Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Judge Blocks Texas AG's Demand For Trans Minors' Medical Records
The New York Times: Texas Judge Blocks Paxton’s Request For Transgender Minors’ Records
A judge on Friday temporarily blocked the Texas attorney general from forcing an L.G.B.T.Q. organization to turn over documents on transgender minors and the gender-affirming care they may be receiving. In Texas, medical care for gender transition is prohibited for minors under a law passed last year. As part of an investigation into violations of the ban, the office of Attorney General Ken Paxton demanded early last month that the nonprofit PFLAG National, which supports families in accessing gender-affirming care for children, provide information on minors in the state who may have received such treatments. (Edmonds, 3/3)
Bloomberg: DeSantis Rejects Bill To Restrict Social Media Access For Teens
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have barred social media companies, including Meta Platforms Inc. and TikTok Inc., from serving users under the age of 16, a move that would have made Florida the first state to enact such a ban. (Smith, 3/1)
Bloomberg: UnitedHealth, Mount Sinai Dispute Threatens New Yorkers' Healthcare Access
Thousands of New Yorkers face disruptions to their medical care after one of the country’s biggest hospitals left insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s private health insurance network on Friday amid an escalating dispute. The move pits the nation’s biggest health insurer against a powerhouse medical system in New York City that operates the country’s ninth-largest hospital. Because Mount Sinai Health System wants to be paid more for its services and UnitedHealth won’t agree, the hospital operator has terminated its contract with the insurer. (Tozzi and Denham, 3/1)
The Wall Street Journal: California Homelessness Measure Pits Newsom Against Mental-Health Advocates
As Californians grow increasingly frustrated with the mental illness, drug abuse and homelessness evident on streets from San Francisco to San Diego, Gov. Gavin Newsom is staking his political capital on a multibillion-dollar ballot measure aimed at addressing all three problems. Some of his most likely supporters, including some advocates for the mentally ill, aren’t on the Democrat’s side, complicating his sales pitch to voters. (Mai-Duc, 3/3)
North Carolina Health News: Fentanyl Deaths Rising Among NC Children
In North Carolina, fentanyl contributed to the deaths of 10 children age 5 or younger in 2022. Just seven years prior, the state recorded only one death in that age group. For children ages 13 to 17, fentanyl deaths increased from four to 25 in that same time period, according to data shared with Child Fatality Task Force members. (Fernandez, 3/4)
KFF Health News: Journalists Examine Medicaid Unwinding, Farmworkers' Mental Health, And The Big Opioid Payback
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances. (3/2)
