JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A surge in unemployment stemming from the coronavirus shutdown of large parts of the U.S. economy is starting to push some state jobless funds toward insolvency.

At least a half-dozen states already have notified the federal government that they could need to borrow billions of dollars to pay unemployment benefits because their own trust funds are running out of money.

While the shortfalls won't prevent unemployed workers from getting government aid, the federal loans could lead to higher taxes for businesses in future years to repay the debt.

U.S. Treasury data shows&nbsp;California,&nbsp;Connecticut&nbsp;and&nbsp;Illinois&nbsp;all expect to borrow soon from the federal government to prop up their unemployment funds. Officials in&nbsp;Massachusetts,&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;confirmed to The Associated Press that they also have notified the federal government of their anticipated need for loans.

All six of those states' unemployment funds ranked among those at the greatest risk of insolvency because they didn't have adequate reserves to weather a recession, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report released before the coronavirus outbreak. Many more states also could need federal loans given the widespread economic damage.

“I can't imagine a state that's not going to have to borrow by the end of this year,” said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, a New York-based group that advocates for low-wage workers and the unemployed.

As of mid-April, about 26 million Americans had filed unemployment claims in the first five weeks since governments began ordering people to stay home and some businesses to close as a precaution against spreading the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. It's already the worst stretch of job losses in U.S. history. New unemployment data to be released Thursday is expected to push that total even higher.

State unemployment benefits are funded by special taxes on employers and paid through state trust funds. Each state sets its own tax rate and benefit payment amounts. When trust funds run low, states can get federal loans that must be repaid with interest. Loans taken out this year would need to be repaid by November 2022, or else the federal government could raise taxes on businesses to recoup the money.

A law signed by President Donald Trump last month waived the interest on state unemployment loans through the end of this year. But that's a shorter reprieve than was granted during the Great Recession, when interest was waived from February 2009 through December 2010.

The last recession led to the insolvency of unemployment trust funds in 35 states that collectively racked up more than $40 billion of debt to keep paying unemployed workers. It took years for states to repay that.

“Unfortunately, many of them got caught in this vicious cycle now, where they spent most of the 11 years of economic growth looking backwards, paying off the prior accrued debt rather than being able to save and invest for this current crisis,” said Jared Walczak, director of state tax policy at the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.

From the beginning of March through mid-April, state unemployment trust funds have declined by a median of 10%, according to an AP analysis of U.S. Treasury data. But the drop has been far more dramatic in states that were among the first to shut down their economies and among the quickest to pay benefits to the unemployed.

Massachusetts, which provides among the most generous unemployment benefits nationally, saw its trust fund cut in half from early March to mid-April, from $1.6 billion to less than $750 million. That marked the largest percentage decline nationally.

In a letter to the U.S. labor secretary, Gov. Charlie Baker estimated the state could need to borrow $1.2 billion in May and June to pay unemployment benefits.

New York's unemployment trust fund also declined by nearly half during that six-week period, from almost $2.5 billion to less than $1.3 billion. The state has applied for up to $4 billion in federal loans, said New York Department of Labor spokeswoman Deanna Cohen.

How much help New York ultimately needs will depend on how many more people seek unemployment benefits and how long they are without work, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

“But it’s in the billions of dollars," he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

At the start of this year, California's trust fund had barely one-fifth of the recommended amount needed to weather a recession, the worst rating among all states. It's trust fund balance fell from $3.1 billion in early March to $1.9 billion in mid-April and has continued to slide.

The state could need to start borrowing from the federal government by the beginning of May, said Barry White, a spokesman for the California Employment Development Department.

Officials in Connecticut and Texas also said they could need to start borrowing in May to pay unemployment claims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588193128049.png" alt="Empty gas pumps at station in Kansas-google image" />
 <figcaption>Empty gas pumps at station in Kansas-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A surge in unemployment stemming from the coronavirus shutdown of large parts of the U.S. economy is starting to push some state jobless funds toward insolvency.At least a half-dozen states already have notified the federal government that they could need to borrow billions of dollars to pay unemployment benefits because their own trust funds are running out of money.While the shortfalls won't prevent unemployed workers from getting government aid, the federal loans could lead to higher taxes for businesses in future years to repay the debt.U.S. Treasury data shows&nbsp;California,&nbsp;Connecticut&nbsp;and&nbsp;Illinois&nbsp;all expect to borrow soon from the federal government to prop up their unemployment funds. Officials in&nbsp;Massachusetts,&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and&nbsp;Texas&nbsp;confirmed to The Associated Press that they also have notified the federal government of their anticipated need for loans.All six of those states' unemployment funds ranked among those at the greatest risk of insolvency because they didn't have adequate reserves to weather a recession, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report released before the coronavirus outbreak. Many more states also could need federal loans given the widespread economic damage.“I can't imagine a state that's not going to have to borrow by the end of this year,” said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst at the National Employment Law Project, a New York-based group that advocates for low-wage workers and the unemployed.As of mid-April, about 26 million Americans had filed unemployment claims in the first five weeks since governments began ordering people to stay home and some businesses to close as a precaution against spreading the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. It's already the worst stretch of job losses in U.S. history. New unemployment data to be released Thursday is expected to push that total even higher.State unemployment benefits are funded by special taxes on employers and paid through state trust funds. Each state sets its own tax rate and benefit payment amounts. When trust funds run low, states can get federal loans that must be repaid with interest. Loans taken out this year would need to be repaid by November 2022, or else the federal government could raise taxes on businesses to recoup the money.A law signed by President Donald Trump last month waived the interest on state unemployment loans through the end of this year. But that's a shorter reprieve than was granted during the Great Recession, when interest was waived from February 2009 through December 2010.The last recession led to the insolvency of unemployment trust funds in 35 states that collectively racked up more than $40 billion of debt to keep paying unemployed workers. It took years for states to repay that.“Unfortunately, many of them got caught in this vicious cycle now, where they spent most of the 11 years of economic growth looking backwards, paying off the prior accrued debt rather than being able to save and invest for this current crisis,” said Jared Walczak, director of state tax policy at the Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit.From the beginning of March through mid-April, state unemployment trust funds have declined by a median of 10%, according to an AP analysis of U.S. Treasury data. But the drop has been far more dramatic in states that were among the first to shut down their economies and among the quickest to pay benefits to the unemployed.Massachusetts, which provides among the most generous unemployment benefits nationally, saw its trust fund cut in half from early March to mid-April, from $1.6 billion to less than $750 million. That marked the largest percentage decline nationally.In a letter to the U.S. labor secretary, Gov. Charlie Baker estimated the state could need to borrow $1.2 billion in May and June to pay unemployment benefits.New York's unemployment trust fund also declined by nearly half during that six-week period, from almost $2.5 billion to less than $1.3 billion. The state has applied for up to $4 billion in federal loans, said New York Department of Labor spokeswoman Deanna Cohen.How much help New York ultimately needs will depend on how many more people seek unemployment benefits and how long they are without work, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.“But it’s in the billions of dollars," he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”At the start of this year, California's trust fund had barely one-fifth of the recommended amount needed to weather a recession, the worst rating among all states. It's trust fund balance fell from $3.1 billion in early March to $1.9 billion in mid-April and has continued to slide.The state could need to start borrowing from the federal government by the beginning of May, said Barry White, a spokesman for the California Employment Development Department.Officials in Connecticut and Texas also said they could need to start borrowing in May to pay unemployment claims.

