First Edition: Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 🎃

KFF Health News: ‘A Pressure Campaign’: Beverly Hills Settles After Allegedly Blocking Abortion Clinic
The city of Beverly Hills has agreed to train its employees on abortion clinic protections after local officials interfered with the opening of an abortion clinic in “blatant” violation of state law, according to a proposed settlement to be unveiled Thursday by California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Bonta’s office said the city’s then-mayor, city attorney, and city manager pressured DuPont Clinic’s landlord last spring to cancel the lease and that city officials also delayed permits to the clinic. (Mai-Duc, 10/31)

KFF Health News: In Montana, Conservative Groups See Chance To Kill Medicaid Expansion
Conservative groups are working to undermine support for Montana’s Medicaid expansion in hopes the state will abandon the program. The rollback would be the first in the decade since the Affordable Care Act began allowing states to cover more people with low incomes. Montana’s expansion, which insures roughly 78,800 people, is set to expire next year unless the legislature and governor opt to renew it. Opponents see a rare opportunity to eliminate Medicaid expansion in one of the 40 states that have approved it. (Houghton, 10/31)

KFF Health News: Can A $10 Billion Climate Bond Address California’s Water Contamination Problem?
When Cynthia Ruiz turns on her kitchen faucet, she hears a slight squeak before cloudy fluid bursts out of the spout. The water in her Central Valley town of East Orosi is clean enough most of the time to wash dishes, flush toilets, and take showers, but it’s not safe to swallow. Drinking water is trucked in twice a month. “There are times where the water is so bad you can’t even wash dishes,” said Ruiz, who is advised not to drink the tap water, which is laden with nitrates — runoff from orange and nectarine fields surrounding the town of roughly 400. (Sánchez, 10/31)

KFF Health News: Ghosts, Ghouls, And Ghastly Drug Prices In Winning Halloween Haikus
Entries for our sixth annual Halloween haiku contest gave us shivers. Based on a review by our panel of judges, here’s the winner and runners-up — plus the original artwork they inspired. (10/31)

Los Angeles Times: Hospital, Sued By California, Will Provide Emergency Abortion
A Catholic hospital in Eureka has agreed to provide emergency abortion services after a state lawsuit said it had refused to give abortions to pregnant patients in life-threatening emergencies. The lawsuit alleges that, in February, Providence St. Joseph Hospital denied a patient emergency care when her water prematurely broke while she was 15 weeks pregnant with twins. It allegedly placed her life at risk by telling her to drive to Mad River Community Hospital, a smaller critical access hospital 12 miles away, armed with a bucket and towels, while she was hemorrhaging. (Harter, 10/30)

The New York Times: Republicans Shift Message on Abortion, Sounding More Like Democrats
Across the country’s most competitive House races, Republicans have spent months trying to redefine themselves on abortion, going so far as to borrow language that would not feel out of place at a rally of Vice President Kamala Harris. Many Republicans who until recently backed federal abortion restrictions are now saying the issue should be left to the states. (McCann and Li, 10/30)

The Washington Post: These Women Are All In For Abortion Rights — And For Donald Trump
Kamala Harris is making abortion part of her closing argument. But some voters say they aren’t worried about what a Donald Trump presidency would mean for abortion. (Kitchener, 10/30)

NBC News: Abortion-Related Ads In Nebraska Prompt Health Department Alert
Just a week before an election in which Nebraska voters will decide on two competing ballot initiatives related to abortion rights, the state health department sent doctors an alert about what it called "misleading information" in radio and TV ads. Nebraska’s chief medical officer, Dr. Timothy Tesmer, wrote in the alert that recent ads had generated confusion about Nebraska’s law restricting abortions after 12 weeks’ gestation, though he did not specify which ads. (Bendix, 10/31)

Politico: Pennsylvania Democrats Lean Into Abortion As Closing Election Message 
Pennsylvania Democrats believe their path to expanding power in the state Legislature runs through the suburbs — and they’re hammering the importance of protecting reproductive rights to pull it off. Two and a half years after Dobbs, ensuring that voters continue to be swayed by abortion messaging is critical for Democrats in Harrisburg, where the party holds a single-seat majority in the state House and Republicans control the Senate. That’s why Democrats are spending a record amount on abortion-focused campaign ads and knocking on thousands of doors making the case for protecting reproductive rights. (Crampton, 10/30)

AP: Abortion-Rights Groups Raising More Than Opponents On Ballot Measures 
The groups promoting ballot measures to add amendments to the constitutions in nine states that would enshrine a right to abortion have raised more than $160 million. That’s nearly six times what their opponents have brought in, The Associated Press found in an analysis of campaign finance data compiled by the watchdog group Open Secrets and state governments. The campaign spending reports are a snapshot in time, especially this late in the campaigns, when contributions are rolling in for many. (Mulvihill, 10/30)

