Latest KFF Health News Stories
77 People Died ‘Without The Dignity Of A Home’ In DC This year
The Washington Post covers the grim death statistic that was reported by the District’s medical examiner, with intoxication, the cold, and homicide among the causes. Meanwhile, the Salt Lake Tribune reports that five unsheltered residents died in recent days, likely due to recent winter weather.
3M Says It Will Stop Making PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’ In 2025
PFAS chemicals have been in the spotlight, the Wall Street Journal says, as concerns over their alleged health and environmental impacts grow. Separately, the Environmental Protection Agency will propose new national drinking water standards for two key PFAS chemicals by the end of 2022.
Viewpoints: Pump Act Will Help Families If Passed; End To China’s ‘Zero Covid’ Could Be Disastrous
Editorial writers examine breastfeeding rights, covid, sickle cell and more.
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
White House Shares Ownership Data For All Medicare-Certified Hospitals
Stat notes the move is part of the Biden administration’s goal of improving transparency and boosting competition. The data span over 7,000 hospitals. In other news, the Wall Street Journal explains how hospitals’ drug price discounts don’t necessarily lead to lower patient bills.
Republicans Block Unanimous Consent Bid To Protect IVF, Birth Control Access
Axios reports Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican, blocked a bid to pass by unanimous consent a bill to add federal protections for birth control and IVF. Meanwhile, in San Diego, an anti-gun law was blocked — but California’s governor approved, saying the decision reflected on Texas’ anti-abortion law.
CDC Warns ‘Tripledemic’ Levels Could Stay High For Weeks, Maybe Months
A spokesperson for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tells Fox 5 D.C. that the agency anticipates that flu, RSV, and covid infections could remain at this high level for “several more weeks, or possibly even months.” Meanwhile, over-the-counter medications used to treat these respiratory viruses are running low.
Covid Subvariant BF.7 In Spotlight After Surge In China
CBS News focuses attention on an omicron covid subvariant virus named BF.7. The variant emerged in late 2021 but is now concerning due to being the main variant spreading in Beijing and driving a surge across China. Also in the news: covid vaccine efficiency, long covid, mask mandates, and more.
Medicaid Enrollment Nears 100 Million, But Millions May Lose Access In April
A report in Axios says the number of Americans on Medicaid could hit the 100 million mark — around 1 in 3 people — as soon as next month. But AP notes that rules in the new $1.7 trillion spending plan could see millions of enrollees who signed up during the pandemic booted off Medicaid early.
DEA Seized 379 Million Doses Of Fentanyl This Year In Record Haul
The Drug Enforcement Administration says that it confiscated double the amount of fake pills disguised as the deadly and addictive synthetic opioid in 2022 than it did the previous year. Other news on the drug epidemic is reported from Minnesota and California.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Bill Related To Accelerated Approvals Reportedly Tweaked To Please Drugmakers
Stat reports on how some provisions in a bill designed to make it easier to withdraw drugs previously approved under accelerated timelines were pulled after drugmaker opposition. Also in the news: Truepill, Eli Lilly, Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, sickle cell drugs, and more.
Viewpoints: Strep Is The Newest Anxiety For Parents; Misinformation Has Brought Back Measles
Editorial writers delve into these public health concerns.
To Beat Shortages, Health Care Systems Turning To Retired Staff
Modern Healthcare covers efforts to recruit retired clinicians to deal with Delaware staffing shortages. Other news includes overstretched workers in a children’s hospital, plaudits for a Maine rural hospital, analysis of mental health 911 calls in California, and more.
Once-Skeptical Doctors Gain Confidence In Alzheimer’s Blood Tests
“They are simpler than a PET scan, they are simpler than a spinal tap,” says Harvard Medical School neurologist Reisa Sperling, who was unsure about the tests a few years ago but now is convinced they are almost ready for widespread use, Bloomberg reported. Other public health news is on mpox, obesity, mental health, and more.
Mass. High Court Rules Against Allowing Physician-Assisted Deaths
News outlets report on legal moves against doctors being allowed to prescribe lethal doses of medication to terminal patients in Massachusetts. The procedure isn’t protected by the state constitution, the state’s highest court ruled, and could lead to a manslaughter prosecution.
California Considers Decriminalizing ‘Magic’ Mushrooms, Other Psychedelics
A bill introduced Monday could lead to the decriminalization of certain psychedelics in California, a move that supporters say could lead to treatment options for substance abuse disorders and some mental health issues. Also: anxiety and medical weed, a spike in fentanyl use and more.
Gun Injuries, Deaths Among Kids Rose Precipitously During Pandemic
News outlets report on investigations into gun violence during the pandemic: data show that while the number of children who were killed rose sharply in 2020, the number injured and killed by guns also did. The majority of homicides were among Black children.
FDA Panel Will Meet In January To Discuss Modifying Covid Vaccines
The committee will consider “whether and how the composition of currently available primary vaccines should be modified” and whether booster shot composition and schedules should be adjusted to attack virus strains, the FDA said in a news release.
Worries Rise Over New Covid Variants Spurred By China’s Outbreak
Covid’s impact on the Chinese economy, which will influence the rest of the world, is also in the spotlight. And Reuters focuses on data concerns over the low number of deaths officially reported in the country.
