Latest KFF Health News Stories
Editorial writers discuss the following public health topics.
States With Abortion Restrictions Are Losing Young, Educated Population
Meanwhile, the New Mexico Supreme Court unanimously voted to protect abortion rights; a new program in Washington allows pharmacists to prescribe abortion pills via telehealth; medical students in Texas create AI abortion care training; and more.
In Letter To Senate, 15,000 Doctors Say They’re ‘Appalled’ By RFK Jr. Pick
They strongly urged U.S. senators to reject Robert Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Health and Human Services Department. “His appointment is a direct threat to … the public,” the letter said. In other news: Donald Trump might be trying to pin a public health threat on immigrants in order to build a case for closing the border.
Federal Judge Rolls Back Protections For Transgender Students Nationwide
While the Biden administration viewed the regulation as protecting the rights of trans students, opponents saw it as harming girls and women who might object to sharing a bathroom with a transgender person, The Washington Post reports. Plus: Meta’s policy change will allow dehumanizing speech against LGBTQ+ people.
Hazardous Air Quality Is Taking A Toll On Californians Caught Near Wildfires
Emergency room doctors report waves of patients with breathing problems as smoke increases fine particulates in the air. Health officials also are monitoring the potential mental health toll wildfires can take on people directly exposed to the disaster.
Med Schools See Steep Drop In Black, Hispanic Enrollees After Court Ruling
Stat reports that the number of Black enrollees fell by 11.6% compared to last year, and the number of Hispanic enrollees fell 10.8%. Also in the news: UnitedHealth Group, Amedisys, Prospect Medical, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, health reimbursement arrangements, and more.
First Edition: Friday, Jan. 10, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
UM Health-Sparrow Workers Threaten To Strike After Contract Talks Stall
Nurses and other health care workers in Michigan want increased wages, better benefits, and improved working conditions. The five-day strike will start Jan. 20. More industry news is about Blue Shield of California restructuring, a Molina-Innovive partnership, AMD’s investment in Absci, and more.
Opinion writers discuss the following public health topics.
USDA Says 15 More States Have Signed Up For National Milk Testing Program
The program, which began Dec. 6 in the wake of ongoing H5N1 outbreaks at dairy farms, now includes 28 states covering 65% of the country’s milk production. Other public health news is on chronic wasting disease, Guillain-Barre label warnings for two RSV vaccines, and more.
Massachusetts Takes On Private Equity In Health Care
Democratic Gov. Maura Healey said the goal of a new oversight law is to prevent “bad actors [who] exploit vulnerable hospitals.” Meanwhile, a Virginia hospital faces health care fraud charges; San Francisco gets a new mayor and a new plan to deal with the fentanyl epidemic; and more.
As Social Media Misinformation Grows In The US, Other Nations Fight Back
Meta’s decision to stop fact-checking doesn’t apply to the EU, which has sweeping rules that require social media firms to do more, not less, to prevent harm. One Nobel Peace Prize winner warned that Meta’s move could create “a world that’s right for a dictator.”
Biden Administration Bumps Up Annual Cap For Addiction Treatment
Contingency management participants will be eligible to receive up to $750 a year — via voucher or gift card — if their urine tests negative for drugs. Meanwhile, the fate of Affordable Care Act subsidies doesn’t appear to be on thin ice this time around when the GOP takes control of Congress. Plus: Today is a national day of mourning.
UnitedHealth In Hot Seat Over Policies After CEO Slaying Exposes Public Anger
Shareholders have asked for details about how UnitedHealth Group’s tactics that curb care have affected patients. This comes as a Texas doctor details her frustrating experience with the insurer. Meanwhile, in the wake of the killing, J.P. Morgan Chase has increased security for its conference.
Wildfire Smoke A Major Health Threat As Deadly Blazes Rage In Los Angeles
The air quality index is above 500 in some places near the wildfires, which one health scientist called “absolutely huge.” A typical day in the often smoggy city might rank near 60. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people in and around Richmond, Virginia, have no clean water after Winter Storm Blair.
First Edition: Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers delve into these public health topics.
Outgoing Surgeon General Vivek Murthy’s Advice: ‘Choose Community’
Scroll down to our “Editorials and Opinions” section to read his full “parting prescription.” Meanwhile, links are found between herpes, concussions, and Alzheimer’s disease; drinking milk may cut bowel cancer risk; and the timing of coffee consumption affects health benefits.
To Guard Against Health Care Cuts, Proposed Calif. Budget Has No Deficit
But Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, warned that steep cuts threatened by incoming President Donald Trump could throw his fiscal plans into disarray. In other news, Ohio’s former health director, a Democrat who guided the state in the early days of the pandemic, is running for governor.
