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Editorial writers focus on these health topics and others.
Media outlets report on news from Florida, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Missouri, Minnesota, Oregon, California, Washington, Georgia and Texas.
Opinion writers focus on finding ways to improve health care.
The company, which has been covering sex-reassignment surgery since 2012, decided to expand coverage in 2018 to include transition-related procedures that are considered cosmetic, such as breast reduction or augmentation surgery, facial feminization, voice therapy and hormonal therapy.
HHS maintains the changes would make it easier to coordinate care and less complicated to exchange information. News on substance abuse issues comes from Minnesota, California and other parts of the country, as well.
It’s more myth than reality that children might be given marijuana-laced cookies or other dangerous treats, but it doesn’t mean the little goblins are safe. The number of pedestrians getting hit by cars increases slightly on Halloween. Public health news looks at sleep deprivation, teen resiliency in a digital age, battling Monday blues, misleading health apps, a Xanax recall, unsafe drinking water, chemo during pregnancy, first responders with PTSD, help for diverticulitis, taking MRIs on the road, walking-the-dog benefits, and more.
Case Over Missouri’s Last-Remaining Abortion Clinic Gets Day In Court
The hearing over the facility is expected to last five days. If the judge’s ruling leads to the clinic’s license being revoked, Missouri would become the first state since 1974 — the year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision — without a functioning abortion clinic. Outlets take a look at where other state abortion legislation stands, as well.
Beware The (Medi-)Gap: If You’re Going To Make Medicare Changes, Make Sure You Know The Pitfalls
Medicare’s annual open enrollment period is now underway through Dec. 7. Here are some tips to help you navigate it all if you’re enrolling or changing coverage.
Especially when it comes to hot-button issues, like gun control, some Democratic governors are turning to options like executive orders where their agendas might get snagged by the Republican legislature otherwise. They’ve had mixed results with this approach.
The Fate Of Medicaid In Louisiana Could Hinge On State’s Gubernatorial Race
Republican candidate Eddie Rispone has said he won’t roll back the expansion that’s been a key part of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ tenure, but he would “freeze” it. Medicaid news comes out of Ohio, Arkansas, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and New York.
The closures revolve around the facilities’ use of ethylene oxide, a gas that, while critical for cleaning the equipment, can be hazardous at elevated levels.
Hospital And Physician Consolidation Has Thwarted Payers’ Efforts To Reduce Health Care Cost Growth
Researchers find that following mergers, hospital systems used their larger size to seek higher reimbursement, including through “all-or-none” contracting. Even smaller hospitals leveraged their position as alternatives to win higher rates. Other hospital news comes out of: D.C., Connecticut, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Ohio and Illinois.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state is working to ensure enough pharmacies are kept open on generators in communities without electricity so that residents have access to needed medications. Meanwhile, mandatory evacuations affected nearly 180,000 people. On Sunday, Newsom visited three evacuation centers in Petaluma, including one where three dozen patients from a skilled nursing facility specializing in dementia care were taken.
Veterans Embrace The Power Of Animals To Help With Mental Health Struggles
From dogs to horses, animals are helping veterans cope with PTSD and other mental health struggles.
Pediatricians Recommend Obese Teens Get ‘Safe And Effective’ Surgery To Control Weight
Children who have not gone through puberty may not be mature enough to understand the life-changing implications of surgery but age alone shouldn’t rule it out, experts say. The new guidance was issued Sunday by the American Academy of Pediatrics
Following the release of the study, the FDA announced it will hold a vote on whether the synthetic progestin hormone called Makena should be left on the market. In other women’s health news, cannabis use is increasing among expectant mothers to fight morning sickness, but it’s linked to pre-term births.
Data Continues To Point To THC As A Main Culprit In Vaping-Related Lung Illness Outbreak
Of those who have fallen ill, about 85 percent reported using THC-containing products. But health officials say they’re continuing to look at a wide range of chemicals in trying to determine the causes for the outbreak. Meanwhile, NPR takes a look inside command central and at the doctors who are scrambling to investigate the disease.
For Warren, The Devil’s In Figuring Out Who Pays For ‘Medicare For All’
The answer to that could be politically tricky for Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Progressive rival Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says he’d pay for such a move with a tax increase for the middle class. If Warren follows that path, it could put off some voters. Meanwhile, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg maintains he never supported a “Medicare for All” plan that would end the option for private insurance.
Those fees can often reach hundreds or even thousands of dollars. It currently costs $540 to renew a green card, while applying for citizenship costs $725. The move is the latest by the Trump administration to target immigrants’ use of government aid, such as food stamps and Medicaid.
Several roadblocks, including intraparty divisions and impeachment proceedings, threaten to derail any progress on drug pricing — a rare issue that had inspired bipartisan hopes earlier in the year.