Latest KFF Health News Stories
The state administrative panel won’t hear the case until August, but the clinic can remain operational until then. Meanwhile, Administrative Hearing Commissioner Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudi indicated it’s likely the clinic will win its battle against the state in the end. “This has been a week-to-week fight for our patients and every Missourian who needs access to abortion care,” said Dr. Colleen McNicholas, an attending physician at the St. Louis clinic.
The Supreme Court decided against hearing a case on an Alabama law prohibiting a type of surgical abortion used in the second trimester of pregnancy. While Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with the decision itself, he also made clear that he wants the court to address the hot-button issue.
The suit — the first filed against the state law — is brought by the ACLU, Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of Georgia abortion providers and reproductive rights advocates. The strict law was expected to illicit a court challenge, and could be one of the abortion cases headed to the Supreme Court.
But Judge Dolly Gee of the Central District of California ordered the independent monitor to work with federal officials to remedy conditions “post haste.” The quality of the detention centers where young immigrants are being held grabbed national attention after reports of abusive, neglectful conditions emerged. In other news from the border: threats of deportation have a chilling effect on domestic violence reports; an elite border patrol medical unit helps the most desperate; and immigrants still contemplating crossing into U.S. despite high-profile deaths.
The rule on expanded protections for health workers who say their moral beliefs interfere with performing certain procedures was set to take effect on July 22, but HHS agreed to delay it until at least Nov. 22.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Woman Whose Fetus Died After She Was Shot Charged With Manslaughter, Yet Accused Shooter Goes Free
Marshae Jones of Birmingham was five months pregnant when she was shot during an argument. On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Jones on a manslaughter charge. But now Jefferson County prosecutors say they have not yet made a decision whether they will prosecute the woman.
Editorial pages focus on these health care topics and others.
Flu vaccines are made each year to protect against three or four different kinds of flu virus, and this season’s shot turned out to be a mismatch against the bug that showed up late. News on vaccinations looks at hepatitis A, HPV, and exemptions.
Major Hospital Systems In South Dakota, Iowa To Merge To Create Another Regional Giant
The deal between Sanford Health and UnityPoint Health is just the latest big merger in the industry. Deal-making is remaking the landscape by consolidating local hospital markets, forming regional powerhouses and creating new national giants. Hospital news comes out of Washington, Illinois, Florida and Texas.
The drafters of the legislation, facing fierce opposition, had to make some compromises that led the public option to being much more moderate than originally intended. As the rest of the country starts to shift toward universal health care as a goal, there can be lessons learned about what kind of obstacles states and federal lawmakers will face. In other state insurance news: health law insurers are still making money off the exchanges, a church pays off medical debt, a look at Blue Shield’s decision to cover digital coaches, and more.
U.S. Government Argues It Is Entitled To Portion Of Oklahoma’s $270M Opioid Settlement
When states recover penalties in Medicaid fraud cases, which Oklahoma did when it won its the lawsuit against Purdue Pharma, it is common to reimburse federal agencies for their share. The state has until October to give its response. News on the opioid epidemic is from Florida and Ohio, as well.
FDA Issues Warning That Medtronic Insulin Pumps Are Vulnerable To Potential Hacks
Medtronic began notifying patients about the issue Thursday, saying a hacker could potentially connect wirelessly to a nearby insulin pump to change settings or control insulin delivery.
Democrats Target Trump Administration’s Handling Of Medicaid With New Investigation
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) is questioning CMS’ push for changes such as block grants and per-person spending caps.
Gilead has said it will donate 2.4 million bottles per year of Truvada for PrEP to the effort, and has previously denied accusations that the negotiations to do so have any connections to patents. But on Thursday Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) demanded details from Gilead’s discussions with the U.S. government over the deal.
Ex-FDA Head Scott Gottlieb Takes Seat On Pfizer’s Board Of Directors
After resigning as FDA commissioner in March, Scott Gottlieb now joins the pharmaceutical industry he once regulated. In other pharma news: details emerge about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s drug pricing proposal; a few states explore importing drugs from outside the U.S.; the future of biologics; and more.
Doctors, lawyers and other advocates are suing the Trump administration over what they say is inhumane treatment for young immigrants in U.S. custody.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced that in an effort to get the aid to the children at the border, she would give up her push to get the Senate to compromise on the Democrats’ demands. The decision came after an hour-long phone call with Vice President Mike Pence, who agreed that lawmakers would be notified within 24 hours after the death of a child in custody and to a 90-day time limit on children spending time in an influx facility, according to a source familiar with the agreement.
Multiple candidates spoke up about the need for gun control, including Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), who decried the fact that parents now have to remember what their children are wearing when they set off for school, in case they have to identify their bodies later. Former Vice President Joe Biden suggested smart guns should be the way to go, while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) promised to “ban the sale and distribution” of assault weapons. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg also took responsibility for the turmoil in his city in recent days stemming from the fatal shooting of a black man by a white police officer. Other health news out of the debate focuses on drug prices and ageism.
Immigration was a hot topic at the second night of debates as the crisis at the border escalates amid troubling reports of inhumane treatment. When asked if they would support granting health care coverage to U.S. residents, regardless of immigration status, all candidates raised their hands. Meanwhile, fact checkers call the candidates out on their rhetoric about babies being kept in cages.
