Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Big Election Year For Health Issues As Voters Face A Flurry Of Ballot Questions
The New York Times: It’s Not Just Pre-Existing Conditions. Voters Weigh Many Health Issues On State Ballots
Among the most significant are referendums that would expand Medicaid in Idaho, Nebraska and Utah. If voters in all three states approve, an estimated 340,000 additional low-income adults would be eligible for free health coverage through the government program, as the health law allows, starting next year. But the ballot questions also cover a wide range of other issues: whether to ease penalties for low-level drug offenders in Ohio; consider a ban on vaping in indoor work spaces in Florida; and whether to remove abortion protections from state constitutions in Alabama and West Virginia. (Goodnough and Hoffman, 11/1)
KCUR: As Missouri Voters Weigh Legalizing Medical Marijuana, Doctors Urge A Look At Its Health Risks
Legalization of medical marijuana has won widespread public support in the United States, driven at least in part by enthusiastic health claims made by its advocates. ... But many physicians are far more cautious about medical marijuana, and a number of Missouri medical associations are opposing all of the legalization measures on the Missouri ballot on Nov. 6. (Smith, 11/1)
Marketplace: Nevada’s "Tampon Tax" Ballot Initiative Brings Up Questions About Fairness And Gender Equality
As they cast their vote in this year’s midterms elections, Nevada voters will also get to weigh in on a number of ballot initiatives. Among them is the proposal to eliminate the so-called “tampon tax” by making feminine hygiene products exempt from sales tax. (Kasperkevic, 11/1)
California Healthline: Ad Check: What Happens If California Limits Dialysis Center Profits?
California voters are being bombarded with ads in what is the most expensive ballot measure campaign this year. They are being asked to decide Tuesday whether the state should limit the profit of kidney dialysis centers to 15 percent over the cost of patient care, with revenue above that rebated primarily to insurers. What exactly would happen if voters approve Proposition 8 is still vague, and the $127 million raised to persuade voters hasn’t made it any clearer. (Rowan, 11/2)
