NY Hospitals Caught In The Middle Of Federal-State Trans Care Tug-Of-War
New York providers, wary of losing federal funding in light of President Donald Trump's executive order to halt gender-affirming treatments, are told they would be violating state law if they don't provide such care. More news comes from Missouri, California, Colorado, and Indiana.
The New York Times:
N.Y. Attorney General Warns Hospitals Against Canceling Transgender Care
The New York attorney general, Letitia James, has warned New York hospitals that complying with the White House’s executive order that seeks to end gender-affirming medical care for transgender young people could well violate state law. The warning, in a letter the attorney general’s office sent Monday morning to health care providers and other organizations, puts hospitals at the center of a conflict between the federal government and state authorities. (Goldstein, 2/3)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Missouri Republicans Push To Make Ban On Transgender Care For Minors Permanent
A Missouri House committee will consider four bills Monday that would continue limits on gender-affirming care for minors beyond a 2027 expiration date. The current law, which prevents minors from receiving puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, is set to expire in August 2027. The Republican bills would get rid of the expiration date. (Bitterman, 2/3)
In news from California —
CBS News:
State, Local Officials Call For Federal Action To Protect Families From Pollutants After Deadly Wildfires
Following the deadly wildfires that ravaged communities in Los Angeles and left behind acres of destruction, several local and state officials are calling for federal action to protect families against dangerous pollutants. At a news conference Monday morning, U.S. Representatives Judy Chu, Laura Friedman, Brad Sherman, Pasadena Vice Mayor Jess Rivas and Pasadena Public Health Director Manuel Carmona asked for the creation of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency task force to regularly monitor air quality in the LA area. (Hylton, 2/3)
Politico:
A New California Bill Takes On Chatbot Addiction
A new California bill aims to tackle chatbot addiction. A Democratic California lawmaker wants to protect kids from developing addictions to artificial intelligence chatbots amid growing nationwide concern that the technology may be detrimental to youth mental health, POLITICO’s Tyler Katzenberger reports. The bill, introduced late last week by California state Sen. Steve Padilla, would mandate that AI platforms limit kids’ exposure to algorithms that reward users at random intervals to keep them engaged in conversation with chatbots. (Paun, Reader and Schumaker,2/3)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Study Reveals Rise In Advanced Prostate Cancer In California
A new study from UCSF reveals an “alarming” rise in advanced prostate cancer rates across California. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open last week, highlight a significant increase in aggressive cases over the past decade. Researchers suggest that this surge may be linked to changes in screening guidelines that have reduced routine prostate cancer screening, potentially delaying the diagnosis of aggressive tumors. (Vaziri, 2/3)
KFF Health News:
For California Farmworkers, Telehealth Visits With Mexican Doctors Fill A Gap
This coastal valley made famous by the novelist John Steinbeck is sometimes known affectionately as “America’s salad bowl,” though the planting and harvesting is done mostly by immigrants from Mexico. For Taylor Farms, a major global purveyor of packaged salads and cut vegetables, that’s made it a logical place to pioneer a novel type of health care for its workforce, one that could have broad utility in the smartphone era: cross-border medical consultations through an app. (Clayton, 2/4)
More health news from across the U.S. —
The Colorado Sun:
Colorado Poised To Raise The Minimum Age To Buy Ammunition To 21
Colorado is poised to raise the minimum age to buy firearm ammunition to 21 and require that retailers keep bullets in an enclosed display or behind a counter where customers could not access them without assistance. (Paul, 2/4)
Politico:
City Hall Reveals Data On Involuntary Hospitalizations
It’s been over two years since Mayor Eric Adams rolled out a controversial policy expanding involuntary hospitalization to get more people with serious mental illnesses off the streets and the subway, but his administration has released little information on its impact to date. ... The data shows that law enforcement personnel, mental health clinicians and homeless outreach teams conducted at least 7,700 involuntary “removals” under Adams’ policy last year — meaning individuals were transported against their will to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. (Kaufman and Cordero, 2/3)
KFF Health News:
Indiana Governor Appoints Business Leader To Shake Up Health Care
Gloria Sachdev has spent years challenging the health care industry, trying to bring down the high cost of care. It’s working, even in an unlikely place: Indiana, which has had some of the nation’s highest hospital prices. Over the past few years, Indiana lawmakers have passed bills pushed by Sachdev that target complex and sometimes wonky health policy issues. (Liss, 2/4)
