First Edition: Sept. 20, 2023
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KFF Health News:
How Will Rural Americans Fare During Medicaid Unwinding? Experts Fear They’re On Their Own
Abby Madore covers a lot of ground each day at work. A staffer at a community health center in Carson City, Nevada, Madore spends her days helping low-income residents understand their health insurance options, including Medicaid. Her phone is always ringing, she said, as she fields calls from clients who dial in from the state’s remote reaches seeking help. It’s a big job, especially this year as states work to sort through their Medicaid rolls after the end of a pandemic-era freeze that prohibited disenrollment. (Rodriguez, 9/20)
KFF Health News:
Hep C’s Number Comes Up: Can Biden’s 5-Year Plan Eliminate The Longtime Scourge?
Rick Jaenisch went through treatment six times before his hepatitis C was cured in 2017. Each time his doctors recommended a different combination of drugs, his insurer denied the initial request before eventually approving it. This sometimes delayed his care for months, even after he developed end-stage liver disease and was awaiting a liver transplant. “At that point, treatment should be very easy to access,” said Jaenisch, now 37 and the director of outreach and education at Open Biopharma Research and Training Institute, a nonprofit group in Carlsbad, California. “I’m the person that treatment should be ideal for.” (Andrews, 9/20)
KFF Health News:
Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
This week on the KFF Health News Minute: Feds clash with business leaders over proposed regulations to protect workers from excessive heat, and scientists are developing tattoos that could one day be medical diagnostic tools. (9/19)
Politico:
Biden To Announce First-Ever Federal Office Of Gun Violence Prevention
President Joe Biden will announce the creation of the first-ever federal office of gun violence prevention on Friday, fulfilling a key demand of gun safety activists as legislation remains stalled in Congress, according to two people with direct knowledge of the White House’s plans. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime Biden aide who previously worked on the Domestic Policy Council, will play a leading role, the people said. (Ward, 9/19)
Fox News:
House Republican Moves To Protect Gun Owners' Rights From 'Radical Left' National Emergency Declarations
Texas Rep. Michael Cloud re-introduced a bill Tuesday that would prohibit the president and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from declaring public health emergencies to enforce gun control measures. If enacted, the Protecting the Right To Keep and Bear Arms Act would also prevent government officials from restricting the production, sale or transfer of firearms and ammunition during major disasters or emergencies, "thereby preventing them from illicitly using public health authority." (Joseph, 9/19)
The Washington Post:
Homeland Security Outlines Plan To Stop Fentanyl, Precursor Chemicals
Homeland Security officials on Tuesday announced a plan to increase fentanyl seizures and break up the supply chains and financial networks fueling the most lethal drug crisis in U.S. history. Officials said the department’s investigative unit, Homeland Security Investigations, will assign more agents to track shipments of precursor chemicals, primarily originating in China, used to manufacture the powerful synthetic opioid. (Miroff, 9/19)
Modern Healthcare:
PBMs Battle PhRMA In House Oversight Committee Hearing
Pharmacy benefit managers emerged as public enemy No. 1 in a congressional hearing Tuesday, underscoring growing bipartisan sympathy for advancing any of the many measures that target drug industry middlemen. While lawmakers often praised the intent of PBMs to bring down drug costs, most argued that PBMs are either failing to achieve that goal, or doing more to boost their own bottom lines. (McAuliff, 9/19)
Politico:
McCarthy Scrambles: House Punts Key Vote As Rebellion Rages
Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday punted plans to tee up a vote on the party's short-term spending plan later this week – the latest sign of the ultraconservative fever gripping House Republicans. McCarthy is now left without a viable plan to fund the government, with just 12 days left to avoid a shutdown. A group of nearly two dozen Republicans from across the conference huddled in a GOP leadership suite midday Tuesday to seek a way out of their bind. (Ferris, Beavers and Carney, 9/19)
The Hill:
White House Outlines Potential Consequences Of Shutdown Amid Divisions In House GOP
The White House accused House Republicans of putting the nation at risk of a shutdown “that would undermine our economy and national security, create needless uncertainty for families and businesses, and have damaging consequences across the country.” The White House said FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund would risk being depleted without a funding bill, complicating emergency response efforts. A government shut down would stall research on cancer, the White House said, and delay food inspections conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). (Samuels, 9/20)
The Hill:
Tuberville To Try Going Around His Own Abortion Blockade To Confirm Marine Commandant
Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) told senators that he will attempt to force a one-off vote Wednesday to confirm Gen. Eric Smith to become the new commandant for the Marine Corps, while he maintains his blockade on more than 300 other military promotions. (Weaver, 9/19)
Politico:
