Axios: COVID Test Kits Available To Order For Free From U.S. Government
Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests from the government starting Monday, less than two months after the Biden administration reopened the at-home testing program. The release of additional tests comes days ahead of Thanksgiving and the busy holiday travel season, which has corresponded with a surge in coronavirus cases in recent years. (Tyko, 11/20)

Reuters: US To Offer More Free COVID Tests Nationwide
The tests are paid for using COVID-19 supplemental funding from the American Rescue Plan, the HHS spokesperson said. The Biden administration has distributed over 1.6 billion free tests to date, the spokesperson said, including those delivered to people's homes through the website, as well as millions weekly to long-term care facilities, schools, community health centers, and food banks. HHS and the Department of Education plan to expand a program that brings tests to schools nationwide over the coming weeks. (Aboulenein, 11/20)

The New York Times: U.S. Offers Another Round Of Free Covid Tests Through The Mail
Just in time for the holiday season, the Biden administration is offering Americans a fresh round of free at-home coronavirus tests through the Postal Service. The administration revived the dormant program in September, announcing then that households could order four free tests through a federal website, covidtests.gov. Beginning Monday, households may order an additional four tests — or eight tests if they had not ordered any in the previous round. (Gay Stolberg, 11/20)

Meanwhile, ahead of holiday season, covid worries tick up —

The Boston Globe: As Holidays Approach, Advocates Call For A Return To Universal Masking In Health Care Settings
Anticipating a surge of COVID-19 and other respiratory infections this winter, a group of doctors and activists on Monday called on the state to require universal masking in health care settings. In a virtual news conference, the Massachusetts Coalition for Health Equity also demanded free access to COVID-19 testing and high-quality masks, public education about the risks of long COVID, and protections enabling disabled people to insist that their caregivers wear masks. (Freyer, 11/20)

CBS News: CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen Offers COVID Caution For The Holidays
The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention came home for the holidays with an important health message. "There are ways to protect yourself, even this week. So I hope you got vaccinated, and if you didn't it's not too late. ..." Cohen said. "I wouldn't recommend something I wouldn't recommend for my own parents, for my own daughters," Cohen said. "The most important reason is this virus changes. COVID has changed and flu has changed. You want the most updated protection you can get." (Gusoff, 11/20)

And it's not just covid that people are concerned about —

The Hill: One-Third In New Survey Worried About Catching Flu, COVID, RSV In Next Three Months
More than a third of Americans say they are worried that they or one of their family members will contract a seasonal respiratory virus like the flu, COVID-19 or RSV in the coming months, though vaccine enthusiasm appears to be middling at best. The survey was conducted by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania Oct. 5-12. (Choi, 11/20)

CIDRAP: More US Parents Plan To Vaccinate Kids Against RSV, Flu Than COVID, Survey Shows
A Texas A&M University survey of US parents finds that 41% already had or would vaccinate their children against COVID-19, 63% against influenza, and 71% against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) this fall and winter. The study, published late last week in Vaccine, involved 5,035 parents of children younger than 18 years surveyed on September 27 and 28, 2023. (Van Beusekom, 11/20)

St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Abortion Rights Backers Win Ballot Language Cases
The Missouri Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up cases regarding the ballot summaries and costs for initiative petitions that would legalize abortion in the state. The decision from the state’s high court is a victory for abortion rights proponents, who were banking on a favorable ballot summary before deciding on which initiative petition to circulate over the next few months. (Rosenbaum, 11/20)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri Supreme Court Rejects Ashcroft’s Attempt To Appeal Abortion Ballot Language Fight
The Missouri Supreme Court late Monday handed a loss to Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft in a fight over the ballot summary of a possible abortion rights initiative petition in 2024. After the Cole County Circuit Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals at Kansas City scrapped ballot summaries Ashcroft proposed for six abortion initiative petitions, the elections chief appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court to take the case. But the Missouri Supreme Court late Monday rejected transfer of the case in question, keeping the lower court ruling intact. (Suntrup, 11/20)

