Latest KFF Health News Stories
Issue Of Federal Abortion Ban Divides Republicans, Already Roils 2024 Race
Republicans in Congress and on the presidential campaign trail are struggling to craft abortion positions that will satisfy their base but not further alienate moderates and independents who don’t support the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
$50 Price For Over-The-Counter Narcan May Be Too High For Many Consumers
Emergent BioSolutions said Thursday that a two-spray kit of Narcan will be priced at “less than $50” when it becomes available for sale without a prescription. Doctors and advocates tell news outlets that price point is too expensive for average consumers.
Senators Introduce Bill To Cap Insulin Price For Those With Private Insurance
The proposed legislation would require insurance plans to cap the price patients pay at no more than $35 per month and addresses the role of pharmacy benefit managers. The Inflation Reduction Act put such a limit in place for Medicare beneficiaries and President Joe Biden has called on Congress to extend the measure.
House Passes Bill Targeting Trans Women In Sports; ND Bans Gender Care
House Republicans approved Thursday their measure to ban transgender students from playing on women’s sports teams, but Politico reports that the measure would likely stall in the Senate and, if passed, would be vetoed by President Joe Biden. In North Dakota, gender-affirming health care for minors was banned.
The Government’s At-Home Covid Tests Were Used By 1 In 3 Households
A study finds that 1 in 4 adults who used these tests would likely otherwise have gone untested. Meanwhile, lest we forget that covid is a continuing problem, an outbreak has hit a large Bay Area hospital, and the concerning subvariant Arcturus has been found in Los Angeles County.
Gun Purchases Rose During Pandemic, Coinciding With Surge In Gun Deaths
Academic studies show the share of Americans living in armed homes has climbed to 46%, up from 32% in 2010, The Hill reported. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris says it’s “pitiful” that Congress won’t stand up against the NRA to pass gun safety laws.
Millions May Mistakenly Fall Off Medicaid Rolls During Unwinding
USA Today reports on concerns that states will erroneously end coverage for eligible people as they unwind protections put in place during the pandemic. A case in point: KARK reports Arkansas DHS will reenroll some recipients who were disenrolled.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Doctors, Researchers Push Back Against FDA’s Opioid Effectiveness Study
The Food and Drug Administration plans to investigate whether opioids are effective as long-term treatments for chronic pain, but Stat notes that some argue the study could be biased in favor of opioids’ efficacy. Meanwhile the nation’s first state-regulated overdose prevention center will open in 2024.
First-Of-Its-Kind Study Finds ‘Mild’ Autism Diagnoses Outpacing ‘Profound’ Cases
The new study, released Wednesday and reported by AP, examines for the first time how many American children are being diagnosed with relatively mild autism symptoms versus more serious ones. Other news is on strep, RSV, strokes, and bike crash injuries.
California Supreme Court Upholds Forced Mental Health Treatment Law
A challenge had been made to a law sponsored by Gov. Gavin Newsom, which requires thousands of mentally ill Californians to accept court-ordered treatment, but the state Supreme Court upheld the law. Also: a red flag gun bill in Michigan, postpartum Medicaid coverage in Alaska, and more.
Different Takes: Medical Marijuana Can Help End Opioid Addiction; OTC Narcan Has Some Drawbacks
Opinion writers discuss medical marijuana, opioids and mifepristone.
Viewpoints: No Direct Link Between Pediatric Hepatitis And Covid; What’s Driving Anorexia Up?
Editorial writers tackle pediatric hepatitis, anorexia, and suicide.
Research Roundup: All About Covid
This week, KFF Health News spotlights health studies reported by the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP).
Supreme Court Punts On Abortion Pill Decision Until Friday
Full FDA-approved access to mifepristone remains in place for now after the Supreme Court justices on Wednesday delayed issuing a decision on whether to allow new restrictions on the drug that is used for medication abortions and to manage miscarriages. Still, patients face confusion navigating the legal limbo.
Republican Bid To Reverse VA Abortion Rule Narrowly Fails In Senate
In a 51-48 vote Wednesday, senators rejected a Republican-backed resolution to repeal a Department of Veterans Affairs policy that has expanded some abortion services for veterans. The Hill also reports on how abortion politics more broadly are roiling Congress and statehouses.
Cancer Center Director To Be Nominated For Top Job At NIH
The White House is expected to tap Monica Bertagnolli, a cancer surgeon who is the current chief of the National Cancer Institute, to be chief at the National Institutes of Health.
GOP Debt Limit Bill Targets Health Care Programs
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy unveiled a bill that would raise raise the debt limit into next year in exchange for deep federal spending cuts and policy changes. Health care programs included in the mix include Medicaid, SNAP, and covid relief funds. President Joe Biden says the proposal is a nonstarter.
Veterans Affairs Department Launching Five-Year Study Of Gulf War Syndrome
Veterans of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the early 1990s have been plagued by joint pain, fatigue, rashes, memory issues, and digestive problems. Other military news is on mental health care, moldy Army barracks, medical training for the battlefield, and more.
Another Covid Side Effect: Confidence In Childhood Vaccines Declined
Reuters reports on a new study out from UNICEF that found that globally, people lost faith in routine childhood vaccines during the pandemic. In other covid and vaccine news: a new booster, vaccine messaging, long covid, and more.