Unemployment surge pushing state funds toward insolvency

By COLE REIF Great Bend Post

The Barton County Commission will hold a special meeting Friday, May 1 at 9 a.m. to discuss a resolution concerning access to Barton County buildings during the public health emergency and rescinding a resolution adopted March 20.

To help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the Commission voted to close public access to all county buildings. The resolution will be discussed at Friday's meeting which will be live-streamed through Microsoft Teams. Citizens may view the meeting through their own sign in or by signing in anonymously. Anyone needing assistance should call 620-793-1800 for instructions.

Karen Winkelman, Barton County Interim Health Director, will also provide an update relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly mentioned she will reveal plans Thursday, April 30 to reopen the state before the statewide stay-at-home order expires May 3. Kelly has suggested plans will go back to county governments to make decisions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578931703745.jpeg" alt="Barton County Commissioners Jennifer Schartz and Kenny Schremmer (file photo)" />
 <figcaption>Barton County Commissioners Jennifer Schartz and Kenny Schremmer (file photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLE REIF Great Bend PostThe Barton County Commission will hold a special meeting Friday, May 1 at 9 a.m. to discuss a resolution concerning access to Barton County buildings during the public health emergency and rescinding a resolution adopted March 20.To help slow down the spread of the coronavirus, the Commission voted to close public access to all county buildings. The resolution will be discussed at Friday's meeting which will be live-streamed through Microsoft Teams. Citizens may view the meeting through their own sign in or by signing in anonymously. Anyone needing assistance should call 620-793-1800 for instructions.Karen Winkelman, Barton County Interim Health Director, will also provide an update relative to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;Kansas Governor Laura Kelly mentioned she will reveal plans Thursday, April 30 to reopen the state before the statewide stay-at-home order expires May 3. Kelly has suggested plans will go back to county governments to make decisions.

Barton County Commission to meet Friday to discuss 'access to buildings'

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly opened her Wednesday news briefing saying she will a sign new emergency declaration on Thursday that will last through May 13.

The emergency disaster declaration was set to expire May 1.

The State Finance Council can then extend it for 30 days and the Kansas legislature would have to extend it beyond that, according to the governor. &nbsp;The stay-at-home order will end Sunday.

The governor will reveal her plans for re-opening the state at 6:30p.m. Thursday.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125.

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly opened her Wednesday news briefing saying she will a sign new emergency declaration on Thursday that will last through May 13.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F239470833798464%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The emergency disaster declaration was set to expire May 1.The State Finance Council can then extend it for 30 days and the Kansas legislature would have to extend it beyond that, according to the governor. &nbsp;The stay-at-home order will end Sunday.The governor will reveal her plans for re-opening the state at 6:30p.m. Thursday.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125.

🎥 Kan. governor will sign new emergency declaration

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 247 to a total of 3738, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.Coronavirus deaths were reported at 125<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588179482243.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

By
NICK GOSNELL, Hutch Post


HUTCHINSON — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is 
frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from 
Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily 
quarantine not doing so is the apex of understatement.

"We're 
still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," 
Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance 
and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of 
those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."

Reno
 County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical 
of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or 
worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply 
here.

"The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a 
life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation,"
 Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or 
donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the 
facts to determine exactly what we could do."

The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline.

"At
 the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a 
state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of
 any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual,"
 Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a 
proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and 
some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."

The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

By
NICK GOSNELL, Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON — 
To say Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti is 
frustrated by the fact that four reported positive COVID-19 cases from 
Tuesday are as the result of one person who was supposed to voluntarily 
quarantine not doing so is the apex of understatement."We're 
still waiting on a few tests associated potentially with this vector," 
Baldetti said. "I'm more concerned with the actions of non-compliance 
and adherence by this particular individual and the ramifications of 
those actions than I am the third-tier downstream spread potentially."Reno
 County District Attorney Keith Schroeder responded to the hypothetical 
of such a person infecting someone who was eventually hospitalized or 
worse. Statutes written for things like HIV spread don't really apply 
here."The normal statute that deals with exposing another to a 
life-threatening communicable disease wouldn't apply in this situation,"
 Schroeder said. "That only applies to transmission by either sex or 
donation of blood or by hypodermic syringes. We'll have to look at the 
facts to determine exactly what we could do."The concern is that even a few acts of non-compliance could set the county way back in its reopening timeline."At
 the doorstep of a potential reopening plan, whether that be a 
state-driven plan or a locally enforced plan, regardless, the success of
 any plan that is put forth is predicated on each and every individual,"
 Baldetti said. "Whether it's a business owner, an employee, a 
proprietor, a lay individual, each one of us, each one of 61,000 and 
some odd Reno County constituents has a part to play."The county had 72 tests outstanding in total as of Wednesday morning.

Reno Co.: One 'non-compliant' resident infected four others

A short musical montage featuring Mr. Meter, Mr. Wetzel, Mr. Friess, and Mr. Moore from Great Bend High School. Created by GBHS Media.

A short musical montage featuring Mr. Meter, Mr. Wetzel, Mr. Friess, and Mr. Moore from Great Bend High School. Created by GBHS Media.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VRukMA-NYhQ" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

VIDEO: GBHS administrators are lonely...show off singing talents

TOPEKA, KAN. —Kansas State University has launched coronavirus testing for students, faculty and staff as confirmed cases in Kansas rose Tuesday by 4.9% to nearly 3,500.

Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and frequent critic of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, unveiled a proposal for reopening the state's economy, though such decisions rest with Kelly.

Kansas State said it can test up to 270 people a day and is providing testing for students, faculty or staff who show coronavirus symptoms or who have been in contact with an infected person

The university in Manhattan is relying on a laboratory used for veterinary medical testing and the Biosecurity Research Institute set up to deal with foreign animal diseases.

For most people, the novel coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two or three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.

Kansas reported four additional COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday to bring the total to 124. The state had 3,491 confirmed cases, up 163 from Monday.

The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.

Wagle, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, called for reopening most Kansas businesses at half capacity. Kelly has said she will outline her plan Thursday.

Kelly issued a stay-at-home order that took effect March 30 and expires at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

Wagle said stay-at-home restrictions should be retained on assisted living facilities and nursing homes, where COVID-19 outbreaks can be more lethal. She also said Kelly should permit state executive orders to expire so that county health officials can take the lead.

Wagle said that original projections of COVID-19 cases and deaths had been significantly reduced, with health officials now saying there are enough hospital and ICU beds to adequately treat those who become infected.

Public health officials say the cases and deaths have been fewer because of strong social distancing practices.

Kelly said last week that her goal is to start reopening the Kansas economy Sunday but she may not be able to do it because the state was “nowhere near” having the supplies needed for adequate coronavirus testing. The governor has said she is meeting with officials from various industries and plans to release her reopening strategy Thursday.

Before the coronavirus outbreak started, the University of Kansas Health System’s Poison Control Center averaged two calls a day. But it has been averaging three or four a day in March and April, for a 40% increase over the same time period a year ago.

Most calls are from people not following instructions when mixing and using cleaning supplies. Other calls concern children getting into cleaning supplies as they are home from school and daycare.

