This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report indicating that from late January to early October 2020, the United States experienced nearly 300,000 more deaths than the typical number during the same period in previous years. Notably, at least two-thirds of the 300,000 excess deaths were related to COVID-19….
Read More »On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the antiviral drug Remdesivir for use in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older for the treatment of COVID-19 requiring hospitalization. The drug becomes the first FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19 and should only be administered in a hospital or healthcare setting. A…
Read More »Thursday marked the deadline for the federal government to approve flexible financial assistance to state and local governments amid the economic downturn ushered in by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With Congressional leaders and the White House still not in agreement on a COVID-19 relief measure, budget cuts included in the 2020-21 state budget are here…
Read More »Earlier this week, the State of California was notified that the Trump Administration rejected the state’s major disaster declaration following a series of recent historic wildfires, including fires in Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Siskiyou counties. According to press reports, the state learned of the Trump Administration’s decision on late Wednesday…
Read More »This week, an article was posted in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on the cost of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The article explores the various expenses incurred from the pandemic, including unemployment insurance claims, lost gross domestic product (GDP), premature death, long-term health impairment, and mental health impairment. In total, the article…
Read More »This week, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) unveiled The Promise of Good Health for All: Transforming Public Health in America which provides an action plan for the presidential administration and Congress taking office in 2021. The report highlights weaknesses exposed in the nation’s public health system during the COVID-19 pandemic, including ways in which…
Read More »This week, the Department of Finance (DOF) issued its first quarterly report of the Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) provided by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Recall, the CARES Act was signed into law in March and provided state and local governments with federal funds for expenditures incurred between March 1…
Read More »The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed H.R. 8406, a revised version of the HEROES Act, on a 214-207 vote. The sweeping $2.2 trillion measure, narrowed from its original $3 trillion price tag, would provide $436 billion in assistance for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments. The measure would also extend the deadline to…
Read More »Today, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar announced that he renewed the COVID-19 national public health emergency for an additional 90 days, effective October 23. Recall, HHS Secretary Azar initially declared COVID-19 a national public health emergency on January 31, 2020. According to Secretary Azar, the renewal of the national emergency will allow…
Read More »This week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring it a policy of the federal government to ensure that Americans with pre-existing conditions can obtain health insurance of their choice at affordable rates. The order directs specified federal agencies to “build upon existing actions to expand access to and options for affordable healthcare” and…
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