Roll Call: Supreme Court Preserves Medicaid Recipients' Right To Sue 
The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 7-2 to protect the right of Medicaid nursing home residents to seek relief in federal court when state officials do not meet a certain quality of care — a ruling policy watchers are hailing as a civil rights victory for Medicaid patients. (Cohen, 6/8)

Indianapolis Star: SCOTUS Denies Health & Hospital's Effort To Block Civil Rights Lawsuits
In a 7-2 decision published Thursday, the court's justices found that the family of late Gorgi Talevski, a former patient with dementia at Valparaiso Care and Rehabilitation, can move forward with their lawsuit against the facility, its owner Health & Hospital Corp. of Marion County and facility manager American Senior Communities LLC because federal law and court precedent give nursing home residents a path to sue to enforce their rights. (6/8)

Vox: Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s First Major Opinion Saves Medicaid 
It’s Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’s first majority opinion in a case with this kind of sweeping policy stakes. (Millhiser, 6/8)

The 19th: Disability Advocates Celebrate Supreme Court’s Talevski Decision
“Today is a great day for civil rights in the Supreme Court. We haven’t gotten to say that very often recently,” said Megan Schuller, legal director for the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, which provides legal advocacy for people with mental health disabilities. Schuller praised the decision and articulated some of the concerns advocates had about the case’s outcome, noting that it could have damaged a “large number” of civil rights statutes. (Luterman, 6/8)

Axios: CMS Announces New Decade-Long Primary Care Payment Experiment
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a 10-year experiment aimed at improving the way Medicare and Medicaid pay for primary care. The effort, dubbed the Making Care Primary Model, will ease safety-net and independent primary care providers — including federally qualified health centers — into getting paid for the value of services they provide, rather than the volume. (Goldman, 6/9)

Modern Healthcare: CMS Debuts Making Care Primary Model To Promote Value-Based Care
In collaboration with state Medicaid agencies, CMS plans to run this pilot program in Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Washington state through 2034. Applications will be available in late summer 2023, the agency said. (Turner, 6/8)

In other news about Medicare and Medicaid —

Stat: Top Republican Interested In Site-Neutral Reform For Hospitals
A top Senate Republican signaled his interest in pursuing hospital payment reform to ensure Medicare is paying the same price for services, regardless of where they are provided. The comments are one of the first indications that House Republicans’ interest in reforming hospital payments could have any momentum in the upper chamber. (Cohrs, 6/8)

Forbes: Big Medicare Changes Coming For Postal Service Retirees
You’ve seen the headlines. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has been losing money. (A recent USPS press release said it’s already lost $2.1 billion this year.) So, Congress passed the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (PSRA). ... Starting January 1, 2025, PSHB plans will replace FEHB plans for Postal Service retirees and, to qualify, they must enroll in Medicare Part B. (Omdahl, 6/6)

KFF Health News: Debt Deal Leaves Health Programs (Mostly) Intact
The bipartisan deal to extend the U.S. government’s borrowing authority includes future cuts to federal health agencies, but they are smaller than many expected and do not touch Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, Merck & Co. becomes the first drugmaker to sue Medicare officials over the federal health insurance program’s new authority to negotiate drug prices. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about the perils of visiting the U.S. with European health insurance. (6/7)

KFF Health News: Dental Therapists Help Patients In Need Of Care Avoid The Brush-Off 
All six of Michelle Ehlert’s children have Medicaid plans that should cover their dental care. But for years, she and her husband paid for dental care out-of-pocket — sometimes thousands of dollars a year. They couldn’t find a dentist near their home in Wilkin County, Minnesota, who accepted Medicaid. When a mobile clinic that would treat Medicaid patients drove nearly 200 miles from Minneapolis to the rural county on Minnesota’s western border, appointments that fit her family’s schedule were “hit-or-miss,” she said. (Saint Louis, 6/9)

The New York Times: Wildfire Smoke: Haze Begins To Lift In Northeast As It Pushes South And West 
In St. Louis the air quality is forecast to be unhealthy on Friday for older people, children and those with heart or lung conditions on Friday, according to the Weather Service. Similar conditions are expected farther east in Louisville, Ky., where smoke from the Canadian wildfires will continue to seep into the region on Friday, causing hazy skies, the Weather Service said. (6/8)

The Washington Post: Philadelphia’s Air Quality Hits Disastrous Levels As Smoke Blankets City
Philadelphia is experiencing its worst air quality in at least 24 years as the noxious haze from the Canadian wildfires blanketing the East Coast this week has caused “hazardous” air quality that city officials say should keep residents indoors until conditions improve. ... The Air Quality Index in Philadelphia was at 361 as of 8 a.m. Thursday, significantly worse than the air-quality levels in other major East Coast cities hit by the smoke like New York and Washington. (Bella, 6/8)

