Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
North Texas School Aims To Help Students On Medicaid With New Clinic
The Texas Tribune: Denton School Will Open A Health Clinic For Students On Medicaid
A North Texas school district plans to open a new school-based health clinic to serve its students covered by Medicaid, despite concerns from certain parents that the district is overstepping its role. Leaders in the Denton Independent School District say the clinic will make health care more readily available for its students — 49% of whom are eligible for the federal free or reduced price lunch program, an indicator of economic hardship. (Runnels, 10/20)
Stateline: 10 Medicaid Holdout States Scramble To Improve Health Coverage
The Republican-led states that have refused to expand Medicaid are trying a variety of strategies to save struggling hospitals and cover more people without full expansion, which was one of the key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. ... But health care advocates say those efforts are weak substitutes for full expansion — especially as non-expansion states continue to fare poorly on most health metrics. (Claire Vollers, 10/19)
On LGBTQ+ health —
Axios: Arkansas' Sanders Bans Gender Neutral Terms From State Documents
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order Thursday banning the use of terms like "pregnant person" and "chestfeeding" in state government documents. The terms are to be replaced with "pregnant woman" and "breastfeeding." Legislatures in all but two states introduced more than 500 bills during the 2023 session targeting the LGBTQ+ community, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. (Sparkman, 10/19)
News Service of Florida: Federal Judge Grants Class-Action Status In Florida Trans Treatment Case
A federal judge Wednesday said a lawsuit challenging new Florida restrictions on treatments for transgender people will move forward as a class action. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle issued a 15-page order that “certified” a class action in the lawsuit filed on behalf of transgender children and adults. (10/19)
In other news from Florida —
WMFE: Number Of Opioid Overdoses In Florida Is Down For The First Time In Years
Opioid overdose deaths are declining overall in the Sunshine State, according to new data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Central Florida region saw some of the biggest reductions, according to a report by Project Opioid. Opioid overdose deaths skyrocketed after the start of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. But in 2022, Florida saw a 2.6% decrease in drug overdoses, CDC data showed. (Pedersen, 10/19)
News Service of Florida: Florida Proposal Would Provide Alzheimer's Training For Law Enforcement
A Senate Republican on Monday filed a proposal that would offer training to law-enforcement officers about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, filed the proposal (SB 208) for consideration during the 2024 session, which will start in January. (10/19)
Axios: Ex-Florida Lawmaker Behind "Don't Say Gay" Bill Sentenced For COVID Aid Fraud
The former Florida lawmaker who sponsored the state's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill was sentenced to four months in federal prison on Thursday. Former state Rep. Joe Harding (R-Williston) pleaded guilty in March to wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements related to COVID-19 relief funds, according to the Department of Justice. (Habeshian, 10/19)
From California —
KFF Health News: California Moves Ahead Of The FDA In Banning Common Candy Additives
Halloween candy could be in for a California makeover. Asserting that the Food and Drug Administration has not moved quickly enough on dangerous food additives, state lawmakers last month passed the California Food Safety Act, which bans four ingredients found in popular snacks and packaged foods — including candy corn and other Halloween treats. (Sciacca, 10/20)
Stat: FDA Struggles To Regulate Food Additives, Sometimes For Decades
Richard Nixon was the president when the Food and Drug Administration issued its first warnings about brominated vegetable oil, based on reports it could harm a slew of vital organs, from the liver to the heart. But the agency still hasn’t actually banned the ingredient — it only sent a proposed ban to the White House in August. It’s been illegal in the U.K. since 1970. (Florko, 10/19)
