USA Today: Mapping Of Human DNA Is Complete. Here's What That Means For Humanity
Scientists are finally done mapping the human genome, more than two decades after the first draft was completed, researchers announced Thursday. About 8% of genetic material had been impossible to decipher with previous technology. Completing the final pieces is like adding the continent of Africa to a map of the globe that lacked it, said Michael Schatz, who participated in the research and is a professor of computer science and biology at Johns Hopkins University. Missing that 8% still allowed scientists to get the gist of the story of human genetics, said Jonas Korlach, chief scientific officer of Pacific Biosciences, the company whose technology was used to fill the gaps. (Weintraub, 3/31)

CNN: Scientists Sequence The Complete Human Genome For The First Time 
The new research introduces 400 million letters to the previously sequenced DNA – an entire chromosome’s worth. The full genome will allow scientists to analyze how DNA differs between people and whether these genetic variations play a role in disease. The research, published in the journal Science on Thursday, was previously in preprint, allowing other teams to use the sequence in their own studies. Until now, it was unclear what these unknown genes coded. (Ahmed, 3/31)

The Wall Street Journal: First ‘Gapless’ Human Genome Map Is Unveiled, Years After Earlier Effort
Exploiting the new map for medical care would likely take years of additional research, said Wendy Chung, a Columbia University geneticist who wasn’t involved in the effort. But the map “gets us to the starting line,” she said, adding, “We have patients with diseases that we know are genetic but we haven’t been able to identify. I hope this map will help us fill in some of the gaps in our knowledge.” (Dockser Marcus, 3/31)

NBC News: A Human Genome Has Finally Been Fully Decoded
This legwork could one day assist researchers in identifying the genetic causes of disorders, untangling the mysteries of what drives some cells to become cancerous and help explain how different groups of people developed different traits over time, such as the ability to thrive at high altitude. “It’s a landmark,” said Steve Henikoff, a molecular biologist and a professor at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington, who was not involved in the project. (Bush, 3/31)

The Baltimore Sun: Johns Hopkins Scientists Join Others To Complete The Human Genome, Expanding Potential For Better Health Care 
The work cost in the millions of dollars, but it was a far cry from the billions used to create the draft, said Adam Phillippy, consortium co-chair and head of the National Human Genome Research Institute’s Genome Informatics Section. The cost and complexity mean it’s not yet common for people to have their genes mapped out, but the new findings and advancements in technology could make it far cheaper and more common for doctors to go looking for genetic defects in their patients that have immediate implications or effects down the line, he said. (Cohn, 3/31)

The Washington Post: Lawmakers Close On Covid Funding Deal That Halves White House Request 
Key Senate lawmakers said Thursday they had agreed on a framework to continue funding coronavirus vaccines, antiviral treatments and other supplies for Americans, but that would drastically cut plans to help vaccinate millions of people around the world. “We’ve reached an agreement in principle on all the spending and all of the offsets,” said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who has led negotiations for Republicans after they balked at the need for $15 billion in new funds, and House Democrats raised concerns about a planned compromise. (Diamond and Roubein, 3/31)

Bloomberg: U.S. Senators Near Deal On Smaller Bill To Fund Covid-19 Fight
Utah Senator Mitt Romney, the top GOP negotiator on the bill, said Thursday afternoon that there is an agreement in principle but that Republicans are awaiting a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. Romney said $1 billion in global vaccine funding could be added but only if other funding is cut to keep the total at $10 billion. The bill, he said, would be fully paid for, including by using unspent money previously allocated to aid businesses.  (Wasson, Ruoff and Litvan, 3/31)

Roll Call: Senate Close To COVID-19 Aid Deal; Global Funds In Question
The offsets negotiators agreed to include $2.2 billion from unused grant funds for venues like zoos and theaters and $2 billion in untapped assistance to the aviation and manufacturing industry, Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said. His comments to reporters came after a Republican Conference lunch in which lead GOP negotiator Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah briefed his colleagues on the agreement in principle. The agreement, if it holds, would likely leave out $5 billion in foreign assistance from the $15.6 billion total congressional leaders had previously agreed to in negotiations over the fiscal 2022 omnibus funding package. The COVID-19 supplemental was stripped out of the omnibus after some Democrats objected to $7 billion in state aid that was being tapped for one of the offsets, and lawmakers have spent the past few weeks negotiating a new package of offsets. (McPherson and Weiss, 3/31)

Politico: Senate Closes In On $10B Covid Aid Deal Despite Dem Frustrations 
Some in the majority party are deeply unhappy with the compromise being negotiated with Republicans, warning that leaving out global aid will have consequences. That spells possible trouble for the package’s fate in the House. And as they left for the weekend, Senate Democrats said the fight for international vaccine money is not over. (Ferris, Everett and Scholtes, 3/31)

In related news —

USA Today: End To COVID-19 Emergency Could Jeopardize Medicaid For Millions In US
What was initially viewed by Congress and public health experts as a temporary measure to maintain health coverage during a once-a-century pandemic has dragged on for more than two years with Medicaid sign-ups ballooning to 78.9 million as of November, the most recent figures available. Now the public health emergency is set to expire April 16. An Urban Institute report estimated up to 12.9 million Americans could lose Medicaid if the public health emergency is not extended. The end of the emergency also would ripple across other pockets of the health care industry. Federal agencies created temporary initiatives to subsidize private health insurance, improve access to telehealth, provide additional funding to hospitals and make it easier for companies that make medical devices, tests and treatments to bring their products to the market under emergency use. (Alltucker, 4/1)

KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Funding For The Next Pandemic
President Joe Biden released his budget proposal for 2023 this week, and it calls for a nearly 27% increase in funding for the Department of Health and Human Services. That includes $28 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement a preparedness program for future pandemics and $40 billion for HHS to invest in making vaccines and other medicines. Also, the FDA and the CDC authorized a second booster shot for most people 50 and older. But federal officials offered little advice to consumers about who might need that shot and when. (3/31)

Los Angeles Times: House Passes Bill To Lower Insulin Costs, But Prospects Unclear In Senate
The House moved Thursday to revive one of the more popular provisions of last year’s failed social safety net package, passing a narrow healthcare bill that would dramatically lower out-of-pocket costs for insulin users. The bill passed by a vote of 232 to 193, with 12 House Republicans joining all Democrats in support. The measure would cap insulin costs at $35 a month for consumers enrolled in private health insurance plans or Medicare. Currently, based on the patient’s condition and choice of treatments, costs can range from $334 to $1,000 a month for insulin, according to a 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation report. (Kaur, 3/31)

The Wall Street Journal: House Passes Bill Capping Insulin Costs At $35 A Month 
Some patients, particularly those without health insurance or coverage requiring high out-of-pocket payments, are forced to ration or skip doses of insulin because of its high price. According to a 2018 report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, the price of a vial of one type of insulin jumped to $234 from $35 between 2001 and 2015. Three companies produce all of the insulin in the U.S., shielding the drug from generic competition that often lowers the price of other drugs, according to the report. (Duehren, 3/31)

NBC News: House Passes Bill To Cap Out-Of-Pocket Insulin Costs
The overwhelming majority of House Republicans opposed the bill, underscoring the steep climb it faces when it arrives in the Senate, where it will need support from at least 10 GOP senators to pass if all Democratic-voting senators back it. Republicans argue that the measure wouldn't adequately address rising prescription drug prices and that it would raise premiums and worsen inflation. (Richards, 3/31)

NPR: House Passes Bill To Cap Insulin Prices
Critics of the bill argue the cap alone doesn't do enough to solve the underlying problem of rising prescription drug prices. "We want lower prices for drugs, particularly for insulin," said Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga, during debate. "But instead of fixing a broken system, this bill aims to control it," he adding, calling the bill a "socialist plan." (Sprunt, 3/31)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

