First Edition: Sept. 6, 2023

KFF Health News: Even In The Most Depressed County In America, Stigma Around Mental Illness Persists 
Sitting on a bench laughing with a co-worker during a morning smoke break, Debra Orcutt quickly raises her hand when asked if she knows anyone dealing with depression. “I am,” she tells a visitor to the roadside market where she bakes brownies and peanut butter fudge. Orcutt, 63, has used medication to manage her depression for more than two decades since her son, Kyle, died at age 4 from a congenital illness. “There were days I couldn’t leave the house,” she said. (Galewitz, 9/6)

KFF Health News: Cozy Images Of Plush Toys And Blankets Counter Messaging On Safe Infant Sleep
Samuel Hanke is a pediatric cardiologist in Cincinnati, but when you ask him for his title, he follows it by saying: “Most importantly, I’m Charlie’s dad.” Hanke remembers the night 13 years ago when Charlie, then 3 weeks old, was fussier than usual, so he picked him up to soothe him back to sleep. With Charlie still in his arms, he sat on the couch, turned on the TV, and nodded off. “We were kind of chest to chest, the way you see in pictures a lot,” Hanke said. But he didn’t realize Charlie’s airways were blocked. Too young to turn his head, too squished to let out a cry, Charlie died silently. The next morning, Hanke woke up to his worst nightmare. Years of medical school weren’t enough to prevent Hanke from losing Charlie to accidental suffocation. (DeGuzman, 9/6)

KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’ 
This week on the KFF Health News Minute: Students in California prepare for college life in states with restrictive abortion laws, and funds may be on the way to help train Americans caring for aging loved ones at home. (9/5)

The New York Times: A Huge Threat To The U.S. Budget Has Receded. And No One Is Sure Why
For decades, runaway Medicare spending was the story of the federal budget. Now, flat Medicare spending might be a bigger one. Something strange has been happening in this giant federal program. Instead of growing and growing, as it always had before, spending per Medicare beneficiary has nearly leveled off over more than a decade. The trend can be a little hard to see because, as baby boomers have aged, the number of people using Medicare has grown. But it has had enormous consequences for federal spending. Budget news often sounds apocalyptic, but the Medicare trend has been unexpectedly good for federal spending, saving taxpayers a huge amount relative to projections. (Sanger-Katz, Parlapiano and Katz, 9/4)

AP: To Mask Or Not To Mask? Biden Goes Both Ways After First Lady Tests Positive For COVID-19 
President Joe Biden turned up in a mask for the first time in months on Tuesday, a day after his wife tested positive for COVID-19. But the president quickly ditched it during a ceremony honoring an 81-year-old Vietnam veteran, and the two unmasked octogenarians shared a hearty handshake before they parted. The White House had said earlier that Biden, who had tested negative for the virus earlier in the day, would wear a mask indoors, but that he might remove it when standing at a distance from others. (Long, 9/5)

Newsweek: Republicans Declare War On Mask Mandates
Citing arguments that masks didn't work to slow the spread of the virus during COVID—which most studies contest—Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance announced plans September 5 to introduce the Freedom to Breathe Act, which would permanently prevent the federal government from reimposing federal mask mandates in the United States. (Reynolds, 9/5)

Fortune: Fauci ‘Concerned’ People Won’t Mask Up Again As COVID Cases, Hospitalizations, And Deaths Continue To Rise In The U.S. 
He ruled out mask mandates, but urged Americans to consider masking if COVID cases surge. (Taylor, 9/4)

Axios: Covid Surge In Schools Are Leading To Widespread Absences
A late summer COVID surge is prompting some school districts to reinstate safety measures, as they try to protect student and teacher health without risking further disruptions to learning. Widespread school closings are a non-starter, and officials in red and blue states also insist broad mask mandates won't return. But, in a flashback to the dark days of the pandemic, some districts in consultation with local health officials have reinstated limited masking and other precautions as COVID cases and hospitalizations rise. (Bettelheim and Goldman, 9/6)

