Babies of covid-infected moms are 60% more likely to be born very prematurely, which increases the danger of infant mortality and long-term disabilities such as cerebral palsy, asthma and hearing loss, as well as a child’s risk of adult disease, including depression, anxiety, heart disease and kidney disease.
Read More »Upticks in Headaches, Lupus and Cracked Teeth: COVID Emotional Stress Takes Its Physical Toll
Nationwide, surveys have found increasing rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts during the pandemic. But many medical experts said it’s too soon to measure the related physical symptoms, since they generally appear months after the stress begins.
Read More »Physician starts ‘Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium,’ which has tested more than 10,000 people
Black Philadelphians contract the coronavirus at a rate nearly twice that of their white counterparts. They also are more likely to have severe cases of the virus: African Americans make up 44% of Philadelphians but 55% of those hospitalized for COVID-19.
Read More »Empty Emergency Rooms Worry Doctors As Heart Attack, Stroke Patients Delay Care
As hospitals prepared for a surge of COVID patients, officials advised people to avoid emergency rooms if possible. But soon ER physicians noticed that even truly urgent cases were not coming in.
Read More »Patients Angry About Costs For Telehealth Visits, Which Were Supposed To Be Free
Patients say doctors and insurers are charging them upfront for video appointments and phone calls, not just copays but sometimes the entire cost of the visit, even if it’s covered by insurance.
Read More »Anti-Vaccine Activists Latch Onto Coronavirus To Advance Their Cause
Many anti-vaccine activists — who have claimed that diseases such as measles aren’t that serious — now contend the coronavirus isn’t dangerous enough to justify staying home. They agree with President Donald Trump that the “cure” for the pandemic could be worse than the disease itself.
Read More »Telemedicine, As Well As Billing Fraud, Booms During Crisis
Federal officials allowed telemedicine providers to waive patient deductibles and copayments during the crisis. Under normal conditions, these actions can be construed as a kickback because they discourage patients from complaining.
Read More »The Peak May Be Just The Start Of Life In COVID-19 Era
“This absolutely does not mean the pandemic is nearing an end,” according to an infectious disease expert. “Once you get past the peak, it’s not over until it’s over. It’s just the starting time for the rest of the response.”
Read More »Pediatric Practices Struggle To Adapt And Survive Amid COVID-19
Across the U.S., thousands of pediatric practices that provide front-line care for the nation’s children are struggling to adjust to a dire new reality.
Read More »Mixed Signals Behind The Wearing Of A Mask
Many experts agree that wearing a mask probably won’t keep people from getting the coronavirus, but it might help prevent those with the disease — especially those without symptoms ― from spreading it.
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