NBC News: H5N1 Bird Flu Found In A Pig In The U.S. For The First Time
A pig in Oregon has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday. It's the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the United States. Test results are pending for two other pigs found on the farm in Crook County, Oregon, the USDA said, while two others tested negative. ... The case is concerning as pigs can become infected with both bird and human viruses at the same time, which can give rise to mutated strains that can more easily infect humans. Officials said there are no concerns about the safety of the nation's pork supply. (Lovelace Jr. and Edwards, 10/30)

Reuters: Exclusive-US To Begin Bulk Milk Testing For Bird Flu After Push From Industry
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin testing bulk raw milk across the country for bird flu, a significant expansion of the agency's efforts to stifle the rapid spread of the virus, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told Reuters. The move comes after livestock and veterinary groups pushed the USDA to strengthen its current surveillance approach, calling it inadequate to contain the virus, according to state records and industry documents reviewed by Reuters. (Douglas, 10/30)

USA Today: Autism Becoming More Prevalent In Young Adults
Four times as many children have been diagnosed with autism in the past two decades amid improved awareness and screening and evolving definitions. A new study suggests diagnoses have increased at a faster clip among younger adults over the past decade. Autism spectrum disorder spiked 175% among people in the U.S. from 2.3 per 1,000 in 2011 to 6.3 per 1,000 in 2022, researchers found. Diagnosis rates climbed at a faster rate among adults in their mid-20s to mid-30s in that period, according to a study published Wednesday in JAMA Network Open. (Alltucker, 10/30)

The Washington Post: U.S. Gun Deaths In Some States Similar To Conflict Zones, Report Finds
The rate of firearms deaths in several U.S. states is similar to places around the world that are battling civil unrest or bloody gang wars, a new report shows. The report, published Wednesday by the Commonwealth Fund, an independent research group, found that the overall rate of firearms deaths in Mississippi was nearly twice that of Haiti, an impoverished Caribbean nation where violent gangs control large swaths of the country and whose president was assassinated by gunmen in 2021. (Pannett, 10/31)

USA Today: The Flu Hospitalizes Thousands Each Year, CDC Study Finds
More than 100,000 people are hospitalized and 4,900 people die from flu complications annually in the U.S. Vaccines, which target last year’s dominant flu strains, can help you avert serious illness or death. The study published Tuesday in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report showed the risks seasonal flu still poses, especially to people who haven't been vaccinated. (Cuevas, 10/30)

AP: McDonald's E. Coli Case Count Rises As Federal Officials Inspect An Onion Grower 
Federal officials on Wednesday reported more cases of E. coli poisoning among people who ate at McDonald’s, as government investigators seeking the outbreak’s source identified an “onion grower of interest” in Washington state. The Food and Drug Administration said 90 people across 13 states have fallen ill in the outbreak, up from 75 at the end of last week. The number of people hospitalized increased by five, to 27 people. One death has been tied to the outbreak. (Perrone, 10/30)

Modern Healthcare: CareTrust REIT To Buy 31 Skilled Nursing Facilities In 2 States
CareTrust REIT and a joint venture partner inked a $500 million deal to buy 31 skilled nursing facilities in Tennessee and Alabama from American Health Partners in Franklin, Tennessee, the company announced Tuesday. The San Clemente, California-based real estate investment trust said in a news release the acquisition will include 3,290 licensed beds across 30 locations in Tennessee and one in Alabama. CareTrust expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2024. (Eastabrook, 10/30)

The Mercury News: Nurses Blasts Good Samaritan Hospital, HCA Over Staffing Shortages
Accusing Good Samaritan Hospital and its parent company HCA Healthcare of jeopardizing patient care, registered nurses protested outside the facility on Wednesday, asserting the healthcare provider is failing to address staffing shortages and inadequate meal breaks. The California Nurse Association said the hospital’s management has yet to adequately address more than 100 instances of unsafe staffing conditions or missed breaks, claiming the healthcare agency is putting profits over people. (Patel, 10/30)

The Boston Globe: Union Workers At R.I. Hospital Plan To Protest Staffing Shortage
Workers at Women & Infants Hospital plan to protest outside the facility on Nov. 12, citing staffing shortages as a key reason for their action. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199, which represents 4,000 employees, said on Wednesday more than 70 percent of its members voted to approve the protest. Workers plan to stand outside the hospital, chant, and hold signs to advocate for their issues, but have so far held back from a strike. (Mohammed, 10/30)

Houston Chronicle: Over 1,600 Patients To Lose Insurance Coverage At MD Anderson
About 1,600 patients covered by Medicare Advantage plans are expected to lose insurance coverage at MD Anderson Cancer Center by the end of this week, officials at the cancer hospital said Wednesday. The patients have been covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, which previously announced that its Medicare Advantage members would no longer receive "in-network" access to the hospital as of Nov. 1. That means those patients could not receive care at heavily discounted rates. The number of impacted patients has not been previously reported. (Gill, 10/30)

