Weekly Health News Round Up 2.12.21

Health insurers are double-charging Kentucky patients for their needed medications through “co-pay accumulator” programs. Without action from the General Assembly to stop this practice, out-of-pocket costs will continue to increase— leading some patients to stop taking their medication altogether. 

Researchers found significantly higher rates of emergency room visits for drug overdoses between March 2020 and October 2020. The rates increased by up to 45% compared against the same period in 2019. 

A proposed change could be coming to Medicaid in Kentucky. One plan passed the Senate committee this week, and seeks to eliminate copays for patients meaning they will no longer have to pay a fee to see their physician. 

Doctors are warning about a recently discovered side effect of the COVID-19 vaccination. Some people experience swollen lymph nodes at the infection site, which may be mistaken for cancer. But, medical researchers say this is just the body’s immune system response. 

Despite persistently high deaths from COVID-19 in Kentucky, the state has seen a decline in the number of people testing positive. This week the positive-test rates were the lowest since November 2020.