In a new national survey —

The Wall Street Journal: Support For Abortion Access Is Near Record, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds
New results from a Wall Street Journal-NORC poll show Americans’ support for abortion access is at one of the highest levels on record since nonpartisan researchers began tracking it in the 1970s. Some 55% of respondents say it should be possible for a pregnant woman to obtain a legal abortion if she wants it for any reason. (Wernau, 11/20)

The Hill: Near-Record 55 Percent Support Abortion Rights: Survey
Only one-third of Republicans said that they backed access to abortion for any reason, according to the Journal. However, the poll found widespread support for access to abortion in the cases of rape, incest and the health of the woman. Eighty-six percent of respondents said they supported access to abortion in instances of rape or incest, and 89 percent support it when a woman’s health is endangered by the pregnancy, the Journal reported. (Sforza, 11/20)

From the states —

The Hill: Texas Bill Aims To Block Wave Of Local Abortion Travel Bans
A Texas state senator is seeking to block a wave of local anti-abortion measures — in particular, a rising number of bans that seek to bar women seeking an out-of-state procedure from traveling through specific counties. State Sen. Nate Johnson (D) introduced a bill that would prohibit such bans Monday on the heels of a Republican-led push to subordinate local authority to the state Legislature on a wide range of local issues. (Elbein, 11/20)

Axios: What's Next For Ohio Abortion Law After Passage Of Issue 1
Ohio's largest abortion services provider and anti-abortion rights lawmakers are turning their attention to what's next after the recent passage of Issue 1. While voters approved the constitutional amendment by a 13% margin, the Nov. 7 vote may not be the final word on legalization. (Buchanan and Smith, 11/20)

The New York Times: Critical Trauma Care Is Not Possible At Any Of Gaza’s Hospitals, The W.H.O. Says
None of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are functional enough to treat critical trauma cases or perform surgery, the World Health Organization said on Monday, even as the number of people needing urgent medical treatment was rising daily among the enclave’s population of 2.2 million. (Fassihi, 11/21)

The New York Times: Indonesia Calls For More Pressure On Israel After Deadly Hospital Attack
Indonesia’s foreign minister condemned on Tuesday an attack on a hospital in the Gaza Strip as a “violation of international humanitarian law” and called on other nations to step up pressure on Israel. The attack on the Indonesian Hospital killed at least 12 people and wounded dozens, according to two members of the hospital staff and the Gaza health ministry, which blamed Israel. The hospital, which was built with Indonesia’s funds and advocacy, was hit around 2:30 a.m. on Monday after Israeli tanks had drawn closer to the compound, a nurse and a hospital administrator said. The source of the strike could not be independently verified. (Wee, 11/21)

CBS News: Hamas Officials And Medic Say Israel Surrounding 2nd Gaza Hospital As Babies From Al-Shifa Reach Egypt
The World Health Organization told the Reuters news agency that 28 babies were transferred to Egypt, but three remained at a maternity hospital in southern Gaza where they were being treated for "serious infections." Dr. Mohammad Zaqout, a doctor at Al-Shifa, said eight of the infants brought out of the hospital — which the World Health Organization described as a "death zone" after weeks caught in the middle of the Israel-Hamas war — did not survive the desperate conditions at the facility before they could be transferred. (Luciano, Redman, and Reals, 11/20)

AP: Trump, On Biden's 81st Birthday, Releases Doctor's Note That Says He's In 'Excellent' Health
GOP front-runner Donald Trump marked President Joe Biden ‘s 81st birthday on Monday by releasing a letter from his physician that reports the former president is in “excellent” physical and mental health. (Colvin, 11/21)

The New York Times: Trump Health Report Claims ‘Weight Reduction’ But Skimps On Specifics
In August, Mr. Trump reported to the Fulton County Jail, during an intake process for one of four criminal cases he is facing, that he weighed 215 pounds. That was nearly 30 pounds less than the White House doctor reported in 2020. But the report on Monday did not include even basic details such as Mr. Trump’s weight, his blood pressure, his cholesterol levels, any prescriptions or even how much weight he had lost. Dr. Aronwald instead wrote that Mr. Trump’s “physical exams were well within the normal range and his cognitive exams were exceptional.” (Cameron, 11/20)

