Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Snap Reaches Settlement In California Addiction Case Brought By Teens
Bloomberg: Snap Reaches Settlement To Avoid LA Trial In Addiction Case
Snap Inc. has settled a lawsuit filed by two teenagers who say years of compulsive scrolling and posting on the company’s photo-sharing app contributed to their mental health struggles. The agreement, reached partway through jury selection in Los Angeles, allows the company to avoid the next high-profile social media addiction trial. The case in California state court was set to be the latest test of thousands of such lawsuits. The teenagers previously reached confidential settlements with Meta Platforms Inc., TikTok and Google’s YouTube. (Mekelburg and Carville, 11/2)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Bloomberg: New York Medicaid Spending Balloons $45 Billion Over Five Years
New York’s Medicaid spending is projected to rise to nearly $134 billion in the current fiscal year, about $45 billion more than the state spent five years ago, driven by an aging population, rising medical costs, and growing enrollment in home health care. Despite a 50% increase in the federal-state program supporting healthcare for the poor and elderly, New York expects to hold Medicaid spending growth to just 1% and 1.5% for fiscal years 2028 and 2029 respectively, according to the state’s Mid-Year Financial Plan Update released Friday. (Braun, 11/2)
Capitol News Illinois: Healthcare Dispute Strikes Fear In Southern Illinois Retirees
Tim Rice is in a race against the calendar for his health. Three years after prostate cancer first upended his life, Rice, 65, learned in May that the disease had returned. This time, his doctor at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, part of BJC HealthCare, recommended brachytherapy, a form of radiation therapy that places radioactive material inside or near the area being treated. (Ritter, 11/2)
The Baltimore Sun: Benzodiazepine Detections Rise In Maryland Drug Samples
The Baltimore City Health Department is warning of increased detections of benzodiazepines in Maryland’s illicit drug supply. The sedatives can make overdoses harder to treat. (Bell, 11/2)
The New York Times: Runner, 24, Dies During Her First New York City Marathon
Rachel Apa collapsed in Central Park. The cause was rhabdomyolysis, a rare muscle condition that can be brought on by exertion, her father said. (Newman, 11/2)