Midwest Newsroom: Wildfires Stoke Rise In Respiratory Cases In Midwest Hospitals
Some healthcare providers in the Midwest say they are seeing more respiratory illnesses in the past few days possibly related to the wildfires in Canada. Air quality across the Midwest dipped to concerning levels beginning Tuesday. In Iowa, providers at MercyOne clinics around Des Moines say more patients than usual are showing up with symptoms in line with air pollution, including exacerbated asthma and COPD. (Mansouri, 6/8)

The Washington Post: Hazardous Air Quality From Wildfire Smoke Takes A Toll On Outdoor Workers
From dog walkers to delivery drivers, from landscapers to farm laborers, many workers whose jobs require time in the outdoors have plowed on this week, even as smoke from wildfires raging in Canada has created abysmal air quality up and down the East Coast. Their predicament reveals how outdoor laborers, more than any other segment of the workforce, remain vulnerable when it comes to climate change. (Verma, Shaban, Dennis, Peiser and Gregg, 6/8)

Health risks and symptoms of inhaling wildfire smoke —

Bloomberg: Wildfire Smoke Increases The Risk Of Contracting Covid-19
As the world warms, disasters collide. That’s happening right now, as health experts warn that  exposure to wildfire smoke across North America increases the risks of catching Covid-19 and worsens the impacts for people who already have or are particularly susceptible to the virus. “Exposure to air pollution from wildfire smoke can increase susceptibility to Covid and other respiratory diseases,” says Kristie Ebi, a climate and health professor at the University of Washington. (Hirji, 6/8)

NBC News: Odd Symptoms Of Poor Air Quality Include Wrinkles And Sleep Troubles
Itchy eyes, a scratchy throat and a cough probably come as no surprise when the air is thick with wildfire smoke. But poor air quality can contribute to less expected symptoms, too. It is not uncommon for people to also experience chest pain, headaches and dizziness, according to Dr. Gregory Wu, a critical care medicine physician at Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York. (Lovelace Jr., 6/8)

Reuters: What Health Experts Say Wildfire Smoke Novices Need To Know 
Are health risks lower during a first-time wildfire smoke event? People in the Northeast may like to think they are not at risk from the wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada because research on health effects comes largely from regions where people are exposed to wildfire smoke for weeks at a time, year after year. "The bad news is, there's no safe level" of inhaled particles from wildfire smoke, said Doug Brugge, a public health researcher at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. (Lapid, 6/8)

The Washington Post: What’s Actually In All That Smoke You’re Breathing
The haze is a noxious mixture of particles and gases that can spread across long distances, potentially harming anything with a heartbeat. (Patel and Chiu, 6/8)

Also —

The Washington Post: How To Pick The Right Air Purifier For Your Home As Wildfire Smoke Descends
In addition to wearing a mask, staying indoors and upgrading your home’s HVAC filters, you can try a portable air purifier, also known as an air cleaner, to reduce hazardous pollutants inside your home. Here’s what you should look for in an air purifier. (Jeong, Koncius and Kurzius, 6/8)

Bloomberg: Biden Urged To Declare Climate Emergency As Wildfires Rage
Progressive lawmakers and activists are again imploring President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency, citing the thick blanket of smoke from Canadian wildfires now shrouding the US Capitol and swaths of the Eastern seaboard. (Natter, 6/8)

The Washington Post: Ashish Jha To Leave As Covid Czar As White House Winds Down Response 
White House covid coordinator Ashish Jha will step down next week as the Biden administration formally ends the role, the latest marker that officials believe the virus threat has largely passed. “We now have the tools to manage COVID-19 and the virus no longer controls our daily lives,” President Biden said in a statement on Thursday, announcing Jha’s departure and thanking him for his work. Jha’s last day will be June 15, and he will return to his position as dean of Brown University’s public health school. (Diamond, 6/8)

Politico: Top Biden Covid Official Jha Set To Depart June 15
Jha — widely touted as an effective health communicator during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic — was brought on in April 2022 to replace Jeffrey Zients, who was later tapped as President Joe Biden’s chief of staff. His last day in the administration will be June 15, the White House confirmed. (Lim and Cancryn, 6/8)

More on the spread of covid —

CNN: Mysterious Covid-19 Lineages In US Sewers Could Offer Clues To Chronic Infections
As Covid-19 testing and other coronavirus tracking efforts peter out in the United States, wastewater surveillance has become the primary method to monitor early community spread of the virus. And there’s some evidence that close investigation of the findings could also help unravel some of the mysteries of long Covid. Genetic sequencing of wastewater samples from sewer systems across the country has uncovered dozens of unique strains of the coronavirus, with multiple mutations in unusual combinations. (McPhillips, 6/9)

