Featuring hospital and health care headlines from the media and the web.
Iowa news
Trump and the pandemic: Millions of Americans losing healthcare insurance
It is estimated COVID-19 deaths will eventually add up to more than 200,000 Americans now that there has been an increase in infections in most states. The number of new infections per day (50,000) is now higher than ever before, mostly attributed to people not wearing masks or using physical distancing like they did earlier this spring. (Ames Tribune)
Here’s what long-term care reopening looks like for Iowa families
Iowans have faced daunting and unprecedented challenges due to COVID-19, and no one has faced as much adversity as those with a loved one in a long-term care facility. For these families, not only are their medically fragile loved ones far more susceptible to the virus, but they have had to adjust to additional safety precautions, such as not being able to visit in person. (Sioux City Journal)
Clinics in Hudson, Reinbeck to partner with UnityPoint Clinic
Total Health of Iowa clinics in Hudson and Reinbeck have formed an affiliation with UnityPoint Clinic. Drs. Gregory Selenke and James Selenke, with current staff, will continue their long tradition of providing high-quality family medicine services in those communities. The result of this partnership will be enhanced collaboration with other UnityPoint Health providers and specialty services in part because of a shared electronic medical record system that benefits patient care. (Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier)
National news
Uninsured Americans could be facing nearly $75,000 in medical bills if hospitalized for coronavirus
Thanks to lawmakers, coronavirus tests are now free for all Americans. But if you do test positive for COVID-19 and require treatment, the hospital bills could easily cost Americans tens of thousands of dollars, even if you have insurance. (CNBC)
Colorado permanently expands telehealth coverage, services
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill July 6 to permanently expand telehealth coverage and services statewide. The bipartisan legislation requires that payers, including Medicaid, cover telehealth visits for physical, behavioral and mental health care if they are delivered by a HIPAA-compliant platform. Telehealth services covered include assessment, diagnosis, consultation, remote monitoring and treatment. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
In small towns, ‘We’re still not comfortable talking about our mental health’
Because she’s a fan of small towns and the people who populate them, psychologist Kristi K. Phillips wants to talk openly about the mental health issues that plague rural communities.
As chair of the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Rural Health, Phillips, who lives with her family in Litchfield, Minnesota, and works for Meeker Memorial Hospitals and Clinics, has a front-row seat to the unique impact that modern political and economic crises have on the mental health of rural residents. (MinnPost)