Fox News: Former Physician To Presidents And Rep. Ronny Jackson Expresses Concern For Biden To Stay As President
The former White House physician for Presidents Obama and Trump expressed concern Monday about President Biden's health and mental acuity as the president turns 81. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, said on "FOX & Friends" that the growing concerns, including from the left, are valid. "I've been saying for quite some time now, when he was candidate Joe Biden, that I didn't think that he had the cognitive ability to do the job," said Jackson. Additionally, Jackson emphasized that Biden has "degenerated" over the last three years. (Heckman, 11/20)

In news on the FDA —

Reuters: FDA Warns Against Using Cardinal's Syringes
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday warned healthcare providers and facilities not to use Cardinal Health's (CAH.N) Monoject syringes with patient-controlled pain management pumps and syringe pumps. The regulator's warning comes after Cardinal Health initiated a recall for its Monoject syringes due to incompatibility concerns with syringe pumps. (11/20)

Reuters: US FDA To Delay Decision On Bristol Myers-2seventy Bio Cancer Therapy
The U.S. health regulator will not meet its Dec. 16 deadline to decide on the expanded use of Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY.N) and partner 2seventy bio's (TSVT.O) blood cancer therapy in earlier lines of treatment as it plans to seek the advice of experts, the companies said on Monday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet confirmed when the advisory panel would meet, they added. (11/20)

Axios: Drug Ads Must Be More Upfront About Side Effects, FDA Says
The Food and Drug Administration has finalized a long-running effort to require prescription drug ads on TV and radio to clearly lay out potential side effects and when a person should avoid a medicine. While the number of drug ads has surged and they account for billions of dollars in direct-to-consumer marketing, experts say they primarily rely on emotional appeals and focus on a drug's benefits over potential risks. (Bettelheim, 11/21)

Stat: Delay Of Eye Drop Recall Highlights FDA Weakness
It took nearly three weeks for a maker of eye drops to recall its products after the Food and Drug Administration requested a recall. There have been no reports of injuries, but some key lawmakers are arguing the time it took the FDA to coax a voluntary recall shows the agency should be given the power to force them. (Wilkerson, 11/21)

On "forever chemicals" and worker protections —

Politico: Supreme Court Rejects ‘Forever Chemicals’ Challenge
A major manufacturer of “forever chemicals” won't get its day before the Supreme Court. In a short order issued Monday, the justices declined to hear a plea from chemical giant DuPont that could undercut a $40 million jury verdict in favor of an Ohio resident who was diagnosed with testicular cancer after he was exposed to PFAS in drinking water. (Borst, 11/20)

Politico: EPA To Boost Worker Protections For 2 Flame Retardants
EPA proposed stronger regulations on two ultratoxic flame retardants deemed to have "critical uses," though the agency stopped short of banning consumer or industrial uses. The proposed rules, announced Monday, would enact stronger worker protections and restrict water releases for two persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) chemicals: decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) and phenol, isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP 3:1). (Borst, 11/20)

Also —

Axios: More Americans Could Get Dental Coverage Under Biden Proposal
Dental care could soon become more widely available to adults who buy health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces under a new federal proposal that aims to narrow a long-standing coverage gap in the 2010 health care law. Healthy teeth and gums are tied to a person's overall health — for instance, gum disease is linked to cardiovascular issues and diabetes — but dental services are often treated differently than medical care. (Goldman, 11/21)

Modern Healthcare: Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Declines Cause Problems For Providers 
Declining Medicare Advantage star ratings have led health insurance companies to seek cost savings that are having downstream consequences for healthcare providers. The quality measurement program applies only to insurers, but their responses to toughened standards and less bonus revenue has implications for providers engaged in risk-sharing arrangements with them, executives said. (Tepper and Devereaux, 11/20)

Modern Healthcare: Will The Nursing Home Ownership Rule Force Private Equity’s Exit?
The regulation announced last week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services aims to make the nursing home industry more transparent by better informing consumers about the role private equity investors and real estate investment trusts play in the sector. In addition to disclosing ownership, any nursing home owner accepting Medicare or Medicaid would be required to list trustees and companies that provide administrative, clinical and financial services. The rule will take effect in mid-January. (Eastabrook, 11/20)

