WinnDems News

New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., makes money and does not require taxpayer subsidies. But the county is selling the public hospital because officials say it needs more capital to compete. Civic leaders say the change will lead to higher health care costs. http://dlvr.it/Rrb69c

The growing public backlash over California’s messy vaccine rollout is putting immense pressure on Gov. Gavin Newsom, a first-term Democrat facing a Republican-driven recall effort. http://dlvr.it/Rrb69M

Many children with serious emotional or behavioral difficulties depend on schools for access to vital therapies. When schools and doctors' offices stopped providing in-person services last spring, kids became untethered. http://dlvr.it/Rrb69B

Everyone is trying to figure out how relationships work in the time of covid. That includes a Bozeman, Montana, couple who suddenly found themselves in a long-distance relationship when the pandemic sent their group homes for adults with disabilities into lockdown. http://dlvr.it/Rrb68m

As president, Donald Trump encouraged states to bring in drugs from Canada, where prices are cheaper. It’s not clear if the new administration will follow suit. http://dlvr.it/Rrb615

Participants are encouraged to mail Valentine’s Day cards to Bustos’ Illinois offices to be distributed due to COVID-19 WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced her eighth annual “Valentines for Veterans” program, encouraging families across Illinois’ 17th Congressional District to show appreciation for our veterans by making homemade Valentine’s Day cards. Next week, Congresswoman Bustos […] The post Bustos Announces 2021 Valentines for Veterans appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RrV2h3

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced that the City of Canton will receive more than $1 million in funding for the Water Treatment Plant Improvement Project, which will help create an estimated 130 jobs. “I am so pleased to announce this funding for Canton to help move forward critical water infrastructure projects,” Congresswoman […] The post AUDIO: Bustos Announces More Than $1 Million in Federal Funding for Canton Water Infrastructure appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RrV2gT

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17), a member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, announced today that she has been appointed to multiple subcommittees critical to the priorities of Northwest and Central Illinois. Congresswoman Bustos was appointed to the Defense, Labor-Health and Human Services-Education and Energy and Water Subcommittees, which are responsible for funding vital […] The post AUDIO: Bustos Announces Appropriations Subcommittee Roles appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RrV2gN

Guardsmen deployed from every corner of Illinois, including Peoria, Savannah, Freeport and Rockford WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) joined approximately 170 members of the Illinois National Guard, including those from Peoria’s 182nd Airlift Wing, to thank them for their service protecting the United States Capitol following the insurrection on January 6. VIEW photos […] The post PHOTOS: Bustos Thanks Illinois National Guard for Protecting Capitol Following Insurrection appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RrV2fk

Charlie Kjelshus needed neonatal intensive care for the first seven days of her life. The episode generated huge bills, and left her parents in a tangle of red tape that involved two insurers, two hospitals and two states. http://dlvr.it/RrTGyY

As President Biden calls for more support to help schools hold in-person classes, public health experts say schools can be relatively safe if they take well-known steps to prevent covid. But a KHN investigation shows many districts and states have ignored health advice or written their own questionable safety rules for schools. http://dlvr.it/RrMKfC

Kaiser Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. http://dlvr.it/RrMKdy

Corporations like Starbucks, Honeywell, Microsoft, Costco and Google are lining up to help with vaccine logistics. But the problem of the moment is supply, not systems. http://dlvr.it/RrMKcZ

Even invoking the widely heralded Defense Production Act to pressure drugmakers wouldn’t overcome vast obstacles. http://dlvr.it/RrMKXv

Carmela Coyle, who represents California’s hospitals in the state Capitol, is a power player whose clout has grown during the pandemic. Though she hasn’t won every battle, she has helped shape the state’s response to the crisis. http://dlvr.it/RrMKTw

The ability of California health officials to multitask in a pandemic will be severely tested as they scramble to find staff for vaccination sites while maintaining testing and contact tracing. http://dlvr.it/RrHSFf

Hospitals dealing with staff shortages during the current covid surge are unable to tap into one valuable resource: foreign-trained doctors, nurses and other health workers, many with experience treating infectious diseases. Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Nevada are the only states to have eased credentialing requirements during the pandemic. http://dlvr.it/RrHSCt

