First Edition: Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024

KFF Health News: In Vermont, Where Almost Everyone Has Insurance, Many Can’t Find Or Afford Care
On a warm autumn morning, Roger Brown walked through a grove of towering trees whose sap fuels his maple syrup business. He was checking for damage after recent flooding. But these days, his workers’ health worries him more than his trees’. The cost of Slopeside Syrup’s employee health insurance premiums spiked 24% this year. Next year it will rise 14%. The jumps mean less money to pay workers, and expensive insurance coverage that doesn’t ensure employees can get care, Brown said. “Vermont is seen as the most progressive state, so how is health care here so screwed up?” (Galewitz, 11/6)

KFF Health News: Community Health Workers Spread Across The US, Even In Rural Areas
Kelly Engebretson was excited to get fitted for a prosthetic after having part of his leg amputated. But he wasn’t sure how he’d get to the appointment. Nah Thu Thu Win’s twin sons needed vaccinations before starting kindergarten. But she speaks little English, and the boys lacked health insurance. ... Engebretson, Win, Arce, and Serrano were fortunate to have someone to help. They’re all paired with community health workers in Huron, a city of 14,000 people known for being home to the state fair and what’s billed as the world’s largest pheasant sculpture. (Zionts, 11/6)

AP: AP Declares Trump The Winner
Donald Trump has been elected the 47th president of the United States, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts. (11/6)

Variety: Donald Trump: 'We're Going To Help Our Country Heal'
Donald Trump sounded a note of unity to his supporters early Wednesday in his address that came shortly after the Associated Press and other major news outlets called the presidential race in his favor. “We’re going to help our country heal,” Trump told supporters at about 2:30 a.m. ET as they gathered in celebration at his resort facility Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump’s speech was short by his standards and light on personal attacks or extreme statements. He made reference to the assassination attempt that he survived in July, giving a nod to divine intervention. (Littleton, 11/6)

Stat: Key Republican Senators Shaping Health Care, Taxes, Budget
With Republicans set to take control of the Senate in January, a new cast of lawmakers will gain power and influence on health care policy. The GOP will have at least 51 seats in the chamber next year, after defeating the Democratic Sherrod Brown in Ohio and winning the West Virginia seat left open by Joe Manchin. Republicans also fended off challengers in states like Nebraska and Texas. (Zhang, 11/6)

The New York Times: Missouri Voters Pass Measure To Protect Abortion Rights And End Ban 
Missouri voters approved a ballot amendment that enshrines a right to abortion in the State Constitution, The Associated Press reported, a stunning repudiation of one of the nation’s strictest bans on abortion. Missouri was the first state to enact an abortion ban after the Supreme Court of the United States overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, and the vote makes it the first to overturn a ban through a citizen-initiated ballot measure. Abortion rights groups have said that the amendment would take effect 30 days after it passed, and that they would then need to go to court to ask that the state’s ban be officially overturned as unconstitutional. (Zernike, 11/5)

NPR: Arizona Voters Pass Constitutional Amendment Guaranteeing Abortion Access
Arizonans approved a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, according to a call by the Associated Press. Since 2022, Arizona has enforced a law banning abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. Proposition 139 will amend the state constitution to guarantee abortions access up to the point of fetal viability — around 24 weeks. The measure also allows exceptions for abortions beyond the point of viability to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person. (Davis-Young, 11/6)

NBC News: Montana Voters Approve Constitutional Right To Abortion
Montana voters approved a ballot measure enshrining abortion in the state constitution, NBC News projects, delivering a victory to advocates for reproductive rights in a Western red state. The amendment will not change current law on abortion in Montana: Abortion is legal in the state until fetal viability, around the 23rd or 24th week of pregnancy, backed up by a 1999 ruling by the state Supreme Court. But advocates for the ballot measure wanted to guard against potential changes by the Legislature or state Supreme Court justices in the heavily Republican state. (Arkin, 11/6)

Colorado Sun: Colorado Will Protect Abortion In State Constitution, Allow Public Spending On Procedure
Colorado voted Tuesday to preserve abortion access in the state constitution and lifted a 40-year-old ban on using government money to pay for abortions. In Colorado, one of a handful of states where there are no restrictions on when during a pregnancy abortions are allowed, the amendment prevents the legislature from adopting abortion restrictions. Abortion has been legal in Colorado since 1967. The amendment also strips from the Colorado Constitution a ban on using public money to pay for abortions. That prohibition was passed by Colorado voters in 1984. (Brown, 11/5)