Politico: Senators Revive School Lunch Debate With Bill To Extend Universal Free Meals 
Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Lisa Murkowski introduced a bill Thursday that would allow the nation’s schools to serve free meals to all students for another year. The move comes after Republican leadership objected to extending the pandemic flexibility in a recent spending bill — a surprise move that enraged school leaders and anti-hunger advocates across the country. “Senator [Mitch] McConnell said ‘no,’” Stabenow (D-Mich.) recounted in an interview. She noted that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which she chairs, were surprised by the minority leader’s stiff opposition in the final days of omnibus talks. (Bottemiller Evich and Calefati, 3/31)

The Washington Post: CDC Warns Of A Steep Decline In Teen Mental Health 
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning of an accelerating mental health crisis among adolescents, with more than 4 in 10 teens reporting that they feel “persistently sad or hopeless,” and 1 in 5 saying they have contemplated suicide, according to the results of a survey published Thursday. “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.” (Balingit, 3/31)

AP: Pandemic Took A Toll On Teen Mental Health, US Study Says
CDC officials said that the pandemic did not affect teens equally. LGBT youth reported poorer mental health and more suicide attempts than others. About 75% said they suffered emotional abuse in the home and 20% reported physical abuse. By comparison, half of heterosexual students reported emotional abuse and 10% reported physical abuse, the CDC said. (Stobbe, 3/31)

USA Today: 'A Cry For Help': More Than A Third Of High Schoolers Report Poor Mental Health During COVID, CDC Study Finds
Additionally, more than a third of students said they experienced racism. The highest levels were reported among Asian students, with two-thirds reporting they experienced racism before or during the pandemic. Fifty-five percent of Black students or students of multiple races reported experiencing racism. Racism in adolescence "can have a negative impact on their self identify and their feelings about themselves," said Dr. Ariana Hoet, clinical director of "On Our Sleeves," a program backed by experts with Nationwide Children's Hospital. "We know that children can go through this rejection of their home culture and race when experiencing a lot of racism at school, wishing that they weren’t a part of that family or home because of what they’re hearing." (Rodriguez, 3/31)

The New York Times: Many Teens Report Emotional And Physical Abuse By Parents During Lockdown
It also found high rates of reported abuse, with 55.1 percent of teenage respondents saying they suffered emotional abuse from a parent or another adult in their house in the preceding year, and 11.3 percent saying they suffered physical abuse. In the survey, emotional abuse was defined as swearing, insulting or belittling; physical abuse was defined as hitting, beating, kicking or physically hurting. (Barry, 3/31)

In related news about mental health —

Houston Chronicle: Texas Schools Don't Have Enough Mental Health Providers, And Leaders Are Failing To Fix It
Half of all mental illness begins by age 14, the American Psychiatric Association found. And the U.S. Department of Education highlights school counselors, social workers, nurses and psychologists as critical in identifying mental health concerns in children. But at no point since 2013 did any Texas school district have the professionally recommended student-to-provider ratios in all four positions, a Houston Chronicle investigation found. That means for nearly a decade, more than 5 million kids in Texas schools each year have gone without appropriate access to mental health professionals. (Lamm and Stuckey, 3/31)

Stat: As Research Grows On Primary Care And Serious Mental Illness, A Glaring Gap Remains
Laura Brown knows that she has high cholesterol, and that as someone who lives with bipolar 1 disorder, she faces even higher risk of cardiovascular problems. It’s constantly on her mind. But going to a doctor’s office for routine care is almost entirely out of the question. She’s a 35-year-old single mother whose two children have their own mental health complications, and experiences intense anxiety about leaving her home. “I know I need to, but it’s hard to find a doctor that isn’t going to look at me like I’m crazy,” Brown said. (Gaffney, 4/1)

Columbus Dispatch: COVID-19 And Pregnancy: More New Mothers Die Amid Pandemic
From 2019 to 2020, the rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. increased by nearly 20%, a potential indication of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on maternal health outcomes. The maternal death rate in the U.S. rose from 20.1 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019 to 23.8 deaths per 100,000 in 2020, marking an 18% increase, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's a nearly 37% increase since 2018, when there were 17.4 deaths for every 100,000 live births, a figure which was already more than double the rate of most other wealthy, developed nations, according to a report by the Commonweath Fund, a private U.S. foundation whose stated purpose is to "promote a high-performing health care system." (Henry, 3/31)

In other news about the spread of covid —

The New York Times: William Burns, Head Of The CIA, Tests Positive For Covid 
William J. Burns, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, a day after meeting with President Biden. The meeting was not considered a close contact for Mr. Biden because the two practiced social distancing and Mr. Burns was wearing an N95 mask, according to a C.I.A. statement. Mr. Biden tested negative on Wednesday when he was screened as part of regular health monitoring, an administration official said. (Barnes, 3/31)

Bloomberg: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Tests Positive For Covid
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tested positive for Covid. On Thursday his office said a positive result came up during a regularly scheduled test and that the 64-year-old Democrat was “currently asymptomatic and feeling well.” He plans to cancel in-person events and isolate for the next five days. Murphy, who started his second term in January, ended his routine Covid briefings on March 4 2020, two years after New Jersey’s first Covid-19 case was reported. That day, Murphy awoke from successful cancer surgery to learn that New Jersey had its first reported case. Follow-up tests show he is in good health, with no recurrence, he told Bloomberg News this month. (Young, 3/31)

AP: Hawaii Sees Increase In COVID-19 Omicron Variant Cases 
Mirroring much of the U.S. and the world, Hawaii is seeing an uptick in the more transmissible BA.2 omicron variant. According to a state Department of Health report, BA.2 now makes up four out of every 10 new coronavirus cases in Hawaii. (3/31)

CIDRAP: Unhealthy Lifestyles Linked To Poor COVID-19 Outcomes
Unhealthy lifestyles are associated with more severe COVID-19 outcomes, according to a large UK study yesterday in BMC Infectious Diseases. The study was based on UK-Biobank, a prospective cohort of 502,536 participants aged 37 to 73 years recruited from 2006 to 2010 and followed up in the ensuing years. The cohort tracks nine unhealthy lifestyle traits, including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, poor diet, physical inactivity, sleep duration, and television viewing time. (3/31)

CIDRAP: Hospitalized US Indigenous Patients Had Higher COVID-19 Death Rates
Hospitalized American Indian and Alaska Native COVID-19 patients died at a significantly higher rate than their Black and White peers early in the pandemic, despite being younger and having lower rates of underlying illnesses, shows a study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. (3/31)

Also —

New Hampshire Public Radio: State And Hospitals Don’t See Eye To Eye On Counting COVID Hospitalizations 
It looked like exceptionally good news Wednesday when the state reported just seven COVID-19 hospitalizations, far fewer than the 20 to 25 reported over the prior week. It was good news – just not the whole picture. That drop reflected the state’s new way of defining COVID-19 patients, not the number of COVID-19 patients hospitals say they are treating. They put that number at 104 Wednesday – 74 of whom are no longer infectious but too ill to be discharged. That more complete count is crucial, hospitals say, to measure the true burden COVID-19 is putting on the hospitals, especially when that burden limits their ability to care for non-COVID-19 patients. (Timmins, 3/31)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Hospitals Face Residual Effects Of COVID-19
Bed capacity in intensive care units remains low in the Cincinnati region as hospitals attempt to recover from the omicron surge that staggered the community just two months ago. Area health experts say residual effects of the latest spread such as lingering COVID-19 patients, and the return of many non-COVID patients and procedures, are the main reason why ICU and medical-surgical beds are still stuffed with sick patients even while virus-related hospitalizations continue to plummet. (Sutherland, 3/31)

KHN: As US Nears 1 Million Covid Deaths, One Hard-Hit County Grapples With Unthinkable Loss 
Connie Houtz didn’t think covid would be that bad. She’d seen many people in this rural hamlet in central Pennsylvania get infected yet recover within a few days. She did not get vaccinated because she worried about how a new vaccine, developed in record time, might affect her heart condition. Last October, her youngest son, 45-year-old Eric Delamarter, developed a chest cold. He put off going to the doctor because he had customers waiting at his shop where he repaired cars, she said. When he finally went to the emergency room at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and covid. (Galewitz, 4/1)