In other industry developments —

Modern Healthcare: Guidehouse: Cybersecurity Ranks Ahead Of AI For IT Budgets
Healthcare is grappling with one of the most challenging years for cybersecurity on record, so health system C-suite executives are making data security solutions a budget priority. Consulting firm Guidehouse surveyed health system CEOs and chief financial officers about their top three IT investment priorities in 2024. Improvements to cybersecurity ranked ahead of any other potential budget item, including upgrades to artificial intelligence and electronic health record systems. (Perna, 11/20)

CIDRAP: Hospital Execs See Worsening Antibiotic-Resistance Threat, Survey Finds
A new survey of 158 hospital executives, conducted by the Sepsis Alliance, found that 90% see antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a threat, and 88% think the problem is getting worse. The survey, conducted by Sage Growth Partners on behalf of the Sepsis Alliance, also dug into executives' views on other related AMR issues. An 11-page report on the findings was published on the Sepsis Alliance website on November 17. (Schnirring, 11/20)

Politico: AstraZeneca Launches Digital And AI Business For Clinical Research
AstraZeneca is moving to capture a relatively untapped market for digital and AI solutions for clinical trials by launching a new health tech business. The company, called Evinova, will sit within AstraZeneca but offer services to other pharma companies that are traditionally competitors of the British-Swedish pharma giant. On offer are products that use AI to help with clinical trial study design; a clinical trial solution that supports the collection of endpoint data; and a tool to manage and track clinical trials. (Furlong, 11/20)

In industry legal news —

Politico: NYU Langone Cancer Center Director Sues Over His Firing
A fight between NYU Langone Health and the well-known director of its prestigious Perlmutter Cancer Center is spilling out into the open. Benjamin Neel filed suit against the health system Friday because of its decision to terminate his contract over several social media posts about the Israel-Hamas war that he reshared on X, formerly known as Twitter. (Kaufman, 11/20)

Reuters: Texas AG Sues Pfizer Over Quality-Control Lapses In Kids' ADHD Drug
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton accused Pfizer (PFE.N) and its supplier Tris Pharma of providing children's ADHD medicine that it knew might be ineffective to the state's Medicaid insurance program for low-income people, in a lawsuit unsealed on Monday. The lawsuit, filed in Harrison County, Texas District Court, alleges that Pfizer and Tris manipulated quality-control testing for the drug Quillivant XR in order to obtain passing results from tests it was required to perform under federal law between 2012 and 2018. Properly done tests frequently showed that the drug failed to dissolve as it was supposed to, a sign that it would not be released in the body as expected, the lawsuit said. (Pierson, 11/21)

Also —

KFF Health News: Out For Blood? For Routine Lab Work, The Hospital Billed Her $2,400
Reesha Ahmed was on cloud nine. It was January and Ahmed was at an OB-GYN’s office near her home in Venus, Texas, for her first prenatal checkup. After an ultrasound, getting anti-nausea medication, and discussing her pregnancy care plan, she said, a nurse made a convenient suggestion: Head to the lab just down the hall for a standard panel of tests. (Pradhan, 11/21)

Associated Press: Several Alzheimer’s Vaccines Enter Clinical Trials Amid Breakthrough Treatments’ Success
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatments that remove toxic proteins from the brain have revived interest in vaccines to treat the memory-robbing disease, potentially offering a cheaper, easy-to-administer option for millions of people, according to interviews with 10 scientists and company executives. Clinical trials are underway or completed for at least seven Alzheimer’s vaccines designed to harness the immune system to rid the brain of the disease-related proteins beta amyloid or tau, a review of the U.S. government’s ClinicalTrials.gov database found. More are on the way. (11/20)

Reuters: Researchers Return To Alzheimer's Vaccines, Buoyed By Recent Drug Success
Breakthrough Alzheimer’s treatments that remove toxic proteins from the brain have revived interest in vaccines to treat the memory-robbing disease, potentially offering a cheaper, easy-to-administer option for millions of people, according to interviews with 10 scientists and company executives. Clinical trials are underway or completed for at least seven Alzheimer’s vaccines designed to harness the immune system to rid the brain of the disease-related proteins beta amyloid or tau, a review of the U.S. government’s ClinicalTrials.gov database found. More are on the way. (Steenhuysen, 11/20)