The Nevada Independent: Nevadans Vote To Enshrine Abortion Rights In Constitution, But It Needs Approval In 2026 
Nevadans have overwhelmingly voted to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s Constitution, where they would be harder to undo. The approval of Question 6, which asked voters whether the Nevada Constitution should include a fundamental right to abortion, means that the Constitution will be amended if a majority of voters also approve it in 2026. The question would not change abortion access in the state, but it would make it harder for existing protections — allowing abortion up through 24 weeks into a pregnancy — to be overturned. The current law can be overturned by a one-time majority vote of the people, but if the protections are enshrined in the state Constitution, it would take two majority votes for a change to occur. (Neugeboren, 11/5)

NPR: Abortion Will Be Protected In The Maryland State Constitution 
Marylanders voted to protect reproductive rights in the state constitution Tuesday, according to a call by the Associated Press. Abortion is already legal in the state. By approving the amendment, though, voters have made it extremely difficult for lawmakers in the future to pass a law that could limit reproductive care without violating the state constitution. (Maucione, 11/5)

The New York Times: New Yorkers Pass An Equal Rights Amendment Tied To Abortion Access
A ballot measure in New York designed to safeguard protections for abortion and for those most vulnerable to discrimination passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press. The measure, known as Proposition 1 and the Equal Rights Amendment, was intended to codify abortion rights in the State Constitution by including “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes and reproductive health care and autonomy” as a protected class. (Ashford, 11/5)

South Dakota Searchlight: Abortion-Rights Measure Loses In South Dakota 
An attempt to restore abortion rights in South Dakota went down to defeat Tuesday. When the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the national right to an abortion in 2022, a trigger ban adopted by the South Dakota Legislature in 2005 immediately took effect. The ban has one exception for abortions necessary to “preserve the life of the pregnant female.” This was the third time South Dakotans have voted on a statewide abortion ballot question. (Tupper, Haiar, Huber and Hult, 11/6)

Fox News: DeSantis Claims Victory Over Florida Abortion Amendment As Supporters Celebrate: 'Praise God'
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed victory on Tuesday evening over the defeat of an amendment that would have created a constitutional right to abortion. Conservative and pro-life social media users celebrated DeSantis' victory lap, calling the failure of Amendment 4 a "huge win for life." SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a comment provided to Fox Digital Tuesday: "Thanks to Gov. Ron DeSantis, when we wake up tomorrow, babies with beating hearts will still be protected in the free state of Florida." (Colton, 11/5)

The Texas Tribune: Amarillo Voters Reject Abortion “Travel Ban,” A Rare Rebuke Of Anti-Abortion Movement In Texas
Amarillo voters on Tuesday resoundingly rejected a proposal that would have effectively made it illegal to use local streets and highways to obtain an out-of-state abortion — a stunning rebuke in a deeply conservative portion of the state for anti-abortion advocates that first proposed the idea. The proposal, known as Proposition A, lost by about 20 percentage points Tuesday night, according to unofficial votes. Amarillo became the first Texas city to reject an anti-abortion ordinance placed on a citywide ballot. (Carver, 11/5)

Delaware News Journal: Sarah McBride Wins Delaware Congressional Seat, Becomes First Transgender Rep In US History
State Sen. Sarah McBride will be Delaware's next representative in Congress, becoming the first transgender person elected to federal office in the history of the United States. McBride, a Democrat and current state legislator, defeated Republican John Whalen in Tuesday's general election. “Tonight is a testament to Delawareans: that here in our state of neighbors, we judge candidates based on their ideas and not their identities,” McBride said in her victory address Tuesday night. (Wilson, 11/5)

AP: Silenced Transgender State Lawmaker Zooey Zephyr Wins Reelection In Montana 
Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr won reelection in a race that will allow the transgender lawmaker to return to the House floor nearly two years after she was silenced and sanctioned by her Republican colleagues. Zephyr, a Democrat, defeated Republican Barbara Starmer in her Democrat-leaning district in the college town of Missoula. Zephyr, who was in her first term, was last permitted to speak on the chamber floor in April 2023, when she refused to apologize for saying some lawmakers would have blood on their hands for supporting a ban on gender-affirming medical care for youth. (Schoenbaum and Hanson, 11/6)