Salt Lake Tribune: Updated: New Records Detail Complaints Against TestUtah, From ‘Piles’ Of Ignored Samples To ‘Contaminated’ COVID Tests
Flawed work by the TestUtah initiative run by Nomi Health poses an imminent threat to public health and safety, federal investigators concluded earlier this month. At one TestUtah site in January, an inspector saw a “pile” of processed rapid tests ignored for an hour and a half, even though results are only valid for a 5-minute window. At another, an inspector found “contaminated” test kits sitting on a laboratory table right next to yogurt, rice cakes and a bag of Cheez-Its. At a third, a regulator noticed swabs with patient samples and unused swabs stuffed together in a cart outside in below-freezing temperatures. (Alberty and Rodgers, 3/31)

Axios: Study: Pregnancy Nearly Doubles Risk Of Breakthrough COVID
Pregnancy nearly doubles the chances a person will have a breakthrough COVID-19 infection, according to new study released Thursday. The findings, from Wisconsin-based company Epic, analyzed millions of patient records to home in on what comorbidities increase a person's risk of contracting the coronavirus while fully vaccinated. Pregnancy topped the list, according to the findings first reported by the Washington Post. Pregnant individuals were 1.91 times more likely to have a breakthrough case when compared to the rest of the population. (Garfinkel, 3/31)

The Washington Post: Pregnant People At Much Higher Risk Of Breakthrough Covid, Study Shows 
The new study goes beyond what has previously been understood, suggesting that even pregnant people who are fully vaccinated tend to have less protection from the virus than many other patients with significant medical problems. “If you are fully vaccinated, that’s magnificent,” said a lead author of the study, David R. Little, a physician who is a researcher at Epic, a Wisconsin company that maintains electronic patient records for nearly 1,000 hospitals and more than 20,000 clinics across the country. “But if you are fully vaccinated and become pregnant, you remain at higher risk of acquiring covid.” (Goldstein and Keating, 3/31)

In other news about vaccines and covid pills —

The CT Mirror: CT Doesn't Expect To Mandate 2nd COVID Booster Shots
State officials are encouraging people with multiple co-morbidities and older residents — especially those over 65 — to get a second booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, recently approved for those 50 and older. But for now, officials are not considering mandating second booster shots for nursing home staff and other long-term care facility workers. In January, Gov. Ned Lamont issued an executive order requiring those employees and any contractors who work with nursing homes get a COVID-19 booster shot. “I do not anticipate that we are going to be moving in that direction,” Dr. Manisha Juthani, Connecticut’s public health commissioner, said Thursday. (Carlesso, 4/1)

Axios: 44 Countries Have COVID Vaccination Rates Under 20% Despite Supply Increase
COVID vaccine supply struggles are easing, but in 44 countries — most of them in Africa — less than 20% of the population is fully vaccinated. In 19, the rate is under 10%. Those countries "have doses now, and they know that there are more doses available," says Seth Berkley, CEO of the Gavi vaccine alliance and point person for the global COVAX initiative. After a year of waiting for vaccine doses, the primary concern is now delivery. (Lawler, 3/31)

Bloomberg: Covid Pills Won’t Help End the Pandemic If People Can’t Get Them
With thousands of Covid deaths a day, time is the one thing the world doesn’t have. Whenever the virus starts to subside, new variants or subvariants pop up, causing fresh spikes in cases. Knowing the critical role Pfizer’s drug could play in quashing the virus, health organizations, researchers, and companies are working to accelerate Paxlovid production beyond what is currently forecast and bring down the high cost of manufacturing. “We need to see what’s possible and if we can go faster,” says Janet Ginnard, strategy director at Unitaid, the health agency that’s helping to coordinate Covid drug deployment. Unitaid is working with partners exploring how to increase manufacturing yields and helping countries boost testing to get the therapy to more people, she says. (Paton, 4/1)

And in news about covid mandates —

AP: Idaho Senate Fails To Override Coronavirus Vaccine Bill Veto 
The Idaho Senate on Thursday failed to override Republican Gov. Brad Little’s veto of legislation making it illegal for most businesses to require the coronavirus vaccine. The Senate didn’t muster the two-thirds majority vote necessary to keep alive the “Coronavirus Pause Act.” The vote was 21-14. (Ridler, 3/31)

Anchorage Daily News: Alaska Lawmakers Decline Mandates Amid COVID Outbreak, Raising Questions About Further Disruption
The Alaska Capitol’s coronavirus outbreak grew to nearly three dozen active cases Thursday, as lawmakers say there’s little political will to enact tougher measures than voluntary masking and testing. Some 10% of the 400 legislators and support staff working at the Capitol have tested positive in the past few days. And the Legislature’s official figures — 33 active cases as of Thursday — exclude at least two additional infections detected on at-home tests, and two cases among media, confirmed by the Daily News. At least four legislators have publicly confirmed testing positive in recent days: Anchorage Democratic Reps. Chris Tuck and Ivy Spohnholz, North Pole GOP Rep. Mike Prax and Anchorage Democratic Sen. Tom Begich. (Herz, 3/31)

Los Angeles Times: Most Californians Favor COVID Vaccine Requirements, Poll Finds
Most Californians still favor COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements to show proof of vaccination at large outdoor gatherings or to enter places like indoor restaurants and bars, a new survey suggests. The findings from the Public Policy Institute of California, based on a poll conducted March 6-17 of almost 1,700 adults statewide, indicate continued overall support for the sort of health interventions that have been widely relaxed amid dwindling coronavirus cases and COVID-19 hospitalizations. (Lin II and Money, 3/31)

AP: EPA Upholds Trump-Era Decision Not To Regulate Contaminant
Upholding a Trump-era environmental policy, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will not regulate a drinking water contaminant that has been linked to brain damage in infants. The agency said the Trump administration’s decision in 2020 not to regulate perchlorate in drinking water was made with the “best available peer reviewed science.” The chemical is used in rocket fuel and fireworks. (Naishadham, 4/1)

The New York Times: E.P.A. Decides Against Limiting Perchlorate In Drinking Water 
The announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency shocked public health advocates who had denounced the Trump administration in 2020 for opting not to regulate perchlorate. The chemical is a component in rocket fuel, ammunition and explosives. Exposure can damage the development of fetuses and children and cause a measurable decrease in I.Q. in newborns. The Trump administration had found that perchlorate did not meet the criteria for regulation because it did not appear in drinking water “with a frequency and at levels of public health concern.” Activists at the time accused the E.P.A. of disregarding science. (Friedman, 3/31)

In other public health news from the EPA —

Deseret News: This Court Settlement With EPA Could Help Clear The Air In Eastern Utah 
A pair of energy companies operating in Utah’s Uinta Basin reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state over alleged pollution violations contributing to that region’s gnarly ozone problem. The recent settlement will bolster Utah’s efforts to clamp down on pollution by delivering half of the combined $3.7 million in civil penalties to regulators for deposit in the state’s Environmental Mitigation and Response Fund for air quality-related projects. (O'Donoghue, 3/31)

The Star Tribune: EPA Upgrades Como Toxic Vapor Site To Federal Superfund 
An industrial swath of northeast Minneapolis has been upgraded from a state Superfund site to a federal one, making it eligible for federal funds to clean up volatile organic compounds and toxic vapor that has plagued the Como neighborhood for decades. The site is called the Southeast Hennepin Superfund because it encompasses a large area between NE. Broadway and E. Hennepin Avenue, which has historically included a foundry, outdoor motor manufacturer, metal finisher and a gravel pit for the disposal of industrial waste. Residential properties are clustered along its southern edge. (3/31)

Cincinnati Enquirer: EPA To Fund Air Quality Monitoring Project In Cincinnati's High-Risk Neighborhoods
One hundred young people will be the driving force behind a "first-of-its-kind" air pollution study in Cincinnati due to a $75,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency. Groundwork Ohio River Valley plans to deploy 10 sensor stations as well as dozens of smaller portable sensors to get an unprecedented view of air quality in the areas of Lower Price Hill and South Fairmount. (Knight, 3/29)

