Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Minnesota's Recent Medicaid Reimbursement Was 1,000 Times Less Than It Expected
MPR News: Minnesota Medicaid Reimbursements Totaling More Than $112M Denied By Trump Administration
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has denied Minnesota more than $112 million in Medicaid reimbursements for the quarter ending Sept. 30, 2025, raising concerns about the potential impact on more than 1 million state residents who rely on the program. (Zurek, 11/10)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Cardinal News: Tie Vote Again Delays Advancement Of Plan To Close State-Run Long-Term Care Facility
Virginia lawmakers again delayed a vote Tuesday to advance plans to close Hiram Davis Medical Center, a state-run long-term care and skilled nursing facility in Petersburg. (Schabacker, 11/11)
Maryland Matters: Maryland Health Panel Backs Insurer Tax, Drug Price Limits
A healthcare coverage watchdog group is urging lawmakers to free up funding to meet a “desperate need” for revenue to keep people insured. The Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission recommended Tuesday that legislators extend a 1% tax on insurance carriers. They also backed legislation that would make it easier for state officials to lower certain prescription drug costs. (Brown, 11/11)
New Hampshire Public Radio: NH Lawmaker Proposes Bill To Classify Kratom As A Dangerous Drug, Similar To Heroin
A New Hampshire state senator has proposed a bill to classify kratom under the strictest level of drug controls, indicating it has a high potential for abuse. Sen. Bill Gannon, a Republican from Sandown, wants the state to classify kratom as a Schedule 1 drug. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also seeking to categorize synthetic kratom as a Schedule 1 drug, similar to heroin. (Tuohy, 11/11)
The Texas Tribune: Texas Could More Closely Review Abortion-Ban Deaths
With a power shift imminent at the Texas Capitol, advocates are more hopeful than ever that incoming elected officials will finally empower the state’s beleaguered maternal mortality committee to review abortion-related deaths. (Draeger-Mazer, 11/10)
AP: New Law Has Barely Budged Conservatorships For Mental Health Treatment
Californians braced for major upheaval three years ago when Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law meant to bring people with severe mental illnesses and addictions off the street and into involuntary treatment. Families who championed the measure hoped it would be the answer to their prayers – a tool that finally would compel their loved ones to receive treatment through conservatorship. Disability rights advocates who opposed the law warned it would traumatize large numbers of people by forcibly medicating them and removing their rights to make decisions about their own care. (Kendall and Wiener, 11/11)
AP: 5 Michigan Cities Voted To Create ‘Health Action’ Boards. Now What?
Amid growing concerns over medical costs, voters in five Michigan cities last week approved measures to create new citizen-led boards that will recommend ways to lower costs and improve healthcare policies. How the boards will function is not clear, nor is the source of funding for the successful ballot campaigns. Liberal “dark money” groups spent nearly $3 million on the initiatives, which were spread across two toss-up congressional districts represented by Republicans who lost their reelection bids. (Schuster and Erb, 11/11)
North Carolina Health News: Period Poverty Bill Sought By HPU Students
High Point University senior Tatum James and three classmates spent about 10 minutes on Monday trying to convince former High Point Mayor Jay Wagner to support legislation forbidding states from taxing products to help women manage their menstrual cycles. (Fernandez, 11/12)
KFF Health News: Dubious Buys Raise Alarm Over Local Control Of Opioid Cash
State and local governments spent about $3.7 billion in opioid settlement funds last year. That’s more than the median annual income of 42,000 American families combined. The money comes from companies that were sued for aggressively pushing painkillers and fueling the opioid crisis. (Pattani, 11/12)
KFF Health News: Opioid Settlement Cash And Homelessness: It’s Not Always Clear How Addiction Fits In
Jason Fazekas has spent most of his adult life on the street or behind bars. He was addicted to heroin for decades and often stole to support his habit. On rainy days, he slept in building stairwells to stay dry. On winter mornings, he woke up with fingers too numb to bend. That all changed in September when he moved into a one-bedroom apartment in East Haven, Connecticut. (Pattani, 11/12)