GOP Governors Who Passed Abortion Bans Hit Trump For Calling Restrictions 'A Terrible Thing'
Staunchly anti-abortion Republican governors who have shepherded abortion restrictions in their states are piling on to Donald Trump for his recent comment labeling Florida’s six-week abortion ban “a terrible thing.” ... “I applaud Governor @KimReynoldsIA and the Iowa legislature for promoting a culture of life,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wrote on X. “Donald Trump is wrong to attack the heartbeat bill as ‘terrible.’ Standing for life is a noble cause.” (Zhang, 9/19)
The Hill:
Iowa Governor Defends 6-Week Abortion Ban After Trump ‘Terrible Thing’ Comments
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) defended legislation she signed that bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, after former President Trump called Florida’s six-week ban on the procedure a “terrible thing.” “It’s never a ‘terrible thing’ to protect innocent life,” Reynolds said Tuesday in a post on X. “I’m proud of the fetal heartbeat bill the Iowa legislature passed and I signed in 2018 and again earlier this year.” (Timotija, 9/19)
The Hill:
Kemp Joins In Defense Of 6-Week Abortion Ban Amid Trump Blowback
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) defended a six-week abortion ban after former President Trump criticized a similar ban Sunday. “There’s nothing ‘terrible’ about standing up for life.” Kemp posted on X Tuesday. “In addition to passing the heartbeat bill, Georgia has proudly protected and valued life through implementing adoption and foster care reforms, and combatting human trafficking —and will continue to do so as long as I’m governor.” (Sforza, 9/19)
The Hill:
Progressives Push Democrats To Reach Beyond Roe In Abortion Battles
Rachel O’Leary Carmona, executive director of Women’s March, characterized the focus on simply bringing back Roe’s protections as too narrow and “backward looking.” “Roe is gone. It’s gone, and it’s not coming back in the form that it was in,” O’Leary Carmona said, urging Democrats to think bigger and broader. “Public opinion on abortion has shifted and it’s shifted in favor of abortion. So now is the time for Democrats to strike when the iron is hot and put forth a vision that is of a future where we can all win,” she said. (Weixel, 9/19)
The Washington Post:
Billboards Tell I-55 Drivers ‘Abortion Is OK, You Are Loved’
When she drove past a new billboard along Interstate 55 in Arkansas earlier this month, a 58-year-old woman cried. The billboard, which said in big block letters “God’s plan includes abortion,” reminded her of the abortion she’d had 41 years ago. Queen, who spoke on the condition that her last name not be used out of fear of harassment, said that she was taught as a child that abortion was a sin. Seeing a message like the one she passed this month would’ve reassured her that the procedure was her best choice, she said. That feeling of support is what Amelia Bonow, the executive director of the activist group Shout Your Abortion, hoped to spread when she recently posted six billboards along I-55, which runs through five states that have banned most abortions. (Melnick, 9/20)
WGCU:
Maternity And Family Leave Have Been Expanded For Florida's State Employees
Maternity and family leave have been expanded for Florida state employees. The expansion, approved Monday at a meeting of Gov. Ron DeSantis and his Cabinet, will allow eligible state employees to receive paid maternity leave for up to seven weeks and parental leave for two weeks, which can be combined to provide nine weeks of paid leave for mothers. Previously, state employees could use sick and annual leave or unpaid leave following the birth of a child. (9/19)
The Boston Globe:
Some Health Experts Say There’s A ‘Concerning Decline’ In HPV Vaccination Rates Since Pandemic Began
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England is seeing a “concerning decline” in vaccination rates for human papillomavirus, or HPV, with vaccinations down roughly 40 percent over the last few years, according to health experts from the organization. The reason? Primarily the pandemic, experts say, after people put off in-person doctors appointments, and as a result, certain preventative health measures, like getting the HPV vaccine. (Bowker, 9/19)
NBC News:
The 2023 Covid Spike Is Easing In Some Areas, Wastewater Testing Suggests
Wastewater data suggest that the recent uptick in Covid cases may have peaked, at least in some areas. Biobot Analytics, a company that tracks wastewater samples at 257 sites nationwide, said that the current average Covid levels across the United States are approximately 5% lower than they were last week. "All fingers crossed," Cristin Young, a Biobot epidemiologist said, "this wave is plateauing and may be declining." (Edwards, 9/19)
News5Cleveland:
Ohio Gov. DeWine Tests Positive For COVID-19 After Mistaking It For 'Mild Head Cold'
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 after believing he had a "mild head cold." DeWine began experiencing mild cold symptoms Monday and, believing he had a mild head cold, proceeded with his work day Tuesday, according to a news release from the governor's office. (9/19)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Counties Issue New Mask Mandates As COVID Rises
In response to the increasing threat of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza, officials in multiple Bay Area counties have issued orders requiring health care workers in patient care settings to wear masks during the upcoming respiratory virus season. The measures announced on Tuesday in Sonoma, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties remain in effect from Nov. 1 through April 30. The move comes amid concerns of a potential “tripledemic” of COVID-19, flu and RSV that could strain health care systems. (Vaziri, 9/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