In other news from the Biden administration —

Stat: ARPA-H Research Agency Will Be Part Of The NIH, But With A Twist
President Biden’s “moonshot” biomedical research agency will be housed within the National Institutes of Health, according to two sources familiar with the decision-making process. The decision marks the end of a lengthy debate in Washington about whether the new agency, known as ARPA-H, should be independent or exist as a wing of the NIH. But there’s a twist: Instead of reporting to the NIH director, the new agency’s leader will report directly to the secretary of health and human services. (Facher, 3/31)

North Carolina Health News: Postpartum Medicaid To Be Extended To One Year 
Postpartum Medicaid will be extended from 60 days after birth to one year starting today, as a provision included in last year’s state budget comes into effect. The provision allows pregnant people at or below 196 percent of the federal poverty guidelines – about $34,800 for a family of two – to remain eligible for coverage for 12 months postpartum. Medicaid coverage for pregnant people had previously ended about two months after giving birth, even though many pregnancy-related deaths occur 43 to 365 days postpartum, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Thompson, 4/1)

In other updates about Medicaid —

Modern Healthcare: Insurers Ramp Up Marketing As Medicaid Redeterminations Loom
Private health plans could take the lead in alerting individuals of their insurance options once Medicaid redeterminations begin, raising concerns among patient advocates about the impact on payer competition and patients. As part of the pandemic relief effort, states paused removing people from Medicaid during the public health crisis because they are no longer qualified. As a result, and also because of an influx of enrollees due to the unprecedented, rapid loss of employment during the pandemic, Medicaid enrollment has swelled to its highest level ever. (Tepper, 3/31)

Fierce Healthcare: CMS To Give $110M To Boost Participation In Medicaid's Money Follows The Person Program
The Biden administration will distribute more than $110 million to help expand home and community-based services in Medicaid via the Money Follows the Person program that aims to boost home-based care for Medicaid beneficiaries. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Thursday that the funding will open the door for more than 20 states and territories not participating in the program. (King, 3/31)

The Aegis: Harford Senator’s Bill Would Increase Medicaid Reimbursement For EMS Providers 
A bill by [Maryland] state Sen. Jason Gallion of Harford County that would correct underfunding of EMS providers under the Medicaid reimbursement rate, has passed unanimously in the Senate, according to Gallion’s office. The bill, SB 295, would institute a $25 increase in the reimbursement rate for Medicaid patient transports each fiscal year starting in 2023 until it reaches $300; allow for the reimbursement of “treat and release” or “treat but not the transport” of Medicaid patients; and allow Mobile Integrated Health reimbursement. MIH allows EMS services to make on-site treatment referrals and engage in telemedicine with local providers so that on-site care can be administered. This can result in a reduction of costly emergency room visits and ensure that the patient receives treatment at the best location. (Fontelieu, 4/1)

The CT Mirror: Bill Would Allow More Residents With Disabilities To Keep Medicaid Coverage
In October of last year, Karen Healy lost her job. As a result, she also lost her Medicaid coverage because her social security income was, according to state law, too high. HUSKY C, the state’s Medicaid program for people with disabilities, has very different income and asset limits for people who are working than for those who are not working. Many people with disabilities who retire or lose their jobs suddenly find themselves with too much money to continue qualifying for their Medicaid coverage, even though their income has decreased dramatically. (Golvala, 4/1)

Idaho Capital Sun: Idaho Watchdog Agency Figured Out Why Medicaid Rates Haven’t Changed 
Distrust. Fear. Unrealistic expectations. Bureaucratic delays. Those are both the causes and symptoms of a strained relationship between the Idaho Legislature and the state’s Medicaid division — a problem that has thwarted efforts for more than a decade to change how Idaho Medicaid pays for health care. Because of this vicious cycle, lawmakers who have financial control over Idaho Medicaid don’t “fully understand the impact of their decisions,” according to a report released this month. (Dutton, 3/30)

In news about Medicare rate increases —

Modern Healthcare: CMS Proposes Pay Bump For Rehab, Psych Facilities
Inpatient rehabilitation facilities and inpatient psychiatric facilities will likely see Medicare rate increases in fiscal 2023. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed inpatient rehabilitation facilities get a 2.8% Medicare rate increase in fiscal 2023. That would increase payment by $170 million compared to fiscal 2022 if CMS finalizes its proposal, which is based primarily on inflation. CMS also asked for feedback on whether to include home health in the inpatient rehab transfer payment policy, as the Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General recommended. Medicare could have saved $993 million in 2017 and 2018 if it had implemented such a policy, OIG found. (Goldman, 3/31)

Stat: Califf Admits Alzheimer’s Drug Decision Impacted Experts’ Trust In FDA
Robert Califf, the new head of the Food and Drug Administration, admitted Thursday that the agency’s controversial approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm has diminished its standing with experts. “It’s pretty clear that the controversy around this has temporarily impacted the trust in the FDA by people who pay attention to these things,” Califf said during STAT’s Breakthrough Science Summit. He added, however, that he doesn’t feel the broader public has lost trust in the FDA. (Florko, 3/31)

In other pharmaceutical and biotech news —

Axios: Shortages Stretch Across Health Care Supply Chain
Surgical supplies for chest drainage, fluids required for dialysis and even old-fashioned hot and cold packs are among a list of items in shortage across health care, group purchasing organization Premier told Axios. Sustained, high-level supply chain shortages have stretched across all areas of health care. And they are expected to continue through the end of 2022, David Hargraves, senior vice president of Premier said. While it's natural for supply chains to have backorders and shortages, about eight to 10 times as many items are in short supply at any given time compared to before the pandemic, he said. (Reed, 3/30)

CIDRAP: Supply Map Created To Predict Drug Shortages, Find Solutions 
Five years ago, US Pharmacopeia (USP) began building a generic drug supply chain dataset to inform its strategic planning. Then the COVID-19 pandemic began, and the organization began analyzing the frequency of orders for its physical reference standards to gauge how the initial outbreak in China was affecting the pharmaceutical supply chain worldwide. Seeing its potential, USP invested several million dollars into the dataset, morphing it into something much bigger: a tool that can be used to predict medicine shortages, identify the drivers behind them, and determine the most beneficial solutions. (Van Beusekom, 3/31)

Stat: After Patent Decision, It’s Business As Usual For CRISPR Developers 
Earlier this month, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that CRISPR patents key to developing human therapies belong to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, ending the latest chapter in a bitter seven-year battle between the Broad and the home institutions of Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier — the two scientists who won the Nobel Prize for creating the revolutionary gene-editing technology. But for all the acrimony exchanged and millions of dollars of legal fees spent by the academic institutions where CRISPR was first invented, the companies that are actually turning the technology into medicines are plowing through the fallout of the decision with little more than a collective shrug. (Molteni, 3/31)

Axios: The Power Of Massive Databases And Trials To Unlock Precision Medicine
The goal of reaching an era of individualized precision medicine will first require a closer look at the broader population. Large clinical trials and massive databases of de-identified genetic and other health information — sometimes from generations of populations — are offering scientists and doctors data to decipher why certain individuals have a higher risk of disease or different responses to treatments. Until the roles of genetics, ancestry, environment, diet, age and gender are better understood, precision medicine will remain an elusive goal. (O'Reilly, 3/31)

Also —

Stat: Main Authors In Elite Medical Journals Remain Mostly White And Male 
A new analysis of two of the nation’s most prestigious medical journals shows that women and people of color rarely served as lead or senior authors of research articles published during the past three decades, and that gains in authorship during that time have lagged behind the increasing presence of these groups within medicine. In fact, when looking just at the main authors of high-profile journal articles — a metric closely tied to career success — representation of women and people of color appears to have stagnated in recent years, despite an increased focus on racial, ethnic, and gender equity in medicine. (McFarling, 3/31)

