Author Archive

Julie Appleby

Tech

Biden administration tightens broker access to Healthcare.gov to thwart rogue sign-ups

In the first six months of the year, more than 200,000 people reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that they were either enrolled in Obamacare plans or switched from one plan to another without their permission.

Oversight

Era of ‘Free’ Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?

Insurers, employers, and taxpayers will all be affected as drug manufacturers move these products to the commercial market.

Management

Sweeping, Limited, or No Powers at All? What’s at Stake in the Mask Mandate Appeal

Dictionaries, public comments, and even an old court case that involved underwear pricing could play a role as the government appeals a ruling that sharply limits federal authority during pandemics.

Oversight

Judge’s Ruling on the CDC Mask Mandate Highlights the Limits of the Agency’s Power

A recent court decision that overturns one of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s few pandemic rules — masks required on public transportation — spotlights how little power remains in federal hands to enforce public health protections.

Workforce

What Patients Can Learn With Confidence From One Negative Rapid Test (Hint: Very Little)

Although at-home antigen testing remains a useful tool, experts warn it is often used inappropriately and can provide false confidence for people concerned about safety.