A Game Plan for Timing Your Flu, Covid and RSV Shots This Fall
Respiratory virus season is around the corner. With vaccines available for Covid-19, flu and, for some people, RSV, when should you get them? Doctors generally suggest getting your flu and Covid shots before the end of October, and say it’s OK to get both those shots at the same time. The most important thing, doctors say, is to get vaccinated. If you’re in a doctor’s office or a drugstore and can get your shots, it usually makes sense to do it. (Reddy, 9/19)
USA Today:
Fact Check: No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Shorten Life Expectancy
The claim: CDC data shows COVID-19 vaccines could lower life expectancy by up to 24 years. "BREAKING: According to new CDC data, the Covid vaccine could take 24 years off of your life," reads the post. False: There is no evidence any data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a link between COVID-19 vaccines and lower life expectancy. The dataset cited in a related article wasn't released until months after the claim was made. The claim originated with a website that frequently publishes misinformation. (Mueller, 9/19)
Stat:
Experts Study Whether Long Covid Risk Adds Up With Each Reinfection
More than three years into the coronavirus pandemic, fewer and fewer people are experiencing their first Covid-19 infections. But as cases climb, those who’ve had the virus before may wonder: What are their chances of developing long Covid — and does the risk increase with each reinfection? (Cooney, 9/20)
CIDRAP:
How Common Long COVID Is May Depend On How It's Defined
In Open Forum Infectious Diseases, Dutch scientists report that the definition of post-COVID condition (PCC, or long COVID) matters when estimating prevalence in a population. In people who had previously tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the prevalence of long-term symptoms varied from 26.9% to 64.1%, depending on which of six different definitions was used, while in those who tested negative, the prevalence varied from 11.4% to 32.5%. (Soucheray, 9/19)
The Boston Globe:
CDC Gives Northeastern U. $17.5 Million To Predict Pandemics
Northeastern University has been selected for a leading role in a new national network formed to better forecast the spread of a future pandemic. The university announced Tuesday the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded it $17.5 million over the next five years to develop a center focused on detecting and preparing for the next outbreak of infectious disease, especially in rural areas. (Freyer, 9/19)
NBC News:
FDA Rejects First Needle-Free Alternative To EpiPens, Calling For Additional Research
The Food and Drug Administration did not approve an epinephrine nasal spray that would have been the first needle-free alternative to epinephrine autoinjectors, including EpiPens. The agency told drugmaker ARS Pharmaceuticals that it needed to conduct another study on the drug, called Neffy, to support approval, the company said in a statement late Tuesday night. The move came as a surprise: In May, an FDA advisory committee voted to recommend approval of the drug for children and adults. (Lovelace Jr. and Miller, 9/20)
CNBC:
Eli Lilly Sues Clinics Allegedly Selling Knockoff Versions Of Mounjaro
Eli Lilly on Tuesday sued 10 medical spas, wellness clinics and compounding pharmacies across the U.S. for allegedly selling cheaper, unauthorized versions of the company’s diabetes drug Mounjaro. (Constantino, 9/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
Marlboro Maker Hits Reset On $2 Billion Bet On Medicine
Philip Morris International’s push into healthcare is faltering, prompting the tobacco giant to consider options such as selling a stake in its biggest pharmaceuticals unit. In 2021, the tobacco giant agreed to acquire three pharmaceutical companies for a total of more than $2 billion as part of a plan to pivot away from cigarette sales. The deals inserted the Marlboro maker into the market for inhalers and other treatments for respiratory diseases that are linked to cigarette smoking. (Dummett and Maloney, 9/19)
Axios:
Medicare Advantage Ads Will Look Different This Fall
A new analysis finds more than 25% of Medicare Advantage television ads last year used images evoking government Medicare cards — a tactic that's now forbidden under a federal crackdown on misleading advertising in the program. (Goldman, 9/20)
Modern Healthcare:
NCQA’s 2023 Health Plan Ratings Include HEDIS Measure
Most insurers scored high on an equity measure included for the first time as a part of the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s 2023 health plan ratings. The measure, which comes from the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) and assesses industry preparedness to address disparities and care gaps, asks health plans whether they can report any data stratified by their members’ race and ethnicity. (Devereaux, 9/19)
Modern Healthcare:
Oracle Health To Add Generative AI To Millennium EHR System
Oracle Health is adding generative artificial intelligence features to its Millennium electronic health record system. At its user conference Monday in Las Vegas, the company formerly known as Cerner highlighted the addition of a voice-enabled generative AI clinical digital assistant. ... Patients will be able to use the company's voice-enabled generative AI technology through the patient portal to schedule appointments, review labs and ask clinical questions. (Perna, 9/19)
