What antibody studies can tell you (ProPublica links)

Where we are now






Researchers have begun to publish studies about coronavirus antibodies, and our ace health care reporter Caroline Chen breaks down what these studies can tell us — and more importantly, what they can’t. Even a test that is very good can give out more false positives than true positives when the prevalence of a disease is very low in a population.
My ProPublica Illinois colleague Haru Coryne looked at how coronavirus has spread in Chicago. His analysis found that crowded conditions within homes, rather than housing density, may better explain why some areas of the city see higher infection rates.
Taken together, these two stories help us understand how the coronavirus is spreading and how we can find a path forward.





Holding companies accountable






At a time when much of the retail sector is collapsing, Amazon is strengthening its competitive position in ways that could outlast the pandemic — and raise antitrust concerns, Renee Dudley reported.
One thing that hasn’t fully stopped during the pandemic: Aggressive medical-debt collection. U.S. hospitals are in the spotlight for being on the front line of fighting COVID-19. But Alec MacGillis found that in the shadows, debt collection operations continue, often by the same institutions treating coronavirus patients.
Meanwhile at health insurance giant Cigna, executives told analysts the pandemic wouldn’t hurt its business, but a trade group that represents Cigna and other insurers asked Congress for aid.





Holding government accountable






FEMA has helped pay for the burials of victims of past disasters. But months into the coronavirus pandemic, the Trump administration has sat on similar requests. Families of COVID-19 victims have been forced to turn to religious centers and GoFundMe. So far, approximately 30 states and territories have requested the funding.
Sen. Richard Burr, who is under investigation for his stock trading, is not just a friend to the health care industry. He’s also a stockholder. He regularly flips health care stocks even as he pushes for legislation to help the industry. Burr has denied doing anything improper.
All vote by mail systems are not created equal, Ryan McCarthy reported, and whether the ballot you mail is counted may depend on where you vote. Disputes between policymakers in at least six states cast doubt about whether states can make a smooth and equitable shift from in-person to mail-in ballots by November.