Modern Healthcare: Hospice Staffing A Daily ‘Tactical Exercise' During The Pandemic
Hospice organizations have not been spared from the staffing shortages that have plagued the healthcare industry. They have had to redeploy workers to cover gaps, offer overtime and bring in costly contingent help and even turn patients away. In the worst cases, they haven't been able to get a nurse to a dying patient's bedside to comfort them or their family in the final moments. "Every day is basically a logistical and tactical exercise in making sure we identify our resources and deploy our resources to the bedside," said Dean Forman, chief operating officer of Chapters Health System in Florida, a community-based not-for-profit care delivery system. "Anybody would be lying to you if they said we haven't had an incident or two that we regret." (Christ, 3/31)

And more about health care workers —

The Boston Globe: Atrius Lays Off Dozens Of Nurses As COVID Needs Wane And Merger Nears
As the attorney general reviews plans for Atrius Health to be acquired by health care company Optum, the statewide doctor group has announced sizable layoffs. The Massachusetts Nurses Association said that 60 nurses — approximately 10 percent of Atrius’s nursing staff — were let go on Wednesday. Most of the employees worked for a special call center set up during the COVID pandemic. Atrius, however, put the number of nurses let go at 58, but added that 14 non-nurse positions were also eliminated. (Bartlett, 3/31)

Tri State Public Radio: SCC Receives Its Single Largest Gift; It Will Boost The School’s Nursing Program 
Southeastern Community College has signed a partnership agreement with the Great River Health Foundation to help educate more aspiring nurses in the region. Great River Health Foundation is providing a grant of up to $10 million to fund the partnership. This gift is the single largest donation SCC has ever received. The funding will be distributed for the next five years to help SCC expand support to faculty and students and provide tuition assistance to students entering the nursing program. (Buss, 3/31)

Chicago Tribune: South Side ER Doctor Publishes "Emergency" Amid Pandemic 
Thomas Fisher figured he would end up in the very place he works, in the emergency room. Eventually, everyone passes through. Two springs ago, at the onset of the pandemic, he thought he might die of the thing he was treating in others. He updated his will, removed enough cash from the bank for six months, stocked his refrigerator. He doesn’t own a car so rather than risk contracting the virus in an Uber, he borrowed a car for several months. Then, each day, he drove in for his eight-hour shift in the emergency room of the University of Chicago medical center and he did whatever he could. The next day, at home, he journaled and journaled. (Borrelli, 3/31)

In other health care industry news —

Modern Healthcare: AMA Asks For Delay In Provider Relief Fund Clawbacks
The American Medical Association and more than 30 other medical groups want the Health Resources and Services Administration to give providers more time to report on the Provider Relief Funds dollars they received before the government takes the money back. Providers that got more than $10,000 in COVID-19 relief funding from HRSA between April 10, 2020, and June 30, 2020 had to report how they used the money by Nov. 30, 2021. HRSA distributed more than $42 billion during this first phase. (Goldman, 3/31)

The Wall Street Journal: Hospital Deal Gone Bust Puts Real-Estate Firm In Spotlight
A group of investors bought this small city’s only hospital in late 2019. To pay for the deal, its buildings and land were sold to one of the country’s largest owners of medical properties. Two years later the hospital went bankrupt. The Watsonville Community Hospital has served the largely Latino farming region of strawberry fields and apple orchards for more than a century. Now, the community is trying to raise as much as $70 million to buy the hospital and save it from closure. (Spegele, 3/31)

Las Vegas Review-Journal: North Las Vegas Plans To Build Medical Campus Next To VA Hospital
North Las Vegas intends to build a multibillion dollar medical campus to complement the nearby Veterans Affairs hospital and greatly expand health care offerings urgently needed in the city and region. The project, which Mayor John Lee compared on Wednesday to building a second Allegiant Stadium as he sought to illustrate its impact, is expected to be constructed in phases on 135 acres next to the veterans hospital and would ultimately more than quadruple the number of hospital beds in the city. It is also proposed to develop medical research and specialty care facilities, as well as hotel, restaurant and retail operations. “This will help really put North Las Vegas on the map,” Lee said. (Johnson, 3/31)

AP: Planned North Las Vegas Medical Campus To Include Hospital 
A planned new medical campus in North Las Vegas will include at least one new hospital, medical research and specialty care facilities and hotel, restaurant and retail operations. The City Council in early March approved selling the 135-acre (54-hectare) site near the existing Veteran Affairs hospital for nearly $37 million to a unit of Salt Lake City-based Pacific Group. (3/31)

AP: New Hampshire House OK's Exception To New Abortion Ban
The New Hampshire House approved Thursday amending the state’s new abortion ban to add an exception for fatal fetal anomalies. Since Jan. 1, New Hampshire has outlawed abortion after 24 weeks gestation, with exceptions only for pregnancies that threaten the mother’s life or health. Doctors who provide late-term abortions can face felony charges, and ultrasounds are required before any abortion. (3/31)

In abortion news from Oklahoma —

PBS NewsHour: New Oklahoma Abortion Ban A ‘Tipping Point’ In The Fight Against Roe V. Wade
As the fate of Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance in the Supreme Court, many states are moving ahead with their own restrictions on abortion. Oklahoma’s state House voted 78-19 to pass a near-complete ban on abortions in mid-March, legislation that would go farther than the Texas six-week ban on which it was modeled. Under the Oklahoma bill, abortions would be banned immediately after conception unless it met one of two exceptions: “to save the life of a pregnant woman in a medical emergency” or if the pregnancy was the “result of rape, sexual assault, or incest that has been reported to law enforcement.” (Kemp, 3/31)

Also —

The Washington Post: 5 Fetuses Found In D.C. Home Of Woman Charged In Abortion Clinic Blockade
Five fetuses were removed from a Southeast Washington home Wednesday, the same day a federal indictment was announced against nine people in the 2020 blockade of an abortion clinic with chain and rope. The residence was where Lauren Handy, one of the people indicted, was arrested and had lived or stayed, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely discuss the case. (Peiser, Hermann, Zapotosky and Boorstein, 3/31)

The Boston Globe: Two Mass. Women Among Nine People Charged In Washington, D.C., Reproduction Clinic Blockade Plot
Two Kingston, Mass., women in their 70s who were among nine people arrested for allegedly blocking access to a reproductive health center in Washington, D.C. in October 2020 played supporting roles in the plot, according to federal court papers filed in their cases. Kingston residents Paula “Paulette” Harlow, 73, and Jean Marshall, 72, made initial appearances in federal court in Boston Wednesday on charges, issued out of Washington, of conspiracy against rights and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, according to legal filings. (Andersen, 3/31)

In other reproductive health news —

The Washington Post: Biden Wants More Funds For Family Planning. Clinics Say They Need It
On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $256.6 million in funding for 76 grantees in the Title X network. Among the grantees was Public Health Solutions, which has a network of sexual and reproductive health centers in New York. According to Sarah Blust, director of the sexual and reproductive health centers, Title X typically provides about one-third of funding for the two PHS clinics in Brooklyn. The centers have been trying to rebound after a Trump-era rule preventing federal funding from going to clinics that offered abortion services or referrals. (Uyeda, 3/31)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Nonprofit Continues Control Of Title X Funds In Missouri, Beating Bid By The State 
The nonprofit Missouri Family Health Council will continue its 40-year-long role as the sole administrator of the federal Title X family planning program in the state, beating out a bid by the state’s health department. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this week announced the recipients of $256.6 million in Title X funding, which has provided breast and cervical cancer screening, contraceptives and sexually transmitted disease testing and treatment to low-income or uninsured individuals for the past 50 years. Missouri Family Health Council was awarded more than $5.3 million, which will be allocated to 16 health systems operating 65 clinic sites throughout Missouri. They include local health departments, federally qualified health centers, community action agencies, hospital-based clinics, and two Planned Parenthood affiliates. (Munz, 3/31)

