Latest KFF Health News Stories
Judge Halts Tighter Abortion Pill Rules In 17 States As Fight Heads To Supreme Court
A federal judge in Washington state ordered the FDA to maintain access to mifepristone under its current framework for states involved in the legal fight, despite a previous ruling from an appeals court that restricted the terms under which the abortion medication can be used. As conflicting decisions ping pong in the lower courts, the Justice Department says it will appeal to the Supreme Court to restore full access to the drug.
Providers, Pharmacies Wrestle With Mixed Court Messages On Mifepristone
The current patchwork of restrictions and access left by different court rulings over the abortion medication have in-person and telehealth health care providers scrambling to respond.
Biden To Make DACA Recipients Eligible For Medicaid And Obamacare
President Joe Biden announced a plan Thursday to expand health care access under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to an estimated 580,000 immigrants, known as “Dreamers,” who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The move is expected to be resisted by Republicans.
Medicare Advisers Back Changes Aimed At Lowering Drug Spending
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission unanimously voted in favor of three recommended changes that could impact the amount the program pays out for covered prescriptions drugs. Other Medicare news is on hospice, payments to hospitals, and more.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Perspectives: Why It Matters To Know How Covid Began; A Doctor’s Take On AR-15s
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Research Roundup: Parkinson’s; Nanoplasmonic Imaging; Covid
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Appeals Court Upholds Access To Abortion Pill For Now, But Narrows Use
While in part blocking a Texas judge’s ruling that would have vacated FDA approval of mifepristone, the 5th Circuit judges rolled back rule changes made by the FDA since 2016, like allowing mail delivery of the drug or its use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. Their decision is in place until the case can receive a full hearing.
HHS Seeks To Protect Privacy Of Patients Who Travel For Abortion
The Department of Health and Human Services released a proposed rule that would strengthen HIPAA protections to keep private medical information from being used in an investigation against patients who seek an abortion across state lines, as well as health care providers.
Medicare Targets July To Finalize Details Of Drug Negotiation Program
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is accepting feedback until the end of this week on its draft plan, and will publish the much-anticipated final guidance this summer. The list of 10 drugs that will be included in the program is expected in September.
Suicide Rates Increased In 2021, Following Two Years Of Decline
Rates rose 4% in 2021, marking the largest one-year increase in two decades. Separately, news outlets cover gun violence and mental health.
Juul Settles Lawsuits With 6 States And DC For $462 Million
According to The New York Times, this agreement wraps up many of Juul’s legal fights, with settlements now in place in 47 states and territories, along with 5,000 individuals and local governments. Other news from around the country comes out of California, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Louisiana, and elsewhere.
At One VA System, Nearly Half The Employees Came To Work With Covid
The study focused on workers at the Veterans’ Affairs Boston Healthcare System between December 2020 and September 2021. In related news, patients who are especially vulnerable to covid say they face the “impossible choice” of risking getting infected at a doctor’s office or not going to the doctor at all now that mask mandates are gone.
Adderall Shortage Is Causing Major Life Disruptions For Patients
Substituting a different drug doesn’t always work, doctors say. And because stimulants are controlled substances, patients face extra hurdles in trying to get them: Prescriptions can’t be transferred or filled early, the Wall Street Journal reported. One patient says she called 73 pharmacies the day she ran out, to no avail.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Mass Shootings Most Common In Workplaces
The shooter is most often a fired employee, the Violence Project found. Also, more updates on the Louisville mass shooting.
Era Of Free Covid Tests To End As Public Health Emergency Ends In May
In other news about covid, a study found that globally, people with conservative values adhered to covid protocols — except in the U.S. Also, news about flu and strep.
Cases Of Syphilis, Chlamydia, And Gonorrhea Increased In 2021
Syphilis rates in particular leaped 32%. The CDC remains concerned that the pandemic has disrupted screenings for sexually transmitted infections. Other public health news is on sesame allergies, defibrillators, and the benefits of walking.
Much-Criticized U.S. News’ Med School Rankings Issued
U.S. News and Word Report’s rankings of best medical schools has been attacked as unreliable, and several major schools have refused to share their data with the survey. Johns Hopkins University was ranked first for research, rising from No. 3, supplanting Harvard.
Rural Residents Get Depressed More Than Urban Dwellers
Rural residents experience depression more than urban residents, a new study found. Several lawmakers also talk about their mental health. And in other health news from across the US, California considers mandating HPV shots for all college students.