First Edition: Aug. 1, 2022
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KHN:
To Retain Nurses And Other Staffers, Hospitals Are Opening Child Care Centers
When Jennifer Lucier and her husband found out they were expecting a baby in 2016, they immediately made three phone calls. The first was to her mother. The second was to her husband’s family. And the third was to the Roper St. Francis Healthcare Learning Center. That last call, she felt, was particularly urgent. Lucier wanted to secure a spot for her unborn infant on the day care’s long waiting list. (Sausser, 8/1)
KHN:
Citing A Mental Health Crisis Among Young People, California Lawmakers Target Social Media
Karla Garcia said her son’s social media addiction started in fourth grade, when he got his own computer for virtual learning and logged on to YouTube. Now, two years later, the video-sharing site has replaced both schoolwork and the activities he used to love — like composing music or serenading his friends on the piano, she said. “He just has to have his YouTube,” said Garcia, 56, of West Los Angeles. (Finn, 8/1)
KHN:
Journalists Detail The Scope Of The Abortion Ruling, Monkeypox, And Public Health Powers
KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed the impact of the Supreme Court decision on abortion on SiriusXM’s “The Briefing With Steve Scully” on July 28. ... KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber discussed monkeypox on Newsy’s “Evening Brief” and on C-SPAN’s “Washington Today” on July 25. She also discussed monkeypox and public health litigation on WAMU’s “1A” on July 22. (7/30)
AP:
Doctor: Biden Tests Positive For COVID For 2nd Day In A Row
In a letter noting the positive test, Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician, said Sunday that the president “continues to feel well” and will keep on working from the executive residence while he isolates. Biden tested positive on Saturday, requiring him to cancel travel and in-person events as he isolates for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. (Boak, 7/31)
The Atlantic:
Biden’s COVID Is Back. Is Paxlovid To Blame?
With more than 40,000 prescriptions being handed out a day, we’re taking Paxlovid at about the same rate that we’re taking oxycodone. When Biden got sick last week, he started taking the pills before the day was out. When Anthony Fauci had COVID in June, he took two courses. That enthusiasm is in line with the government’s messaging around the drug. (Gutman-Wei, 7/30)
The Washington Examiner:
Trump Mocks Biden, Claims He Has Dementia In Wild Post
Former President Donald Trump accused President Joe Biden of having dementia rather than a COVID-19 rebound infection in a backhanded "get well" message on his Truth Social platform that spurred a wild rant Sunday. (Jacobs, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
A Policy Win And An Economic Hit Mark Turbulent Week For Biden
Now the question becomes whether his run of legislative wins — particularly if Democrats manage to pass their health-care, climate and clean energy bill, which contains a hugely popular measure to let Medicare negotiate the prices of some drugs — will be enough for Biden to help overcome the stubbornly high inflation that has helped sink his approval ratings. (Abutaleb, 7/31)
Axios:
Biden Poised To Deliver On Decades-Long Democratic Promise
Democrats have been campaigning for 30 years on promises they'd let Medicare directly negotiate the cost of prescription drugs — and after all that time, they might finally be about to achieve it. (Bettelheim and Owens, 8/1)
The Hill:
Barrasso Says Sinema ‘Not Going To Easily Be Twisted’ On Manchin-Schumer Deal: ‘This Is Far From Done’
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) on Sunday said the new spending deal between Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced last week is “far from done,” suggesting possible opposition from moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.). (Dress, 7/31)
AP:
Indiana Senate Narrowly Passes Near-Total Abortion Ban
Indiana state senators narrowly passed a near-total abortion ban Saturday during a rare weekend session, sending the bill to the House after a contentious week of arguments over whether to allow exceptions for rape and incest. (Rodgers and Callahan, 7/30)
Indianapolis Star:
Trans & Nonbinary People React To SB 1, Indiana Abortion Restrictions
Between 462 to 530 trans and nonbinary individuals received abortions in 2017, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. Around 1.2 million adults identify as nonbinary as of 2021, which includes people who are transgender, as reported by UCLA's Williams Institute. The same source states that in 2022, more than 1.6 million individuals aged 13 and up identify as transgender. (Kane, 8/1)
AP:
WVa Delays Chance To Pass 1st New Bill Since Abortion Ruling
West Virginia lawmakers passed up the chance Friday to become the first state to approve new legislation restricting access to abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last month removing its protected status as a constitutional right. (Raby, 7/29)
ABC News:
Women's Health Doctors Say They Feel Increased Scrutiny Amid Abortion Bans
In nearby Tampa, Dr. Rachel Rapkin, a board-certified OBGYN, said she feels patients in Florida are getting "substandard care" because of the new abortion restrictions. "After seeing what's happened to doctors like Caitlin Bernard in Indiana who are being so intensely scrutinized ... doctors are really scared to provide what should be standard of care to our patients," Rapkin told ABC News. "And patients are getting substandard care now." (Kindelan, 8/1)
The Boston Globe:
Baker Signs Abortion Rights Expansion Bill Into Law