Those walking away free were facing years in prison for crimes of “unbounded greed.” http://dlvr.it/Rr5wvz

KHN has teamed up with PolitiFact to track what becomes of President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign promises over the next four years. As he moves into the West Wing, what are his chances of making progress on health care? http://dlvr.it/Rr5wq0

Nearly 6 in 10 people 65 and older say they don’t have enough information about how to get vaccinated, according to a new KFF poll. http://dlvr.it/Rr5gW9

President Joe Biden is wasting no time getting to work. On his first day in office, Biden signed a series of executive orders addressing the covid pandemic, promising more to come. But even with Democrats taking the barest majority in the Senate, the new president’s ambitious proposals on covid and other health issues could be in for a rough ride. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week they think you should read too. http://dlvr.it/Rr3vnx

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) issued the following statement after the historic inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris: “Today, I had the honor of joining my colleagues in the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, to witness a moment in American history, as President Joe Biden and Vice President […] The post AUDIO: Bustos Statement on Historic Biden-Harris Inauguration appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/Rr0JbQ

On health care, President Joe Biden made it clear that combating the covid-19 pandemic will be his top priority. “We must set aside politics and finally face this pandemic as one nation,” he said. “We will get through this together.” http://dlvr.it/RqzmQC

A former reporter, Bustos leads 42 House Members in thanking members of the media who put their own lives at risk to continue reporting from the front lines of the attack on the Capitol WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) led 42 House Members in introducing a resolution to honor the journalists and news […] The post BUSTOS LEADS RESOLUTION HONORING JOURNALISTS FOLLOWING JAN 6TH INSURRECTION appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/Rqz33t

When Allison Scott came out as a trans woman in 2013, she told not only family and friends, but also her primary care physician. She didn’t need his help with hormone therapy. She had another doctor for that. But she wanted to share the information with her doctor of more than 10 years in case […] http://dlvr.it/Rqy56h

As covid patients flood California emergency rooms, hospitals are increasingly desperate to find enough staffers to care for them all. But some nurses worry hospitals will use the pandemic as an excuse to permanently roll back their hard-won nurse-patient ratios. http://dlvr.it/Rqy53G

On the day before the inauguration of a new president, the country marks a once unthinkable milestone of 400,000 deaths. The winter surge of the pandemic claimed 100,000 Americans in just five weeks. http://dlvr.it/RqwCRQ

Host Dan Weissmann talked about a new federal rule — a requirement for hospitals to make public the prices they negotiate with insurers — with Niala Boodhoo for the daily-news podcast “Axios Today.” http://dlvr.it/RqtDLQ

Public service announcements about drug use or other public health problems often fall short, public health marketing experts say, because they incite people’s worst fears rather than giving people solutions. http://dlvr.it/RqtDGy

Black Americans are receiving covid vaccines at a much lower rate than their white peers due to a combination of mistrust and access issues, leaving them behind in the mission to vaccinate the nation’s population. http://dlvr.it/RqlgxR

President-elect Joe Biden has delivered two speeches within the past 24 hours focused on his ambitious plans to address the “twin crises” of the covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the economy. http://dlvr.it/Rqgm0k

Lawmakers applaud President-elect Biden’s intent to cover full cost Bustos introduces first bill of 117th Congress, Continues her support for the Guard’s critical efforts to protect public health WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Cheri Bustos (IL-17) and Tim Ryan (OH-13) introduced legislation, Bustos’ first of the 117th Congress, that would require the federal government to cover […] The post Bustos, Ryan Introduce Legislation to Guarantee Federal Government Covers Full Cost of National Guard COVID-19 Response Efforts appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RqgKw3

A federal program that sends retail pharmacists into nursing homes to vaccinate residents and workers has been hindered by bureaucratic hurdles and scheduling woes. http://dlvr.it/RqdYBw

A handful of states are making dentists a lower priority than other health professionals for inoculations, even though they have their hands in people’s mouths and are exposed to aerosols that spray germs in their faces. http://dlvr.it/Rqd91B

“Let rest. Do not shake. Do not refreeze.” Moderna’s vaccine comes with complicated instructions. And both available vaccines are good for only six hours once the vial is open. So at day’s end, health workers are left to either throw out precious doses or get shots into any arm that’s available. http://dlvr.it/RqYJQT