CNN: Bigger Belly In 40s And 50s Linked To Early Signs Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Inflammation from belly fat may be linked to the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease decades before symptoms begin, new research has found. “We’ve known for a while that as the belly size gets larger, the memory centers in the brain get smaller,” said Alzheimer’s disease researcher Dr. Richard Isaacson, a preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Florida. (LaMotte, 11/20)

NPR: Friends Can Boost Your Health, Longevity — And Share Vices Too
The study, published Wednesday in the journal Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, found that friendships in older adults were associated with some instances of better physical health and health behaviors, as well as better mental health across the board. ... While many previous studies have connected having good friends with particular health benefits, this is the largest and most comprehensive study done to date, according to study co-author William Chopik, an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University. (Mertens, 11/20)

Axios: How Dogs Boost Our Mental Health And Recovery, According To Science
We've long said that dogs are man's best friend — but studies finally back it up. At a time when loneliness has become a serious health concern, recent research suggests there's something special about the way canine buddies boost our mood and longevity. (Mallenbaum, 11/20)

Also, scientists look into cognitive (and heart) risks from lead exposure —

NPR: New Accounting Of Lead's Effects Underlines Cardiovascular And Cognitive Risks
According to a new study in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, an estimated 5.455 million adults worldwide died in 2019 from cardiovascular disease (CVD) attributable to lead exposure — a toll more than six times higher than a previous estimate. The study goes on to provide what its authors say are the first monetary estimates of the total global cost of these lead-attributable deaths, along with the magnitude and cost of IQ loss in children under 5 years old. (Estvanik Taylor, 11/20)

CIDRAP: Study: Flu Vaccination Reduces Risk Of Heart Attack
A meta-analysis published yesterday in Scientific Reports involving 9,059 patients shows a 26% decreased risk of heart attacks in people who received a flu vaccine and a 33% reduction in cardiovascular deaths. "These findings highlight the potential of influenza vaccination as an adjunctive strategy in cardiovascular disease prevention," the authors write. (Soucheray, 11/20)

Reuters: Indian Researchers Find No Link Between Sudden Death And COVID Shots
Indian researchers found no evidence that COVID-19 vaccination was behind "unexplained sudden deaths", a medical organisation said on Tuesday, instead pointing to the disease itself, binge drinking and intense exercise as risk factors. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) conducted a study following what it called "anecdotal reports about sudden unexplained deaths among apparently healthy adults" aged 18 to 45 between October 2021 and March 2023. (11/21)

CNN: Eating Plant-Based Foods Instead Of Meat May Cut Diabetes And Heart Disease Risk 
Replacing animal-based food such as red and processed meat or eggs with plant-based options such as nuts or legumes may reduce the risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes, a comprehensive review has found. The review, published November 16 in the journal BMC Medicine, analyzed the results from 37 earlier studies, and its findings “emphasize the potential health advantages of incorporating more plant-based foods into the diet,” Sabrina Schlesinger, head of the systematic reviews research group at the German Diabetes Center in Düsseldorf, told CNN. (Ronald, 11/20)

The 19th: Paternity Leave Alters The Brain — Suggesting Daddies Are Made, Not Born 
Most parents won’t be surprised to learn that the transition into parenthood, quite literally, alters the brain. But after decades of research focused on the maternal brain, new studies are now emerging that show how those early months can alter fathers’ brains. And as it turns out, daddies are made — not born. (Carrazana, 11/20)

CBS News: Nationwide Recall Of Peaches, Plums And Nectarines Linked To Deadly Listeria Outbreak
Peaches, plums and nectarines distributed by HMC Farms and sold nationwide as recently as last week are being recalled due to an outbreak of listeria that has resulted in 11 illnesses, including one death and 10 hospitalizations, federal safety regulators said Monday. "Investigators are working to determine if any additional fruit or products made with this fruit may be contaminated," the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated in a food safety alert. (Gibson, 11/20)

The New York Times: Peaches, Plums And Nectarines Recalled Amid Listeria Outbreak
A California produce company has voluntarily recalled its whole peaches, plums and nectarines in connection with an outbreak of listeria that has led to one death and 10 hospitalizations since 2018, according to a food safety alert published Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Fadulu, 11/20)

