Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Number Of Abortions In Florida Fell More Than Any Other State In 2024
Axios: Abortions In Florida Plunged More Than Any Other State In 2024, New Data Shows
The number of clinician-provided abortions in Florida declined last year more than in any other state, according to a new analysis. Why it matters: The data shows just how much the six-week ban that went into effect last year limited abortion access for Floridians and residents of Southern states who once relied on the Sunshine State as a haven for access. (Varn, 4/15)
AP: Wyoming Supreme Court To Hear Arguments Over Abortion Bans Struck Down By A Judge
Wyoming abortion bans put on hold and struck down by a lower court judge, including the first explicit U.S. ban on abortion pills, will be argued Wednesday before the state’s Supreme Court. ... One law would ban abortion except to protect to a pregnant woman’s life or in cases involving rape and incest. The other would make Wyoming the only state to explicitly ban abortion pills, though other states have instituted de facto bans on abortion medication by broadly prohibiting abortion. (Gruver, 4/16)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The Hill: Three GOP States Pushing To Ban Candy And Soda From SNAP
Three GOP-led states are moving to strip unhealthy items from their food stamp programs that help low-income Americans afford groceries. Arkansas became the first state Tuesday to submit a waiver to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) asking for permission to change its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to ban soda and candy. Separately, Indiana and Idaho announced their intensions to seek similar waivers. (Weixel, 4/15)
Bloomberg: Newsom Defends California Pollution Plan In Face Of Trump Attack
Governor Gavin Newsom is seeking to extend California’s key pollution-reduction program even as President Donald Trump ramps up attacks on the state’s climate efforts. The cap-and-trade program, currently set to expire in 2030, places annual emission limits on companies and allows them to buy permits if they exceed their limit. The program has funded $28 billion in investments across California as of last year, the governor’s office said in a statement Tuesday. (Clanton, 4/15)
Stat: Salvation Army Faces Class-Action Suit Over Denying Addiction Medications
A federal judge has given the go-ahead for a class-action lawsuit that could radically expand Americans’ access to lifesaving addiction medications. The perhaps surprising defendant: The Salvation Army, the Christian charity known more for its thrift stores than for its nationwide network of addiction treatment facilities. (Facher, 4/16)
AP: Sleep Training For Teens? These Schools Teach How To Get Enough Rest
The topic of a new course at Mansfield Senior High School is one that teenagers across the country are having trouble with: How to Get to Sleep. One ninth grader in the class says his method is to scroll through TikTok until he nods off. Another teen says she often falls asleep while on a late-night group chat with friends. Not everyone takes part in class discussions on a recent Friday; some students are slumped over their desks napping. Sleep training is no longer just for newborns. Some schools are taking it upon themselves to teach teenagers how to get a good night’s sleep. (Gecker, 4/16)