CNN: Covid-19 Cases Are On The Rise. What Should You Do If A Family Member Contracts It? 
As more people contract Covid-19 again, people have questions on what precautions they should take. How long should someone stay in isolation if they get the coronavirus? What steps can individuals take to prevent transmitting it to others in their household? What if someone has “rebound” symptoms? What should people exposed to someone with Covid-19 do — must they also stay away from others and how often should they be tested? (Hetter, 9/5)

Health News Florida: As A Late-Summer Uptick Continues, Florida Passes 90,000 COVID Deaths
As Florida tops 90,000 resident deaths from COVID-19, a late-summer uptick in new cases is continuing, data released Friday documents. According to the state Department of Health, there were 23,503 reported cases during the week that started Aug. 18 and 23,960 during the week that started Aug. 25. Those were the highest numbers of the summer. (Mayer, 9/5)

Axios: How To Check If Old Or Expired COVID-19 Tests Still Work
Before tossing out any old at-home COVID tests, you might want to check if the expiration date has been extended. People may be rummaging through closets and cupboards for old tests amid a late summer COVID-19 wave — and as insurance coverage and federal assistance for them has lapsed or changed. (Miranda, 9/5)

Fox News: New AI-Generated COVID Drug Enters Phase I Clinical Trials: ‘Effective Against All Variants’
Artificial intelligence is increasingly moving into the health care arena and helping to streamline medical processes — including the creation of new drugs. Insilico Medicine, an AI-driven biotech company based in Hong Kong and in New York City, recently announced that its new AI-designed drug for COVID-19 has entered Phase I clinical trials. (Rudy, 9/5)

Reuters: Tonix's Long COVID Drug Fails To Meet Mid-Stage Trial Goal 
Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding Corp said on Tuesday its experimental drug failed to meet the primary goal in a mid-stage study for management of widespread muscle pain and tenderness associated with long COVID-19. ... The 63-patient study was designed to monitor the intensity of pain in patients who had long COVID and administered either the drug, TNX-102 SL, or placebo, but the trial failed to show improvement at week 14 of treatment, the company said. (9/5)

NBC News: CDC Warns About Rise In RSV Cases Among Babies
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention alerted doctors Tuesday about a rise in severe cases of RSV among young children in Florida and Georgia. Regional increases have usually predicted the beginning of RSV season nationally, the CDC wrote in its advisory, "with increased RSV activity spreading north and west over the following 2–3 months." (Edwards, 9/5)

Stat: Vaccine Experts Urge More Inclusivity In Clinical Trials 
The recently approved RSV vaccines have been celebrated as key public health tools, but some vaccine experts have lamented one aspect of the trials that led to their approval — namely, that older adults were largely left out of them. (Joseph, 9/5)

Politico: Capitol Doc: McConnell Tests Show No Evidence Of Seizure Disorder, Stroke, Parkinson’s
The Capitol’s top doctor told Mitch McConnell on Tuesday that “there is no evidence” he suffered a stroke or has a seizure disorder following his public freeze in Kentucky last week. Capitol physician Brian Monahan outlined extensive outside medical evaluations of McConnell after the episode, in which the Senate minority leader stopped talking for roughly 30 seconds in a media availability. In a letter to McConnell, Monahan recommended “no changes in treatment protocols” for his recovery from a March fall that left the Kentucky Republican with a concussion. (Everett, 9/5)

Military Times: Former VA Leaders Ask Public To Call Vets To Help Prevent Suicide
All seven living former Veterans Affairs Secretaries are joining with a coalition of advocacy groups to call for all Americans to participate in National Warrior Call Day this November in an effort to help prevent veteran suicides. The event — set for Nov. 12, the day after national Veterans Day ceremonies — is designed to highlight the estimated 17 veterans a day lost to suicide and prompt members of the public to take a role in reaching out to veterans. (Shane III, 9/5)