Modern Healthcare: Aetna To Cut Some Broker Commissions For Medicare Advantage Plans 
Aetna will no longer pay brokers for enrolling new members in some Medicare plans starting Friday. The CVS Health subsidiary notified third-party marketers on Tuesday that it will not compensate them for signing up customers for 25 Medicare Advantage products in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New York, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia, or for any Medicare Part D plans, said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of the trade group Health Agents for America. (Tepper, 10/30)

Modern Healthcare: Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs Cut Costs In 2023
Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organizations generated $5.2 billion in savings last year, the highest level since the program launched more than a decade ago, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Tuesday. These ACOs saved Medicare $2.1 billion in 2023, up 16.7% from the $1.8 billion in savings recorded the previous year, CMS said in a news release. (Berryman, 10/30)

NBC News: How Medical Debt After Birth Is Impacting Even Financially Stable Families
Jessica Hurley eyed the stack of medical bills in her purse as she held one of her twin babies, blue from lack of oxygen, in the neonatal intensive care unit. She prayed that the boys, Perry and Kinser — born prematurely at 32 weeks — would survive. ... On top of that was another source of dread: How would they afford the mounting costs of the birth? And why were the bills already so high when they had insurance? (Bendix, 10/30)

Bankrate.com: Study: Care For One Infant Costs At Least 10% Of A Family’s Yearly Income In 48 States
Child care has become one of the biggest expenses for parents no matter where they live in the country. A new Bankrate analysis finds that full-time center-based care for one infant costs at least 10% of a typical family’s annual income in 48 states and the District of Columbia. In some states, like New York and Hawaii, infant care costs can take up roughly 20% of a typical family’s yearly income. And some of the more affordable states in the country, such as New Mexico and Kansas, are surprisingly expensive when it comes to infant care. (Gailey, 10/30)

The New York Times: Ozempic And Wegovy Ease Knee Osteoarthritis Pain In Large Study 
The blockbuster drug semaglutide, sold as Ozempic for diabetes and as Wegovy for weight loss, now has a new proven benefit: It markedly soothed knee pain in people who are obese and have moderate to severe osteoarthritis, according to a large study. The effect was so pronounced that some arthritis experts not involved with the clinical trial were taken aback. (Kolata, 10/30)

Stat: FDA: Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic And Wegovy, Long In Shortage, Now Available
All doses of Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes and obesity treatments are listed as available on the Food and Drug Administration’s drug shortage list as of Wednesday, raising the possibility that the medications could soon be taken off the list entirely, a development that could affect compounding pharmacies and patients relying on compounded drugs. (Chen, 10/30)

Houston Chronicle: Recalled Baby Powder Possibly Containing Asbestos Was Sold In Texas
Texas is now on the list of states where a baby powder potentially contaminated with asbestos was sold, according to an FDA release. The Dynarex Corporation, a New York medical manufacturer announced an expanded recall of their baby powder this week for possible health risks from asbestos. An additional 373 case items were found for the 14 oz Dynarex Baby Powder, as well as 647 cases for the 4 oz version. (Babbar, 10/31)

Stat: AstraZeneca's China President Is Under Investigation By Authorities
AstraZeneca disclosed Wednesday that Leon Wang, a high-ranking executive who oversees international operations and is also president of its subsidiary in China, is under investigation by Chinese authorities. The company added that it will cooperate, if asked to do so. (Silverman, 10/30)

Modern Healthcare: Elevance, Cigna, CVS Health Speed Up Push Into Specialty Pharmacy
Specialty pharmacy has emerged as a promising line of business for health insurance companies confronting challenges in their traditional operations. Cigna subsidiary Evernorth Health Services, Elevance Health subsidiary Carelon and Aetna parent company CVS Health have made big plays into the $400 billion market for medications that are too costly or complex for traditional pharmacies. (Berryman, 10/30)

The Atlantic: Tobacco Companies May Have Found A Way To Make Vapes More Addictive
Vapes with screens first began to hit the market late last year, and only recently have become widely accessible. Online retailers sell vapes with screens that display what appear to be planets, rockets, and cars driving in outer space. The screens are small—just a few inches wide at most—and they are cheap: These products run as little as $25, and can last for several months. ... I could see how adults like me might be enticed by the nostalgia of it all. The problem is that these vapes might also appeal to kids. (Florko, 10/30)

