Health Care Journalism

State, Federal Actions Protected Health Coverage for Millions During Pandemic

September 27, 2021

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Expanding Health Coverage, Medi-Cal, Coverage Trends

Stories That Caught Our Attention: The percentage of Americans with health insurance remained stable during 2020 despite a hobbled economy.

COVID-19 Financial Costs Are Surging Too

September 20, 2021

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Health Care Costs

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Insurance companies across the country have been reinstating cost sharing for people being treated for the disease, and it isn't cheap.

Hospitals in California’s Central Valley Flooded with COVID-19 Patients

September 14, 2021

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Health care workers and public health agencies are overwhelmed.

Will Unvaccinated Respond to COVID-19 Vaccine Approval, Mandates, and the Delta Surge?

August 30, 2021

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Hospitals in California counties with low vaccination rates are flooded with COVID-19 patients.

Housing Instability Exacts Yet Another Kind of Pandemic Health Toll

August 16, 2021

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Homelessness & Health Care, Health Equity

Stories That Caught Our Attention: For renters with low incomes facing the threat of eviction, assistance has been slow in coming.

Pandemic Pressures Increase Incidence of Postpartum Depression

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Maternal Health, Health Equity, Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Without treatment, postpartum depression can prevent parent-child bonding and increase the risk of maternal suicide.

The Pandemic of Loneliness

Avram Goldstein

Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Loneliness is strongly associated with behavioral health problems and physical maladies — and with COVID-19.

Despite Transparency Push, Cost of Hospital Care Remains Inscrutable

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Health Care Costs

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Few hospitals in California and nationwide are complying with a federal rule requiring disclosure of prices.

ACA Health Insurance Enrollment Sets New Record

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Expanding Health Coverage

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Experts say total Affordable Care plan signups were probably undercounted because of data-gathering limitations.

Economic Factors Are Shaping Individual Vaccine Decisions, Polling Suggests

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Months into the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in California, groups of people who seem to have little in common continue to lag in getting their shots.

Nurses at High Risk for Suicide: ‘I Just Wanted All of It to Stop’

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Workforce, Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Among health care workers, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated two key risk factors for suicide — work-related stressors and mental health problems.

Some Face Dire Consequences for Delaying Care During Pandemic

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Health Equity, Telehealth

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Delayed preventive care and screenings are expected to take a devastating toll on some patients and families.

Early Data Show Overdose Deaths and Substance Use Rose During Pandemic

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Behavioral Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Recent data on overdose deaths and substance use paint a grim picture of what the COVID-19 pandemic year has been like for people who are predisposed to substance use.

Effects of Threats, Harassment Directed at Public Health Officials May Outlast Pandemic

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Stories That Caught Our Attention: The nation's beleaguered public health workforce is looking forward to help from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Maternal Health in Black and White

Heather Tirado Gilligan

Maternal Health

Stories That Caught Our Attention: Black Maternal Health Week called attention to the need for implicit bias training paired with policy changes to advance Black birth equity.