Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
From The State Capitols: Florida Lawmakers OK Canadian Drug Imports; Maryland Targets Health Insurance Access, Drug Costs
Tampa Bay Times: Florida House Approves Drug Imports From Canada
As lawmakers seek to reach agreement on key policy issues in the final three weeks of the legislative session, the Florida House passed several healthcare bills Thursday, including measures that would allow importing prescription drugs from Canada with federal approval and encouraging patients to shop for cheaper healthcare to reduce their insurance premiums. The measures, endorsed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, are among a string of healthcare priorities championed by Speaker José Oliva, who has made deregulation in the area a key focus of his legislative agenda. (Koh, 4/11)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Legislature Passes Laws To Make Health Insurance Enrollment Easier And Create Drug Price Board
Health coverage will be easier to secure for uninsured Marylanders and prescriptions could become cheaper for government workers under legislation passed by the General Assembly, which took up a slate of related measures before adjourning for the year. One law would require the uninsured to check a box on their state tax returns to say whether they’re interested getting health coverage through the state. The other would establish a board to study the controversial idea of capping prescription costs for state and municipal employees. (Cohn and Wood, 4/11)
The Associated Press: Arizona Governor Signs Repeal Of HIV/AIDS Instruction Law
Arizona's Republican governor quickly signed a bill Thursday repealing a 1991 state law that had barred HIV and AIDS instruction that "promotes a homosexual lifestyle." The move was intended to end a discrimination lawsuit filed by LGBTQ groups. Gov. Doug Ducey's signature came less than an hour after the state Senate approved the repeal. One of the 10 Republicans who opposed the measure said she opposed sex education. Another noted that gay men are most at risk from the HIV virus. (Christie, 4/11)
Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Lawmakers Create Caucus To Focus On Black Maternal Health
The first ever Black Maternal Health Caucus is being created in the legislature to focus on improving Ohio’s wide disparity between white and black women who die within weeks of childbirth. (Siegel, 4/11)
Dallas Morning News: Fertility Fraud Is Real. The Texas Senate Approved A Bill To Make It A Crime
Texas would make fertility fraud a new category of sexual assault under a bill that won unanimous approval from the Senate Thursday. Championed by a Preston Hollow woman, the measure would make it a crime for a health care provider to implant human sperm, eggs or embryos from an unauthorized donor. (Garrett, 4/11)
Health News Florida: Telehealth Tax Credits Draw Criticism
Some Democratic lawmakers Wednesday assailed a proposal to boost the use of telehealth as a giveaway to insurance companies, suggesting that the legislation violates oft-repeated pledges of House Republicans that they don’t want to pick “winners and losers” in the economy. The GOP-controlled House is primed Thursday to pass the bill (HB 23), which is part of House Speaker Jose Oliva’s ambitious plans to overhaul the health-care system. (Sexton, 4/11)
Texas Tribune: Texas Senate Teacher Pay Raise Won’t Help Cover Health Benefits Gap
Senate Bill 3, from state Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, would give a raise to full-time classroom teachers and librarians over the next two years, at a total of $4 billion.But that relief could only go so far. For public school teachers like Amason, a $5,000 pay raise doesn’t address a deeper, systemic issue with health care in Texas: the burden placed on teachers rather than the state and district. (Milburn, 4/12)
New Hampshire Public Radio: N.H. Poised To Abolish Death Penalty After Senate Vote
The New Hampshire Senate has voted 17 to 6 to pass a bill to repeal the death penalty. The vote Thursday follows the House voting 279 to 88 -- also reaching a veto-proof majority -- in support of abolishing capital murder. (Rogers, 4/11)
