Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #97

[Betty P]

Very interesting post. Thank you. I lived in St. Louis for seven years. My MIL took her own life by overdose but the medical examiner put pneumonia on the death certificate. She lived in a very rural town not even large enough to have a school. I’m not sure why he did it. We didn’t know for months until we found it while moving my FIL down here with us after he had a stroke.

Yeah, I don't think they're supposed to do that. In the case of suicide, it could be considered insurance fraud if the deceased person had a life insurance policy.

The ME took a big risk in the case of your MIL. The law is specific in the case of deaths by other than natural causes. It has to be investigated to make sure foul play wasn't involved. What if ME's decide to do this when someone is murdered, but the killer was their friend or neighbor? These laws exist for a reason.

JMO and IANAL

Here's the most recent Missouri law I could find pertaining to this

193.145

It's the law, its not "personal choice".

ETA: If the coroner falsified the same information that the funeral director used to file paperwork with the Social Security Administration, it could also be a violation of federal law.

In Missouri, falsification of records is a felony punishable by up to $5000 fine and 2 yrs in prison.

622.470

 

[imstilla.grandma]

Yeah, I don't think they're supposed to do that. In the case of suicide, it could be considered insurance fraud if the deceased person had a life insurance policy.

The ME took a big risk in the case of your MIL. The law is specific in the case of deaths by other than natural causes. It has to be investigated to make sure foul play wasn't involved. What if ME's decide to do this when someone is murdered, but the killer was their friend or neighbor? These laws exist for a reason.

Here's the most recent Missouri law I could find pertaining to this

193.145

It's the law, its not "personal choice".

Yep. It was so strange when we found it. I didn’t know what to think. btw: My daughter and 14 year old granddaughter just got over COVID. They were miserable for about a week it did fine in the long run.that makes eleven people in my close family that have had it including my BIL who died the end of December. My guardian Angel must be working overtime for me. So far so good…

 

[Betty P]

Yep. It was so strange when we found it. I didn’t know what to think. btw: My daughter and 14 year old granddaughter just got over COVID. They were miserable for about a week it did fine in the long run.that makes eleven people in my close family that have had it including my BIL who died the end of December. My guardian Angel must be working overtime for me. So far so good…

Oh, my gosh, so sorry to hear about your family being sick. We're all vaccinated now, but still worry about the grandbaby, who is only 1 year old. I've heard good and bad about infants getting COVID. One person (a nurse) told me her infant only had a fever for a few hours. My husband's co-worker said their infant was quite sick for a while, with a high fever, difficulty breathing, etc.

I'm glad your family is all better now! It's so sad to think of all the people who have lost loved ones to this horrible illness.

 

[weepingangel]

I expect and hope we’ll see more of this. Now how about the schools governor!?
Home Depot to require workers to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status

 

[Betty P]

Only if it’s allowed to spread though right ? ......oh..... yeah

Right about now my compassion/empathy for people is just about exhausted.

Still just hoping we don’t lose too many kids And that it eventually ( sooner rather than later would be nice) burns out.

Sucks. Didn’t have to be this way. In this day and age.

If everyone eligible would just get the vaccine, it would stop spreading and growing more resistant.

 

[Betty P]

Maybe so, but before they can do that, they will have to change the PPACA because it doesn't permit insurance companies to stop footing the bills for those who are at an increased risk for a health issue, even if that risk is derived from the person's own poor health choices.

And, I can see where changing the law to allow it, could eventually lead to discrimination against the obese, or those who participate in daredevil activities, or those who do not get an annual flu or pneumonia shot. Or one of any other contributing factors.

At the end of the day, ER's and hospitals will not turn those people away, and the taxpayers will end up footing the bill.

The problem is that the enrollment period to renew insurance is coming up in a few months. Under PPACA, states regulate the insurance exchanges. All the insurance companies need to do is drop out of the ACA exchange in every state where COVID related health care expenses have grown. There's no law that requires insurance companies to offer plans in the exchanges.

In Ohio, PPACA plans are dominated by "managed care" plans which have much more flexibility to limit patients' access to health care. They have restrictive networks and prescription formularies. If you get sick with COVID and show up to the ER unable to breathe, they will treat you, but your ACA plan may not cover it. It's also nearly impossible to get same-day doctor appointments with these "junk" plans because many health care providers are allowed to limit the number of ACA patients they provide services to every day. Then, under the bronze plans, patients have to spend over $3,000 to $5,000 out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. That max out of pocket expense and other restrictions will probably increase drastically during the upcoming enrollment period.

PPACA was written by insurance company executives.

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20210521.101267/full/

We need Medicare for All, the upgraded version to include dental, hearing, eyeglasses, etc. Everybody in, nobody out.

JMO

 

[Betty P]

Study: Severe COVID, higher viral loads, immune response linked to obesity

Among US Military Health System (MHS) beneficiaries diagnosed as having COVID-19, obesity was independently and strongly associated with hospitalization, need for oxygen therapy, higher viral load, and an altered immune response, according to a prospective study late last week in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

A team led by researchers from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, used logistic regression models to compare the viral loads and immune responses in obese and non-obese patients at seven military treatment sites, stratified by hospitalization. Patients were included if they had confirmed or suspected COVID-19 or had a recent high-risk exposure to the virus.