CIDRAP: CDC Announces Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Linked To Fruit 
"Although the recalled fruit is no longer available in retail stores, consumers may have frozen the recalled fruit at home for later use. Consumers are urged to check their freezers for the recalled fruit, not consume it, and discard it," the FDA said in a notice. (Sourcheray, 11/20)

In other public health news —

Stat: Asian American Health Disparities Hidden By Lumping Data Together
They have roots in 50 countries that cover more than half of the globe’s surface. They make up more than 60% of the world’s population. They speak more than 100 different languages. Yet in medical research and public health in the United States, people with Asian ancestry are almost always grouped into a single racial category. (McFarling, 11/21)

Fox News: For Better Sleep, Half Of US Adults Say They Would Give Up The Internet
Six in 10 Americans say their sleep routines feel different during the winter than in other seasons. That’s according to a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, commissioned by Mattress Firm and conducted by OnePoll between Sept. 26 and Sept. 29, as reported by SWNS. Respondents are also more willing to make sacrifices for better sleep. Nearly half of Americans would give up the internet for a year if only they could get better slumber at night. (Rudy, 11/20)

Wyoming Public Radio: Farmers Likely Spray Pesticides Near Elementary Schools In The Mountain West
A new report shows thousands of elementary schools across the U.S. are near farms likely sprayed with pesticides linked to cancer and other health problems. That includes hundreds of schools in the Mountain West. Nationwide, there are more than 4,000 schools within just 200 feet of where farmers may be spraying pesticides, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Environmental Working Group. (Roedel, 11/20)

AP: Climate Change Hits Women's Health Harder. Activists Want Leaders To Address It At COP28
Manju Devi suffered in pain for two months last year as she worked on a farm near Delhi, unable to break away from duties that sometimes had her standing for hours in the waist-deep water of a rice paddy, lifting heavy loads in intense heat and spraying pesticides and insecticides. When that pain finally became too much to bear, she was rushed to a hospital. (Athar, 11/21)

Also —

KFF Health News: Evolving Overdose Crisis Shakes Previously Effective Treatments
“You can’t inject a horse tranquilizer and think nothing bad is gonna happen” to you, said Ty Sears, 33, a longtime drug user now in recovery. Sears was referring to xylazine, a sedative used for animal surgeries that has infiltrated the illicit drug supply across the country, contributing to a steady climb in overdose deaths. (Sisk, 11/21)

The New York Times: New York State Leans On Hospitals To Close Gaps In Social Safety Net
The state issued the guidance late last month after receiving questions from The New York Times, which was preparing to publish an investigation that revealed preventable institutional breakdowns of homeless shelters, hospitals, specialized treatment teams and other organizations. The breakdowns preceded more than 90 acts of violence in the past decade, The Times found. Responding to the article on Monday, the state comptroller, Thomas P. DiNapoli, described it as a “wake-up call.” (Julia Harris and Ransom, 11/21)

The New York Times: 5 Takeaways From A Times Investigation Of New York’s Social Safety Net
New York City’s social safety net has repeatedly failed to prevent mentally ill people from unraveling on the streets and committing random acts of violence. It is a problem that generations of city leaders have tried and failed to solve. It became a priority for Mayor Eric Adams two weeks after he took office, when a homeless mentally ill man named Martial Simon pushed Michelle Go, a 40-year-old financial consultant, in front of a subway train in Times Square, killing her. (Julia Harris and Ransom, 11/21)

In news from New Jersey —

Politico: New Jersey's Menthol Cigarette Ban Could Include Pouches And Flavored Cigarillos
State lawmakers have expanded a bill to ban the sale of menthol cigarettes to include flavored oral nicotine pouches and “mass-produced” cigars. The Assembly Health Committee made the additions to the bill, NJ A1989 (22R) on Monday. Similar changes are expected in the Senate version. The wide-ranging prohibition would cut out popular products in the state. The additions specifically targeting flavored “non-premium cigars” would take flavored cigarillos — commonly found at convenience stores and gas stations — off shelves in New Jersey. (Han, 11/20)

