
What We’re Reading: HHS Updates Medicaid Policy; China Defends COVID-19 Reports; Public Health’s Immunization Messaging
HHS updated guidance for states using Medicaid managed care to manage nonmedical needs; anxieties surrounding new variants rise amidst underreported COVID-19 cases in China, which defended its counts; public health campaigns try new strategies to increase trust and promote immunizations.
States With Medicaid Managed Care Receive Updated HHS Guidelines
HHS released new guidelines detailing how states can assist beneficiaries in Medicaid managed care plans with health-related social needs.
China Insists its COVID-19 Reporting Is Accurate Amidst Scrutiny
Following concerns from President Joe Biden and the World Health Organization (WHO), China vehemently claimed accuracy of its COVID-19 death counts,
Public Health Agencies Strive to Build Trust, Combat Misinformation
US health departments at the state and local level are trying new tactics to educate the public about the efficacy of vaccines, amid continuing misinformation and false beliefs, reported Kaiser Health News. New messaging helped increase COVID-19 vaccination rates in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for example. The problem extends beyond COVID-19 as more parents opposed routine childhood vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella in 2022 compared with 2019 (35% vs 23%). New public health campaigns aim to address immunization declines through strategies like using less-complex language that individuals find empowering in order to make their own decisions.
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