Millions of Americans are calling in sick or isolating, leaving employers scrambling and forcing low-income workers to go without pay or risk going into work.
Why it matters: The latest pandemic health crisis is undermining employers, draining the bottom line and risking reduced output.
Why it matters: The patient, 57-year-old David Bennett, is still doing well three days later, proving for the first time a "genetically-modified animal heart can function like a human heart without immediate rejection by the body," UMMC said. The surgery has the potential to provide hope to hundreds of thousands of patients worldwide, the New York Times notes.
Health insurers will be required to cover costs for over-the-counter, at-home COVID tests starting this Saturday, the Health and Human Services Department announced Monday.
Why it matters: Under President Biden's strategy to expand access to free COVID testing, insurers will either cover costs upfront or reimburse people after they submit claims.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday proposed a plan to expand health care coverage to cover all low-income, undocumented Californians.
Why it matters: The proposal is part of the Democratic governor's $213 billion budget request for the 2022-23 fiscal year. If approved by the state legislature, it would begin no sooner than Jan. 1, 2024.
Because Biogen lowered the price of Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm by 50%, the federal government should "reassess" the large pending increase on Medicare's 2022 premiums that cover physician and outpatient care, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement today.
Why it matters: The historically high Medicare premium hike, during a midterm election year, was due in large part to Aduhelm's high price tag.
But now Becerra is asking Medicare to consider lowering the premium increase, just days before Medicare also is supposed to give a preliminary decision about whether Aduhelm's questionable clinical evidence justifies coverage at all.
A series of messaging missteps is threatening the credibility of federal health agencies, and critics say the White House isn’t doing enough to manage the fallout.
Why it matters: While much of the unvaccinated population is unlikely to be persuaded by any messenger, large swaths of the public are still receptive to expert guidance, but federal health agencies, particularly the CDC, may be squandering their credibility with this population.
The annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference kicks off today, and it's virtual for the second straight year after companies raised concerns about rising coronavirus cases.
Why it matters: Health care is as profitable as ever amid the global pandemic, and companies are eager to tell deep-pocketed power brokers why they should continue to plow more money into the industry and expect hefty returns.
Novak Djokovic's Australian visa cancellation was overturned Monday by a judge on the country's federal circuit court, who ordered the Serbian tennis star's release from immigration detention within 30 minutes of the ruling.
Why it matters: It enables the men's tennis world No. 1 to possibly stay in the country and defend his Australian Open title, after border officials last week canceled his visa over his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said large businesses should not comply with the Biden administration's "oppressive" mandate for COVID-19 vaccinations or testing that's due to take effect Monday.
What he's saying: The Republican governor told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday the requirement "needs to be struck down" and urged Arkansas businesses with 100 or more employees affected by it to wait for the Supreme Court ruling on the matter.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) has tested positive for COVID-19, her office confirmed in a statement Sunday evening.
What they're saying: "She is experiencing symptoms and recovering at home. The Congresswoman received her booster shot this Fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidance," the statement read.
Chicago Public Schools and Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Saturday jointly rejected the latest proposal from the Chicago Teachers Union in the ongoing dispute over whether remote learning should resume amid the latest surge in COVID cases fueled by the Omicron variant.
The latest: Lightfoot confirmed via Twitter Sunday evening that negotiations between the two sides are ongoing and that an agreement has not yet been reached.
Officials in the city of Tianjin began mass testing the entire 14 million population for COVID-19 on Sunday after discovering a cluster of cases, AP reported.
Why it matters: Beijing, roughly 70 miles from Tianjin, will host the Olympics in less than a month.
Mass-vaccination sites are returning across the U.S. as officials scramble to address a recent uptick in coronavirus infections, largely driven by the Omicron variant, the New York Times reports.
Why it matters: Large vaccination sites had served a significant role during the onset of the U.S. vaccine rollout, the Times notes. The re-emergence of these sites may prove to be instrumental in alleviating the toll on smaller clinics.
Japan and the U.S. have reached a "basic agreement" to prohibit U.S. soldiers from leaving their bases in an effort to contain a recent surge in COVID-19 infections, AP reports.
