Latest KFF Health News Stories
Depressive Symptoms Among Teen Girls May Be Lessening
A CDC survey shows glimmers of improvement for teenage girls: In a 2023 poll, 53% of high school girls reported feeling persistent sadness, down from 57% in 2021.
As Covid Surges, Program That Offers Free Vaccines Nears Its End
The CDC’s Bridge Access Program is expected to run out of funds this month, making it harder for people who can’t afford covid shots to get them. Separately, California’s Contra Costa County revives mask recommendations. Also, a health warning was issued over oysters from Lewis Bay on Cape Cod.
Four Historically Black Medical Schools To Share $600M Bloomberg Donation
The money from Bloomberg Philanthropies is aimed at boosting the population of Black health care providers, Modern Healthcare explains.
Michigan’s McLaren Health Care Warns Of Possible Delays Amid IT Issue
The disruption affected computer systems and phones and led to warnings that some nonemergency procedures might be delayed. CBS News noted that McLaren was hit by a ransomware attack last year.
Tim Walz Says Life Experiences Formed His Outlook On Health Care
The Democratic governor of Minnesota, who was announced Tuesday as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, supports abortion rights, trans rights, fertility care, veterans’ health initiatives, Medicare drug price negotiations, Medicaid expansion, recreational marijuana, and more.
Analysis: Trump’s Speaking Style May Be Indicative Of Cognitive Decline
The GOP presidential nominee’s speeches “included more short sentences, confused word order, and repetition, alongside extended digressions,” said several experts in memory, psychology, and linguistics. They declined to offer a formal diagnosis without being able to examine him.
Weedkiller DCPA Pulled From Market Over Health Risks To Fetuses
“Pregnant women who may never even know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems,” an EPA official said. Separately, citing a lack of safety evidence, lawmakers are moving to have weighted sleepwear for infants taken off the market.
Anti-Abortion Investors Press Retail Giants To Quit Selling Mifepristone
Costco, Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons, and McKesson Corp. haven’t responded to a letter sent by a faith-based group that holds $172 million in shares of the companies. Meanwhile, hundreds of physicians are calling on the Biden-Harris administration to do more for abortion rights.
Trans Prisoners In Connecticut Entitled To Gender Care, US District Court Rules
Meanwhile, a Franklin County, Ohio, judge upheld a law banning gender-affirming care. Separately, The Hill reports a group of Republican lawmakers are pushing the NCAA to “update” its rules to ban trans women from women’s sports.
First Edition: Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Republicans Must Care About Extreme Heat Deaths; Fertility Treatments Should Be Insured
Editorial writers discuss these issues and others.
Plus, it’s official: Vice President Kamala Harris has secured the Democratic nomination for president.
Three More H5N1 Outbreaks Confirmed In Dairy Cattle, USDA Reports
Some 181 outbreaks in 13 states are now confirmed, CIDRAP reports, with the latest being from Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas. Meanwhile, reports say that as raw milk grows in popularity, its producers are having to tread carefully amid bird flu and increasing expert scrutiny.
As 700 Hospitals Face Closure Risks In 2024, Big Providers’ Profits Soar
Axios notes the rich-poor divide in U.S. hospitals actually widened in the first half of the year, with big, mostly for-profit health systems reaping rewards as smaller, remote facilities struggled. Tenet Healthcare, Steward Health Care, Novant Health, and more are also in the news.
Red Cross Urgently Needs Blood Donors
The organization said its national blood inventory dropped by more than 25% since July 1. In legal news, a second trial win for GSK and a lawsuit from the family of Henrietta Lacks. Other pharma and tech news is on Adaptimmune, Roche, BioMarin, and more.
Colorado Funeral Home Ordered To Pay $950 Million Over Stashed Bodies
AP reports that the home was allegedly storing 190 rotting bodies and had sent fake ashes to grieving families. But the families might not see the money as the company had been in financial trouble for years. Also in the news: Baltimore’s opioid crisis; Missouri nursing home inspections; and more.
Using Smartphones Too Much Can Hurt Teens’ Mental Health: Study
CBS News reports that scientists have found more evidence that links excessive smartphone use with damage to teenagers’ mental health. Separately, reports say a teenager from New York is suing Meta over the “addictive” features built into Instagram.
Millions Left Uninsured As States Redetermined Medicaid Eligibility
As reported by Stat, more than 27 million people had no form of health insurance as of March 2024, compared with more than 25 million people at the same time in 2023, the CDC reported Tuesday.
Cancer Screenings In The US Cost Roughly $43B A Year, Study Shows
The study’s author says that figure is probably higher, though, because of limitations on the data collected. Despite the hefty price tag, the American Cancer Society chief executive maintains that “early detection allows a better chance of survival. Full stop.”
First Edition: Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.