Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Florida Rules Will Prevent Medicaid Coverage Of Gender-Affirming Care
The Washington Post: Florida To Bar Medicaid Coverage For Those Seeking Gender-Affirming Care
Transgender Floridians of all ages will soon no longer be able to use Medicaid to help pay for gender-affirming care under a new state rule, a move that comes as Gov. Ron DeSantis’s administration pursues policies increasing restrictions on medical treatments like puberty blockers and hormone therapy. Florida joins at least 10 other states — including Arizona, Missouri and Texas — in barring residents from using Medicaid to pay for several often-prescribed medications and surgeries for those diagnosed with gender dysphoria. The rule was published Wednesday and is slated to go into effect August 21. (Branigin and Gowen, 8/11)
In other news from Florida —
WLRN 91.3 FM: Appeals Court Upholds Safety Rules For So-Called 'Brazilian Butt Lifts'
An appeals court Wednesday rejected a challenge to an emergency rule approved by the Florida Board of Medicine to place additional restrictions on procedures known as “Brazilian butt lifts.” (8/11)
In mental health news from California, Nevada, Wyoming, and Kentucky —
The Wall Street Journal: California Bill Targeting Social-Media Giants For Harm To Children Dies In Legislature
California lawmakers killed a bill Thursday that would have allowed government lawyers to sue social-media companies for features that allegedly harm children by causing them to become addicted. The measure would have given the state attorney general, local district attorneys and city attorneys in the biggest California cities authority to try to hold social-media companies liable in court for features they knew or should have known could addict minors. Among those targeted could have been Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms Inc., Snapchat parent Snap Inc., and TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance Ltd. (Donaldson, 8/11)
Las Vegas Review-Journal: Teen Suicides On Rise In Nevada, Health Officials Say
As numbers show that teen suicide in Nevada is once again on the rise, state officials and community advocates gathered Thursday to announce a new partnership aimed at reducing suicide across the state. (Longhi, 8/11)
Wyoming Public Radio: Conference Hopes To Increase Awareness On Mental Health And Wellness Of First Responders
First responders will soon be gathering in Casper for the first-ever First Responder Health and Wellness Conference. The conference, which will run from August 22-24 in Casper will offer police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and dispatchers, workshops and training on proper sleep, mental health, recognizing symptoms when people start to struggle and intervention methods. (Kudelska, 8/11)
AP: Kentucky Launches Judicial Commission On Mental Health
Kentucky’s Supreme Court has launched a commission aimed at improving the judicial system’s approach to cases involving mental health, substance use and intellectual disabilities. The new Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health will work to improve the practice, quality and timeliness of the judicial response to cases involving those needs. (8/12)
In updates on West Virginia's opioid crisis —
AP: WVa AG Reaches Settlement With Rite Aid Over Opioid Supply
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has reached a settlement with Rite Aid that may total up to $30 million in a lawsuit alleging oversupply of opioids at pharmacies in the state, he said Thursday. “Money will not bring back the lives lost from this epidemic, but we are looking for accountability,” Morrisey said in a statement. (8/11)
