Fidler • Dec. 9, 2021

COVID-19 drops out of top telehealth diagnoses in September even as virtual care use rises

National telehealth use, measured as a percentage of all medical claims, rose more than 2% in September for the second straight month as the delta variant surged, following a sustained period of decline early this year.

By Rebecca Pifer • Dec. 7, 2021

Medicare telehealth visits increased 63-fold from 2019 to 2020, new government data shows

Virtual visits for Medicare beneficiaries went from hundreds of thousands pre-pandemic to tens of millions in 2020, with many beneficiaries using telehealth for the first time.

By Rebecca Pifer • Dec. 6, 2021

Nurses burned out, dissatisfied with careers consider leaving the field, survey finds

New staffing approaches would make the profession more manageable, as would higher wages, nurses told staffing firm Cross Country Healthcare and Florida Atlantic University's College of Nursing.

By Hailey Mensik • Dec. 6, 2021

Appeals court limits nationwide halt on health worker vaccine mandates

A federal appeals court Wednesday stopped the nationwide pause on CMS' vaccine mandate, limiting the scope of that injunction to the 14 states that sued for relief.

By Hailey Mensik • Updated Dec. 16, 2021

Insurers now required to pay for at-home COVID-19 tests

Nearly 150 million insured Americans will benefit from the move, helping to lower their costs for the over-the-counter tests that can retail for around $25 for one kit.

By Samantha Liss • Dec. 2, 2021

FDA panel, after debate, narrowly backs Merck COVID pill

While agency advisers raised concerns over molnupiravir's modest benefits and potential risks, a majority felt the antiviral drug is a needed option for COVID-19 patients at high risk of severe disease.

By Jonathan Gardner • Updated Nov. 30, 2021

Hospitals brace for omicron as margins weaken further, Kaufman Hall reports

New uncertainties raised by the variant are likely to challenge hospitals as they grapple with shrinking operating margins as a result of escalating labor costs.

By Susan Kelly • Dec. 1, 2021

Healthcare worker vaccine mandate blocked nationwide in second ruling

A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction Tuesday in a suit brought by 14 states challenging the requirement, following separate pauses in other states.

By Hailey Mensik • Updated Dec. 1, 2021

Vaccine makers move quickly to confront omicron threat

Several companies, including Pfizer and Moderna, are already at work adapting their coronavirus shots to the newly identified variant, which experts worry could more readily evade vaccine protection.

By Ned Pagliarulo • Nov. 29, 2021

Omicron variant not a problem for COVID-19 diagnostics, certain test makers contend

Testing manufacturers such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, Qiagen and Lucira Health claim their tests are not impacted by the new strain, which has been designated a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization.

By Greg Slabodkin • Nov. 29, 2021

Biden admin investing $1.5B to quell healthcare staffing shortages, promote workforce equity

The funding will go toward scholarship and loan repayment programs for healthcare students committing to work in hard-hit and high-risk communities, according to the White House.

By Hailey Mensik • Nov. 23, 2021

Labor, supply chain pressures mount for US hospitals, Fitch says

Staffing shortages, higher transportation costs and trouble sourcing some materials threaten healthcare revenue and operating margins in the near term, the ratings agency said.

By Susan Kelly • Nov. 22, 2021

FDA, aiming to curb another COVID-19 surge, clears Pfizer, Moderna boosters for all adults

The decision comes as at least 10 states open up booster dose eligibility beyond the current, more limited authorizations while cases remain at high levels.

By Ben Fidler • Nov. 19, 2021