Politico: Tammy Murphy Pushes New Doula Initiative As She Mounts Senate Bid
New Jersey first lady — and U.S. Senate candidate — Tammy Murphy announced Monday that a bill to guarantee pregnant women can be accompanied by doulas in hospitals and birthing centers will be introduced in the state Legislature. The state-sponsored announcement comes just days after Murphy announced her candidacy and as she's faced questions about how state resources will be used to boost her bid to replace Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). Just last week, the Murphy administration faced criticism for the airing state-funded radio ads promoting New Jersey’s maternal health programs featuring Murphy as a narrator (the radio ads featuring her have since been discontinued, according to the governor’s office). (Han, 11/20)

In other news from across the country —

The Mercury News: Enrollment Efforts Expand As Medi-Cal Starts Covering Adults Who Are Undocumented
People who are undocumented make up 40% of the state’s approximately 1 million residents who are uninsured, according to the California Legislative Analyst’s Office. That could change beginning Jan. 1, with the new law in California that will allow adults who are undocumented to qualify for full-scope Medi-Cal and gain access to affordable primary care services such as annual check-ups and lab tests. (Torres, 11/20)

Health News Florida: Positive Healthcare, Which Covers People With HIV/AIDS, Leaves Florida
Almost 900 people in Florida will be left without insurance at the end of the year after Positive Healthcare announced it is leaving the state. Positive Healthcare is a Medicare Advantage health plan and includes prescription drug coverage for people who have HIV or AIDS. The plan is backed by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. (Cabrera, 11/20)

Modern Healthcare: Fairview To End University Of Minnesota Contract In 2026
Fairview Health Services said Monday it will not renew its contract with the University of Minnesota  because it "threatens the sustainability" of the nonprofit health system. The contract expires at the end of 2026. Fairview had to issue a non-renewal notice by Dec. 31 or the agreement would automatically renew for another decade. The health system said the notice does not dissolve M Health Fairview, its joint clinical services offering; change patient care; or result in job losses. (Hudson, 11/20)

Houston Chronicle: Memorial Hermann Clarifies Medical Record Availability After AG Probe
Memorial Hermann will add clarifying language to its website about how parents and legal guardians can access adolescent medical records, ending a dispute with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who had accused the hospital of “possible misrepresentations” of record availability. The dispute centered around technical aspects of the hospital system’s Everyday Well patient portal, which offers access to certain medical records. (Gill, 11/20)

CBS News: Pennsylvania Department Of Health Encourages Testing As Newborn Syphilis Cases Skyrocket Nationwide
"There is no reason for a baby to be born with this dangerous disease - newborn syphilis is preventable with appropriate prenatal care, testing and treatment," said Acting Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen in a news release. "Together with local health care providers, we want people to know there are simple tests to diagnose syphilis and treatments available to cure syphilis across the lifespan. By identifying and treating syphilis before or during pregnancy, we can prevent newborn syphilis." (Bartos, 11/20)

Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota Sees Historic Levels Of Hunger Ahead Of Holiday Season
On the Friday before Thanksgiving, there was a steady stream of people waiting in line to pick out fresh produce inside Open Cupboard’s small free market in Oakdale. Executive director Jessica Francis pointed out the restaurant-style pagers the customers at the free market, called Today’s Harvest, held on to as a way to manage the influx of people. On this day alone, Francis said she expected they would serve 1,000 families. (Moini, 11/21)

CBS News: $5 Million In Leftover Federal COVID Funds Going To Minnesota Food Banks Ahead Of Holidays
Cassie Kienbaum is director of food support programming at St. Paul's Neighborhood House. "Years ago, food shelves were seen as an emergency service. Now they are a commonly-used essential lifeline for many," Kienbaum said. On Monday, she joined other advocates working to end hunger to celebrate a boost before the holidays: Gov. Tim Walz's administration has earmarked $5 million in leftover federal COVID relief funds for food banks like Second Harvest Heartland to send more to the local food shelves, and at no cost to them. (Cummings, 11/20)

NPR: A Program Lets Some Women Live Outside Of Prison With Their Babies
Minnesota lawmakers passed the Healthy Start Act in 2021. It is believed the state is the first to allow some mothers to live outside of prison with their new babies. A handful of other states, including Indiana and Washington, have nurseries that let incarcerated mothers keep their babies with them inside prison. In most places, a woman who gives birth in jail or prison is separated from her baby within hours or days. The Department of Corrections oversees Minnesota's program. (Roth, 11/21)

