Texas GOP Legislators Come After Medication Abortion
A bill would target tech companies and nonprofits that assist people seeking care, The 19th reports. In other state news: the Florida Senate passes a bill to study autism; Missouri nursing home staff shortages are among the worst in the nation; and more.
The 19th:
Texas Bill Aims To Block Access To Abortion Pills
Republican state legislators unveiled a new effort on Friday to derail the health care network that has helped people in Texas continue accessing abortion years after the Lone Star State banned the procedure. (Luthra, 3/14)
WFSU:
Florida Senate Passes Comprehensive Bill On Autism, With A Goal To Understand Its Prevalence
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a measure aimed at improving the lives of children with autism and their families. The bill works to increase early detection and intervention, while filling in the gaps in educational opportunities. One part of the bill is directed at research to learn why autism is increasing. (Menzel, 3/14)
Central Florida Public Media:
Medically Unnecessary: Why Florida Healthy Kids Doesn't Work For Many Kids With Complex Needs
At 9 years old, Orlando resident Landon Chase has survived some pretty serious and scary things; cancer and chemotherapy are at the forefront. His big challenge now, though, is healing from chemo, a process his mom, Erin Booth, says is being hindered and made more difficult by Florida’s children's health insurance program. (Pedersen, 3/14)
Chicago Tribune:
Judge Allows New Trial In Case Over Formula For Premature Infants
A St. Louis judge has granted a new trial in a case Abbott Laboratories won in the fall, in which a mother alleged that the company’s cow’s milk-based products for premature infants contributed to her son’s severe illness. The ruling is a setback for Abbott, which continues to face nearly 1,500 other lawsuits over the issue of whether its cow’s milk-based products for premature infants contribute to the development of a life-threatening intestinal disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). (Schencker, 3/14)
Missouri Independent:
Missouri Advocates Decry Nursing Home Staffing Shortages, Which Rank Among Worst In Nation
Staffing at Missouri nursing homes ranks among the worst in the nation, with the latest federal data showing the state falls second-to-last for time spent caring for residents. Each nursing home resident in Missouri receives just 3.37 hours of nursing care per day, on average, according to quarterly data released by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services late last month. (Bates, 3/14)
KFF Health News:
Without Federal Action, States Wrestle With Kratom Regulation
Montana lawmakers are grappling with how — if at all — the state should rein in kratom, an unregulated plant-derived substance with addictive properties sold mainly as a mood and energy booster at gas stations, vape shops, and elsewhere. Kratom, which originates from the leaves of a tree native to Southeast Asia, is also touted for helping relieve pain and opioid withdrawal symptoms. But it can have wide-ranging mental and bodily effects, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, addiction medicine experts, and kratom researchers. (Silvers, 3/17)