As the pandemic raged, I made dozens of visits to a fertility clinic. Did I catch covid on one of those visits? I’ll never know, but the guilt is still there. http://dlvr.it/RqYJQK

As covid cases and deaths soar, it’s difficult to get up-to-date, reliable information about inoculations, and many older adults don’t know where to turn for help. Navigating Aging columnist Judith Graham answers questions from several readers. http://dlvr.it/RqYJPv

In California, the largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history is run largely by the same overworked and underfunded local health departments tasked with covid-19 testing and contact tracing. It’s a daunting undertaking as the pandemic continues to surge. http://dlvr.it/RqYJKn

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos (IL-17) issued the following statement after voting in support of H.Res. 24, An Article of Impeachment Charging President Trump with Incitement of Insurrection: “Last week, the world watched as the President of the United States used his sacred and powerful office to incite a vicious and violent attack […] The post Bustos Votes to Impeach President Trump appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RqWvRX

Paycheck Protection Program resumes following latest COVID-19 relief legislation WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) encouraged struggling businesses to seek assistance from the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which is once again available following the passage of the latest COVID-19 relief legislation. “While we are still reeling from last week’s attack […] The post Bustos Announces Availability of Paycheck Protection Program Funds for Illinois Small Businesses appeared first on Congresswoman Cheri Bustos. http://dlvr.it/RqRJqZ

Many front-line health workers who have faced a perpetual lack of PPE and inconsistent safety measures believe the government and their employers have failed to protect them from covid-19. http://dlvr.it/RqPQrj

California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2021-22 budget blueprint would direct billions in state covid assistance to schools, businesses and the state’s vaccination effort. But he didn’t propose more funding for the state's 61 local health agencies, which have taken on increased responsibility for testing, contact tracing and enforcement of health orders. http://dlvr.it/RqPQrS

The wealthy corporation that owns Chicago’s Mercy Hospital says it must close the hospital because it’s losing money. A government board says no. The corporation still has the upper hand. http://dlvr.it/RqPQqt

After spending tens of millions of dollars to oppose past efforts, Altria didn’t oppose Colorado’s tobacco tax initiative and could benefit from the law’s minimum-price provision. http://dlvr.it/RqPQkV

Former health care executive Wendell Potter said, “What I used to do for a living was mislead people into thinking that we had the best health care system in the world.” Now, Potter is a health care whistleblower and spent part of 2020 publishing high-profile apologies for the work he used to do. http://dlvr.it/RqKZ5G

More than two dozen people who have received the new covid vaccines in U.S. hospitals and health centers suffered anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal allergic reaction. While such severe reactions are rare, experts warn that the drugstores and drive-thru clinics considered integral to the vaccine rollout must be prepared. http://dlvr.it/RqKZ55

With a majority too small to eliminate the filibuster, Democrats will not have enough votes in the Senate to pass many of their plans without Republicans and will also have only a razor-thin majority in the House. This combination could doom many Democratic health care proposals, like offering Americans a government-sponsored public insurance option, and complicate efforts to pass further pandemic relief. http://dlvr.it/RqKZ3h

A Kansas woman thought she’d find help at her local emergency room. What she found instead was a packed hospital and an ambulance ride to someplace else. http://dlvr.it/RqKYyc

A growing number of “peer respites,” nonclinical settings for psychiatric recovery, can help people in distress who mainly need to talk to people who understand their problems. http://dlvr.it/RqKYv7

The plan, long endorsed by conservatives, would give the state broad authority in running the health insurance program for the poor in exchange for capping its annual federal funding. http://dlvr.it/RqBCMb

President Donald Trump made substantial changes to the nation’s health care system using executive branch authority. But reversing policies that Democrats oppose would take time and personnel resources, competing with other priorities of the new administration. http://dlvr.it/Rq8KV4

Covid-19 cases are spreading so fast that they're outpacing the contact-tracing capacities of some local health departments. Faced with mounting caseloads, those departments are asking people who test positive for the coronavirus to do their own contact tracing. http://dlvr.it/Rq8KTx