Iowa news
If you won’t do it for yourself, get vaccinated for those with weakened immunity
On Thursday evening, Register editorial writer Andie Dominick caught up again with Dr. Tom Benzoni, a local emergency room physician. We have interviewed him several times since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit Iowa. (Des Moines Register)
MercyOne welcoming back volunteers after pandemic pause
MercyOne has announced that volunteers are now being welcomed back into their hospitals for the first time since the pandemic started. MercyOne said there are hundreds of volunteers needed in the northeast Iowa region, but that volunteer opportunities vary depending on the hospital. The announcement comes during National Volunteer Week. (KWWL)
One of the consequences of the pandemic is the dramatic growth of telehealth and telemedicine. But how can doctors and providers best care for their patients when they are not physically in front of them? What do doctors wish patients knew in order to make sure they are getting the best results even though they are not actually in the office? How can telehealth approximate and even improve upon the healthcare that traditional doctors’ visits can provide? (Authority Magazine)
National news
With universal eligibility, a fifth of seniors remain unvaccinated
The US has passed a significant milestone in its vaccine rollout: All adults are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in every state. More than half of the adult population has received at least one dose of a vaccine. Older adults are the most vaccinated age group in America — quite likely because they have been eligible in most states for months. But about a fifth of those 65 and older, a group that is particularly vulnerable to serious complications and death from the virus, have not received even one shot. Among them are some residents of long-term care facilities, which have represented more than a third of overall coronavirus deaths in the United States for much of the pandemic. (The New York Times)
Do I need to wear a mask after I’m vaccinated for COVID-19? Experts weigh in
Today everyone over age 16 is eligible for the COVID-19 vaccines. While there is still a pause in distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are available. As more and more people receive vaccinations, experts stress that your vaccination status does not eliminate the need for mask-wearing and other safety measures. A person is not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after receiving their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines; and two weeks after receiving one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. (NBC News)
Payers, providers clash over telehealth reimbursement as Congress mulls changes
As members of Congress decide how to expand access to telehealth after the pandemic, one of the biggest questions has centered around how much Medicare providers should be paid for virtual care. While the rates Medicare pays for telehealth and in-person services are currently the same, that arrangement—along with several other CMS telehealth waivers—expires at the end of the public health emergency absent Congressional action. (Modern Healthcare)