North Carolina Health News: Limited Data On Suicide And Self-Harm That Happens During Incarceration
Christopher Brandon Propst, a 44-year-old at Piedmont Correctional Institution, died of an apparent suicide on Saturday, Nov. 18. The N.C. Department of Adult Correction announced the death in a news release on its website the following Monday. Propst is the latest to die by suicide in the state prison system. Five other suicides happened earlier this year. But this public, real-time reporting of suicides in prisons isn’t happening across the country. Only North Carolina and 15 other states provide information on suicides that is frequently updated, detailed and freely given. (Crumpler, 11/21)

New Hampshire Public Radio: Court Records Show NH Hospital Shooter Involved In 2016 Armed Standoff
Court documents released Monday shed new light on the criminal and mental health history of John Madore, the man accused of killing a security guard inside the lobby of a secure psychiatric facility in Concord last Friday. Madore, 33, was killed by a New Hampshire state trooper shortly after firing several shots in the New Hampshire Hospital lobby, striking and killing Bradley Haas, a retired police chief from Franklin who worked as a security officer at the hospital. Madore, according to court records, was treated within New Hampshire Hospital while suffering from acute mental illness in 2016. (Bookman, 11/20)

Fox News: Oregon Opioid Deaths Increase 13x After Drug Decriminalization Law: ‘We Have To Do Something Different’
As Oregon reaches the three-year anniversary of passing its trailblazing law decriminalizing hard drugs like heroin, meth and cocaine, death and devastation are pushing many to plead for its reversal. Opioid-related deaths in the Beaver State have skyrocketed to 955 this year, up from 280 in 2019 before the law – Measure 110  – was passed with 58% approval. (Penley, 11/20)

Also —

KFF Health News: Lost In The Mix Of Medicaid ‘Unwinding’: Kentucky Cut Off Her Health Care Over A Clerical Error
The day her Medicaid coverage ended, Beverly Likens was in the hospital after a scary trip to the emergency room. The Kentucky resident was diagnosed with severe anemia and given a blood transfusion after her hemoglobin levels had plummeted. Likens, 48 at the time, was days from having surgery to treat chronic uterine bleeding that she said left her bleeding “constantly.” (Pradhan, 11/21)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Camden Cannabis Dispensary Opens In A Neighborhood Pharmacy, Thought To Be The First Of Its Kind
Camden now has a dispensary for medical and recreational marijuana inside a neighborhood pharmacy, offering customers one-stop shopping and home delivery.It is believed to be the first dispensary in New Jersey’s growing cannabis industry to be inside a pharmacy, said Anthony V. Minniti, owner and operator of Bell Rexall Pharmacy. (Melanie Burney, 11/21)

USA Today: How Dangerous Is Fentanyl? How Biden Is Fighting Lethal Drug Trade
Our nation is facing the most dynamic and complex illegal drug environment in history, one that takes the life of an American every five minutes around the clock. (Dr. Rahul Gupta, 11/21)

The Star Tribune: Buyer Beware On 'Health Care Sharing Ministries'
In a Health Care Sharing Ministry (HCSM), "members follow a common set of religious or ethical beliefs and make monthly payments to help pay the qualifying medical expenses of other members," according to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan health policy organization. (11/20)

Newsweek: The U.S. Worked Tirelessly To Fight AIDS And COVID. Why Not Fentanyl? 
For those who follow drug use trends, 1979 was known as the highwater mark of dangerous and illegal drug use, with 14.1 percent of our population regularly abusing drugs. To almost no headlines, we actually beat our 1979 apex of regular drug use in the data that came out this time last year. With the release of this year's National Survey on Drug Use and Health, we have beat our record again. (Seth Leibsohn, 11/20)

Miami Herald: Dollars Spent Fighting Global HIV Have An Outsize Impact 
Twenty-one years ago, President George W. Bush stood in the White House Rose Garden to make an announcement that was nothing short of visionary at the time: to save the lives of millions of children around the world, his administration would put $500 million toward preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV. (Gabriel Salguero, 11/20)