Latest KFF Health News Stories
Obama To Join Biden At White House Celebration Of ACA
The event Tuesday, part of a Biden administration push to highlight efforts to help Americans with pocketbook issues, will celebrate the law’s impact in lowering health costs and expanding access to care.
House Votes For Federal Decriminalization Of Marijuana
Measures in the bill, passed Friday in a House vote, would also expunge pot-related federal convictions, tax cannabis producers and importers and prevent the federal government from denying security clearances over marijuana use. Similar Senate legislation is unlikely to move forward.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Updates Will Make The ACA Even Better; New ALS Drug Should Not Get FDA Approval, Yet
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Opinion writers examine these covid issues.
Iowa’s Additional Pandemic SNAP Benefits End Today
The move, part of a public health decision by Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, could see people losing as much as $230 a month in benefits, according to the Iowa Hunger Coalition. Meanwhile, in Maine, there are worries PFAS contamination could mean more freshwater fish get “do not eat” warnings.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KHN finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on covid, medical gaslighting, TikTok tics, mental health on Madison Avenue, the “Cave” at Berkeley, and more.
Illegal Opioids Increasingly Laced With Animal Sedative Xylazine
Already dangerous illegal drugs in Chicago and elsewhere are reportedly even more dangerous now that the veterinary drug is part of the mix; the sedative is showing up in more autopsies of opioid-related deaths. A peanut butter recall, end-stage kidney disease, and more are also in the news.
Biden Offers Vocal Support On Transgender Day Of Visibility
President Joe Biden released a supportive message on trans matters, noting transgender people were “deserving of dignity, respect and support.” The State Department announced Thursday that an “X” gender marker would be allowed on U.S. passports. And Florida’s governor was sued by LGBTQ+ students.
New Hampshire’s Strict Abortion Ban Gets Fetal Anomaly Exception
The post-24-week abortion ban had exceptions only for situations where the pregnancy threatened the mother’s health, but the House then added an exception for fatal fetal anomalies. PBS NewsHour, meanwhile, calls Oklahoma’s anti-abortion law a “tipping point” for the future of abortion access.
Approving Aduhelm Diminished Trust In FDA, Califf Acknowledges
The controversial approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm generated much media discussion, but Dr. Robert Califf, the new head of the Food and Drug Administration, says it also hurt trust in the FDA among the expert community. Meanwhile, reports say drug, health supplies shortages are ongoing.
Longer Postpartum Medicaid Coverage Begins Today In North Carolina
The updated provision extends the coverage from 60 days after birth to one year. Other Medicaid news is from Maryland, Connecticut, Idaho, and elsewhere.
Hospice Nurse Staffing Also Hit By Pandemic Shortages
Modern Healthcare reports that the hospice care industry has also been suffering the same kind of staffing issues during the pandemic as other medical services. Meanwhile, in Boston, Atrius Health is laying off dozens of nurses as pandemic needs wane.
EPA Allows Trump Administration Call On Water Contaminant To Stand
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday it will not regulate percholate, a chemical that has been linked to infant brain damage. The agency says it’s following the “best available peer reviewed science,” but the decision to uphold this Trump-era policy — that many environmental scientists denounced at the time — shocked public health advocates.
Being Pregnant Makes Risk Of Breakthrough Covid Soar
Axios and the Washington Post cover data showing pregnancy is linked to nearly double the risk of having a breakthrough covid infection. Organ transplants are similarly correlated to breakthroughs. Other media outlets cover more covid matters, including 44 countries being under 20% vaxxed.
Maternal Mortality Rate Has Increased, And Covid’s Mostly To Blame
From 2019 to 2020, the maternal death rate in the U.S. rose from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births to 23.8 deaths — a nearly 37% increase over 2018. Covid in pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm delivery, blood clots, stillbirth, and preeclampsia, said Dr. Jason Melillo, an OhioHealth OB-GYN.
‘Sad Or Hopeless’: CDC Warns Of Looming Teen Mental Health Crisis
A CDC study finds that 44% of American teens report that they feel “persistently sad or hopeless” — up from 37% before the pandemic. The numbers get even worse for LGBTQ+ youth: 75% report emotional abuse in the home, and 20% say they’ve experienced physical abuse. “These data echo a cry for help,” said Debra Houry, a deputy director at the CDC. “The covid-19 pandemic has created traumatic stressors that have the potential to further erode students’ mental well-being.”
House Advances Bill Capping Insulin Prices At $35 A Month
Republicans overwhelmingly opposed the bill, which they say could cause insurance premiums for everyone to rise. The measure now moves to the Senate, where it faces stiff opposition and where advocates are hoping a bipartisan effort might offer a compromise that could win passage.
Senate Nears Covid Aid Deal That Chops Biden Ask By More Than Half
Senators negotiations reached “an agreement in principle” on a $10 billion covid funding package that would boost federal pandemic efforts to test, treat and vaccinate Americans. Most of the money for global vaccination efforts has been stripped from the proposal, which falls far short of the $22 billion the Biden administration says is needed.
Map Of Human Genome Completed, Filling ‘Gaps In Our Knowledge’
New technology allowed scientists to finish the final 8% of the genome, but putting it to use for medical care could still take years.
