Latest KFF Health News Stories
Black People Live Longer In Counties With More Black Doctors: Study
A new national analysis reported by Stat shows Black people in those counties had lower mortality from all causes, regardless of whether they actually saw those doctors. A separate study found that during pregnancies, Black people tend to be tested more frequently for drugs.
Pharmacists Allowed To Give Covid, Flu Shots After Covid Emergency Ends
The Department of Health and Human Services gave a heads-up Friday that it is planning to keep pharmacists’ shot-administering powers even after the official end of the covid emergency in May. And The Washington Post reminds us covid is still a leading cause of death in the U.S.
Survey Shows 800,000 Nurses Plan To Quit By 2027
The survey also reports that about 100,000 registered nurses were thought to have left the field during the pandemic and ties the new departures to burnout and exhaustion. Separately, health insurers are pushing back on health data sharing transparency plans.
St. Louis County Tries An AI Solution To Lower 911 Wait Times
The St. Louis County Police Department is trying to reduce wait times for 911 callers by using artificial intelligence technology to recognize non-emergency calls and divert them. Meanwhile, in Missouri, the attorney general is being sued over his “burdensome” requests for hospital records of transgender care.
Viewpoints: Will AI Help Or Hinder Doctors And Health Care?; We Can Learn From Mpox Management
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
No New Limits On Abortion Pill For Now, As Supreme Court Steps In
Justice Samuel Alito issued an administrative stay Friday that pauses lower-court-ordered limits on federal rules around the distribution and use of mifepristone until the Supreme Court can review the case — which it’s expected to do this week.
Colorado Bills Enshrine Protections For Abortion, Gender-Affirming Care
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, signed a trio of bills into law Friday that aim to set Colorado up as a haven as neighboring states enact bans. Elsewhere in the state, a judge rules that a religious anti-abortion clinic is exempt from a third new law that bars medical professionals from using abortion-reversal medications.
Over 14M People Will Lose Dental Coverage Amid Medicaid Unwinding
Data compiled by an oral health think tank highlight another crisis lurking beyond the loss of health care coverage. As NBC News reports, those sounding the alarm about the issue point to numerous studies that link poor dental hygiene with a person’s overall health. Separately, the Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in a case about Medicaid and Medicare overbilling.
Moderna-Merck MRNA Vaccine Shows Promise Against Skin Cancer
News outlets report on a success for an experimental mRNA skin cancer vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck, where the drug is correlated with a reduced risk of death or recurrence of melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer, when administered alongside Merck’s Keytruda immunotherapy drug.
Speaker McCarthy Proposes Limiting Access To SNAP Food Benefits
Politico reports that fellow Republicans are skeptical that any of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s debt limit proposal measures, which aim to restrict food assistance for millions, will survive negotiations. Meanwhile, Iowa reportedly will “spend millions” kicking families off food stamps.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers delve into these public health topics.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on military medicine, covid, “superagers,” Havana Syndrome, and more.
Another Deadly Pandemic Within 10 Years? Chances Are 28%, Analytics Firm Predicts
Other news on the current outbreak reports on long covid, testing sites, treatments, and boosters.
Military’s New Health Records System Requires Patients To Have Credit Card
Military.com says the Tricare requirement appears to have gone into effect within the past five months. The process also requires undergoing a “soft” credit check to gain access to medical records. A Defense Department spokeswoman said it’s a way to verify identities, but users are calling it an invasion of privacy.
Scientists May Finally Know Why Some People Gets UTIs Over And Over
Other research is on the link between hearing loss and dementia; how bears may provide the answer to treating blood clots; new football helmets that might prevent concussions; and more.
Missouri Attorney General Confirms Anti-Trans Rule Applies To Adults, Too
Missouri’s new restrictions on gender-affirming care will apply to minors and adults, a spokeswoman for Attorney General Andrew Bailey said Thursday. The limits appears to be a first in the nation. Meanwhile in Nebraska, a transgender health care ban on minors advances despite a seven-week filibuster.
Nearly 90% Of Mpox Deaths In US Were Black Men
The data show the importance of “equitable access to prevention [and] treatment,” said the CDC, which issued the report. Other news is on dengue, metapneumovirus, a rare fungal outbreak in Michigan, HIV, and malaria.
FDA To Update Opioid Warning Labels
The prescribing information will now include a warning about increased sensitivity to pain, among other updates. Other news on the opioid crisis is reported from Florida, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and Texas.
Different Takes: The Latest In The Battle Over Medication Abortion
Opinion writers tackle the current issues with medication abortion.