The Washington Post: Biden Marks Transgender Visibility Day With New Policies, GOP Criticism
President Biden is marking Transgender Day of Visibility by celebrating the contributions that transgender Americans have made to the country while criticizing Republican-led efforts to pass legislation that the White House says is “dangerous” to transgender people. “To everyone celebrating Transgender Day of Visibility, I want you to know that your president sees you,” he said in a recorded message. “Our entire administration sees you for who you are — made in the image of God deserving of dignity, respect and support.” (Scott and Wager, 3/31)

Los Angeles Times: White House Taps 'Jeopardy' Star Amy Schneider For Trans Day
Amy Schneider can’t stop winning. After wrapping a record-shattering stint on “Jeopardy!” and getting engaged to the love of her life, the trailblazing trivia phenom visited the White House for Trans Day of Visibility. On Thursday, the former software engineering manager from Oakland, Calif., spoke with reporters at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room about issues affecting the trans community and objectives for her trip to Washington, D.C. “The White House was good enough to invite me here and be visible, I suppose,” Schneider said from behind the presidential lectern. “I’m just really, really honored to be here and really grateful that this is being celebrated and the trans people are being celebrated in a place like this.” (Carras, 3/31)

The Boston Globe: ‘We Can’t Be Erased, So Stop Trying’: Transgender Day Of Visibility Event Offers Love, Reassurance
Transgender Day of Visibility was first celebrated in 2009, when Michigan activist Rachel Crandall-Crocker noticed the only prominent day for trans people was a day of remembrance for victims of violence, not a day of celebration or joy. It’s since been marked with rallies and celebrations worldwide. More than a decade later, celebrating trans visibility remains an important calling, said Kimm Topping, safe schools program manager at the Safe Schools Program for LGBTQ Students. “Not all of us can be visible and be seen, especially folks who are at the intersection of racism and ableism and so many other forms of oppression, who cannot be visible and open,” Topping said. “This is on behalf of the entire community for us to be visible and say, you’re safe here, and it’s okay to be ourselves and to exist.” (Tziperman Lotan, 3/31)

And more news on LGBTQ+ health —

Politico: State Department Will Offer ‘X’ Gender Marker For U.S. Passports 
The State Department on Thursday announced that it will make an “X” gender marker available on U.S. passports beginning April 11, and the option to select the marker for other forms of documentation will become available next year. On State Department public forms, the “X” gender marker will be defined as “Unspecified or another gender identity.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the definition “is respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion.” (Forgey, 3/31)

NBC News: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Sued By LGBTQ Students, Parents Over New Law
A group of over a dozen students, parents, educators and advocates filed a federal lawsuit Thursday against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state’s Board of Education, alleging that newly enacted state legislation would “stigmatize, silence, and erase LGBTQ people in Florida’s public schools.” (Lavietes, 3/31)

Dallas Morning News: UT Southwestern, Children’s Health Employees And Students Protest Change In Care For Trans Youth
About 200 faculty, students and community activists gathered at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to protest the decision to close the state’s only transgender youth health care program to new patients. Marking International Transgender Day of Visibility, the protesters carried transgender pride flags and faced cars passing by the medical center on Harry Hines Boulevard, eliciting honks and waves of support from drivers. (Wolf, 3/31)

AP: Caseworkers: Texas Order On Trans Kids Handled Differently 
When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott put in motion abuse investigations into the parents of some transgender kids, child welfare supervisor Randa Mulanax said what happened next strayed from normal protocols. There was unusual secrecy, with texts and emails discouraged. Allegations about trans kids received elevated status. In Texas, fewer than three in 10 child welfare investigations end with findings that harm likely occurred — classified as “reason to believe” — but the changes looked to Mulanax like these cases would be predetermined from the start. (Weber, 4/1)

Also —

Bloomberg: Over 22% Of US High Schoolers Identify As Not Heterosexual: CDC Study
One in five high school students does not identify as heterosexual, and many said they faced mental health challenges in the past year, a federal study released on Thursday finds. The Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention polled just under 8,000 U.S. high school students between Jan. and June of 2021. The study focused on students’ experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic and took into account respondents’ identities such as race and sexuality. In the report, some 22.5% of respondents said they were gay, lesbian or bisexual, or that they identified in some other way or were questioning their sexual identity. (Ceron, 3/31)

Chicago Tribune: Opioids Laced With Veterinary Sedative Xylazine A Growing Threat To Chicago Drug Users 
A veterinary sedative called xylazine is increasingly showing up in the systems of people who die of opioid overdoses in Cook County, raising concerns that street drugs are becoming even more dangerous. Dr. Neeraj Chhabra, a medical toxicologist and emergency physician with Cook County Health, reviewed fentanyl-related death reports from the Cook County medical examiner’s office from January 2017 to October 2021. At first, xylazine — pronounced “ZY-la-zeen” — rarely showed up in tox screens. But by the end, about 1 in 9 fentanyl overdose victims had the drug in their systems. (Keilman, 3/31)

KEYE: What Is Xylazine? A Look At The Veterinary Tranquilizer Being Found In Counterfeit Pills 
Xylazine is not a “new” drug, though its prevalence in the illicit drug market is.“ Xylazine was initially developed in the 1960s and it was meant to be used in humans but in early testing they realized it was way too sedating of people,” said Claire Zagorski, program coordinator of the Pharmacy Addiction Research and Medicine Program at UT Austin. (3/31)

CNN: How Xylazine, A Veterinary Tranquilizer, Is Making Overdoses Even Riskier 
Among the most concerning changes in the illicit drug market has been the appearance of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also commonly known as “tranq” or “tranq dope,” said Naburan Dasgupta, an epidemiologist and senior scientist at the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. ... Xylazine is not approved for human use. It has heavy sedative effects like an opioid, but it isn’t an opioid, and it doesn’t respond to the opioid overdose antidote, naloxone. (Kounang, 3/17)

In other public health news —

ABC News: Skippy Recalls 161,692 Pounds Of Peanut Butter
Skippy Foods announced a voluntary recall of some peanut butter products due to the possibility that a limited number of jars may contain small fragment of stainless steel from a piece of manufacturing equipment, according to a statement released by the Food and Drug Administration. (Yamada, 3/31)

The Washington Post: Almost 800,000 Americans Are Living With End-Stage Kidney Disease
At least 783,594 adults in the United States are living with end-stage kidney disease, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It found that, from 2000 to 2019, new cases of end-stage disease increased by 42 percent and the number of people living with this stage of the disease (called prevalent cases) roughly doubled. (Searing, 3/31)

Fox News: Will Smith’s Oscar Incident Sparks Anger Management Discussion
After Academy Award winner Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars Sunday night in response to a joke about Smith’s wife, a worldwide discussion started about how to manage anger before it escalates to violence. "Chris Rock has no real understanding of what happened to Will Smith in the 90 minutes or so leading up to the incident. But there’s obviously something going on for Will. Chris’ joke, and his wife being humiliated in public like that, would’ve been the final straw," said Mike Fisher, psychotherapist and British expert in anger management. Fisher described the incident as a typical example of what unhealthy anger can do when we act in a fit of rage without thinking about the consequences of our actions. (Sudhakar, 3/31)

NPR: Food Prices Are Going Up — And At Levels Americans Haven't Seen In Decades
The United States Department of Agriculture released an update to its Food Price Outlook for 2022 and found that nearly everything one might ingest – whether it comes from the grocery store or restaurant – is going up in price. And yes, that's on top of the price increases consumers have already been forced to endure in the last year." All food prices are now predicted to increase between 4.5 and 5.5%," the USDA's Economic Research Service explained in the March report. (Romo, 3/31)

Stateline: More States Consider Bills To Prohibit Discrimination Against Black Hair
This year, more states are weighing measures to prohibit hair discrimination in work or school settings, joining 14 other states that have enacted similar laws over the past few years. For decades, Black Americans have been villainized and discriminated against because of their natural hair, whether they’re showcasing their hair texture or wearing protective styles such as braids, twists or dreadlocks. In many cases, employers have demanded Black people cut or change their hair or fired them for not doing so. (Wright, 3/31)

