Latest KFF Health News Stories
House Votes To Protect Contraception Rights
House Democrats are pushing to protect access to contraception ahead of any potential Supreme Court rulings on the matter — a threat indicated by Justice Clarence Thomas’ opinion in the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Same-sex marriage rights are also in the news. Prospects in the Senate are uncertain.
Biden Administration Pressed On Efforts To Control Monkeypox Spread
Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Patty Murray wants HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra to brief lawmakers on the U.S. response to rising cases of monkeypox. Meanwhile, experts are watching the progress of critical vaccine programs.
Texas Abortion Law Hits Miscarriage Care; Georgia Ban Now In Effect
Legal uncertainty around abortion has already impacted some patients’ access to life-saving procedures and medicines in Texas, including for one woman who detailed her distressing story. In Georgia, a federal court allows a six-week “heartbeat” law to go into effect. And Planned Parenthood challenges a century-old law in Arizona.
DOJ May Initiate Or Join Suits Against States Limiting Abortion Access
Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Department of Justice will “use every tool we have to ensure reproductive freedom,” and will ask a judge to toss a Texas lawsuit challenging federal rules that doctors perform abortions to save the life of the mother.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Medicaid Expansion Needed To Keep Rural Hospitals Open; Monkeypox Messaging Is Important
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Perspectives: New Antibiotic Development Lacks Funding; FDA Must Approve OTC Birth Control Quickly
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
B6 Linked With Lowered Anxiety; FDA Approves Opzelura For Vitiligo Treatment
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
WHO Warns That Covid Is Racing Upward In Europe
Separately, the World Health Organization also is reported to have quickly improved its cybersecurity after surprise hacking attempts during the early pandemic. Plus, WHO data shows that the global flu level was stable in June. Meanwhile, China has a bubonic plague case.
Covered California Premiums To Jump 6% Next Year
The individual health insurance premium price rises are due to increasing demand for health care in a market unsure about future federal assistance. Meanwhile, a lawsuit alleges Florida’s Medicaid program is improperly denying coverage for incontinence products.
FBI Halts North Korean Hacking Effort Targeting US Hospitals
The FBI worked with the Justice Department, and not only did the effort disrupt ransomware attacks, but it also recovered ransom payments and cryptocurrency. Separately, a Mississippi hospital putting itself up for sale says it’s because of a lack of Medicaid expansion in the state.
Study: Higher Mortality Rates Seen In Hospitals Strained By Covid Patients
A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association notes that during the first pandemic wave in 2020 there was a link between higher death rates after surgery and the number of covid patients in the hospital — patients seeking care late, and pandemic disruptions are blamed.
As More People Died Of Overdoses In 2020, Racial Disparities Grew, Too
The CDC reported that overdose deaths leapt during the first year of the pandemic, but among Black people, Native Americans and Alaska Natives the numbers were much worse. Separately, U.S. monkeypox cases are nearing 2,000.
House Members Among Abortion Protesters Arrested At Supreme Court
Dozens were arrested at a rally Wednesday, including 17 lawmakers. In other government news: the FDA will evaluate its food and tobacco programs. And efforts to push an assault weapons bill in Congress remain stalled.
Feds, Local Governments Start To Prep For Growing Extreme Heat Threats
President Joe Biden is expected to announce moves his administration will urge or order to address the health and infrastructure dangers of climate change. Some cities are also allocating resources to the issue, hiring “chief heat officers.”
Omicron Subvariants Fuel Covid Surge Across California
While this summer’s rise in cases could rival or exceed the winter surge, experts say that many of those who are falling ill are getting less severely sick than during previous waves of covid. Other news on the pandemic looks at long covid and mask mandates.
Covid Forever? Most Think Virus Will Be Around For Rest Of Their Lives
When asked if “we will never fully be rid of the coronavirus in my lifetime,” 78% of the Americans surveyed agreed. Meanwhile, the dominance of the omicron BA.5 subvariant grows.
House Protects Same-Sex Marriage; Birth Control Vote May Be Up Next
It’s unclear how the gay rights bill will fare in the Senate. Meanwhile, The Washington Post reports that Senate Democrats are expected to force a vote Thursday on a bill that would increase federal funding through Title X for family planning services, including more access to birth control.
Pressure Grows For Texas To Impose Charges On Those Who Aid Abortion
More than 70 GOP state lawmakers are pushing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to enforce a nearly century-old law. Meanwhile, the Texas Tribune and ProPublica report on the “hypocrisy” surrounding Texas’ decision to decline to expand Medicaid coverage, leaving single mothers without proper care.
Biden Focusing On Protecting Access To Abortion Pills, Sources Say
Politico reports that the administration considers it the most feasible of the White House’s limited options and that it would have the most immediate effect. In other abortion news, the OB-GYN who performed an abortion on a 10-year-old Ohio girl is planning to sue the Indiana attorney general.
