Health
Nationwide IV fluid shortage could change how hospitals manage patient hydration
By Jackie Fortiér Hospitals around the country are conserving critical intravenous fluid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say they are changing how they think about IV fluid hydration altogether. Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September and ravaged parts of Southwest Virginia, wrecked a Baxter International facility […]
Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims
By KFF Health News/Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration could try to remove fluoride from drinking water, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy, who was tapped last week by Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, called fluoride an “industrial waste” and linked it to cancer and other diseases […]
‘Disturbing’: Report reveals staffing, financial issues at Va. Dept. of Health, offers fixes
After a recent audit report indicated a $33 million deficit and $4 million in fraudulent spending within the Office of Emergency Medical Services — a part of Virginia’s Department of Health — a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report presented to state lawmakers on Thursday highlighted other issues plaguing the state health department, and […]
New resource hub launches to support Va. adults with substance use disorders
Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Medical Society of Virginia announced a new resource line Thursday to support adults struggling with substance use disorders. The Adult Psychiatric Access Line, dubbed APAL, is a resource for providers to better cater to the needs of their patients. Primary care providers who connect with […]
Virginia seniors, don’t let Medicare con artists siphon your wallets
Welcome, autumn: Leaves change color and flutter to the ground. Daylight hours shorten. Scam artists also descend like locusts upon unsuspecting seniors who are changing coverage options during Medicare open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. The only difference from the insects? Pesky scammers strike every year, with nary a respite. Medicare […]
‘Momnibus bill’ plans announced at Virginia’s Black Maternal Health Summit
Virginia lawmakers plan to introduce a “momnibus bill” in each chamber next year to help enhance maternal healthcare access, reduce mortality rates and address racial and unconscious bias. A play on the term, “omnibus,” the forthcoming legislation will be able to address a series of factors that contribute to negative maternal health outcomes. “Too many […]
Social Security and Medicare: Where do Harris and Trump stand?
This is one in a series of States Newsroom reports on the major policy issues in the presidential race. WASHINGTON — The presidential debate in early September included just one mention of Social Security and three references to Medicare, making the safety net programs a minuscule part of the policy discussion, despite their importance to […]
Va. Dept. of Medical Services to tap reserve fund to cover delayed payments amid Medicaid unwinding
About 35,000 Virginians are still waiting to find out if they remain eligible for Medicaid, as Virginia’s Department of Medical Services projects it will use its $95 million reserve fund to cover delayed payments for fiscal year 2025, according to a presentation agency leaders made to the state Senate Finance Committee Tuesday. This also means […]
What’s new and what to watch for in the upcoming ACA open enrollment period
It’s that time of year again: In most states, including Virginia, the Affordable Care Act’s annual open enrollment season for health plans begins Nov. 1 and lasts through Jan. 15. Current enrollees who do not update their information or select an alternative will be automatically reenrolled in their current plan or, if that plan is […]
About 38% of Americans think mental health isn’t adequately treated. Va.’s working to change that.
Virginia ranks number 12 in the nation of most challenging states to access mental healthcare in a new Forbes Advisor analysis, and a Gallup survey from earlier in the year found that about 38% of Americans think mental health isn’t treated as well as physical health issues. However, much of the data Forbes used in […]
Miyares joins multi-state lawsuit against federal change to nursing home staffing
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined attorneys general from 19 states in a lawsuit over a rule change that expands staffing requirements for nursing homes, which the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services announced earlier this year. Nursing homes are currently required by Congress to provide eight hours of continuous registered nurse staffing per day. […]
National bus tour stops in Va., boosts Democrats’ promise to protect ACA, Inflation Reduction Act
“The Affordable Care Act saved my life,” said Laura Packard, a Virginia resident, Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor and health advocate who joined other advocates and state and federal Democratic lawmakers on Monday as part of a national bus tour highlighting Democrat-led efforts to expand health care access. Dubbed “Care Force One,” the bus is […]