Weekly Health News Round Up 2.19.21

Kentuckians who are ready to get help for their substance use disorders shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to find the right resources close to home. That’s why several pieces of legislation have been filed to increase access to addiction recovery. 

The Madison County Health Department has kept its harm reduction program open throughout the pandemic to help those battling addiction. Through the program, people can exchange needles, receive referrals for addiction services, and get training to use the overdose-reversal drug Narcan. 
Patients shouldn’t be penalized for using pharmaceutical coupons to afford their medications. Unfortunately, more and more health insurers are no longer counting third-party assistance toward a patient’s overall deductible or out-of-pocket costs, leading to poorer health outcomes. 

Kentucky’s COVID-19 vaccine program will get a 20 percent supply boost next week after the state administered more doses than it got new last week. Gov. Beshear says the state expects to get at least 87,860 doses of the vaccine every seven days.

Louisville-based Kentucky Fertility Institute and Norton Healthcare launched an oncofertility program dedicated to helping young cancer patients preserve the chance to have children after battling cancer.