Dr. Steve Thornton, the center’s director, said uptick in calls is “predictable” and added that the risk going forward is people trying unproven remedies.

TOPEKA, KAN. —Kansas State University has launched coronavirus testing for students, faculty and staff as confirmed cases in Kansas rose Tuesday by 4.9% to nearly 3,500.Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and frequent critic of Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, unveiled a proposal for reopening the state's economy, though such decisions rest with Kelly.UNIVERSITY'S TESTINGKansas State said it can test up to 270 people a day and is providing testing for students, faculty or staff who show coronavirus symptoms or who have been in contact with an infected personThe university in Manhattan is relying on a laboratory used for veterinary medical testing and the Biosecurity Research Institute set up to deal with foreign animal diseases.For most people, the novel coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two or three weeks. But for some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.NEW NUMBERSKansas reported four additional COVID-19-related deaths Tuesday to bring the total to 124. The state had 3,491 confirmed cases, up 163 from Monday.The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest that people can be infected without feeling sick.REOPENING THE ECONOMYWagle, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, called for reopening most Kansas businesses at half capacity. Kelly has said she will outline her plan Thursday.Kelly issued a stay-at-home order that took effect March 30 and expires at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.Wagle said stay-at-home restrictions should be retained on assisted living facilities and nursing homes, where COVID-19 outbreaks can be more lethal. She also said Kelly should permit state executive orders to expire so that county health officials can take the lead.Wagle said that original projections of COVID-19 cases and deaths had been significantly reduced, with health officials now saying there are enough hospital and ICU beds to adequately treat those who become infected.Public health officials say the cases and deaths have been fewer because of strong social distancing practices.Kelly said last week that her goal is to start reopening the Kansas economy Sunday but she may not be able to do it because the state was “nowhere near” having the supplies needed for adequate coronavirus testing. The governor has said she is meeting with officials from various industries and plans to release her reopening strategy Thursday.FEARS OF SELF-POISONINGBefore the coronavirus outbreak started, the University of Kansas Health System’s Poison Control Center averaged two calls a day. But it has been averaging three or four a day in March and April, for a 40% increase over the same time period a year ago.Most calls are from people not following instructions when mixing and using cleaning supplies. Other calls concern children getting into cleaning supplies as they are home from school and daycare.Dr. Steve Thornton, the center’s director, said uptick in calls is “predictable” and added that the risk going forward is people trying unproven remedies.

KSU offers virus tests; Senate Pres. unveils reopening plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the U.S. to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments “that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.”

The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department’s efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed.

“If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court.”

Barr’s memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93201a33ee3f73017f02d273f868bfba">filed a statement of interest</a>&nbsp;in a civil case in Mississippi, siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.

The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their economies are moving to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the coronavirus, even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous.

At the same time, protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders, and in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has urged supporters to “liberate” three states led by Democratic governors.

Trump was asked at Monday’s coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department.

“Well, you’d have to ask Attorney General Barr, but I think he wants to see — like everybody, he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want people to be held up when there’s no reason for doing it. In some cases, perhaps it’s too strict. He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights, very importantly.”

The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service, as designated by the state of Mississippi, that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.

In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week, Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside.

“The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest,” Barr said. “I’m not saying it wasn’t justified. I’m not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it’s very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood.”

Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long. He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen.

“I think we have to allow people to figure out ways of getting back to work and keep their workers and customers safe,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. “I’m not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight. There may come a time where we have to worry less about that.”

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585143176510.png" alt="Attorney General William Barr during a Coronavirus Task Force Briefing earlier this month -image courtesy White H ouse" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General William Barr during a Coronavirus Task Force Briefing earlier this month -image courtesy White H ouse</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr on Monday ordered federal prosecutors across the U.S. to identify coronavirus-related restrictions from state and local governments “that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.”The memo to U.S. attorneys directs the head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division and the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan to coordinate the department’s efforts to monitor state and local policies and take action if needed.“If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID-19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court.”Barr’s memo comes about two weeks after the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93201a33ee3f73017f02d273f868bfba">filed a statement of interest</a>&nbsp;in a civil case in Mississippi, siding with a Christian church where local officials had tried to stop Holy Week services broadcast to congregants sitting in their cars in the parking lot.The directive also comes as many stay-at-home orders are set to expire and governors eager to rescue their economies are moving to ease restrictions meant to control the spread of the coronavirus, even as new hot spots emerge and experts warn that moving too fast could prove disastrous.At the same time, protesters have staged demonstrations against stay-at-home orders, and in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has urged supporters to “liberate” three states led by Democratic governors.Trump was asked at Monday’s coronavirus briefing about the strategy behind the decision by the Justice Department.“Well, you’d have to ask Attorney General Barr, but I think he wants to see — like everybody, he wants to see people get back and he wants to see people get back to work,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want people to be held up when there’s no reason for doing it. In some cases, perhaps it’s too strict. He wants to make sure people have the rights and they maintain the rights, very importantly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587679047074.png" alt="Protesters mounted a slow-moving caravan around the Statehouse April 23 to push for an end to Gov. Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order." />
 <figcaption>Protesters mounted a slow-moving caravan around the Statehouse April 23 to push for an end to Gov. Laura Kelly's stay-at-home order.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Justice Department argued in the Mississippi filing that officials in Greenville appeared to be targeting religious conduct by singling churches out as the only essential service, as designated by the state of Mississippi, that may not operate despite following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state recommendations regarding social distancing.In an interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt last week, Barr said the Justice Department could support legal action against states that impose strict measures as the number of coronavirus cases begins to subside.“The idea that you have to stay in your house is disturbingly close to house arrest,” Barr said. “I’m not saying it wasn’t justified. I’m not saying in some places it might still be justified. But it’s very onerous, as is shutting down your livelihood.”Barr said he believes there is a sufficient basis for social distancing rules that have been put in place, but he has cautioned that there may be concern if the restrictive measures continue too long. He has said the U.S. must find a way to allow business to adapt and reopen.“I think we have to allow people to figure out ways of getting back to work and keep their workers and customers safe,” Barr said in an interview with Fox News earlier this month. “I’m not suggesting we stop social distancing overnight. There may come a time where we have to worry less about that.”For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough, that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death. The vast majority of people recover.

AG to prosecutors: Look for unconstitutional virus rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.

The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.

The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.

The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.

Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.

The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.

“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.

However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.

Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.

Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.

Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”

The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.

Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.

The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.

Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.

Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.

On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.

But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.

Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”

Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.

On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.

“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.

Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.

<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.

The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.

Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025544339.png" alt="Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing" />
 <figcaption>Admiral Brett Giroir, M.D.,&nbsp;Assistant Secretary for Health during Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House released new guidelines Monday aimed at answering criticism that America’s coronavirus testing has been too slow, and President Donald Trump tried to pivot toward a focus on “reopening” the nation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The new testing targets would ensure states had enough COVID-19 tests available to sample at least 2.6% of their populations each month — a figure already met by a majority of states. Areas that have been harder hit by the virus would be able to test at double that rate, or higher, the White House said.The testing issue has bedeviled the administration for months. Trump told reporters on March 6 during a visit to the CDC in Atlanta that “anybody that wants a test can get a test,” but the reality has proved to be vastly different.The initial COVID-19 test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was contaminated, and early kits operated only on platforms able to perform a small number of tests per day. While the rate of testing increased as tests developed for higher-capacity platforms, they were still limited by shortages of supplies, from nasal swabs to the reagents used to process the samples.Administration officials maintained Monday that the limiting factor now is actually the availability of samples from people who have been tested — either because guidelines on who could be tested are too stringent or because there are not enough health workers able to take nasal swab samples from them.The CDC moved to address one of those concerns Monday, expanding the list of people to be prioritized for virus testing to include those who show no symptoms but are in high-risk settings like nursing homes. And Trump met with leaders of businesses including CVS, Walmart and Kroger, who said they were working to expand access to tests across the country.“Testing is not going to be a problem at all,” Trump said later in the Rose Garden.However, many of the administration’s past pledges and goals on testing have not been met.Jeremy Konyndyk, a disaster preparedness expert who helped lead the Obama administration response to Ebola, said the administration’s testing plans are well short of what is needed.Researchers at Harvard have estimated the country needs to be testing a minimum of 500,000 people per day, and possibly many more. Konyndyk said the aim should be 2 million to 3 million per day. Trump said the current total, up sharply in recent days, is over 200,000 per day.Konyndyk said: “Over the past month, we’ve doubled or if you want to be really generous tripled the testing capacity in this country. We need to take where we are now and expand it tenfold.”The testing blueprint for states provides details missing from the administration’s guidelines for them to return to normal operations, which were released more than a week ago. It includes a focus on surveillance testing as well as “rapid response” programs to isolate those who test positive and identify those with whom they had come in contact. The administration aims to have the market “flooded” with tests for the fall, when COVID-19 is expected to recur alongside the seasonal flu.Trump and administration medical experts outlined the plan on a call with governors Monday afternoon, before unveiling them publicly in a Rose Garden press conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025311828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The White House announcements came as Trump sought to regain his footing after weeks of criticism and detours created in part by his press briefings.Days after he set off a firestorm by publicly musing that scientists should explore the injection of toxic disinfectants as a potential virus cure, Trump said he found little use for his daily task force briefings, where he has time and again clashed with medical experts and reporters. Trump’s aides had been trying to move the president onto more familiar and, they hope, safer, ground: talking up the economy in more tightly controlled settings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588025386191.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Republican Party polling shows Trump’s path to a second term depends on the public’s perception of how quickly the economy rebounds from the state-by-state shutdowns meant to slow the spread of the virus.On Monday, the White House initially announced there would be a Trump briefing, but canceled it as Trump’s greatest asset in the reelection campaign — his ability to dominate headlines with freewheeling performances — was increasingly seen as a liability.But hours later, it became clear Trump had other ideas. He held court in the Rose Garden for a bit less than an hour.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588069680758.png" alt="President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump makes his way to the microphone to open Monday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing -image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said briefings would be held later in the week but “they might have a new look to them, a new focus to them.”Trump said he hoped that virus deaths would end up no more than 60,000 to 70,000, slightly revising upward his public estimate of recent days as the U.S. toll neared 56,000 on nearly 1 million cases. Still, he claimed a victory given dire, tenfold-higher predictions if the U.S. hadn’t adopted restrictive social distancing measures.On his conference call with governors, Trump suggested that many states should consider reopening schools before the end of the academic year, easing the way for parents to go back to work.“Some of you might start thinking about school openings because a lot of people are wanting to have the school openings,” Trump told the governors. The Associated Press obtained an audio recording of the call.Meanwhile, the CDC was beginning to release more detailed guidelines on reopening schools, restaurants and other establishments. Draft guidelines sent by the CDC to Washington include a long list of recommendations for organizations as they begin to reopen, such as closing break rooms at offices, spacing desks six feet apart at schools and using disposable plates and menus at restaurants. The draft guidance was obtained by The Associated Press from a federal official who was not authorized to release it.<a href="https://apnews.com/fbc35dc7c386447347d7254597b95b3b">Some states</a>&nbsp;have started to ease closure orders, and Trump is expected to spend coming days highlighting his administration’s efforts to help businesses and employees. Aides said the president would hold more frequent roundtables with CEOs, business owners and beneficiaries of the trillions of dollars in federal aid already approved by Congress, and begin to outline what he hopes to see in an additional recovery package.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c52eb7fc343906ac2dbb9c60b3cf423e">last left the White House complex</a>&nbsp;a month ago, and plans are being drawn up for a limited schedule of travel within the next few weeks, aides said. It would be a symbolic show that the nation is beginning to reopen.The shift toward the economy comes in conjunction with what the White House sees as encouraging signs across the country, with the pace of new infections stabilizing and deaths declining.Still, medical experts warn that the virus will continue to haunt the country at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b89077d3a652cc564a5b01083de8dbce">until a vaccine</a>&nbsp;is developed. And they say the risk of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c5cbe2bb3160af9054a1ea5249fff091">severe second wave&nbsp;</a>is high if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fa1fda126fe191425abc20ab461dfbe7">social distancing</a>&nbsp;measures are relaxed too quickly or if testing and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/588a99e650336bd3e2dda838e0725a67">contact tracing</a>&nbsp;schemes aren’t developed before people return to normal behaviors.___

White House releases new coronavirus testing guidelines

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held their press conference Monday afternoon.

The governor reported the state has launched a new<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/"> coronavirus website</a>&nbsp;to assist Kansans with additional information beyond medical information. It is a centralized place for resources Kansans need as the state responds to and recovers from the damage done as a result of the pandemic.

 The site is ADA compliant, mobile optimized and available in Spanish.&nbsp; The site will also provide information on state resources to help Kansans from job openings and more.

Dr. Norman reported that a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate diagnosed with the virus died over the weekend. The man was over the age of 50 with a number of underlying health conditions, according to Norman.

He also shared that&nbsp; Kansas Poison control has seen approximately a 40 percent increase in cleaning chemical cases "including a man who drank a product over the weekend based on advice he'd received." 

"We're doing what we can to&nbsp; counter-message that kind of remedy," said Norman.

TOPEKA —Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman held their press conference Monday afternoon.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F912623055864233%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The governor reported the state has launched a new<a href="https://covid.ks.gov/"> coronavirus website</a>&nbsp;to assist Kansans with additional information beyond medical information. It is a centralized place for resources Kansans need as the state responds to and recovers from the damage done as a result of the pandemic. The site is ADA compliant, mobile optimized and available in Spanish.&nbsp; The site will also provide information on state resources to help Kansans from job openings and more.Dr. Norman reported that a Lansing Correctional Facility inmate diagnosed with the virus died over the weekend. The man was over the age of 50 with a number of underlying health conditions, according to Norman.He also shared that&nbsp; Kansas Poison control has seen approximately a 40 percent increase in cleaning chemical cases "including a man who drank a product over the weekend based on advice he'd received." "We're doing what we can to&nbsp; counter-message that kind of remedy," said Norman.

🎥  Gov., KDHE Secretary update battle against virus

By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-hasnt-stopped-cancer-surgeries-kansas-its-boosted-telemedicine">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA — Doctors diagnosed Courtney 
Buchmann’s breast cancer on March 6, three days before the first 
confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kansas.

