Blake Farmer

reporter for WPLN, Nashville

Blake Farmer appears in the following:

Who Should Pay For COVID-19 Tests?

Monday, June 15, 2020

Congress required health plans to fully cover COVID-19 testing, but insurance companies say they should only have to pay if tests are "medically necessary" or ordered by a doctor.

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New Coronavirus Hot Spots Emerge Across South And In California, As Northeast Slows

Friday, June 05, 2020

Nationwide, coronavirus infection numbers are trending down, but several states are seeing upticks, with the heaviest impact falling on communities of color and nursing home residents.

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Some States See Upticks In Coronavirus Cases, While Numbers In Others Are Going Down

Thursday, June 04, 2020

Nationwide coronavirus infection numbers are trending down, but several states are seeing upticks, including California and in the South. In the Northeast, things are looking up as infections fall.

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Tennessee's Secret To Plentiful Coronavirus Testing? Picking Up The Tab

Friday, May 15, 2020

As states move on from social distancing, they need plenty of coronavirus testing to prevent future outbreaks. But many communities face testing bottlenecks. Tennessee has a solution.

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Tennessee Government Pays The Labs Directly For The Coronavirus Tests

Thursday, May 07, 2020

Only a few states have enough tests to ensure safe reopening. Most of those have a small population or have taken up unique approaches. The state of Tennessee has decided to pay for every single test.

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New Jersey and Tennessee Plans For Reopening Differ Immensely

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

The states of New Jersey and Tennessee have two very different plans for reopening their economies.

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Nursing Homes Hit Hard As Virus Claims Thousands Of Lives Across U.S.

Saturday, April 18, 2020

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with WPLN's Blake Farmer from Nashville and KCUR's Peggy Lowe from Kansas City about how nursing homes are dealing with deadly outbreaks of COVID-19.

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At Least 9,000 U.S. Health Care Workers Sickened With COVID-19, CDC Data Shows

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Newly released data shows the toll the disease is taking on doctors, nurses and other health care workers. Nurses' groups call for increased protection for frontline staff.

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The Coronavirus Doesn't Discriminate, But U.S. Health Care Showing Familiar Biases

Thursday, April 02, 2020

Most available coronavirus data doesn't include ethnic or racial demographics, but public health experts say they fear the response to the pandemic will lead to predictable health care disparities.

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The Coronavirus Doesn't Discriminate. U.S. Health Care May Be A Different Story

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

The coronavirus doesn't discriminate in who it infects. But some doctors say the U.S. health care system's pandemic response is already showing familiar patterns of bias.

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Country Music Legend Kenny Rogers Dies At 81

Saturday, March 21, 2020

The three-time Grammy-winning icon, whose hits included "Lucille," "Lady" and "The Gambler," died at home in Sandy Springs, Ga., his family said in a statement.

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Coronavirus Pushes More Hospitals To Share Data About Inventories Of Protective Gear

Thursday, March 12, 2020

There is currently no central coordination of the supply of protective garb and masks in U.S. hospital inventories. A CDC project wants hospitals to share that information for the good of all.

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Residents Work To Recover After Deadly Tennessee Tornadoes

Saturday, March 07, 2020

Tuesday's tornadoes in Tennessee killed 24 people and ripped through cities and rural areas alike. As residents work to recover, they're finding it slow going.

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Cleanup Continues In Tennessee Where Deadly Tornadoes Struck

Wednesday, March 04, 2020

In middle Tennessee, cleanup and recovery continue after a series of deadly tornadoes early Tuesday which killed more than 20 people and injured dozens of others.

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A Look At The Death And Damage Toll After Tornadoes Ravage Tennessee

Tuesday, March 03, 2020

Powerful storms and tornadoes roared across middle Tennessee overnight, killing at least 22 people throughout the state. Rescue crews spent the day searching for victims and cleaning up.

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Deadly Tornadoes Rip Through Nashville Area Overnight

Tuesday, March 03, 2020

The tornado struck in Tennessee in the middle of the night — there are several confirmed deaths and many more are injured. Authorities are still trying to map out the full scope of the damage.

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It's Not Just Hospitals That Are Quick To Sue Patients Who Can't Pay

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

The firm that staffed the emergency room with doctors at Nashville General Hospital was taking more patients to court for unpaid medical bills than any other hospital or practice in the city.

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Patients Want To Die At Home, But Home Hospice Care Can Be Tough On Families

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The for-profit hospice industry has grown, allowing more Americans to die at home. But few family members realize that "hospice care" still means they'll do most of the physical and emotional work.

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U-Haul's Nicotine-Free Hiring Rule Reflects A Trend That Troubles Workers' Advocates

Thursday, January 09, 2020

U-Haul is the latest company to say it won't hire nicotine users, in the 21 states where that's legal. It's one way to avoid the costs of smoking-related illness, but critics call it discrimination.

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'Food Pharmacies' In Clinics: When The Diagnosis Is Chronic Hunger

Thursday, November 28, 2019

It's hard to manage chronic conditions without a steady source of healthy food. That's why health care providers are setting up food pantries — right inside hospitals and clinics.

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