Latest KFF Health News Stories
Judge Says Right To Abortion May Be Included In 13th Amendment
U.S. District Court judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said Monday that there may still be a constitutional right to abortion and that the relevant 13th Amendment link had been unexplored by the Supreme Court in the Dobbs ruling, which tackled the 14th Amendment. Other abortion news is from Iowa, Tennessee, Connecticut, and elsewhere.
If You Test For Covid At Home, Let Us Know Results, FDA Says
Now that at-home testing is the norm, public health officials are having difficulty tracking covid trends, prompting a call for more people to submit results to an official site. Separately, a study suggests the tripledemic may have infected nearly 40% of U.S. households.
Covid Vax Mandate Ends For NYC City Workers; Navy’s Policy Argued In Court
New York City’s mayor is lifting requirements at the end of this week for city employees to be vaccinated against covid. And while the Navy recently did the same, holdovers from the policy are still being argued in court.
Biden Speech To Urge Cap On Insulin Costs, Narrowing Of Medicaid Gap
In his State of the Union address tonight, President Joe Biden is expected to push for a $35-per-month limit on insulin costs for privately insured Americans. Such a cap took effect for Medicare beneficiaries last month. News outlets preview other health measures that will be highlighted in the speech, like Medicaid and the ACA.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: The Next Pandemic Could Be Caused By Fungus; Doctors Are Leaving A Broken Medical System
Editorial writers examine fungus evolution, physician burnout, blood donation, and more.
Worries Of Toxic Gas Risk After Train Derailment In Ohio
Some cars in the train that derailed in northeastern Ohio contained hazardous chemicals. That, as well as a subsequent fire, has prompted evacuations and calls for people to stay away from the risk area. Medicaid coverage changes, pot sales in Missouri, and more are also in the news.
Citing Catholic Catechism, Pope Condemns Laws That Criminalize Gay People
The catechism, Francis noted, also says that LGBTQ people should not be marginalized, Reuters reported. Meanwhile in the U.S., Christian and Jewish clergy are protesting anti-transgender legislation in the Missouri legislature.
Opioid Overprescribing Case Tossed, Supporting Supreme Court Decision
A federal appeals court has overturned convictions of a doctor accused of overprescribing opioids and ordered a new trial — after the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of him earlier. Meanwhile, a painkiller ring in Florida, another overdose death record is set in Maine, and more.
Experts Call For FDA Safety Review Of Alzheimer’s Drug Lecanemab
Axios says the health experts’ concerns center around fast-track approval of Eisai’s lecanemab and whether the FDA is “cutting corners” in evaluating Alzheimer’s treatments. In other news, a pill for postpartum depression is “on the horizon,” the safety of at-home brain stimulation, and more.
Focus Falls On Doctor, Health Staff Shortages Amid Problem Wait Times
The Boston Globe reports on difficulties in getting in to see your primary care doctor in Massachusetts, caused by high demand and providers “leaving the field.” Wyoming Public Radio covers potentially worsening physician recruitment woes. In the U.K., Bloomberg covers a “record” health worker strike.
Daylong 988 Suicide Line Outage Was Caused By Cyberattack
Federal officials confirmed the Dec. 1 outage was caused by cyberattackers, prompting calls to bolster security. Meanwhile, in Houston, reports say the local crisis hotline center answers nearly half of Texas’ call tally. An IT security issue in Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare is also reported.
Cases Of Hospital-Acquired Sepsis Surged In California During Pandemic
According to state data, there was a 46% increase in cases between 2019 and 2021, the Los Angeles Times says. One possible reason for the increase is that the pandemic may have pulled attention away from other kinds of infection control, experts say.
Ruling May Come This Week In Closely Watched Case Over Abortion Pills
As The Washington Post points out, an appeal of this week’s case could eventually put it into the hands of the conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court less than a year after it dismantled Roe v. Wade and 50 years of reproductive freedom.
Less Sugar, More Whole Grains: Stricter Standards May Come For School Meals
The proposed rules, which also address sodium levels and would roll out incrementally in the coming years, were announced by the USDA on Friday and will undergo a comment period.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Ideas To Stay Ahead Of Covid Variants; What We Have Learned About Long Covid
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Connecticut Governor Plans To Cancel Billions In Medical Debt
Gov. Ned Lamont plans to use $20 million of federal pandemic aid to cancel medical debt for thousands of people in the state. Meanwhile, in Texas, concerns over a spike in Alzheimer’s among Latinos, and in Florida, reports say high school athletes may have to disclose their menstrual history.
Banning All Tobacco? Great Idea, Majority Of Americans Say
A new survey published by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers showed over 57% of respondents supporting a ban of all tobacco sales. Separately, a study of millions of Medicare beneficiaries shows that spending time in nature may lower risks for dementia.
Some Mexican Pharmacies Selling Fentanyl, Meth In Place Of Real Meds
The Los Angeles Times covers a startling situation where dangerous drugs are being sold in Mexican pharmacies. A report in CNN, meanwhile, says that pressure is rising on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to push China into doing more to stop the flow of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S.
