Three million Michiganders must prove they’re still eligible for the safety net insurance when the U.S. public health emergency ends as soon as mid-July. Advocates worry that hundreds of thousands in the state could lose health insurance.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
West Michigan program to mint up to 500 new nurses with $20K tuition help
The pandemic ground down nurses, sending some into early retirement or alternative careers. Can a new university-hospital partnership bring in up to 500 new students to enter the nursing field?
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Smokestacks and forgotten residents: Dearborn opens new health department
Children go to school surrounded by industrial plants and a large portion of the city, Arab Americans, struggle with health disparities and yet are not even recognized by the census. So Dearborn opened its own health department with a broader vision.
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As 2nd COVID vaccine booster approved, should Michiganders get it?
COVID-19 vaccines and first boosters were long-awaited and strongly recommended. The fourth dose? It’s more complicated.
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More boosters, better guesses: 5 things you still should know about COVID
As cases recede, COVID-19 has slipped from the everyday calculations of many in Michigan. But there are important developments to keep in mind.
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Home-visit programs save money, free ERs. Many insurers don’t cover them.
Yes, some paramedics make house calls, treating seniors and other patients with chronic medical problems so they don’t end up in emergency rooms. The programs save millions of dollars in medical costs, but many insurers don’t yet cover these services.
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COVID vaccine for Michigan children 5 and younger a step closer to reality
While trial data concluded the drug was safe, it fell short of the robust protection offered in the first adult shots, before omicron hit.
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As pandemic wanes, Michigan confronts toll of isolation on homebound seniors
The link between loneliness and health troubles is real. Agencies are turning to everything from buddy programs to animatronic pets to help ease isolation made worse by the coronavirus.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 cases creep up in Michigan; some fear another wave
The BA.2 sub-variant of omicron is confirmed in Detroit and 21 Michigan counties. More contagious than the original omicron, it’s blamed for the sharp rise in cases in several western European communities.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan closes gap on racial disparities in COVID-19 deaths
Early in the pandemic, Blacks accounted for 40 percent of all COVID-19 deaths. But efforts to address the gap led to health changes that lowered the rate to 14 percent — equal to their proportion of the state’s population.