First Edition: Sept. 20, 2022

KHN: Texas, Battling Teen Pregnancy, Recasts Sex Education Standards 
J.R. Chester got pregnant the summer before her senior year of high school. A bright student with good grades, she gave birth, graduated, and was pregnant again when she arrived at college that fall. She was a teen mom — like her mother, her grandmother, and her great-grandmother. Her school did not teach sexual health education, and preventing pregnancy was a foreign concept. Her sons are now teenagers. “If you don’t know your options, you don’t have any,” said Chester, now a program director for Healthy Futures of Texas, a nonprofit sexual health advocacy and education organization. (Huetteman, 9/20)

KHN: Clearing Pollution Helps Clear The Fog Of Aging — And May Cut The Risk Of Dementia 
During the past decade, a growing body of research has shown that air pollution harms older adults’ brains, contributing to cognitive decline and dementia. What hasn’t been clear is whether improving air quality would benefit brain health. Two studies published this year by researchers at six universities and the National Institute on Aging provide the first evidence of such benefits in an older population. (Graham, 9/20)

KHN: Centene To Pay $166 Million To Texas In Medicaid Drug Pricing Settlement 
Health insurance giant Centene Corp. has agreed to pay $165.6 million to Texas to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services. It’s the biggest known payout by the nation’s largest Medicaid insurer over its drug pricing practices. The deal was signed July 11 but hadn’t been publicly announced until Monday after KHN obtained a copy of the settlement through a Texas public records request and began asking questions. The agreement makes Texas at least the 12th state to settle pharmacy billing claims with St. Louis-based Centene. (Miller and Young, 9/19)

Politico: Fauci: “We Are Not Where We Need To Be If We Are Going To Quote ‘Live With The Virus’”
It is unlikely the U.S. will eradicate the coronavirus and a “suspicious” new variant, BA 2.75.2, is on the horizon, President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said Monday during a fireside chat with the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “We are not where we need to be if we are going to quote ‘live with the virus’ because we know we are not going to eradicate it,” Fauci said. “The next question we ask: ‘Are we going to be able to eliminate it from our country or from most of the world?’ and the answer is unlikely, because it is highly transmissible and the immunity that’s induced by vaccine or infection is also transient.” (Garrity, 9/19)

Fortune: The Pandemic Is Over? Biden's COVID Word Salad Sums Up How Life Will Never Go Back To Before Times 
He’s right, Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Fortune. Because President Biden was speaking of an oft-ignored middle ground called endemicity—and it won’t look anything like pre-pandemic life. Those who are “up in arms” about Biden’s statement are “creating a false alternative,” Adalja said. And they’re afflicted with a “magical thinking that the only way the pandemic is over is if we reset to what it was like in 2019,” he added. But, “it’s going to take a toll.” (Prater, 9/20)

The New York Times: Biden Says The Pandemic Is Over. But At Least 400 People Are Dying Daily
With 400 to 500 Americans still dying every day of Covid-19, President Biden has declared that “the pandemic is over.” But don’t tell that to people like Debra McCoskey-Reisert, whose mother died in early August. Or Ben HsuBorger, who has chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition often brought on by viruses, including the coronavirus. Or Peter W. Goodman, whose wife died on Aug. 17. “It’s not over for me,” said a tearful Mr. Goodman, 76, who is retired after working as a journalism professor at Hofstra University on Long Island. Both he and his wife, Debbie, 70, became sick with Covid-19 last month. He recovered. She did not. (Stolberg, 9/19)

NBC News: Covid Will Be A Leading Cause Of Death Indefinitely In The U.S.
"It’s likely, when we think of the causes of death in our society, that Covid’s on the list probably forever,” said Dr. Bob Wachter, the chair of the University of California, San Francisco’s department of medicine. "Whether we call it a pandemic or not, it’s still an important threat to people," he added. (Bendix and Pettypiece, 9/20)

USA Today: CDC Analysis Shows More Than 80% Of US Maternal Deaths Are Preventable
A staggering number of maternal deaths in the United States were found to be preventable, according to a federal analysis of maternal death data released Monday. More than 80%, or roughly 4 in 5 maternal deaths in a two-year period, were due to preventable causes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report found. (Hassanein, 9/19)