Buchmann worried, as 
hospitals braced for an overflow of coronavirus patients, whether the 
potentially life-saving surgery she suddenly needed would be deemed 
elective.

Instead, a quick shift to online consultations with her doctors, the surgery went ahead without much change.

Yet the stress that comes with cancer remained. And a tough decision got rushed.

Right after her diagnosis, Buchmann quickly scheduled two appointments with doctors at the <a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/about-us" target="_blank">University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>.

Her
 brother, a physician, went with her to her first appointment with her 
surgeon. She was hoping to bring her sister-in-law, an oncologist, to 
the next one a few days later. By that point, the doctor’s office wasn’t
 allowing any visitors to come to appointments.

“So as I had my appointments, COVID was really changing the landscape,” Buchmann said.

Those changes also altered a tough decision.

Rather
 than wait for the results of a genetic test that would help her decide 
on getting a double mastectomy, she went ahead and scheduled surgery to 
just remove the cancerous tissue.

“We wanted to go ahead and 
operate on the cancer I currently had while KU still had masks,” she 
said. “While they were still seeing cancer surgery as essential.”

About that same time, the<a href="https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/triage" target="_blank"> American College of Surgeons began issuing guidance</a>
 to hospitals on how to best prepare for the surge of COVID-19 patients.
 And which surgeries were truly needed. The group offered guidance to 
help prepare U.S. hospitals for the same problems other countries faced.

“Many
 hospitals were literally overwhelmed with admissions,” said David Hoyt,
 executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “So, just to 
free up beds to be able to care for these patients, to preserve 
protective equipment, gowns, gloves, masks. All the things that you 
need.”

And it seemed to work. While many people had to delay knee or hip replacements, Kansas <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients">hospitals</a> <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients" target="_blank">have so far handled the influx of COVID-19 patients</a> without too many issues.

Some
 models project Kansas will soon reach its peak, and that it has 
capacity to spare. Meanwhile, cancer treatment has gone forward almost 
the same as it had before.

The one major difference is that most appointments before and after surgery now happen online.

“Today, I have eight patients who showed up on my schedule,” Dr. Shaker Dakhil, president of the <a href="https://cancercenterofkansas.com/" target="_blank">Cancer Center of Kansas</a> said. “And beside their appointment, it says virtual visit.”

He
 said the visits look very much like an in-person visit would. He has 
his computer in front of him. He asks them questions about their disease
 and listens to any of their concerns.

“We kept everything exactly the same,” he said, “and this has been working beautifully.”

Dakhil hopes that some of the changes made to deal with the coronavirus stick around after the pandemic.

And while it could be intimidating, health officials are encouraging people to not wait to get treated and try the new system.

“If
 there’s something that you think is important enough that you would 
call the doctor’s office, then consider a telemedicine appointment.” 
Lori Ranallo, nurse practitioner at the University of Kansas Health 
System Cancer Center and state ambassador for the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a> said.

Buchmann,
 the breast cancer patient, said she would have thought you were crazy 
if you’d told her back in February she’d be having doctor’s appointments
 over Zoom, but she’s now had three of those video calls.

“It hasn’t sent me into an extraordinary panic,” Buchmann said. “I would say I’m at baseline you-have-cancer panic.”

Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587993705414.png" alt=" Central Care Cancer Center in Wichita, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Central Care Cancer Center in Wichita, Kansas. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/coronavirus-hasnt-stopped-cancer-surgeries-kansas-its-boosted-telemedicine">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA — Doctors diagnosed Courtney 
Buchmann’s breast cancer on March 6, three days before the first 
confirmed case of COVID-19 in Kansas.Buchmann worried, as 
hospitals braced for an overflow of coronavirus patients, whether the 
potentially life-saving surgery she suddenly needed would be deemed 
elective.Instead, a quick shift to online consultations with her doctors, the surgery went ahead without much change.Yet the stress that comes with cancer remained. And a tough decision got rushed.Right after her diagnosis, Buchmann quickly scheduled two appointments with doctors at the <a href="https://www.kucancercenter.org/about-us" target="_blank">University of Kansas Cancer Center</a>.Her
 brother, a physician, went with her to her first appointment with her 
surgeon. She was hoping to bring her sister-in-law, an oncologist, to 
the next one a few days later. By that point, the doctor’s office wasn’t
 allowing any visitors to come to appointments.“So as I had my appointments, COVID was really changing the landscape,” Buchmann said.Those changes also altered a tough decision.Rather
 than wait for the results of a genetic test that would help her decide 
on getting a double mastectomy, she went ahead and scheduled surgery to 
just remove the cancerous tissue.“We wanted to go ahead and 
operate on the cancer I currently had while KU still had masks,” she 
said. “While they were still seeing cancer surgery as essential.”About that same time, the<a href="https://www.facs.org/covid-19/clinical-guidance/triage" target="_blank"> American College of Surgeons began issuing guidance</a>
 to hospitals on how to best prepare for the surge of COVID-19 patients.
 And which surgeries were truly needed. The group offered guidance to 
help prepare U.S. hospitals for the same problems other countries faced.“Many
 hospitals were literally overwhelmed with admissions,” said David Hoyt,
 executive director of the American College of Surgeons. “So, just to 
free up beds to be able to care for these patients, to preserve 
protective equipment, gowns, gloves, masks. All the things that you 
need.”And it seemed to work. While many people had to delay knee or hip replacements, Kansas <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients">hospitals</a> <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/post/kansas-hospitals-wont-say-how-full-theyre-getting-coronavirus-patients" target="_blank">have so far handled the influx of COVID-19 patients</a> without too many issues.Some
 models project Kansas will soon reach its peak, and that it has 
capacity to spare. Meanwhile, cancer treatment has gone forward almost 
the same as it had before.The one major difference is that most appointments before and after surgery now happen online.“Today, I have eight patients who showed up on my schedule,” Dr. Shaker Dakhil, president of the <a href="https://cancercenterofkansas.com/" target="_blank">Cancer Center of Kansas</a> said. “And beside their appointment, it says virtual visit.”He
 said the visits look very much like an in-person visit would. He has 
his computer in front of him. He asks them questions about their disease
 and listens to any of their concerns.“We kept everything exactly the same,” he said, “and this has been working beautifully.”Dakhil hopes that some of the changes made to deal with the coronavirus stick around after the pandemic.And while it could be intimidating, health officials are encouraging people to not wait to get treated and try the new system.“If
 there’s something that you think is important enough that you would 
call the doctor’s office, then consider a telemedicine appointment.” 
Lori Ranallo, nurse practitioner at the University of Kansas Health 
System Cancer Center and state ambassador for the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Cancer Society</a> said.Buchmann,
 the breast cancer patient, said she would have thought you were crazy 
if you’d told her back in February she’d be having doctor’s appointments
 over Zoom, but she’s now had three of those video calls.“It hasn’t sent me into an extraordinary panic,” Buchmann said. “I would say I’m at baseline you-have-cancer panic.”Brian
 Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for 
KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on 
Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en" target="_blank">@briangrimmett</a> or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Virus hasn't stopped Kan. cancer surgeries, but it's boosted telemedicine 

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.

Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.

On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.

“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”

Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.

“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."

COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.

The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.

The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.

Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”

A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.

Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.

The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.

Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.