KHN: Black Students Experiencing Racism On Campus Lack Mental Health Support 
Three years ago, Lauren Bryant was walking across Appalachian State University’s campus with several other Black students when they were verbally assaulted with a racist tirade. “This guy in a pickup truck stopped at the light, rolled down his window, and just started calling us a bunch of N-words,” she recalled. It wasn’t the only time Bryant has had an experience like this at the overwhelmingly white campus in Boone, a town in one of North Carolina’s most conservative regions. Whether it’s the ubiquity of Confederate flags, Ku Klux Klan members handing out literature, or a parade of pickup trucks flying flags in support of President Donald Trump, she believes they’re all intended to signal that students of color are unwelcome there. (Newsome, 4/1)

Iowa Public Radio: Iowans To See End Of Extra SNAP Benefits Tied To The Pandemic 
Iowans who receive support through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will see a reduction in their benefits starting today. April 1 marks the first day Iowans will no longer receive extra benefits that were tied to COVID-19 pandemic funding. The reduction is part of the end of Gov. Kim Reynolds' public health disaster emergency proclamation and could result in individuals losing as much as $230 a month in benefits, according to the Iowa Hunger Coalition. Des Moines resident Tara Kramer said her benefits will be reduced from $250 a month to $20. The reduction has left Kramer recalculating her budget and questioning how she will afford monthly groceries and medical care. (Krebs, 4/1)

And more health news from across the U.S. —

Bangor Daily News: ‘Do Not Eat’ Advisory Could Apply To More Of Maine’s Freshwater Fish Due To PFAS
Maine could issue more “do not eat” advisories for freshwater fish due to contamination from so-called forever chemicals, as the state continues to come to grips with the extent of contamination from the class of chemicals that manufacturers have used in everyday products for decades. State health and environmental officials are preparing to lower the state’s safety threshold for PFAS contamination in fish as they act on new information from a federal agency about just how toxic the chemicals are to humans. (Loftus, 4/1)

WUSF Public Media: Florida Is A Hotspot For A Stubborn Lung Disease Akin To Tuberculosis 
Clearing land, cutting down trees and mulching at her newly purchased, overgrown property in Fort Myers is how Myra Mendible believes she became infected with a lung-attacking environmental pathogen known as NTM, or nontuberculosis mycobacteria. “And I'd be out there in my little tractor, you know, dust flying everywhere, and never in a million years would I have thought that I needed to be wearing an N95 mask to do this kind of thing," said Mendible, a professor of literature at Florida Gulf Coast University. She was in her mid-60s and felt strong and healthy until sudden, sharp pains in her side sent to the urgent care. There was an X-ray, then a CT scan, then a referral to a pulmonologist. At first, she feared it was lung cancer. (Sheridan, 3/31)

Columbus Dispatch: Health Insurance Copay Accumulator: Ohio House Passes Bill To Ban
The Ohio House passed a long-delayed bipartisan bill without opposition Wednesday  that is designed to enable Ohioans to better afford potentially life-saving medications. The bill bans a practice known as a copay accumulator, in which health insurers refuse to count any copay assistance patients may receive from drugmakers, churches, nonprofits or family members toward the patient's annual maximum out-of-pocket payment. House Bill 135, backed by more than five dozen groups ranging from the Ohio State Medical Association to The AIDS Institute, passed the House Health Committee unanimously on March 16, 2021. But it was mysteriously delayed from being brought to the House floor for more than a year amid opposition from health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. (Rowland, 3/31)

AP: WVa Man Left Paralyzed After Spine Surgery Wins $17M Verdict 
A jury in West Virginia has awarded $17.2 million in a medical malpractice lawsuit to a man who was left paralyzed after undergoing spinal surgery and later suffered a stroke. The Kanawha County jury made the finding last week in a lawsuit filed by Michael Rodgers of Pocahontas County against Dr. John R. Orphanos. (Raby, 3/31)

In news about cannabis —

San Francisco Chronicle: California State Fair To Host First-Ever Cannabis Competition. Here’s How They’ll Determine The Winners
The California State Fair is known for hosting some of the best agricultural producers in the state who’ve mastered California staples like wine, olive oil, and cheese. However this year, after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19, the fair is making agricultural history as they announce the first-ever state agency-sanctioned cannabis competition. As with their other agricultural competitions, fair organizers said one of their main goals was to educate the public on agricultural products and its industry standards — including those related to cannabis cultivation. (Stoughtenborough, 3/31)

AP: New Mexico Launches Cannabis Sales, Within Texans' Reach 
New Mexico is bringing sales of recreational marijuana to the doorstep of Texas, the largest prohibition state, as the movement toward broad legalization sweeps up even more of the American West. As of midnight Friday in New Mexico, anyone 21 and older can purchase up to 2 ounces (57 grams) of marijuana — enough to roll about 60 joints or cigarettes — or comparable amounts of marijuana liquid concentrates and edible treats. (Lee, 4/1)

The Atlantic: A Second COVID Booster Can't Hurt
The FDA and CDC have cleared the way for Americans older than 50 to get a second booster shot—but they don’t quite suggest that everyone in that age group should do so. Like masking and many other pandemic-control measures, a fourth dose (or third, for the J&Jers in the back) is now a matter of personal judgment, even as another wave of COVID cases seems poised to break. That leaves millions of Americans and their doctors to perform their own risk-benefit analysis. Or perhaps it’s just a risk analysis. The upsides of a fourth shot are indeed uncertain: The best we can say right now is that its protective effects are probably modest and temporary (with greater benefits for older people). But a modest, temporary boost is still better than nothing—so why not go ahead and get one, just in case? What, if any, risks would that actually entail? (Gutman, 3/31)

Politico: What Skydivers Can Teach Us About Pandemic Risk-Taking 
It seems then that America’s willingness to take risks is increasing in rough proportion to its advances in protection, both vaccines and therapeutics. We may have reached a point where we’re willing to tolerate 1,000 deaths a day just to have our freedom back, so long as most of us can count on a good outcome if and when we become infected. Is this a sad, even horrifying, development? Yes, I guess, in some sense purely by the numbers. But, also, not necessarily because the consequences of not taking that risk means we will never jump, never take advantage of the safety and security features that make us more likely to live during the free fall. (Kayyem, 3/30)

NBC News: 'Biggest Fraud In A Generation': The Looting Of The Covid Relief Program Known As PPP
They bought Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys. And Teslas, of course. Lots of Teslas. Many who participated in what prosecutors are calling the largest fraud in U.S. history — the theft of hundreds of billions of dollars in taxpayer money intended to help those harmed by the coronavirus pandemic — couldn’t resist purchasing luxury automobiles. Also mansions, private jet flights and swanky vacations. (Dilanian and Strickler, 3/28)

Los Angeles Times: It's A 'Sad And Scary Time' As Anti-LGBTQ Bills Skyrocket 
Paria Hassouri feels fortunate that her family lives in California and not Texas, where the Republican governor recently issued a directive to investigate parents who seek “gender-transitioning procedures” for their minors. Her 18-year-old daughter, Ava, revealed she was transgender to a teacher five years ago and now identifies as female. “If I lived in Texas and supported my daughter when she was in transition,” Hassouri says, “I could be considered a child abuser.” Hassouri, a physician who runs the Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Wellness Clinic at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and advocates are alarmed that Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have introduced a record number of bills and regulations purporting to shield young Americans from what they see as undue pressure to identify as gay, lesbian, nonbinary or transgender, or accept those who do. (Beason, 3/29)

The New York Times: Women Are Calling Out ‘Medical Gaslighting’
Research suggests that diagnostic errors occur in up to one out of every seven encounters between a doctor and patient, and that most of these mistakes are driven by the physician’s lack of knowledge. Women are more likely to be misdiagnosed than men in a variety of situations. Patients who have felt that their symptoms were inappropriately dismissed as minor or primarily psychological by doctors are using the term “medical gaslighting” to describe their experiences and sharing their stories on sites like Instagram. (Wenner Moyer, 3/28)