Stat:
Artificial Intelligence In Dentistry? AI Spots Cavities, Bone Loss Faster
Open wide, AI wants a look inside your mouth. A new wave of software is promising to supercharge dentists’ ability to spot decay and bone loss — and propose treatments earlier in the disease process. (Ross, 9/20)
Axios San Antonio:
First Degree In AI, Medicine Comes To San Antonio
The first known dual degree in the U.S. to combine medicine and artificial intelligence is available in San Antonio. The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and UTSA are teaming up to offer a combined doctor of medicine and master of science in artificial intelligence to form a five-year program. (Stringer, 9/19)
CIDRAP:
Experts Say CDC Not Getting Right Advice On Hospital Infection Prevention
This week hundreds of industrial hygienists, healthcare worker union reps, epidemiologists, and aerosol scientists plan to send a second letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), asking the agency to hold public meetings to discuss the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee's (HICPAC's) proposal to update the CDC's Isolation Precautions guidance, last updated in 2007. A proposal from HICPAC, a federal advisory committee, will become the standard for hospital safety practices across the country, setting infection control protocols for a variety of pathogens in different healthcare scenarios. (Soucheray, 9/19)
Modern Healthcare:
Family CNA Programs To Launch In Florida, New Jersey
The nursing shortage and lawsuits are prompting a growing number of states to pay family members to provide skilled nursing care at home to medically fragile children. New Jersey and Florida are the latest states to pass laws that allow a family member to get free training as a certified nursing assistant and get paid by Medicaid to provide up to 40 hours a week of home-based care to a child with significant medical needs such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy or severe autism who needs 24/7 care. (Eastabrook, 9/19)
AP:
New Mexico Official Orders Insurance Companies To Expand Timely Access To Behavioral Health Services
New Mexico’s top insurance regulator on Tuesday ordered health insurance companies to expand timely access to behavioral health services in response to the governor recently declaring a public health emergency over gun violence in the state’s largest metropolitan area. Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham initially sought to ban people from the open and concealed carry of firearms in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County, but a federal judge put that effort on hold pending the outcome of multiple legal challenges. (9/19)
Axios:
Unions Call For More Federal Workplace Mental Health Protections
Two of the country's biggest unions have joined a coalition calling on federal regulators to protect workers' mental health the way they enforce standards for physical health and safety. The press comes amid widespread post-pandemic burnout, growing awareness of the country's worsening mental health and some of the strongest pro-union sentiment in decades. (Owens, 9/20)
The Boston Globe:
State Approves New Health And Sex Ed Guidelines
State education officials on Tuesday unanimously approved revised sex ed curriculum guidelines for the first time since 1999, incorporating more inclusive language and updating recommendations to schools for K-12 instruction in physical, mental, emotional, and sexual health. The new framework emphasizes skills like healthy decision-making and problem solving, social awareness, media literacy, and communication and relationship skills, as well as topics like the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity, and sexual health. (Griswold, 9/19)
AP:
Sacramento Prosecutor Sues California’s Capital City Over Failure To Clean Up Homeless Encampments
Sacramento’s top prosecutor is suing the city’s leaders over failure to cleanup homeless encampments, escalating a monthslong dispute with leaders in California’s capital city. County District Attorney Thien Ho announced the lawsuit Tuesday during a news conference in Sacramento, saying the city is seeing a “collapse into chaos” that he said reflects the “erosion of everyday life.” A group of residents and business owners also filed a companion lawsuit against the city. (Nguyen, 9/19)
MoneyWatch:
Work Stress Can Double Men's Risk Of Heart Disease, Study Shows
Male workers who experienced either job strain or effort-reward imbalance were 49% more likely to have heart disease compared to men without those stressors, the study published Tuesday in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, found. Men in both job predicaments were twice as likely to have heart disease compared with men who did not experience the two stressors simultaneously. (Cerullo, 9/19)
The Washington Post:
Many Junk Foods Today Were Made And Marketed By Big Tobacco
For decades, tobacco companies hooked people on cigarettes by making their products more addictive. Now, a new study suggests that tobacco companies may have used a similar strategy to hook people on processed foods. In the 1980s, tobacco giants Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds acquired the major food companies Kraft, General Foods and Nabisco, allowing tobacco firms to dominate America’s food supply and reap billions in sales from popular brands such as Oreo cookies, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Lunchables. (O'Connor, 9/19)