The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.

Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.

Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.

“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.

The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587239834149.png" alt=" Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Meat on sale at a grocery store in Garden City, Kansas. Four large meatpacking plants employ thousands of workers in southwest Kansas. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Meat isn't going to disappear from supermarkets because of outbreaks of the coronavirus among workers at U.S. slaughterhouses. But as the meat plants struggle to remain open, consumers could face less selection and slightly higher prices.Industry leaders acknowledge that the U.S. food chain has rarely been so stressed and that no one is sure about the future, even as they try to dispel concerns about shortages.On Sunday, the meat processing giant Tyson Foods ran a full-page advertisement in the&nbsp;New York&nbsp;Times and other newspapers outlining the difficulty of producing meat while keeping more than 100,000 workers safe and shutting some plants.“This means one thing — the food supply chain is vulnerable,” the statement said. “As pork, beef and chicken plants are being forced to close, even for short periods of time, millions of pounds of meat will disappear from the supply chain.”Company spokesman Gary Mickelson said the Tyson family thought it was important to explain their perspective.“The letter encourages government leaders to unite to address food supply chain challenges," Mickelson said. "We are taking a proactive approach to balance safety and production by moving aggressively with testing and plant closures when necessary."COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, has infected hundreds of workers at meat-processing plants and forced some of the largest to close and others to slow production. While the output at beef and poultry plants has diminished, pork plants in the Midwest have been hit especially hard. The viral outbreaks have persisted despite efforts by the meat companies to keep workers at home with pay if they become sick.The 15 largest pork-packing plants account for 60 percent of all pork processed, so when even one of those plants closes for days or weeks, the consequences ripple across the industry. That has become abundantly clear with two of the nation's biggest plants now closed: Tyson suspended operations at its plant in Waterloo,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/iowa">Iowa</a>. And Smithfield Foods halted production at its plant in Sioux Falls,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/south-dakota">South Dakota</a>. Each plant can butcher nearly 20,000 hogs a day. Some plants have reopened days after cleaning.The result is that the nation's pork processing capacity had declined by about 25% as of last week, said Steve Meyer, an industry economist with Kerns and Associates in Ames, Iowa.Sarah Little, a spokeswoman for the North American Meat Institute, an industry trade group, said: “It’s down across the board right now, so the next couple of weeks we should see how the system works. It’s never been tested like this before.”A beef production plant in Green Bay,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, is the latest to shut down because of infections among employees. JBS USA said the JBS Packerland plant, which employs 1,200, would be closed temporarily. The Green Bay Press Gazette reported that at least 189 COVID-19 infections had been linked to JBS Packerland as of Friday.Nationally, although the reduced meat supply is expected to cause consumer prices to rise, expectations are that the increases will be slight. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said late last week that it expects beef prices to climb 1% to 2% this year, poultry as much as 1.5% and pork between by from 2% and 3%.The agency acknowledged that consumer buying patterns change weekly and that some products face supply-chain disruptions that could affect prices. But the USDA said its planned $3 billion purchase of fresh produce, dairy and meat should help stabilize prices. The government will work with food distributors to provide the purchased products to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other nonprofits serving the needy.The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents 1.3 million food and retail workers, said last week that 10 U.S. food-processing and meatpacking union workers in the U.S. have died and that an estimated 5,000 are sick or have been exposed to the virus while working near someone who tested positive.Marc Perrone, the union president, said 13 plants in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/indiana">Indiana</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;Minnesota,&nbsp;Missouri,&nbsp;Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Wisconsin and Alberta, Canada, have been closed at least temporarily because of the pandemic. Those union plants represent about 10 percent of beef production and 25 percent of pork production, the union said.The union is urging state and federal officials to ensure that workers have access to protective equipment, mandate social distancing at work and halt federal waivers that allow faster line speeds.Many employees of the meatpacking plants fear going to work, said Margarita Heredia, who has worked at the JBS pork processing plant in Marshalltown, Iowa, for 11 years. She joined a UFCW union call with reporters to discuss the pandemic's effects on workers.Heredia credited the company with improving sanitation, including treating hallways and common areas with bleach and placing hand sanitizer stations around the plant. JBS also now takes workers' temperatures and encourages those who are sick to stay home. But she said the company increased pay by $4 an hour from April 20 through May as an incentive for healthy employees to go to work.“Even then, we’re still shorthanded, but we are trying to do our best,” she said.The national slowdown in meat processing has surfaced in federal statistics. The daily cattle slaughter for the week of April 13 fell nearly 24 percent from the same period a year ago. Pig slaughter was down 13 percent. And given the most recent plant closures, those figures have likely fallen further.

Virus is expected to reduce meat selection, raise prices

By NICK GOSNELL,&nbsp;Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — Though K-12 education looks different than it has in previous years, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be funded that differently at the end of the day, but the aggregate dollars may go down.

"It's going to be hard to get out from under it," said Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner. "I will say when the 2008 recession hit, with the same legal ruling, the school districts were very amenable to it, just because they understood the financial position we were in. We'll have to see how it plays out this time."

Democratic Representative Jason Probst believes there will be some cuts to education, as well.

"In 2008, the school districts kind of viewed the situation as a shared sacrifice," Probst said. "Despite the fact that there was a ruling in place and litigation going on, they were agreeable to reducing. I think we're all going to have to, across the board, everyone's going to have to share in this sacrifice and I don't expect that K-12 will escape that."

Will the neccessities of online education create either opportunities or necessities for less classroom teaching? That remains to be seen.

"Innovation is often born out of crisis," Probst said. "You have to look at the situation. You have to change the way you do things. I do think that this has opened up the availability of some tools that we hadn't been forced to examine before. It also means that we're going to have to have pretty robust broadband access throughout the state to deliver remote education, but I do think this situation has brought to the fore the fact that maybe you can get an education and not be in a building, necessarily and that we can deliver high quality education, connect the best teachers in the state with the students, wherever they are."

Waggoner is impressed by the progress, as well.

"We certainly have seen a huge growth in distance learning as it would be on a higher education level," Waggoner said. "A lot of things are done online. That has always been sort of in the background in K-12. I think part of it actually is what are going to be your results? You know, you've had a couple of months with kids learning online. I mean, how do their tests scores do? Is it comparable to in classroom learning? It could also be, certain parents might feel more comfortable if their kids were at home."