Military.com: VA Failed To Process 56,000 Requests To Update Veterans' Dependents Dating As Far Back As 2011 
The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday it failed to properly process 56,000 requests from veterans to add or remove dependents -- some dating back to 2011. The agency discovered the mistakes while looking into a technical problem that caused headaches for roughly 900 veterans trying to file online appeals on their PACT Act claims decisions. (Kime, 9/5)

Axios: 1 In 3 HHS Appointees Leave For Industry Jobs, Study Finds
One-third of political appointees to the Department of Health and Human Services go work for the industry they oversaw immediately after departing their government job, according to a comprehensive new study examining health care's revolving door. (Millman, 9/6)

The Washington Post: Narcan Is Now For Sale Without A Prescription. Here's What To Know
Narcan, the nasal spray that reverses opioid overdoses, is hitting store shelves this month for the first time as an over-the-counter medication — a milestone in the fight against the nation’s overdose crisis. Manufacturer Emergent BioSolutions said last week that it has shipped hundreds of thousands of the two-spray kits, at a suggested retail price of $44.99. Major retailers such as CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens and Walmart say the kits will be available on shelves in coming days. Companies are also selling the sprays online. (Ovalle, 9/5)

CBS News: California Lawmakers Consider Plan To Cap Naloxone Cost At $10
Amid the ongoing fentanyl crisis, the California legislature is considering an East Bay lawmaker's proposal to cap the cost of overdose-reversing drug naloxone to $10 or less. Assembly Bill 1060 by Asm. Liz Ortega would require MediCal and private insurers to cover the cost of over the counter naloxone, also known as Narcan. (9/5)

Los Angeles Times: California Pharmacies Make Millions Of Prescription Errors Each Year
Officials at the regulatory board say they can only estimate the number of errors because pharmacies are not required to report them. Most of the mistakes that California officials have discovered, according to citations issued by the board and reviewed by The Times, occurred at chain pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens, where a pharmacist may fill hundreds of prescriptions during a shift, while juggling other tasks such as giving vaccinations, calling doctors’ offices to confirm prescriptions and working the drive-through. (Petersen, 9/5)

Modern Healthcare: Physician Compensation Sees More Incentives, Some Focus On Quality
Physician compensation is on the rise as provider organizations try to attract more doctors in a tight labor environment. ... To recruit more physicians, providers are turning to higher base salaries, in addition to sweetening the deal with signing bonuses or educational opportunities. Productivity remains the largest factor in calculating total compensation, but employers are also incorporating quality metrics. (Hudson, 9/5)

Axios: Primary Care Docs Affiliated With Health Systems Drove Up Spending: Study
Primary care physicians affiliated with large health systems drive up spending on patient care through increased referrals to specialists, emergency department visits and hospitalizations, per a study led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The findings in JAMA Health Forum are the latest to challenge claims by the hospital industry that consolidation leads to economies of scale that result in less spending. (Reed, 9/5)

Modern Healthcare: Nurse Licensure Compact Extends To Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania on Tuesday became the latest state to join the nurse licensure compact, which is expected to aid Pennsylvania providers' efforts to recruit nurses. Its addition means there are 41 states and territories that allow registered, licensed practical and vocational nurses to practice in those areas without obtaining individual state licenses. Nurses who have a multistate compact license will be able to immediately start working in Pennsylvania. As a result, health systems and other provider organizations can more easily send nurses where they are needed, expedite the licensure and onboarding process and recruit nurses from more states. (Kacik, 9/5)

Stat: How Medical Schools Plan To Diversify Without Affirmative Action
“Lots of scrambling on the ground.” That’s how Consuelo Wilkins, the senior associate dean for health equity and inclusive excellence at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, describes medical schools’ current efforts to maintain diversity in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action based on race. (Merelli, 9/6)

