Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
Amid Eating Disorder Surge, Colorado Restricts Diet Pill Sales To Minors
Colorado’s acting governor is taking steps to address the use of BMI in determining treatment of eating disorders and to limit sales of diet pills. Separately, North Carolina’s legislature has passed an insurance bill that will let Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina reorganize.
Weight-Loss Surgeries For US Youngsters Have Risen In Recent Years
New data on weight-loss surgery for people ages 10 to 19 show a 20% jump in 2021 over 2020’s figure. Rates for such surgery also rose between 2019 and 2020 for minors, though rates for adults dipped, Bloomberg notes. Other news includes heart and brain health matters.
Survey Reveals Widespread Racism Inside Nursing Industry
In a new survey of nursing professional by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 80% of respondents said they have seen or experienced racism from patients, and 60% from colleagues. Also in the industry news: ongoing high expenses for hospitals; a CMS official urges no rush for Medicaid redeterminations; and more.
If You Ate Out And Got Food Poisoning, It Could Be A Sick Worker’s Fault: CDC
Federal health officials have concluded that about 40% of restaurant food poisoning outbreaks with a known cause between 2017 and 2019 are linked to a sick or contagious food worker who showed up while ill. In other news, good sleep is linked to lower odds for developing long covid, and more.
Bucking His Party, Nevada’s Republican Governor Enshrines Abortion Protections
Gov. Joe Lombardo says he will respect the will of voters who codified abortion rights up to 24 weeks in a 1990 referendum vote. Meanwhile, Wisconsin Republicans have introduced legislation seeking to clarify what constitutes abortion, and the U.S. Space Command gets caught up in the abortion debate.
Loophole In Law Will Shield Sackler Family From Future Opioid Lawsuits
A federal appeals court on Tuesday cleared the way for a bankruptcy deal for opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sacklers. The ruling overturns a lower court’s ruling in 2021.
Anti-Hunger Groups Condemn Punitive Work Requirements In Debt Deal
NBC News says Republicans argue that expanding SNAP work requirements will push people to get jobs, but anti-hunger advocates say such measures don’t impact participants’ employment and merely punish them by taking away food. Other new outlets report on the debt deal’s progress.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Texas School Safety Bill Requires Armed Person At Each Campus
News outlets cover what the Texas Tribune called a “sweeping” school safety bill, which is now on the governor’s desk one year after the mass shooting in Uvalde. The bill requires arming personnel and mental health training for some employees. Other news is from California, New York, and elsewhere.
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
Pay-For-Primary-Care Physicians Ticked Up Last Year, Didn’t Beat Inflation
A report in Modern Healthcare says that while the rise in primary care physicians’ compensation was higher for 2022 than 2021, it wasn’t enough to offset the impact of last year’s inflation. Also in the news, a device maker that sold fake parts for pain devices, new heart drug approvals, and more.
AI Finds Possible New Antibiotic To Fight Drug-Resistant Bacteria
In a promising piece of scientific news, researchers used artificial intelligence to predict a new antibiotic that could fight a drug-resistant bacteria found in medical settings. Media outlets also report on Neuralink, IVG, Parkinson’s, 5G, heart health, and more.
FDA Warns About Risk From Poppers; Worries Over Kratom’s Side Effects
The Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert about poppers, which are being accidentally drunk. Separately, USA Today examines the over-the-counter herbal Kratom phenomenon, looking at the drug’s side effects and withdrawal. Also: ticks, the oral polio vaccine, mammograms, and more.
Study: Medicare Drug Negotiations May Resist Some Legal Challenges
A new report suggests that plans by drugmakers to sue Medicare over its efforts to negotiate prescription drug prices may fail in some cases, with parts of the law likely to prove resistant to challenges. Meanwhile, The Hill examines concerns millions are losing Medicaid coverage.
Covid Largely In Americans’ Rearview Mirror This Holiday Weekend
As a survey shows that the majority of Americans view the pandemic as over, CDC data reinforces that the threat is waning with covid hospitalizations and deaths continuing to decline.
Judge Halts Enforcement Of South Carolina’s 6-Week Abortion Ban
South Carolina’s restrictive abortion ban is on hold until the state’s Supreme Court reviews the new measure. Other abortion news is reported from Indiana, Ohio, California, Alabama, and Texas.
With Pride Events, Summer Travel Ahead, Officials Urge Mpox Vax
Although the mpox health emergency is over, public health officials are asking the public to remain vigilant and to get vaccinated as Pride celebrations and the summer travel season are on the horizon.
Medicaid Work Requirements Not Part Of Debt Deal; Unspent Covid Funds Are
Health measures included in the proposed debt ceiling package, agreed to in principle by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the weekend, also include work requirements for some SNAP recipients and preserve spending on veteran health care. Now both sides are working to secure enough votes to pass the deal.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