Los Angeles Times: California Voters Approve Proposition 3, Reaffirming Gay Marriage In The California Constitution
The California Constitution will no longer include outdated language that defines only marriages between a man and a woman as valid, after voters approved Proposition 3 on Tuesday. The measure amends the state Constitution to recognize a “fundamental right to marry, regardless of sex or race.” (Mays, 11/5)

CalMatters: California Voters Give Medi-Cal Doctors A Raise By Passing Prop. 35
Doctors who serve California’s poorest residents will get paid more, in some cases, for the first time in two decades, thanks to a ballot measure approved by voters Tuesday. The Associated Press called Proposition 35 after results showed it jumped to a sizable lead. The ballot measure asked voters to earmark between $2 billion and $5 billion of special tax revenue annually to Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents and people with disabilities. The revenue comes from an existing tax on health insurers that lawmakers are currently able to spend in other ways. (Hwang, 11/5)

Los Angeles Times: California Voters Approve Anti-Crime, Anti-Drug Ballot Measure Prop. 36 
California voters on Tuesday approved a November ballot measure that will impose stricter penalties for repeat theft and crimes involving fentanyl, steering away from recent progressive policies that critics blamed for increased lawlessness. Proposition 36 will make it a felony for someone to steal merchandise of any value after two previous offenses and can lead to longer jail or prison sentences. The ballot measure also allows judges to sentence convicted drug dealers who traffic in large quantities of hard drugs, including fentanyl, or who are armed with a gun while trafficking the drugs to state prison instead of county jails. It will also create a “treatment-mandated felony” as a new category of crime, by giving some eligible drug offenders an option for treatment instead of jail time. (Sosa, 11/5)

The Guardian: California Democrat Adam Schiff Wins Dianne Feinstein’s Former Senate Seat 
Democrat Adam Schiff, the California congressman who led Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial, has won his campaign for US Senate. Schiff will be filling the Senate seat that Dianne Feinstein held for 31 years, until her death at 90. “California will continue to be at the forefront of progress, the bulwark of democracy, the champion of innovation and the protector of our rights and freedoms,” he said. (Beckett, 11/6)

The Colorado Sun: Voters Appear To Approve Tax Increase For Denver Health
A Denver ballot measure to raise sales taxes in the city to support the city’s safety-net health system appeared headed for passage late Tuesday. Ballot Issue 2Q had 57% of the vote at 11:30 p.m. when Denver released its final batch of results for the night. The measure’s 57% yes to 43% no margin had remained consistent throughout the night. It needs 50% of the vote to pass. (Ingold, 11/6)

Houston Chronicle: Texas Supreme Court Republican Justices Likely To Win Reelection
Three Republican justices appear likely to retain their seats on the all-GOP Texas Supreme Court, according to unofficial election results. ... The Republicans were the only three judges on the nine-person court up for reelection this cycle and their Democratic challengers cast them as out-of-touch with Texans for rulings that repeatedly upheld the state’s abortion restrictions. (Goldenstein, 11/6)

The Boston Globe: Question 4 Massachusetts: Voters Reject Legalization Of Psychedelics
Massachusetts voters will reject Question 4, the AP projects. The ballot measure would have decriminalized the use of psychedelic substances for people older than 21. ... While Question 4 has not been officially called, Coalition for Safe Communities, which had opposed the measure, declared victory with close to 57 percent of the vote on their side. Meanwhile, the Yes on 4 campaign acknowledged that the results were not trending in their favor but declined to concede victory until all of the votes had been tallied. (Lazar and Larson, 11/6)

Stat: Hospitals Argue Supreme Court Case Over Billions In DSH Payments
Tuesday’s oral arguments before the Supreme Court in a case involving billions in Medicare payments to hospitals revealed a split among the justices willing to show their cards. (Bannow, 11/5)

Fierce Healthcare: Hospital Groups Blast Senators' Site-Neutral Payment Reform Plan
Federation of American Hospitals Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Charlene MacDonald said site-neutral policies "equate to Medicare cuts that threaten access to 24/7 hospital care—a framework Congress has rejected time and again." "Seniors deserve better than tired old policies pushed by the insurance industry that just threaten access to reliable hospital care," MacDonald said. (Landi, 11/5)