This could especially be true if there is a potential second wave of the virus in the fall, as most medical experts seem to believe right now.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588005688888.jpeg" alt="Probst and Waggoner" />
 <figcaption>Probst and Waggoner</figcaption>
 </figure>By NICK GOSNELL,&nbsp;Hutch PostHUTCHINSON — Though K-12 education looks different than it has in previous years, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be funded that differently at the end of the day, but the aggregate dollars may go down."It's going to be hard to get out from under it," said Republican Rep. Paul Waggoner. "I will say when the 2008 recession hit, with the same legal ruling, the school districts were very amenable to it, just because they understood the financial position we were in. We'll have to see how it plays out this time."Democratic Representative Jason Probst believes there will be some cuts to education, as well."In 2008, the school districts kind of viewed the situation as a shared sacrifice," Probst said. "Despite the fact that there was a ruling in place and litigation going on, they were agreeable to reducing. I think we're all going to have to, across the board, everyone's going to have to share in this sacrifice and I don't expect that K-12 will escape that."Will the neccessities of online education create either opportunities or necessities for less classroom teaching? That remains to be seen."Innovation is often born out of crisis," Probst said. "You have to look at the situation. You have to change the way you do things. I do think that this has opened up the availability of some tools that we hadn't been forced to examine before. It also means that we're going to have to have pretty robust broadband access throughout the state to deliver remote education, but I do think this situation has brought to the fore the fact that maybe you can get an education and not be in a building, necessarily and that we can deliver high quality education, connect the best teachers in the state with the students, wherever they are."Waggoner is impressed by the progress, as well."We certainly have seen a huge growth in distance learning as it would be on a higher education level," Waggoner said. "A lot of things are done online. That has always been sort of in the background in K-12. I think part of it actually is what are going to be your results? You know, you've had a couple of months with kids learning online. I mean, how do their tests scores do? Is it comparable to in classroom learning? It could also be, certain parents might feel more comfortable if their kids were at home."This could especially be true if there is a potential second wave of the virus in the fall, as most medical experts seem to believe right now.

State reps: Likely sacrifice, possible increases in online learning for K-12

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is temporarily slashing the pay of high-ranking administrators and athletic staff in anticipation of the coronavirus causing tens of millions of dollars in financial losses. 

Chancellor Douglas Girod announced Monday that the school will save $853,000 by cutting the salaries of nearly 40 university leaders by 10% for six months. 

The salaries of men’s basketball coach Bill Self, football coach Les Miles, and Athletic Director Jeff Long also will also be slashed by the same percentage, generating $500,000.

In a statement from KU Athletics Self said,&nbsp;“KU has been home to us for 17 years, and been very good to our family. During our tenure we’ve had our ups and downs, but these turbulent times are unprecedented and the immediate future is unknown.

I, like others, will be returning 10 percent of my salary to help bridge the financial gap in our athletic department. These times are serious, but temporary, and it’s everyone’s hope that we can return to a safe and prosperous time soon. I have no doubt that Allen Fieldhouse is going to be the loudest it’s ever been when we all get together again, and I can’t wait. Let’s all stay positive. Rock Chalk.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas athletic director Jeff Long, football coach Les Miles and basketball coach Bill Self have taken a 10% salary reduction for the next six months in an effort to save the athletic department nearly $500,000.

In a statement from KU Athletics Self said,&nbsp;“KU has been home to us for 17 years, and been very good to our family. During our tenure we’ve had our ups and downs, but these turbulent times are unprecedented and the immediate future is unknown. 

The move comes as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on collegiate athletic departments nationwide to cut costs. Many schools have asked their highest-paid employees to take salary cuts during the pandemic.

According to coach Miles, “My family and I so enjoy being a part of KU, our athletic community and Lawrence. This is a great place and I enjoy giving to this University. Returning 10 percent of my salary is something we wanted to do to help a place we’ve quickly grown to love. We are all going through this pandemic together and I believe that our country will come through this stronger.”

A few have taken the more aggressive step of eliminating some sports entirely.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574643193042.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy University of Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is temporarily slashing the pay of high-ranking administrators and athletic staff in anticipation of the coronavirus causing tens of millions of dollars in financial losses. Chancellor Douglas Girod announced Monday that the school will save $853,000 by cutting the salaries of nearly 40 university leaders by 10% for six months. The salaries of men’s basketball coach Bill Self, football coach Les Miles, and Athletic Director Jeff Long also will also be slashed by the same percentage, generating $500,000.In a statement from KU Athletics Self said,&nbsp;“KU has been home to us for 17 years, and been very good to our family. During our tenure we’ve had our ups and downs, but these turbulent times are unprecedented and the immediate future is unknown.I, like others, will be returning 10 percent of my salary to help bridge the financial gap in our athletic department. These times are serious, but temporary, and it’s everyone’s hope that we can return to a safe and prosperous time soon. I have no doubt that Allen Fieldhouse is going to be the loudest it’s ever been when we all get together again, and I can’t wait. Let’s all stay positive. Rock Chalk.”----------LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas athletic director Jeff Long, football coach Les Miles and basketball coach Bill Self have taken a 10% salary reduction for the next six months in an effort to save the athletic department nearly $500,000.In a statement from KU Athletics Self said,&nbsp;“KU has been home to us for 17 years, and been very good to our family. During our tenure we’ve had our ups and downs, but these turbulent times are unprecedented and the immediate future is unknown. I, like others, will be returning 10 percent of my salary to help bridge the financial gap in our athletic department. These times are serious, but temporary, and it’s everyone’s hope that we can return to a safe and prosperous time soon. I have no doubt that Allen Fieldhouse is going to be the loudest it’s ever been when we all get together again, and I can’t wait. Let’s all stay positive. Rock Chalk.”The move comes as the COVID-19 pandemic is putting pressure on collegiate athletic departments nationwide to cut costs. Many schools have asked their highest-paid employees to take salary cuts during the pandemic.According to coach Miles, “My family and I so enjoy being a part of KU, our athletic community and Lawrence. This is a great place and I enjoy giving to this University. Returning 10 percent of my salary is something we wanted to do to help a place we’ve quickly grown to love. We are all going through this pandemic together and I believe that our country will come through this stronger.”A few have taken the more aggressive step of eliminating some sports entirely.

Update: KU announces pay cuts among top officials

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-24/new-federal-laws-may-not-protect-uninsured-coronavirus-patients-as-hoped">Kansas News Service</a>

The small crew of health care workers at Guadalupe Clinic in Wichita —
 aided by dozens more who volunteer there — sees nearly 2,000 people a 
year.

Every one of them is uninsured, and all visits are free.