The New York Times: Heart-Valve Patients Should Have Earlier Surgery, Study Suggests
For decades, people with failing heart valves who nevertheless felt all right would walk out of the cardiologist’s office with the same “wait and see” treatment plan: Come back in six or 12 months. No reason to go under the knife just yet. A new clinical trial has overturned that thinking, suggesting that those patients would be much better off having their valves replaced right away with a minimally invasive procedure. (Mueller, 10/30)

Stat: Biomedical Research Uses Race, Ethnicity In Harmful Ways
Race and ethnicity are applied in inappropriate and even harmful ways in biomedical research, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine said in a report issued Wednesday, calling on scientists, research funders, and publishers to transform the way they use — and don’t use — the categories in research. (Palmer and McFarling, 10/30)

Stat: Apple Claims AirPods Hearing Aid Feature Is 'Clinical Grade.' Is It?
Apple this week officially released a batch of new health features for AirPods Pro that allow users to test their hearing and use the popular wireless headphones as hearing aids for milder forms of hearing loss. (Aguilar, 10/31)

The Texas Tribune: Second Texas Doctor Sued For Providing Gender-Affirming Care To Minors
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing a second doctor for allegedly violating state law and providing gender-affirming medical care to minors. Dr. Hector Granados is an El Paso pediatric endocrinologist. Paxton accuses him in the lawsuit of prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapy to more than 20 minors to treat gender dysphoria, or the distress someone can feel when their gender identity doesn’t match their physical appearance. (Klibanoff, 10/30)

The New York Times: House Covid Panel Refers Andrew Cuomo For Potential Prosecution 
A House subcommittee has referred former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York to the Justice Department for potential prosecution, accusing him of lying to Congress about his involvement in a state Covid report on nursing home deaths. Mr. Cuomo was accused of engaging in a “conscious, calculated effort” to avoid accountability for his handling of nursing homes where thousands of people died of Covid, according to the referral from the Republican-led House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. (Ashford and Oreskes, 10/30)

Health News Florida: Infant Mortality Rises Sharply In Northeast Florida Counties
Florida’s First Coast has seen a marked increase in an already-high infant mortality rate. A report released Tuesday by the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition shows infant deaths rising almost 19% over the past five years. That’s despite a decline in deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. (Corum, 10/30)

San Francisco Chronicle: Santa Cruz County To Ban Sale Of Filtered Cigarettes And Cigars
Santa Cruz County will prohibit the sale of filtered cigars and cigarettes, an effort to slash waste from cigarette butts which proponents said litter the coastal county’s beaches and harm marine life. The ordinance, passed by the county’s board of supervisors Tuesday, is the first county-level filtered cigarette ban in the country, according to Supervisor Justin Cummings, who introduced the measure. The ban will apply to the county’s unincorporated areas, where more than half of the county’s roughly 270,000 residents live, according to the county’s website. (Ellis, 10/30)

Pioneer Press: Area Group Leading Charge Against Daylight Saving Time
While most people in the United States get ready to mark the end of daylight saving time for 2024 by turning their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. Sunday, a group based in the western suburbs is working to put an end to daylight saving time altogether. The Coalition for Permanent Standard Time in Darien is advocating for the abolition of daylight saving time in favor of year-round standard time. The coalition of eight organizations insists that getting rid of daylight saving time would improve public health, safety, and overall well-being. (Fieldman, 10/29)

AP: Winter Depression Is Real And There Are Many Ways To Fight Back 
As winter approaches and daylight hours grow shorter, people prone to seasonal depression can feel it in their bodies and brains. “It’s a feeling of panic, fear, anxiety and dread all in one,” said Germaine Pataki, 63, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She’s among the millions of people estimated to have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. Her coping strategies include yoga, walking and an antidepressant medication. She’s also part of a Facebook group for people with SAD. (Johnson, 10/30)

CIDRAP: UK Reports Imported Clade 1b Mpox Case
The United Kingdom today reported its first imported clade 1b mpox case, a patient who recently traveled to countries in Africa that are experiencing infection in community settings. In a statement, the UK’s Health Security Agency (HSA) said the case was detected in London and that the patient has been transferred to the Royal Free Hospital’s High Consequence Infectious Diseases unit. (Schnirring, 10/30)

CIDRAP: WHO Analysis Of 67 Years Of Mpox Surveillance Data Reveals Patterns In Spread, Mutations Over Time 
A World Health Organization (WHO) analysis of global mpox surveillance from 1958 to 2024 reveals highly mobile clade 1 viruses in Central Africa, sustained human-to-human spread of clade 2b lineage A in the Eastern Mediterranean, distinct mutations that can distinguish between sustained transmission among humans with that among animals, and unique clade 1 sequences from Sudan that suggest local circulation in Eastern Africa. For the study, published last week in Nature Medicine, the team extracted 6,585 mpox sequences from GenBank and 3,914 from GISAID from 64 countries from the past 67 years. (Van Beusekom, 10/30)