Michelle Andrews - KFF Health News

The industry has long relied on immigrants to bolster its ranks, and they’ll be critical to meeting future staffing needs, experts say. But as the baby boom generation fills beds, policymakers are slow to open new pathways for foreign workers.

Some primary care physicians will drop seldom-seen patients. That’s a particular problem for those who postponed doctor visits during the pandemic.

Nearly half of large employers report that increasing numbers of their workers were using mental health services, according to a KFF annual survey. Yet almost a third of those employers said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough providers.

Doctors are divided on whether blanket testing of breast cancer patients is warranted, since scientists and physicians are sometimes unsure about how to interpret the results.

Shortly after birth, babies are pricked in the heel so their blood can be tested for life-threatening conditions. States generally save leftover blood from those samples, and parents and privacy experts are concerned that information could be used without consent years later.

Amparo and Victor Rios began searching for answers about their son’s development when he didn’t hit some milestones after turning 2. Three years later, they are still trying to get their insurance to pay for expensive therapy to help him.

Public health officials say monkeypox is not as dangerous as COVID and can be handled well with current treatments and if those at risk use caution. But the rollout of vaccines has been slow and led to angst among some at-risk people.

Under the ACA, insurers cannot charge for various preventive services that have been recommended by experts. But if those screenings indicate more testing is needed, patients may be on the hook for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Insurers say prior authorization requirements are intended to reduce wasteful and inappropriate health care spending. But they can baffle patients waiting for approval. And doctors say that insurers have yet to follow through on commitments to improve the process.

For the minority of nursing students who have refused a COVID shot, the Biden administration's vaccine policy could mean they can’t get the training they need in a hospital or other health care venue.