ABC13 Houston: St. Joseph Medical Center Employees Say They're Missing Paychecks After Transition To New Owners, Healthcare Systems Of America
The transition to new ownership for St. Joseph Medical Center in downtown Houston isn't going very smoothly for some hospital employees, who say they didn't receive their paychecks or the correct amount that they earned. In May, Steward Health Care, who previously owned St. Joseph, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a news release, the company wrote that one of the primary factors included "challenges created by insufficient reimbursement by government payers as a result of decreasing reimbursement rates." (Nguyen, 11/4)

Bloomberg: UnitedHealth Unilaterally Cut Doctors' Pay For ER, Mental Health, Records Show
UnitedHealth Group Inc. systematically cut what it paid for emergency room visits and mental health care to doctors outside of its network, sparking internal tension over how those changes were handled and the potential effect on members, newly unsealed court documents show. The records open a window into the workings of its UnitedHealthcare unit, the largest US health insurer, and shed light on a bitter battle between financial heavyweights in the $5 trillion US medical system. (Tozzi, 11/5)

Military Times: DOD Fixes Problem That Mistakenly Dropped 16K Tricare Beneficiaries
Defense officials are advising about 16,000 Tricare beneficiaries who briefly lost their Tricare eligibility last week after being inadvertently dropped from the rolls of the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System to call the DEERS Support office to confirm that they are now good to go. Officials attributed the hiccup to a data transfer. (Jowers, 11/5)

Military.com: Veterans File Class-Action Suit Over Medical Retirements For Burn Pit-Related Illnesses 
Two veterans have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Army for refusing to classify illnesses linked to burn pit exposure as combat-related, a designation that would make their medical retirement pay tax-free. Retired Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Smoke and retired Lt. Col. Jennifer McIntyre filed suit Oct. 15 in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., over the retirements they were awarded after being exposed to burn pits during their deployments to Iraq, and Afghanistan in McIntyre's case. (Kime, 11/5)

Becker's Hospital Review: New Storm Could Threaten IV Supplies On Gulf Coast: 3 Things To Know
Tropical Storm Rafael, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it moves across the Gulf of Mexico, could disrupt the supply chain for IV solutions, according to a Nov. 5 news release from nonprofit Healthcare Ready. (Murphy, 11/5)

Modern Healthcare: Hims & Hers Defends Compounded GLP-1s As Ozempic Shortage Wanes
Direct-to-consumer telehealth company Hims & Hers is defending its sale of compounded glucagon-like peptide agonists, or GLP-1s, even as shortages of the name brand weight loss medications are waning. Compounded GLP-1s are essentially copies of popular weight loss medications made by manufacturers such as Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Hims & Hers CEO Andrew Dudum said during the company's third quarter earnings call that compounded GLP-1s offered patients access to medications they are unable to get elsewhere. (Turner, 11/5)

Modern Healthcare: Cerebral Avoided Paying $2.9M Fine To DOJ
Embattled digital behavioral health company Cerebral has agreed to pay the federal government more than $3.6 million in fines but will defer payments on additional charges due to the company's financial condition. The Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration said Monday that the company has agreed to pay the fines as part of a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. (Turner, 11/5)

CBS News: Florida's COVID-19 Deaths Near 5,500 This Year
The number of Florida resident deaths linked to COVID-19 this year is nearing 5,500, according to data posted on the state Department of Health website. Meanwhile, cases are the lowest since the pandemic began in 2020. The data showed 5,484 deaths had been reported, a total that has steadily increased during the year. (Cone, 11/5)

North Carolina Health News: CDC Director Speaks In Raleigh Amid Election Uncertainty
Mandy Cohen, the former head of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services who is now director of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, returned to North Carolina Monday for a roundtable discussion about the factors that shape people’s health. The outcome of yesterday’s election could determine how much the nation focuses on things such as access to transportation, jobs and housing — things that have a larger influence on health care outcomes than realized in the past. (Baxley, 11/6)

Los Angeles Times: USDA To Eliminate School Lunch Fees For Low-Income Families
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that students eligible for free or reduced price school meals cannot be charged processing fees beginning in 2027. School districts currently work with processing companies to offer cashless payment systems for families. But the companies can charge “processing fees” for each transaction. By law, students who are eligible for reduced price meals cannot be charged more than 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. With processing fees, however, families can end up paying 10 times that amount. (Morga and Lewis, 11/5)