Reuters: Planned Parenthood, Others Urge Indiana Judge To Block Abortion Ban 
A Planned Parenthood affiliate and other abortion rights groups and providers on Monday urged an Indiana judge to block the state's ban on most abortions, which took effect last Thursday. Kenneth Falk, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, told Judge Kelsey Hanlon in Indianapolis that the ban ran afoul of privacy and liberty rights Falk said were guaranteed by the state's constitution. The ACLU sued to challenge the law alongside Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai'i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky and others. (Pierson, 9/19)

Detroit Free Press: Michigan Pharmacists Can Prescribe Birth Control Pills, Patch, Ring
Soon, getting hormonal birth control in Michigan may be as simple as stopping in at your neighborhood pharmacy. That’s because the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on Monday issued a new interpretation of the Michigan Public Health Code that opens up the ability of doctors to partner with pharmacists to directly dispense hormonal birth control. (Jordan Shamus, 9/19)

The Boston Globe: On Abortion, NH Republican Senate Challenger Has A Message: ‘Get Over It’
On one level, the New Hampshire Republican Senate candidate was merely saying out loud what many political strategists have been urging GOP candidates to do: Stop talking about abortion and focus on the economy. But in a weekend interview, Don Bolduc, the tough-talking retired brigadier general, directed that advice to his opponent, Democratic US Senator Maggie Hassan, criticizing her focus on the overturned constitutional right to abortion. “Get over it,” Bolduc said on WMUR CloseUp. (Ebbert, 9/19)

AP: Ad Spending Shows Dems Hinging Midterm Hopes On Abortion 
Democrats are pumping an unprecedented amount of money into advertising related to abortion rights, underscoring how central the message is to the party in the final weeks before the November midterm elections. With the most intense period of campaigning only just beginning, Democrats have already invested more than an estimated $124 million this year in television advertising referencing abortion. That’s more than twice as much money as the Democrats’ next top issue this year, “character,” and almost 20 times more than Democrats spent on abortion-related ads in the 2018 midterms. (Peoples and Kessler, 9/20)

The Texas Tribune: How Texas’ Abortion Laws Turned A Heartbreaking Fetal Diagnosis Into A Cross-Country Journey
The protesters outside the Seattle abortion clinic waved pictures of bloody fetuses, shouting that she was a “baby killer” and begging her to choose life. Lauren Hall, 27, fought the urge to scream back and tell them just how badly she wished life was a choice she could have made. (Klibanoff, 9/20)

CIDRAP: Updated COVID Booster Tied To Strong Omicron Immune Response
The new bivalent (two-strain) Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster triggered stronger neutralizing antibody responses against the highly transmissible Omicron variant at 28 days than the previously authorized booster, with no safety concerns, according to the interim results of a phase 2/3 open-label, nonrandomized study published late last week in the New England Journal of Medicine. "These findings indicate that bivalent vaccines may be a new tool in the response to emerging variants," the researchers wrote. (Van Beusekom, 9/19)

Houston Chronicle: Side Effects From New COVID Boosters Similar To Original Shots
Clinical studies that evaluated the safety of the boosters made by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna found that each was associated with many of the same side effects as the original vaccines. They included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site; fatigue; headache; muscle pain; chills; joint pain; and fever. (MacDonald, 9/19)

Bloomberg: STDs Chlamydia, Syphilis, Gonorrhea Increased In US In 2021
Rates of common sexually transmitted infections sharply increased in the US last year, alarming some health officials and sexual health advocates who argue the country needs to do more to stop the spread of preventable diseases. (Muller, 9/19)

AP: 'Out Of Control' STD Situation Prompts Call For Changes
Sharply rising cases of some sexually transmitted diseases — including a 26% rise in new syphilis infections reported last year — are prompting U.S. health officials to call for new prevention and treatment efforts. “It is imperative that we ... work to rebuild, innovate, and expand (STD) prevention in the U.S.,” said Dr. Leandro Mena of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a speech Monday at a medical conference on sexually transmitted diseases. (Stobbe, 9/19)

