Our hosts cover the latest news on large health insurers’ plans to drop prior authorization requirements and the latest CDC data on long COVID in the U.S. For the main topic, the Health Advocates continue their discussion from the last episode on the rise in COVID cases and answer some common questions. They break down what you need to know about insurance coverage and expiration of at-home COVID tests, quarantine requirements for a positive test, how long you can expect to be symptomatic, and masking guidelines.

“Some places are seeing 50% or more increases week to week, there's no mistaking two things; Number one COVID is back, number two, it’s not as bad as it was in the past,” says Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF.

Among the highlights in this episode:

00:39: Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF, explains that UnitedHealthcare, among other insurance companies, plans to drop prior authorization requirements for various medical procedures, in a move praised as it can alleviate administrative burdens on health care providers and delays in patient care

01:54: Steven shares good news from a new CDC report that indicates the percentage of U.S. adults living with long COVID has fallen to 6%

02:40: Zoe elaborates on the aforementioned CDC report, highlighting that a significant portion (26.4%) of those with long COVID are still experiencing considerable limitations in their daily activities

03:39: Our hosts transition into the main topic of rising COVID cases, especially with the emergence of the EG.5 variant

04:55: Steven breaks down insurance coverage options for at-home COVID tests after the end of public health emergencies, under Medicaid, private insurance, FSA, HSA, and for those who are uninsured

06:01: Steven advises listeners to check the expiration dates of at-home COVID tests, as they can range from six months to two years

07:00: Our hosts discuss the interpretation of at-home COVID test results and the relevance of the boldness of the test line to contagiousness

08:08: Should positive results from at-home tests be reported to the Health Department?

08:35: Steven outlines the recommended isolation protocols for those who test positive for COVID, starting from day zero, which is the first day of symptoms

09:26: Zoe emphasizes the importance of waiting until you feel well and consulting with a health care professional before ending isolation

10:25: Steven and Zoe discuss the availability of Paxlovid as a treatment option for COVID-19 and the importance of having a plan in place with your health care provider

11:56: Our hosts discuss the important question of how long people infected by COVID-19 might expect to stay ‘immune’?

13:30: What our hosts learned from this episode

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: snewmark@ghlf.org

Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: zrothblatt@ghlf.org

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to thehealthadvocates@ghlf.org

Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

Our hosts cover the latest news on large health insurers’ plans to drop prior authorization requirements and the latest CDC data on long COVID in the U.S. For the main topic, the Health Advocates continue their discussion from the last episode on the rise in COVID cases and answer some common questions. They break down what you need to know about insurance coverage and expiration of at-home COVID tests, quarantine requirements for a positive test, how long you can expect to be symptomatic, and masking guidelines.
“Some places are seeing 50% or more increases week to week, there's no mistaking two things; Number one COVID is back, number two, it’s not as bad as it was in the past,” says Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF.
Among the highlights in this episode:
00:39: Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF, explains that UnitedHealthcare, among other insurance companies, plans to drop prior authorization requirements for various medical procedures, in a move praised as it can alleviate administrative burdens on health care providers and delays in patient care
01:54: Steven shares good news from a new CDC report that indicates the percentage of U.S. adults living with long COVID has fallen to 6%
02:40: Zoe elaborates on the aforementioned CDC report, highlighting that a significant portion (26.4%) of those with long COVID are still experiencing considerable limitations in their daily activities
03:39: Our hosts transition into the main topic of rising COVID cases, especially with the emergence of the EG.5 variant
04:55: Steven breaks down insurance coverage options for at-home COVID tests after the end of public health emergencies, under Medicaid, private insurance, FSA, HSA, and for those who are uninsured
06:01: Steven advises listeners to check the expiration dates of at-home COVID tests, as they can range from six months to two years
07:00: Our hosts discuss the interpretation of at-home COVID test results and the relevance of the boldness of the test line to contagiousness
08:08: Should positive results from at-home tests be reported to the Health Department?
08:35: Steven outlines the recommended isolation protocols for those who test positive for COVID, starting from day zero, which is the first day of symptoms
09:26: Zoe emphasizes the importance of waiting until you feel well and consulting with a health care professional before ending isolation
10:25: Steven and Zoe discuss the availability of Paxlovid as a treatment option for COVID-19 and the importance of having a plan in place with your health care provider
11:56: Our hosts discuss the important question of how long people infected by COVID-19 might expect to stay ‘immune’?
13:30: What our hosts learned from this episode
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: <a href="mailto:snewmark@ghlf.org">snewmark@ghlf.org</a>
Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: <a href="mailto:zrothblatt@ghlf.org">zrothblatt@ghlf.org</a>
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to <a href="mailto:thehealthadvocates@ghlf.org">thehealthadvocates@ghlf.org</a>
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.

A podcast that breaks down major health news of the week to help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening in the healthcare world to help you make informed decisions to live your best life.

A podcast that breaks down major health news of the week to help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand what&rsquo;s happening in the healthcare world to help you make informed decisions to live your best life.

The Health Advocates

A podcast that breaks down major health news of the week to help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening in the healthcare world to help you make informed decisions to live your best life. The podcast is part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation Podcast Network and hosted by Steven Newmark, Chief of Policy at GHLF, and Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF.

A podcast that breaks down major health news of the week to help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening in the healthcare world to help you make informed decisions to live your best life. The podcast is part of the Global Healthy Living Foundation Podcast Network and hosted by Steven Newmark, Chief of Policy at GHLF, and Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF.

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