The New York Times: The Next Big Addiction Treatment 
In recent years there has been a spate of research suggesting psychedelic drugs can help people manage mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, chronic pain or even eating disorders. But a growing body of data points to one as the leading contender to treat the intractable disease of substance abuse. Psilocybin, the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms, has shown promise in limited early studies, not only in alcohol and harder drugs, but also nicotine — all of which resist long term treatment. (Borrell, 3/31)

The New York Times: How 2 Industries Stymied Justice For Young Lead Paint Victims 
When Selena Wiley signed the lease for an older rental home in South Bend, Ind., she asked the property manager about lead paint and was assured the house was safe. But in November 2018 — almost two years after moving in with her partner and three children — Ms. Wiley noticed that their 2-year-old’s appetite had vanished and his constant chattering had stopped. A doctor soon discovered that the boy, Joevonne, known as J.J., had lead poisoning. (Gabler, 3/29)

The Wall Street Journal: Teen Girls Are Still Getting TikTok-Related Tics—And Other Disorders
Doctors say they’re continuing to see an outsize number of girls suffering from tics, and some are also developing new disorders. New research findings offer hope that the problems can be addressed. Starting back in the spring of 2020, girls in Chicago were uncontrollably blurting out the same words as girls in Calgary. Doctors from the U.S. to the U.K. discovered that many of the teens had been watching TikTok videos of people who said they had Tourette syndrome, a nervous-system disorder that typically strikes males during early childhood and causes them to make repetitive, involuntary movements or sounds. (Jargon, 3/26)

USA Today: Here's How University Health Centers Are ‘Adopting’ Households To Fight Health Disparities
When Marie Antoine was diagnosed with lupus and kidney failure, she was overwhelmed by the complexities of her illnesses. But that changed when a team of health sciences students and a professor started visiting her home in North Miami Beach. With their help, the 57-year-old Hattian immigrant said she was able to make sense of the health resources available to her and finally understand "what's going on to my body." (Hassanein, 3/28)

The Wall Street Journal: From GM To Powerade, Brands Pitch Mental Health 
To woo consumers, hotel chains typically offer free room upgrades and complimentary breakfast. Kimpton Hotels is trying a new incentive: help with mental health. In a recent social-media campaign, the boutique-hotel operator said it is offering 1,000 of its guests free access to a video-therapy session from teletherapy company Talkspace Inc. Kimpton is among a growing list of brands, from car companies to meal-kit makers, putting mental wellness front and center in their marketing. (Vranica, 3/27)

Also —

Stat: How A Basement Hideaway At UC Berkeley Nurtured Blind Innovators
If, in the fall of 1987, you found yourself at the University of California, Berkeley, and you made your way through the sloping, verdant campus to Moffitt Library, you could walk through the doors and take two flights of stairs down to the basement. Turn right and you would find a door tucked in the corner — room 224, though the placard isn’t written in braille. After unlocking the door using a key with a ridged top, you’d walk through a small lobby with tables, chairs, and a “sofa” made of seats pulled from a van. The smell of lived-in-ness, a mix of takeout and coffee and books, permeates the cramped space and makes the tip of your nose perk up. (Cueto, 3/28)

Stat: Here Are Some Notable Alumni Of 'The Cave' 
"All blind roads lead to Berkeley,” says Joshua Miele, a longtime resident of the Bay Area city. Miele’s road led him to Berkeley from Rockland County, N.Y., where he first developed a love of tactile maps as a boy. He became a student at the University of California, Berkeley, in the fall of 1987, as a physics major. For others, it was a shorter journey to the Bay, from neighboring cities and towns. But together, these voyagers — drawn to Berkeley mostly for its prestigious university — formed a sizable and formidable disability community that has shaped the world. A generation of blind leaders and innovators has come out of UC Berkeley and more specifically, from “The Cave.” (Cueto, 3/28)

The Washington Post: Are We Ready For Another Covid Wave? Not If Congress Keeps Stalling
Thankfully, a moment of relative calm has arrived in the pandemic. Daily new cases have plunged from January peaks, and the initial omicron wave, terrible as it was, is passing. This is precisely the moment when the government should be preparing for the future — a readiness made possible because we now have the technology and the time. A funding package for vaccines, antivirals, testing and more would be smart and forward-looking. (3/31)

Stat: Narrowing The Vaccine Gap As Boosters Begin For People Over 50 
The Food and Drug Administration this week authorized a second booster for individuals 50 and older. Although some people over the age of 50 are mulling whether and how soon to get their fourth jab, a significant vaccine gap exists within this group which needs to be addressed. There are 118.5 million Americans over the age of 50; 18.4 million (15%) of these individuals are not fully vaccinated and 59 million (50%) have not received their first booster. (Rebecca Weintraub, Benjy Renton and David C. Grabowski, 4/1)

The Washington Post: How Can We Put Covid Behind Us Without Guaranteed Paid Sick Leave? 
Tracy Kitchen Delong lives in the Tampa Bay area with her 11-year-old grandson. When he contracted covid-19 in August 2021, she had to take three weeks off work to care for him. Her employer didn’t offer paid family medical leave, so she canceled the Internet and cut back on groceries. But she still got behind on rent and, under threat of eviction, moved out of her apartment in November. (Celine Gounder and Mollyann Brodie, 3/31)

The Boston Globe: At 12, The ACA Is Alive And Well — And Getting Steadily Better 
The Affordable Care Act has now turned 12 — and despite years of determined Republican opposition, the law they dubbed Obamacare is on increasingly firm ground. Designed to increase the number of Americans covered by health insurance and to improve the quality of that insurance, that’s just what the law has done. A record number of people, some 13.6 million, have signed up for health coverage for 2022 on the insurance exchanges set up under the 2010 law. About 92 percent of those purchasers will receive tax credits to help them afford their plans. (4/1)

Bloomberg: Amylyx's ALS Drug Shouldn't Be Approved By FDA Without More Data
A panel of the Food and Drug Administration’s expert advisers on Wednesday voted 6 to 4 against approving Amylyx Pharmaceuticals’ treatment for ALS. The FDA now has until June 29 to decide whether to follow the panel’s advice or let the closely watched drug on to the market. (Lisa Jarvis, 3/31)

Scientific American: Anti-Trans Laws Will Have A Chilling Effect On Medicine 
On this year’s Transgender Day of Visibility, we should be celebrating the accomplishments, honoring the resilience and advocating loudly for the rights of people who are trans. Yet the growing onslaught of anti-trans legislation targeting the health care decisions that families make with their doctors threatens to cast a shadow over this day. (Ashley Andreou, 3/31)

Stat: Digital Health Is Overlooking Its Biggest Opportunity For Disruption 
For years, tech behemoths and digital health innovators have attempted to “reinvent” health care, but they’ve ignored the institutional infrastructure issues that plague the people who deliver care — doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and others — or tried to replace their function altogether. The results have been only small gains and larger skepticism. Health care innovators and disruptors have missed the sweet spot for change by taking aim at the wrong components of the industry: its practitioners. (Sean Doolan, 4/1)

Miami Herald: US Abortion Rights The Inspiration For Women In Latin America 
The Green Tide, advocating for abortion rights, is growing in Latin America. Three countries have already legalized the right to abortion, and several others are relaxing rules that restricted it. As the Green Tide spreads across the region, the United States, once a pillar of abortion rights inspiring feminists around the globe, turns back the clock. (Susana Chiarotti, 3/31)

The Tennessean: Extend WIC Benefit Increase To Protect Health Of Women, Infants And Children
As a registered dietitian nutritionist who has worked firsthand in the WIC setting, I see how these increased benefits have affected our nation’s most vulnerable. We can see the effects that the WIC program has on its participants, their food security and the overall health and safety of our nation. (Alex Gardner, 3/30)