<a href="https://guadalupeclinic.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe</a>
 can’t yet check patients for COVID-19. But emergency federal 
legislation might help the nonprofit roll out that service to the 
low-income neighborhoods it serves.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587758501245.png" alt="Face masks that Derby resident Melissa Dodge uses to protect herself at her grocery store job. Dodge has no health insurance. Melissa Dodge / Submitted" />
 <figcaption>Face masks that Derby resident Melissa Dodge uses to protect herself at her grocery store job. Dodge has no health insurance. Melissa Dodge / Submitted</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-04-24/new-federal-laws-may-not-protect-uninsured-coronavirus-patients-as-hoped">Kansas News Service</a>The small crew of health care workers at Guadalupe Clinic in Wichita —
 aided by dozens more who volunteer there — sees nearly 2,000 people a 
year.Every one of them is uninsured, and all visits are free.<a href="https://guadalupeclinic.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe</a>
 can’t yet check patients for COVID-19. But emergency federal 
legislation might help the nonprofit roll out that service to the 
low-income neighborhoods it serves.“Our patients live in small 
apartments, small houses,” where COVID-19 can spread quickly, executive 
director J.V. Johnston said. “So testing would be important for us.”Stimulus funds promise to cover coronavirus testing and treatment for the uninsured.Still, benefits for the <a href="https://www.khi.org/assets/uploads/news/14956/khi-health-insurance-info-2018-web.pdf" target="_blank">250,000 people</a> without health insurance in Kansas remain unclear. Experts see potential <a href="http://chirblog.org/expanded-coverage-for-covid-19-testing/" target="_blank">loopholes</a>
 in the new federal laws and policies that could risk leaving people on 
the hook for hundreds, even tens of thousands, of dollars for hospital 
stays.And while the Trump administration says the offer to help 
will stop when funding runs out, it has yet to say how much money it’ll 
spend.The confusion could keep many sick people from seeking care. At the same time, the uninsured often work essential jobs that don’t give them the luxury of hiding from the virus at home.“This
 crisis is exposing big gaping holes in our health care system,” said 
Sabrina Corlette, a professor at the Georgetown University Center on 
Health Insurance Reforms. “When we have a public health crisis like this
 … the last thing you want is someone to hesitate to get tested and 
treated.”<h2>Help on the way</h2>The <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">Kaiser Family Foundation</a> estimates coronavirus could put between 670,000 and 2 million uninsured people in the hospital nationwide.The uninsured may <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/what-issues-will-uninsured-people-face-with-testing-and-treatment-for-covid-19/" target="_blank">face a higher risk</a> of contracting the novel coronavirus because so many work face-to-face jobs, such as cashiering and housekeeping.Two stimulus bills passed by Congress in March should benefit people without health coverage.The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gives states the option of covering <a href="https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200413.783118/full/" target="_blank">COVID-19 testing</a> for the uninsured through Medicaid. That would include both the lab work and the office visit for the patient.But it wouldn’t help with coronavirus treatment,
 which can total daunting sums. Kaiser and the Peterson Center on 
Healthcare estimate inpatient bills for a serious case of COVID-19 <a href="https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/brief/potential-costs-of-coronavirus-treatment-for-people-with-employer-coverage/" target="_blank">could top $20,000</a> even when people do have job-based health plans that negotiate down the prices.The
 Trump administration came under fire to act. It has declined to reopen 
access to the Obamacare exchange but vowed instead to use money in 
another stimulus bill, the CARES Act, to reimburse hospitals at Medicare
 rates for treating the uninsured.Kaiser initially estimated that could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/estimated-cost-of-treating-the-uninsured-hospitalized-with-covid-19/?utm_campaign=KFF-2020-Uninsured&amp;utm_source=hs_email&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_content=2&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_a29TEiXmBg8w1NSN1RHzrL0AkB3b_c4oM2hMy5UgzCOCHSGxOjD-D1JifL7SXWGLjLy73365xrpw86-gHFg1k_gKuWw&amp;_hsmi=2" target="_blank">between $13.9 billion and $41.8 billion</a>
 of a $100 billion portion of the CARES Act meant to help hospitals cope
 with the pandemic. Now that the Trump administration has said the money
 would also go for care beyond hospital admissions, Kaiser says the plan
 could use up <a href="https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-policy-watch/update-on-covid-19-funding-for-hospitals-and-other-providers/" target="_blank">even more funds</a>.This
 has sparked some controversy among health care providers worried the 
dollars won’t stretch, Kaiser senior fellow Karyn Schwartz says.“That’s less money that’s available to help them buy protective equipment for their staff,” she said.The
 White House and Congress have since agreed to add $75 billion for 
health care providers to weather the storm. But the administration has 
yet to say how much CARES money it will set aside for the uninsured — 
while making clear that help will stop if that unspecified amount of 
money runs out.<h2>Waiting to hear more</h2>The typical 
patient at Guadalupe cobbles together paychecks from various part-time 
jobs that don’t offer health coverage, said Johnston, the clinic’s 
executive director.As the pandemic costs people their jobs, he expects more will likely need help.“If they have no income,” he said, “they're going to buy food and pay their rent before they pay their health insurance.”Johnston
 is eager to learn how reimbursement for testing will work, and whether 
Guadalupe can participate. The money will flow through state Medicaid 
programs, and his donation-funded clinic has never billed Medicaid 
before because it only sees the uninsured.“So it’s (up) in the air now,” he said, “but hopefully that’s the case.”Like other states, Kansas is still working out the kinks of this unprecedented use of its Medicaid program.As
 of late April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it 
had only approved two states to cover coronavirus testing for the 
uninsured.Once Kansas clears that same hurdle, CMS said in an 
email, Medicaid could kick in retroactively, for tests conducted no 
earlier than March 18 (when the new law <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201/text" target="_blank">took effect</a>).<h2>Risk for surprise bills</h2>Even bigger questions remain about how billing will work for the far costlier treatment of COVID-19.The CARES Act contains provisions meant to <a href="https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/cares-act-provider-relief-fund/index.html" target="_blank">prevent “surprise bills”</a> — when a hospital or a doctor charges patients for more money directly beyond what health plans pay.But
 several health insurance experts studying the act expressed concern 
that it shields uninsured patients from hospital charges without 
protecting them against independent billers under the same roof, such as
 anesthetists or emergency department staff.They have similar 
concerns about how billing will shake out when someone tests negative 
after treatment has begun. And what if, they wonder, the patient can’t 
get a coronavirus test at all and is given one for the flu instead?“We
 know due to the lack of testing capacity,” Georgetown’s Corlette said, 
“that many, if not a majority, of people who present with covid-19 
symptoms are turned away without a test. But they’re still charged for 
the visit.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587758579320.png" alt="Derby resident Melissa Dodge doesn't qualify for Medicaid, but the program does cover her children's health care." />
 <figcaption>Derby resident Melissa Dodge doesn't qualify for Medicaid, but the program does cover her children's health care.</figcaption>
 </figure>The complexity of it all — and lack of clarity — doesn’t surprise 
Katherine Hempstead, a health insurance expert at the Robert Wood 
Johnson Foundation.“We have a very complicated, highly segmented 
health care system,” she said, and now a pandemic has sent the country 
scrambling for fixes to help millions of Americans get testing and 
treatment. “You can kind of see all these little patches that we’re 
trying to erect.”In Kansas, if those patches don’t work well — 
hampering efforts to control the coronavirus or leaving patients saddled
 with the kind of massive medical bills that drive mounting public 
frustration with American health care — it could fuel the political push
 to extend full Medicaid coverage to more low-income adults.<h2>‘A lifesaver’</h2>That includes Derby resident Melissa Dodge.She fears what <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank">the novel coronavirus</a>
 would mean for her 9-year-old daughter with heart and lung problems. Or
 the danger it could pose for her mother, who is over 60.But she has another worry: As a single mother caring for her four children while working part-time, she has no health insurance.“My
 anxiety was always high because I knew the financial risks” of being 
uninsured, Dodge said. “Add a new global pandemic on top of that, and 
it’s terrifying.”Dodge takes every precaution she can. When the 
pandemic hit, her employer agreed to move her shift later in the 
evenings and let her spend more of it stocking shelves — two things that
 reduce her exposure to other people.When she gets home past 
midnight, she peels off a face mask, scrubs her hands and changes 
clothes before so much as sitting down.Though she doesn’t qualify
 for Medicaid, her children do. She has driven to Topeka before to beg 
lawmakers to give people like her the same benefit.“It's a 
lifesaver for my family,” Dodge said. Her 9-year-old has had multiple 
heart surgeries. Another of her children is autistic.But if she needs care for herself, Dodge struggles with what that debt would do to her family.“The financial aspect of COVID,” she said, “is probably one of the most unspoken scary parts of it.”Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

Coronavirus Update