Underweight or normal body mass index (BMI) was considered less than 24.8 kg/m2, overweight was 25 to 29.9 kg/m2, obese was 30 to 34.9 kg/m2, and severely obese was 35 kg/m2 and higher.

Of 511 COVID-19 patients, 24% were obese, and 14% were severely obese. Obesity was tied to hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.91) and need for supplemental oxygen (aOR, 3.39). Over three-quarters of COVID-19 cases occurred in overweight participants. Among outpatients, those who were severely obese had higher viral loads and greater peak anti–SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations.

511 patients is a somewhat small sample size. This also shows correlation, but not causation. Sounds like we need more data before we start assuming this to be fact. Sadly, this can unfairly affect the quality of care some patients are given.

It would be great if putting every American on a diet would eliminate disease and illness, but that's unrealistic. I developed an aversion to this kind of research as a cancer survivor. The medical research community has spent billions over the years trying to prove that being overweight, fat consumption, etc, etc. causes breast and other women's cancers, all to no avail. It's sad because overweight women with cancer have been treated badly as a result and billions of dollars in research funding could have been spent on finding cures.

JMO

 

[anneg]

Mass
‘The uptick is real’: 2 more Massachusetts cities implement mask mandates
More at link
As the COVID-19 Delta variant continues to cause a rise in new cases Massachusetts, two more cities have implemented mask mandates in their communities.


Brockton and Revere both began mask mandates on Monday that require face coverings at all city buildings for both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.


Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan said the move comes after the city had a total of 12 cases of COVID on July 12. Three weeks later, Brockton is experiencing 140 cases.

Dang.

 

[anneg]

The problem is that the enrollment period to renew insurance is coming up in a few months. Under PPACA, states regulate the insurance exchanges. All the insurance companies need to do is drop out of the ACA exchange in every state where COVID related health care expenses have grown. There's no law that requires insurance companies to offer plans in the exchanges.

In Ohio, PPACA plans are dominated by "managed care" plans which have much more flexibility to limit patients' access to health care. They have restrictive networks and prescription formularies. If you get sick with COVID and show up to the ER unable to breathe, they will treat you, but your ACA plan may not cover it. It's also nearly impossible to get same-day doctor appointments with these "junk" plans because many health care providers are allowed to limit the number of ACA patients they provide services to every day. Then, under the bronze plans, patients have to spend over $3,000 to $5,000 out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. That max out of pocket expense and other restrictions will probably increase drastically during the upcoming enrollment period.

PPACA was written by insurance company executives.

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20210521.101267/full/

We need Medicare for All, the upgraded version to include dental, hearing, eyeglasses, etc. Everybody in, nobody out.

JMO

BBM--I absolutely agree!! But what are the odds that will happen in my lifetime (currently 76)...

 

[JerseyGirl]

Rise in COVID cases cause Travis County (Texas) to halt jury trials again

A few weeks after Travis County reopened its courts to jury trials to address a substantial backlog of cases, county officials on Monday closed courthouses to the public once again as the Austin area found itself in the grip of another surge of coronavirus cases.

Late last week, officials announced that only about 16 beds were available in intensive care units across 11 Central Texas counties as COVID-19 cases continued to climb.

 

[anneg]

Rise in COVID cases cause Travis County (Texas) to halt jury trials again

A few weeks after Travis County reopened its courts to jury trials to address a substantial backlog of cases, county officials on Monday closed courthouses to the public once again as the Austin area found itself in the grip of another surge of coronavirus cases.

Late last week, officials announced that only about 16 beds were available in intensive care units across 11 Central Texas counties as COVID-19 cases continued to climb.

Oh boy.

 

[mickey2942]

More and more, I am thinking that masking is going to be a part of our lives, in the United States, and other places.

I remember the pure joy I had, of flinging my mask across the room when we no longer were under restrictions to wear a mask.

I bought a pack of 50 re-useable masks on Amazon the other day. Sigh.

 

[Teche]

PerthNow: Lambda variant 'shows vaccine resistance'.

New COVID variant Lambda 'shows vaccine resistance'



This last sentence should send shivers......
“Lambda can be a potential threat to the human society”.

Take care all

This is scary.

 

[anneg]

And I'm afraid our days of dining in restaurants may be over for the foreseeable future. It was nice while it lasted (a few months). We live in NC in an area where vaccination rates are relatively high, but with students returning to college this month, kids returning to schools soon, and Delta spreading.... well. We are both fully vaccinated but our second Pfizer shot was in early February, so it's been six months, and I fear our immunity is fading quickly. We are in our 70s. I do not want to get Covid under any circumstances and will get a booster as soon as it's available.

