Health, United States, 2020-2021: Annual Perspective; Focus of This Issue is On Health Disparities by Sex, Race, Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status
Topics in the 2020-2021 Report:
Heart disease by race and ethnicity
Cancer by race and ethnicity
HIV and STDs by race and ethnicity
Health insurance and access by race and ethnicity
Hospital use by health insurance coverage
Oral health by poverty level
Substance use by education level
Risk factors and mortality by sex more »
The White House, President Joe Biden: Executive Order on Reducing Gun Violence and Making Our Communities Safer
"The Attorney Generalecretary of Education; the Secretary of Homeland Security; the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; and the heads of other agencies, as appropriate, shall develop a proposal for the President, and subm; the Secretary of Health and Human Services, including through the Surgeon General of the United States; the Sit it no later than September 15, 2023, on how the Federal Government can better support the recovery, mental health, and other needs of survivors of gun violence, families of victims and survivors of gun violence, first responders to incidents of gun violence, and communities affected by gun violence. The proposal should draw on existing evidence, where available, and take into account how to address needs in both the immediate aftermath of mass shootings and in the years following such events. The proposal should recommend any additional executive branch coordination and additional resources or authorities from the Congress needed to implement the proposal, as well as how agencies will assess the outcomes for the activities implemented." more »
Kaiser Health News: Feds Move to Rein In Prior Authorization, a System That Harms and Frustrates Patients
"Waiting for health insurers to authorize care comes with consequences for patients, various studies show. It has led to delays in cancer care in Pennsylvania, meant sick children in Colorado were more likely to be hospitalized, and blocked low-income patients across the country from getting treatment for opioid addiction. In some cases, care has been denied and never obtained. In others, prior authorization proved a potent but indirect deterrent, as few patients have the fortitude, time, or resources to navigate what can be a labyrinthine process of denials and appeals. They simply gave up, because fighting denials often requires patients to spend hours on the phone and computer to submit multiple forms." more »
Merriam Webster Dictionary*: Synonyms of Woke, Chiefly US Slang: Aware of and Actively Attentive to Important Societal Facts and Issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)
"No retreat into cynicism and hopelessness. … We have a moral obligation to "stay woke," take a stand and be active; challenging injustices and racism in our communities and fighting hatred and discrimination wherever it rises—Barbara Lee … argued that … Brad Pitt is not only woke, but the wokest man in Hollywood … because he uses his status—and his production company Plan B—to create space for artists of color, with such films as 12 Years a Slave, Selma, and the upcoming film Moonlight.— Giselle Defares. Being woke to gender discrimination is difficult; it ruins things you love. Entire canons of art are rotten to the core with it.— Rachel Edelstein' more »