Latest KFF Health News Stories
DEA Nominee Chronister Bows Out
Also, news outlets weigh the fallout of some of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans and policies: a reduced home health and long-term care workforce if certain immigrants are deported; and more than 3 million Medicaid recipients at risk of losing coverage.
First Edition: Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these topics and others.
Visceral Fat May Be Early Marker Of Alzheimer’s
New research points to a link between excess belly fat in middle age and shrinkage in the memory centers of the brain, which could be an early indicator of a future Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In other news, ProPublica reports that formaldehyde is the most cancerous air pollutant in the country: “Nobody in the United States is safe.”
Texas Activists Advocate Shoring Up Ailing Rural Maternal Health System
A set of proposals titled “The Rural Texas Maternal Health Rescue Plan” will be put in front of legislators for the upcoming session. Almost half of all Texas counties offer no maternity care services. Other news includes a death penalty case in Texas; mental health in Colorado and California; and more.
Health Systems Shifting To Outpatient Care As They Adapt To Changing Needs
Organizations are eyeing expansion of out-of-hospital care and are downsizing their acute care network as patients get comfortable with in-and-out procedures and home recovery.
Even Negotiated Medicare Prices Of 10 Drugs Higher Than In Peer Nations
Researchers analyze the prices on drugs negotiated by Medicare, in comparison to what they cost in other countries. Other Medicare news relates to Medicare Advantage ratings, open enrollment, and veterans.
Wary Of Restrictions From Trump, Transgender People Stock Up On Meds
President-elect Donald Trump has said he would “sign an executive order instructing every federal agency to cease the promotion of sex or gender transition at any age” on his first day in office, The Guardian notes. Plus: LGBTQ+ news from the Supreme Court, Utah, and Boston.
Justices Hint At Support Of FDA’s Reach Regarding Sweet Vapes Hawked To Kids
The Supreme Court’s decision on whether the FDA acted properly in preventing companies from marketing fruit-flavored e-cigarettes is expected in the coming months, AP says. However, the incoming Trump administration could change the rules. Trump himself has dithered on the subject.
House Covid Panel Releases Final Report Critical Of Pandemic Response
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic criticized efforts of the WHO, as well as social distancing and mask mandates, and credited Operation Warp Speed. Also in covid-related news, Donald Trump’s health agency nominees, nursing homes, and more.
Idaho Adults Who Harbor Or Transport Girls For Abortions Can Be Punished
Although the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Idaho’s abortion trafficking law may stand, it did rule that language prohibiting “recruiting” activity to obtain an abortion is overly broad and unconstitutional. Other abortion news is from Wisconsin and California.
First Edition: Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: AI Is The Future Of Medicine; Red State Policies Worsen Obesity Epidemic
Editorial writers tackle these public health issues.
Workplace Tensions Bubble Up At Calif. Lab Crucial To Tracking Bird Flu
As bird flu cases rise, the Los Angeles Times reports that workers at the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory say they are overworked and feeling burned out. Also in public health news: hepatitis A, rabies, salmonella, and more.
Drug Crisis Survivors At Tip Of Aging Generation With Big Health Issues
Although overdose deaths are dropping nationally, The Wall Street Journal reports on the millions of former drug users who are entering old age and living with compromised health. Other substance abuse stories report on fentanyl, future painkillers, and alcohol.
More Than 2,000 Vets — Many From Minn. — Had Their Health Data Stolen
The cyberattack also compromised veterans’ information in health care systems in Boston, Baltimore, and elsewhere. More news comes from Maine, Idaho, Michigan, and Indiana.
‘Talent Shortage’ Threatens Advances In Cancer-Fighting Treatment
Although interest in new radiopharmaceuticals to treat cancer is high, there is a shortage of professionals with the expertise to develop and administer them. Also, 1 in 3 cancer patients struggle with depression, but mental health is not being prioritized enough.
Despite Amendment, Missouri Attorney General Will Enforce Abortion Limits
The amendment was expected to reverse the near-total abortion ban in the state, but GOP Attorney General Andrew Bailey says the ban will continue to be enforced after fetal viability. Meanwhile, Arizonans voted to overturn the 15-week abortion ban, but Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes says the nullification has to happen in the courts.
50,000-Panel AIDS Quilt Is Displayed On White House Lawn For First Time
In a speech commemorating World AIDS Day on Sunday, an emotional President Joe Biden decried the “stigma of misinformation” and failures of the U.S. government to act when the epidemic was raging, news outlets reported.
What Will Become Of The NIH, ‘Crown Jewel’ Of The Federal Government?
The New York Times reports that many fear a second Trump administration will weaken the National Institutes of Health, divesting from critical research with long-lasting consequences for science, innovation, and public health.