 

[WildOrchid]

I understand that pure joy. I didn’t feel that joy in my area. I held onto all my masks as I felt they’d be needed again. I continued to mask myself. I felt the masking requirements here were lifted extremely prematurely based on the behaviors I see every day *already* of anti-maskers thumbing their noses. Lifting the masking requirements left me legally unable to require patients in my room to mask. I masked continuously but I felt very much at others’ mercy with my health. Now I get to fight with them *again* about it as my county has just implemented guidance as of yesterday afternoon. If I could find a way to work from home for a decent wage, I would. I’m tired of it.

More and more, I am thinking that masking is going to be a part of our lives, in the United States, and other places.

I remember the pure joy I had, of flinging my mask across the room when we no longer were under restrictions to wear a mask.

I bought a pack of 50 re-useable masks on Amazon the other day. Sigh.

 

[tabitha111]

I may be over doing it right now...but can anyone blame me for not walking the dog by the day care playground anymore? All the kiddies come up to the fence and want to pet him and I can only think of Delta floating on a cloud towards me! I am talking over 30 elementary school kiddos here.
I am double vaxxed, but our retirement community is "recommending masks" right now. All staff have to wear them, but of course all of thier schnazzes are hanging out - so what is the point? I sometimes feel I am the only person living in reality.
My friend here- her grandaughter has pneumonia - 31, not vaxxed...I said it sounds like Covid- they are waiting on the results.

 

[GRT]

The problem is that the enrollment period to renew insurance is coming up in a few months. Under PPACA, states regulate the insurance exchanges. All the insurance companies need to do is drop out of the ACA exchange in every state where COVID related health care expenses have grown. There's no law that requires insurance companies to offer plans in the exchanges.

In Ohio, PPACA plans are dominated by "managed care" plans which have much more flexibility to limit patients' access to health care. They have restrictive networks and prescription formularies. If you get sick with COVID and show up to the ER unable to breathe, they will treat you, but your ACA plan may not cover it. It's also nearly impossible to get same-day doctor appointments with these "junk" plans because many health care providers are allowed to limit the number of ACA patients they provide services to every day. Then, under the bronze plans, patients have to spend over $3,000 to $5,000 out of pocket before the insurance coverage kicks in. That max out of pocket expense and other restrictions will probably increase drastically during the upcoming enrollment period.

PPACA was written by insurance company executives.

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20210521.101267/full/

We need Medicare for All, the upgraded version to include dental, hearing, eyeglasses, etc. Everybody in, nobody out.

JMO

I agree. That's very true, although that would affect those who opted to get the vaccine as well as those who didn't.

If they choose to sell policies within a state, however, they'll have to accept everyone--or the PPACA rules will need to be changed. Charging higher premiums might be a solution.

You're right, the insurance companies wrote the rules and the way to get away from the problems (JMOO) is to kick the insurers to the curb and implement a true single-payer system.

My niece who runs her own yoga studio purchases insurance through the marketplace, and she has the Bronze plan. Her deductible is almost $7,000 per year, and like she told me--she only goes in for the covered things, like the flu shot, but if she gets sick, she'll stay home because she can't afford the deductible.

What ever happened to the "affordable" part of the Act?

 

[weepingangel]

US on a path "strikingly similar" to Delta outbreak in UK, Fauci says

“Since an acceleration of vaccines doesn't give a result until several weeks after, we are already on a trajectory that looks strikingly similar to the sharp incline that the UK saw,” Fauci said during a discussion hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Fauci said this is what he “projects” will happen. “You never can guarantee it's going to be accurate, but I think this is what's going to happen,” he said.

“Remember, we went from an average of about 12 to 15,000 cases a day to 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 – we're up to 70 now. We are going to be between 100 and 200,000 cases before this thing starts to turn around.”
Fauci said this acceleration further enforces the importance of vaccines now.

“In order to make sure that by the time we get into the fall we don't continue to accelerate but turn around and start coming down acutely, we've got to get those 93 million people who are eligible to be vaccinated, who are not getting vaccinated."

 

[jjenny]

San Francisco is allowing people who got J&J got get a second shot of Pfizer or Moderna.
"Individuals who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination will be offered a “supplemental” second dosage of either Moderna or Pfizer by the San Francisco Department of Health, but the move should not be deemed a booster shot."
Those who received the J&J vaccine can get a second shot of Moderna or Pfizer at a San Francisco hospital. | The Washington Newsday

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Yeah, I don't think they're supposed to do that. In the case of suicide, it could be considered insurance fraud if the deceased person had a life insurance policy.

The ME took a big risk in the case of your MIL. The law is specific in the case of deaths by other than natural causes. It has to be investigated to make sure foul play wasn't involved. What if ME's decide to do this when someone is murdered, but the killer was their friend or neighbor? These laws exist for a reason.

JMO and IANAL

Here's the most recent Missouri law I could find pertaining to this

193.145

It's the law, its not "personal choice".

ETA: If the coroner falsified the same information that the funeral director used to file paperwork with the Social Security Administration, it could also be a violation of federal law.

In Missouri, falsification of records is a felony punishable by up to $5000 fine and 2 yrs in prison.

622.470

long ago on this thread, we had articles about Medical Examiners saying they were "instructed" by DeSantis to do work-arounds on those death certificates. i dont know if i can find the link again...but will try...