By TOM MURPHY
AP Health Writer

The pandemic creating a huge need for health care is actually delivering a devastating financial blow to that sector. COVID-19 worries have kept patients away from U.S. doctor offices and forced them to postpone or cancel surgeries. The pandemic also has shut down the economy, leaving many patients without insurance or in a financial pinch that makes them curb spending. All of this has forced hospital executives and doctors to lay off staff, cut costs and hope a return to normal arrives soon. Health care provided the biggest drag on a U.S. economy that tanked in the first quarter.

Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.