AP: Georgia Can Resume Enforcing Ban On Hormone Replacement Therapy For Transgender Youth, Judge Says
Georgia can resume enforcing a ban on hormone replacement therapy for transgender people under 18, a judge ruled Tuesday, putting her previous order blocking the ban on hold after a federal appeals court allowed Alabama to enforce a similar restriction. Attorneys for the state had asked Judge Sarah Geraghty to vacate the preliminary injunction in light of the Alabama decision. (Thanawala, 9/5)

The 19th: Legislative Elections In Virginia Will Test Support For Abortion Rights
Voters in Virginia will decide control of the state’s legislature this fall, choosing to cement the state’s Democratic “brick wall” against abortion restrictions or clear a path for Republicans to enact a 15-week ban championed by the state’s governor, Glenn Youngkin. Every seat in the state’s legislature will be up for grabs this November, setting up an expensive and narrow fight that will likely come down to just a handful of competitive seats. (Barclay, 9/5)

The 19th: California Promised Reparations To Survivors Of Forced Sterilization. Few People Have Gotten Them
It was more money than Moonlight Pulido had ever held in her hands. Looking at the check — $15,000 from the state of California — she started to cry. Pulido, 58, had spent most of the past 30 years incarcerated, only recently being released from prison. She hoped to save most of the money. Having that kind of financial cushion, she knew, could be life-changing. But as emotional as she was, Pulido couldn’t forget what the money acknowledged, and the other life-altering reason she had received it. (Luthra, 9/5)

The Washington Post: 97 D.C. Neighborhood Leaders Urge Change In City Response To 911 Calls
Nearly 100 neighborhood representatives in D.C. signed a letter sent to city leaders Tuesday decrying the operations at the city’s 911 center and calling for more transparency. “These chronic problems have diminished residents’ faith in our city’s emergency response system, and in your ability, as city leaders, to resolve them,” the letter said. (Davies and Diaz, 9/5)

The Boston Globe: Many Mass. Students Are Returning To Hot Classrooms That Could Compromise Their Learning
“We really worry about the physical health of children when the temperature gets above 90 degrees,” said Dr. Scott Hadland, chief of adolescent and young adult medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children. “We will see more of these days even in September as the climate changes and the effects in many US classrooms, especially in Massachusetts, which often don’t have air conditioning.” (Scales, 9/5)

The CT Mirror: CT Will Help Paraeducators Pay Health Care Costs With $5M Subsidy
State officials on Tuesday announced a one-time $5 million subsidy that will help thousands of paraeducators across the state pay health insurance bills this year that are not covered under local school district health plans. (Altimari, 9/5)

NBC News: Autism May Be Identified Early With Eye-Tracking Device: Research
A device that follows kids’ eye movements as they watch a video showing a social interaction between two children may help speed up diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder, researchers say. Data from two new studies, published simultaneously Tuesday in JAMA and JAMA Network Open, suggest that the tablet-based device can identify the disorder in children ages 16 months to 30 months as accurately as a specialist would. (Carroll and Herzberg, 9/5)

CNN: ADHD May Increase Risk Of Anorexia, Major Depression, PTSD And Suicide, Study Says
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is associated with a higher incidence of depression, anorexia or post-traumatic stress disorder as well as the risk of suicide attempts, a new study found. A neurodevelopmental condition, ADHD is a pattern of hyperactivity, inattention and impulsive behavior that interferes with daily functioning or development. People with ADHD were 30% more likely to attempt suicide and 9% more likely to develop major depression, according to the study, which could only show associations and not prove a direct cause and effect. (LaMotte, 9/5)

Fox News: Gender-Specific Warning Signs Of Cardiac Arrest Are Revealed In Study: 'New Paradigm For Prevention'
Half of those who suffer cardiac arrest experience a telling symptom 24 hours before the incident, according to a study recently published in The Lancet Digital Health journal. This warning symptom was different in men and in women, researchers from Smidt Heart Institute found; the institute is located in the Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. For women, shortness of breath was the symptom that preceded an impending cardiac arrest, while for men, chest pain was the prominent complaint. (McGorry, 9/4)