CIDRAP: Florida Infant, New Hampshire Child Contract Monkeypox 
A Florida infant and a child from New Hampshire represent the latest reported pediatric monkeypox infections, and both cases highlight the role that household contacts and surface contamination could play in monkeypox exposure. (Soucheray, 9/19)

Modern Healthcare: NCQA Health Plan Quality Ratings Show Care Gaps
Medicare plans scored better in 2021 than Medicaid and commercial plans in key quality areas measured by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The committee rates Medicare, Medicaid and commercial plans annually on a five-star scale, using data from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems' Health Plan Survey, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Health Outcomes Survey. (Devereaux, 9/19)

Modern Healthcare: Centene Settles Medicaid Fraud Allegations In Texas For $166M
Centene did not admit liability for violating the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act and maintains that its business practices were lawful, Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a news release Monday. The attorney general’s office did not immediately respond to interview requests. (Tepper, 9/19)

Modern Healthcare: Ascension Loses Almost $2 Billion In A Year As Expenses Climb
Ascension is the latest healthcare organization to report financial woes in a post-pandemic environment with rising expenses and no signs of relief. The St. Louis-based not-for-profit health system posted a $1.84 billion net loss in its latest fiscal year, which ended June 30, according to an audit report released last week. A year ago, Ascension reported annual net income of $5.67 billion. (Hudson, 9/19)

The Washington Post: If John Hopkins Drops CareFirst, Patients' Access To Care Is At Risk 
Johns Hopkins has warned nearly 300,000 patients that their doctors, nurses and other health care providers may no longer accept CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield health insurance as soon as Dec. 5, jeopardizing patients’ access to care. Hopkins and CareFirst are at an impasse over rates the insurance company pays for care at Hopkins, a major provider of primary, specialized and outpatient surgical services in the region. (Portnoy, 9/19)

NPR: J&J Tries To Block Baby Powder Lawsuits By 40,000 Patients. A Court Has Question
An attorney for Johnson and Johnson faced probing questions Monday over the corporation's use of a controversial bankruptcy maneuver that has frozen tens of thousands of lawsuits linked to Johnson's baby powder. During the hearing, members of a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia asked whether J&J had used the legal strategy to gain "a litigation advantage" over roughly 40,000 cancer patients who have sued the company. (Mann, 9/19)

Crain's Chicago Business: Sterigenics To Pay $363M For Cancer-Causing Ethylene Oxide Emissions
Medical-sterilization company Sterigenics has been found liable by a Cook County, Illinois, jury for causing cancer in a Willowbrook resident. The company was ordered to pay Sue Kamuda $363 million after she took the company to court and claimed that emissions from its now-shuttered plant gave her cancer. (Jay, 9/19)

Stat: New CRISPR Startup Seeks To Fix Diseases Caused By Large DNA Errors
A new CRISPR startup — backed by some big names in venture capital — is planning to develop gene-editing treatments that can insert a genetic sequence of any length, at any location in the DNA strand, according to industry insiders and documents. (DeAngelis, 9/20)

Axios: Minimal Disruption To U.S. Medical Supply Chain Expected From Puerto Rico Hurricane
Puerto Rico may only be starting to take stock of the damage caused by Hurricane Fiona. But experts tell Axios indications are that medical supplies from plants there won't be disrupted the way they were when another storm ravaged the island in 2017. (Reed, 9/20)

Bloomberg: Amazon PillPack Founders To Leave In Latest Health-Care Shakeup
Amazon.com Inc. is parting ways with the two founders of the drug prescription startup the company acquired to jumpstart its health care ambitions. TJ Parker, who co-founded PillPack with Elliot Cohen, informed employees that the pair would be leaving Amazon at the end of this month. “You should all be so proud of what we were able to achieve together,” Parker wrote in a note that he also posted on LinkedIn. (Day, 9/19)

Stat: House Democrat Presses Bill To Encourage More Diversity In Clinical Trials
Rep. Robin Kelly admits that the word “diversity” has scared some of her Republican colleagues away from her effort to improve representation in clinical trials. (Castillo, 9/19)

