Latest KFF Health News Stories
10 Years After Sandy Hook: How Gun Violence Has — And Hasn’t — Changed America
In a statement Wednesday marking the Dec. 14, 2012, massacre of 20 elementary school students and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School, President Joe Biden said Americans have a “moral obligation to pass and enforce laws that can prevent these things from happening again.” Meanwhile, the parents of those killed push through their unspeakable grief with the hope that their children won’t be forgotten.
US Deaths Down 7% Over Last Year, But Still Higher Than Before Pandemic
Based on trends for the first 11 months of this year, the country is on track for its first annual death decline since 2009. But the numbers still look to be 19% higher than they were in 2019, before covid struck.
Free At-Home Covid Test Kits Again Available Through Federal Website
While warning Americans of a possible winter covid surge, the Biden administration is shifting its dwindling relief funds to open CovidTests.gov back up for free orders. Every household is eligible for four tests.
CMS Takes Aim At Growing Problem Of Misleading Medicare Advantage Ads
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed a rule to ban some deceitful advertising by Medicare Advantage plans that use confusing imagery or language or don’t name the health insurance plan’s name. The growing number of such ads have led people to sign up for plans that don’t cover their doctors or prescriptions.
Research Roundup: CRISPR; Covid; Cluster Headaches; Cardiac Tissues
Each week, KHN compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Perspectives: Is CRISPR The Antidote Of The Future?
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Viewpoints: Congress Must Pass Funding For 988; Can Tackling Social Disparities Lift Life Spans?
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Studies Show It Takes About 40 Days For Mpox To Clear System
CIDRAP reports on studies into viral clearance times for mpox, showing time between symptom onset and viral clearance in 90% of cases was around 40 days, and highest viral DNA concentrations were in the skin. Also: high blood pressure after giving birth, stress and blood pressure, and more.
Over Half Of Those Hurt, Killed In Car Crashes Had Drugs Or Alcohol In System: Study
AP reports on a large study into car crashes in the U.S., which found that more than half of car crash victims had one or more drugs or alcohol in their blood — THC was the most prevalent substance found. Separately, alcohol abuse costs in Massachusetts are estimated at $5.6 billion annually.
Antibiotic Resistance Is Getting Worse, WHO Report Finds
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Concerns Rise Over Health Startups Sharing Patient Data With Big Tech
Stat and The Markup report on what’s said to be “out of control” health data sharing. Separately, AP reports that it’s actually hard to reach New Mexico’s Medicaid providers by phone to schedule appointments.
White House Set To Tackle Ambulance Ride Surprise Bills
News outlets report on efforts to tackle unpredictable bills after taking an ambulance ride. The Biden administration is set as of January to kick off the work of a new advisory committee aimed at stopping the practice.
Maternal, Infant Death Rates Were Already Higher In States That Now Ban Abortion
An analysis of 2020 data finds overlap between the states with the high maternal and infant death rates with ones that have banned or restricted abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June.
Covid Cases Among Veterans Have Nearly Doubled In Past Month
In other pandemic news, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said he is requesting a grand jury investigation into alleged “crimes and wrongdoing” related to the covid vaccine and is also forming a state committee to counter policy recommendations from the CDC.
Biden Signs Respect For Marriage Act, Supporting Same-Sex Rights
The bill mandates federal recognition for same-sex marriages and stops states from denying the validity of out-of-state marriages based on sex, race, or ethnicity. The Salt Lake Tribune says Church of Latter-day Saints leaders were at the signing event, praising the law’s religious exemptions.
CDC: Long Covid Played A Part In More Than 3,500 Deaths
The research from the CDC is the first of its kind in the U.S. But one expert tells Stat that “the challenge is that the data they have provides only a floor of an estimate of the mortality burden of long covid.”
HHS Moves To Make Permanent Pandemic-Driven Opioid Treatment Options
The Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule that would maintain opioid treatment flexibilities instituted during the covid emergency, including easier access to drugs like methadone for home use and for providers to prescribe them via telehealth.
In A First, MRNA Vaccine Effective Against Melanoma, Study Finds
The experimental skin cancer vaccine from Moderna, combined with Merck’s Keytruda, cut the risk of death or recurrence by 44%, the companies said Tuesday.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