Governor Charlie Baker on Friday signed a bill that broadens access to abortion in Massachusetts and helps shield providers from out-of-state prosecution, putting on the books an expansion of the state’s already extensive reproductive rights statute. (Stout, 7/29)
The Hill:
McDonough Says VA Looking At Abortion Care Options In States With New Restrictions
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough on Sunday said his department is examining how to best protect abortion access to veterans after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, but he declined to provide a specific path forward. CNN “State of the Union” co-anchor Jake Tapper asked McDonough to respond to a letter from 24 Senate Democrats calling on the department to allow abortion services at veteran hospitals. (Schonfeld, 7/31)
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer:
Less Income, Education Associated With Learning About Pregnancy After Ohio’s 6-Week Abortion Limit, OSU Study Suggests
Low-income women with less education are significantly more likely to discover their pregnancies after six weeks, too late now for an abortion in Ohio, new research from Ohio State University suggests. (Washington, 8/1)
The Boston Globe:
After Roe V. Wade, More College Students Want Contraception Vending Machines On Campus
Students at New England universities are organizing to install emergency contraceptive vending machines on their campuses to increase access to sexual health resources following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Although abortion remains legal in the region, many university students are concerned about access to contraceptives because they come from states where abortion has been banned or threatened in the wake of the Supreme Court decision in June. (Mogg, 7/31)
Axios:
Biden Administration To Buy 66 Million Doses Of Moderna's Omicron Booster
The Biden administration announced Friday that it has reached a deal with Moderna to purchase 66 million doses of its Omicron variant-specific vaccine booster. (Gonzalez, 7/29)
Becker's Hospital Review:
12 States With BA.2.75 Cases
A dozen states have reported cases of the newest omicron subvariant BA.2.75 as of July 29, early disease surveillance data shows. The subvariant has numerous mutations that may make it more adept than BA. 5, the nation's dominant strain, at spreading quickly and evading immune protection. (Bean, 7/29)
The Mercury News:
1 In 7 New COVID Cases In California This Month Are Reinfections
New data from California’s public health department show that in the first three weeks of July there were more than 50,000 documented reinfections, accounting for 1 in 7 new COVID cases through the middle of the month. (Blair Rowan, 7/31)
Reuters:
'Living With COVID': Where The Pandemic Could Go Next
As the third winter of the coronavirus pandemic looms in the northern hemisphere, scientists are warning weary governments and populations alike to brace for more waves of COVID-19.In the United States alone, there could be up to a million infections a day this winter, Chris Murray, head of the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), an independent modeling group at the University of Washington that has been tracking the pandemic, told Reuters. That would be around double the current daily tally. (Rigby and Steenhuysen, 8/1)
The Washington Post:
D.C. Schools Expand Covid Vaccine Mandate, Unlike Most Other Districts
D.C. students who are 12 and older must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to attend school this upcoming academic year. The youth vaccine mandate in D.C. is among the strictest in the nation, according to health experts, and is being enacted in a city with wide disparities in vaccination rates between its White and Black children. (Lumpkin and Stein, 7/31)
Axios:
1 In 5 Americans OK With Threatening Health Officials
One in five Americans thought it was acceptable to threaten or harass public health officials over pandemic business closures as of last summer, research in JAMA Open Network shows. (Bettelheim, 8/1)
The Hill:
Gottlieb Predicts Monkeypox Will Become Public Health Failure
Former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb penned an op-ed in the New York Times published on Saturday arguing that the United States lacks a federal infrastructure capable of dealing with public health emergencies like monkeypox and COVID-19. “Our country’s response to monkeypox has been plagued by the same shortcomings we had with Covid-19,” Gottlieb wrote in the op-ed. (Schonfeld, 7/31)
Stat:
The Campaign To Rename Monkeypox Gets Complicated
Since the earliest days of the current global monkeypox outbreak, scientists and public health authorities have been calling for the disease to be renamed, arguing that it has racist overtones and carries a stigma that will hinder efforts to stop its spread. (Branswell, 8/1)
USA Today:
Alzheimer’s Theory Under Scrutiny After Accusation Of Research Fraud
The article centered on a Vanderbilt University neurologist's investigation of images used in the 2006 research paper on the discovery of a type of protein called amyloid beta star 56. Dr. Matthew Schrag concluded published images used to support the research were likely altered, though he stopped short of calling the research fraud, noting he did not have access to the original unpublished images or underlying data. His research was performed outside his duties at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. (Alltucker and Weintraub, 7/29)
NPR:
Scientists Map Changes In The Brain To Better Treat Alzheimer's Disease