Stat: Pfizer Accused Of Running A Fellowship Program That Discriminates On Racial Grounds
In a move reflecting simmering controversy over diversity and equity, Pfizer has been accused of running a racially discriminatory fellowship program because it “categorically excludes” white and Asian American applicants, according to a lawsuit filed by an advocacy group that includes doctors, patients, and policymakers. But some legal experts question whether the argument can succeed. (Silverman, 9/19)

Becker's Hospital Review: Texas Hospital's Longest-Serving Nurse To Retire After 45 Years
Palestine (Texas) Regional Medical Center's longest-serving nurse is planning to retire in June 2023 after more than 45 years with the hospital. Regina Parish is a licensed vocational nurse who's worked in case management at Palestine Regional Medical Center for the past 22 years. She first joined the hospital, then called Memorial Hospital, in 1979 as a nurse on the surgical floor. In 1986, she transferred to a discharge planning position before moving to case management in 2000 when the town's two hospitals merged to become Palestine Regional Medical Center. (Bean, 9/19)

San Francisco Chronicle: Gavin Newsom Vetoes Bill To Expand Student Mental Health Funding
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday vetoed a bill that aimed to help children with private insurance access mental health care at school, saying the program would cost too much. (Bollag, 9/19)

AP: Montana To Allow Transgender People To Change Birth Record 
After months of defiance, Montana’s health department said Monday it will follow a judge’s ruling and temporarily allow transgender people to change the gender on their birth certificates. The judge issued a scathing order Monday morning saying health officials made “calculated violations” of his order, which had told them to temporarily stop enforcing a law blocking transgender people from changing their gender on their birth certificates unless they had undergone surgery. (Hanson, 9/19)

Stateline: States Look To Help Tenants Pay For Air Conditioning As Climate Warms
Some states where air conditioning used to be a luxury that was needed only a few days a year are now looking at ways to help people stay cool in the increasingly hot summers. Oregon’s new law requires landlords to allow tenants to install portable air conditioners — either window units or free-standing models, depending on the apartment configuration — in multifamily dwellings. The state also provides money to pay for portable AC units for residents who can’t afford them. (Povich, 9/19)

Bangor Daily News: Aroostook Superintendent Waited 3 Months To Inform 2nd School Of High Lead In Water
A Limestone superintendent who allegedly waited three months to notify the community of dangerous lead levels in water faucets also waited to inform parents of students at a neighboring town’s school, where he is also the superintendent. (Lizotte, 9/19)

Newsweek and Zenger News: Extreme Temperatures Linked To Rise In Hate Tweets, Study Shows
A recent study has found a link between outdoor temperatures and the prevalence of hate speech on social media, which may, in turn, impact mental health. (9/19)

Detroit Free Press: U-M Researchers Need 100,000 Participants For Massive Study
From nonstick PFAS compounds to lead in water to soot and smog, Michigan residents are exposed to more industrial contaminants than most states, and those contaminants are known to cause adverse health effects, including cancer. But how much exposure, for how long, causes those illnesses? When do the warning signs arise, and how do changes occur over time? How do race, nutrition and other factors influence health outcomes? (Matheny, 9/19)

Stat: A New Study Asks: Are We Harming Blood Donors By Taking Blood?
One question has plagued the field of blood donation for as long as there have been transfusions: Are we harming blood donors by taking blood from them? (Trang, 9/20)

Stat: The FDA Is Pushing Back On CBD-Filled Foods, Drinks
Major food makers are ready to cash in on selling CBD-filled foods and drinks. But the Food and Drug Administration isn’t having it. (Florko, 9/20)

CNN: Night Owls Have Higher Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease, Study Says
If you prefer to go to bed and get up later -- a sleep chronotype known as being a night owl -- you may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, a new study found. (LaMotte, 9/19)

NPR: High Blood Pressure Is Significantly Lowered With Breath Training
"The muscles we use to breathe atrophy, just like the rest of our muscles tend to do as we get older," explains researcher Daniel Craighead, an integrative physiologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. To test what happens when these muscles are given a good workout, he and his colleagues recruited healthy volunteers ages 18 to 82 to try a daily five-minute technique using a resistance-breathing training device called PowerBreathe. (Aubrey, 9/20)