Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NH Is First Northeastern State To Ban Gender-Affirming Care For Minors
The Hill: New Hampshire Bans Transgender Care For Minors, A First In Northeast
New Hampshire is the first Northeastern state to ban gender-affirming health care for minors after its Republican governor gave final approval to bills that will ban the use of certain prescription medications and surgeries to treat gender dysphoria beginning next year. Gov. Kelly Ayotte, a former U.S. senator who won New Hampshire’s gubernatorial election in November, signed two bills Friday restricting access to transition-related care in the state, which already prohibits rare genital surgeries for minors to transition. (Migdon, 8/4)
The Hill: Colorado First Blue State To Have SNAP Waiver Approved Limiting Soda
Colorado is the first blue state to have a waiver approved for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that limits the ability to buy soda and other sugary beverages, set to go into effect in March 2026. “Colorado is one of the healthiest states in the nation and has the lowest obesity rate of any state. Sadly, even Colorado’s lowest obesity rate of 24.9% is too high, and obesity endangers and shortens the lives of too many Coloradans,” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said in a Monday release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). (Suter, 8/4)
AP: New Jersey Secures Up To $2B Settlement From 3 Chemical Makers
DuPont and two other companies will pay New Jersey up to $2 billion to settle environmental claims stemming from PFAS, commonly referred to as “forever chemicals,” the companies announced Monday. State Environmental Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said the deal with DuPont, Chemours and Corteva is the largest such settlement in the state’s history. It calls for the companies to pay $875 million over 25 years and create a remediation fund of up $1.2 billion. The companies will split the costs under the deal, which must still be approved by the courts. (Shipkowski, 8/4)
WFSU: Florida Lawmakers Secure $3.75 Million To Advance Sickle Cell Treatment
Two Tampa Bay lawmakers have secured nearly $4 million to improve treatment for people with sickle cell disease. State Sen. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, and state Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, are touting state allocations for two major initiatives through the Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease Research. (Menzel, 8/4)
KFF Health News: New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway For States
When President Donald Trump signed a law adding work requirements for some Medicaid recipients, he may have undercut lawmakers in at least 14 states who were designing their own plans, according to health industry observers. Georgia is the only state with a work requirement in place for Medicaid, but several states have been pursuing such a policy for years, only to be blocked by courts or, most recently, the Biden administration. Some seek state-specific touches to the new rules. Others aim to implement work requirements before the federal law takes effect at the end of 2026. (Houghton and Sable-Smith, 8/5)
KFF Health News: This Physician-Scientist Is Taking On Trump On Behalf Of Disadvantaged Communities
As smoke from Canadian wildfires drifted across North America, and western U.S. states girded for their annual fire siege, Neeta Thakur was well into her search for ways to offset the damage of such fumes on people’s health, especially among minority and low-income communities. For more than a decade, the University of California-San Francisco researcher relied on federal grants without incident. But Thakur, a doctor and a scientist, suddenly found herself leading the charge for public health science against President Donald Trump’s political ideology. (Thompson, 8/5)