After decades of focusing on the sticky amyloid plaques and tangled tau fibers associated with the disease, brain researchers are searching for other potential causes of impaired memory and thinking. That search is on full display this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in San Diego, where sessions are exploring factors including genes, brain injury, clogged arteries and inflammation. (Hamilton, 8/1)
The Washington Post:
At Last, An Easier Way To Prepare For A Colonoscopy
Last year — in what experts believe could end the dread that keeps many people from this important screening — the Food and Drug Administration approved a regimen of pills, Sutab, that studies show works just as well as the liquid solutions — without the vile flavor. It’s a 24-tablet regimen: 12 pills the day before and 12 the next day, several hours before the procedure. (Cimons, 7/31)
Stat:
With The Help Of A Sticky, Stretchy Material, Scientists Design A Continuous Ultrasound System
It took hundreds of failed experiments, sticking gummy gels to all sorts of surfaces, for scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology to get what they were looking for: a material so adhesive, it could cement a device to the skin for two full days while still letting sound waves pass through. (Chen, 8/1)
AP:
Medicaid Expansion Breakthrough Within Reach In N. Carolina
After a decade of vigorous opposition, most North Carolina Republicans have now embraced the idea of expanding the state’s Medicaid program to cover hundreds of thousands of additional low-income adults. Legislative approval finally appears within reach. (Robertson, 7/31)
Axios:
Employees Are Increasingly On The Hook For Their Medical Costs
The growth of high-deductible health plans led to people with employer-sponsored coverage paying for a larger share, on average, of their health care costs between 2013 and 2019, according to a new analysis by the Employee Benefit Research Institute. (Owens, 7/29)
The Boston Globe:
Demand For Mental Health Care Rising In Asian American Communities As More Speak Openly Of Struggles
Boston organizations serving Asian American communities say they’ve seen an uptick in people seeking mental health services. To meet that need, they’ve created culturally sensitive mental health programming and adding professionally trained staff. VietAID, a group that serves Dorchester’s Vietnamese community, plans this fall to launch a two-year mental health program in response to increased community interest. (Huynh, 7/29)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
St. Louis Nursing School, Open 124 Years, Closes Due To Finances, Enrollment
The Lutheran School of Nursing, which first opened its doors in 1898 but has struggled in recent years with finances and enrollment, has closed. (Neman, 7/31)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Beyond The Dollar: Hospitals Embrace Flexibility To Retain Workers
Competitive pay, on-site day care, housing and tuition reimbursement/assistance programs, and even covering employees' gas costs to get to work are among monetary incentives that will likely continue, but the next phase of recruitment and retention should prioritize giving employees more autonomy in their schedules, several chief nursing and medical officers told Becker's. (Gooch, Carbajal, Gonzalez and Schoonover, 7/29)
Stat:
Obstacles Litter The Path To Diversity In EMS
A single mother, Tashina Hosey quit her job at a Pittsburgh post office when she was assigned to work a seventh consecutive day just as her second daughter was about to be born. Desperate to find her next paycheck, she stumbled upon a free 10-week emergency medical technician course. (Muthukumar, 8/1)
Fierce Healthcare:
Health Systems Confident Payers Will Concede Higher 2023 Rates
Executives from some of the country’s largest for-profit health systems say it’s likely their organizations will be able to pass rising cost pressures along to commercial insurers during the next round of contract negotiations. Speaking to investors during earnings calls this past week, the hospital chains each reported limited non-COVID volumes, supply chain interruptions and pricey contract labor rates that are expected to persist through the end of the year. (Muoio, 7/29)
Health News Florida:
Hospices Are Now Big Business For Private Equity Firms, Raising Concerns About End-Of-Life Care
Hospice care, once provided primarily by nonprofit agencies, has seen a remarkable shift over the past decade, with more than two-thirds of hospices nationwide now operating as for-profit entities. (Hawryluk, 7/29)
New Hampshire Public Radio:
N.H. Sees Its First Mosquito Batch Of West Nile Virus This Season
New Hampshire health officials have identified the first batch of mosquitoes to test positive for West Nile Virus this year. (7/29)
AP:
Changes To Marijuana Laws Among Legislation Taking Effect
New laws overhaul regulation of medical marijuana, including changing the chief regulator of medical marijuana from the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry to the Louisiana Department of Health; and expanding the number of medical marijuana pharmacies allowed to operate in the state. (7/31)
Stat:
U.S. Polio Case Tied To Viruses Seen In U.K., Israel, Suggesting Silent Spread
Genetic analysis of the virus responsible for the first case of polio in the United States in nearly a decade shows it is linked to vaccine-derived viruses recently detected in Jerusalem and London, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative announced on Friday. (Branswell, 7/29)
NBC News:
World's First HIV-Positive To HIV-Positive Heart Transplant Performed At NYC Hospital
The patient, a woman in her 60s, suffered from advanced heart failure and received the donation, along with a simultaneous kidney transplant, in early Spring at Montefiore Health System in the Bronx, according to a news release. (Burke, 7/30)
