Federal policy kept millions on Medicaid rolls during pandemic—but many didn’t realize they still had coverage
Far more people were enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic than who reported in surveys having coverage—a discrepancy suggesting that many people were unaware that their coverage had continued under federal policies, according to a new Harvard Chan…
Viewpoint: Questioning Medicare Advantage ‘affinity plans’
A March 20 JAMA Viewpoint article discusses a growing category of Medicare Advantage plans—what the authors call “affinity plans”—and argues that these plans come with dangers for patients.
Building a better system for transgender health care
Ivan Hsiao, MPH ’24, is a transgender entrepreneur who founded the startup Trans Health HQ to decrease clinicians’ barriers to providing gender-affirming care.
Polish government policies support local solidarity for Ukrainian refugees: report
In Poland, the government’s welcoming policies toward Ukrainian refugees have helped to sustain solidarity and inclusion in local communities, according to a new report.
Pediatric mental health care treatment needs more often unmet for minorities
Children from racial and ethnic minorities with mental health conditions are less likely to have their treatment needs met than their white counterparts, according to a new Harvard Chan School study.
Senior physicians may care for fewer patients with Medicaid and from racial/ethnic minorities than junior physicians
Senior physicians may avoid seeing racial minorities and lower paying Medicaid-insured patients compared to junior physicians in the same practice, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Weight loss drug costs could go 'out of control,' says expert
Access to new weight loss drugs is in the hands of drugs companies, pharmacy benefit managers, and health insurers—leaving experts wondering about the future of health costs and outcomes among patients with obesity.
Doctors’ affiliations with large health systems may drive up costs
When primary care physicians work for or are affiliated with large health systems, their steering of patients toward specialists or other providers within those systems may be driving up health care costs, according to a new study led…
Nurse home visits may not improve prenatal health among low-income patients
Margaret McConnell, associate professor of global health economics at Harvard Chan School, discusses her recent evaluation of the impact of a longstanding national nurse home visiting program.
Opinion: How to mitigate climate change’s impact on allergies
Seasonal allergies and asthma are getting worse amid extreme heat caused by climate change, according to several experts from Harvard Chan School’s Department of Environmental Health.