Columbus Dispatch: A Virologist's Search For Answers: Curious Case Of 'Cryptic COVID' Leads To Columbus Area
A virologist in Missouri studying wastewater data in order to analyze the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 is looking for someone he says has had the disease for two years but doesn't know it. That search has led him straight to central Ohio. Marc Johnson, a professor of molecular microbiology and immunology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, has traced what he calls a unique strain of the novel coronavirus to two locations: Columbus and Washington Court House. (Shuda, 6/8)

CIDRAP: Fatigue Can Lower Long-COVID Patients' Quality Of Life More Than Some Cancers 
Long-COVID fatigue can diminish quality of life more than some cancers, suggests an observational study published yesterday in BMJ Open. ... Many long-COVID patients were seriously ill, and their average fatigue scores were similar to or worse than those of people with cancer-related anemia (low counts of oxygen-carrying red blood cells) or severe kidney disease. Their health-related quality of life scores were also lower than those of people with advanced metastatic cancers, such as stage 4 lung cancer. (Van Beusekom, 6/8)

Minnesota Public Radio: New Study From UMN Researchers Says An Existing Drug Is A Promising Treatment For Long COVID 
Metformin, a medication typically used as a treatment for Type 2 diabetes, has shown promise as an effective treatment for long COVID, according to a study by University of Minnesota researchers published Thursday in The Lancet. But researchers caution that more study is needed before the drug can be prescribed as a treatment for people who currently have the illness. (Wiley, 6/8)

Houston Chronicle: 3D-Printed Lungs Helping Houston Researchers Study Aerosols
A 3D-printed replica of the lungs has been touring Greater Houston to help UTHealth Houston researchers study the health risks posed by small airborne particles that collect in the respiratory system. The system, known as the Mobile Aerosol Lung Deposition Apparatus (MALDA), is comprised of replicas of the three major sections of the human respiratory system. It was designed by Wei-Chung Su, an assistant professor of epidemiology, human genetics and environmental sciences at the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health. (MacDonald, 6/8)

Also —

ABC News: Accidental Shootings By Children Climbed During COVID. Why Is That Changing Now? 
There have been at least 122 unintentional shootings by children across the country from January to mid-May, according data from Everytown. They have resulted in 54 deaths and 77 injuries. The numbers account both for children who accidentally shoot themselves, or others. The number of such shootings has decreased each of the past three years. There were 131 such shootings from January to mid-May in 2022. There were 141 in 2021, according to Everytown data. (El-Bawab, 6/9)

The Washington Post: Biden Decries Rash Of ‘Cruel’ State Laws Targeting Rights Of LGBTQ+ Individuals
President Biden forcefully pushed back Thursday against a rash of “cruel” state laws curtailing the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, including transgender youths, saying the measures are being adopted by “prejudiced people” and pledging that his administration will stand up for those being targeted. “It’s wrong that extreme officials are pushing hateful bills targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors,” Biden said. “These are our kids. These are our neighbors.” (Wagner, 6/8)

AP: Louisiana Governor Says He Intends To Veto Anti-LGBTQ+ Bills Including Ban On Gender-Affirming Care
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said Thursday he intends to veto a package of bills passed by the GOP-dominated legislature that targets the LGBTQ+ community, including a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors and the state’s version of a “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Edwards has said throughout the legislative session, which ended Thursday, that he opposes the series of LGBTQ+ bills. If Edwards blocks the bills, lawmakers can convene for a veto session. Overriding a veto requires support from two-thirds of both the House and Senate — and Republicans hold a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Louisiana legislators have only convened for two veto sessions since 1974. (Cline, 6/9)

The Hill: Senate Hearing On Youth Mental Health Spurs Debate On Hormone Treatment, Disparities For LGBTQ+ Youth 
Debate in a Senate committee hearing about the youth mental health crisis grew tense when Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) brought up concerns about hormone treatment for transgender youth. The Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions met Thursday to evaluate the current mental health infrastructure and legislation. Nine mental health programs will lose their funding unless the committee re-approves their budget before the programs’ expiration date in September. (Kelly, 6/8)

AP: Dispute Erupts Over A Section Of Kentucky's Transgender Law That Hinges On One Word 
A new dispute has erupted over Kentucky’s sweeping transgender law, revolving around one word in a section banning sex education topics — including sexual orientation — from discussion in classrooms. ... The latest dispute boils down to a single word choice by lawmakers. They used “or” rather than “and” in the sex education section — leading to big implications over how it’s interpreted. (Schreiner, 6/8)

Also —

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri Families With Transgender Kids Pull Up Stakes As Treatment Ban Becomes Law
Sara and Erez Haluf bought their “forever home” six years ago in west St. Louis County, a walking path away from Creve Coeur Park. They added a patio in the backyard with a fire pit for late-night marshmallow roasting. Their three kids spend summers at the neighborhood pool and play make-believe games in the basement rec room. The Halufs could picture themselves as grandparents there, hosting rambunctious family dinners. In July, they are leaving those dreams behind and starting over a thousand miles away. (Schrappen, 6/8)

Indianapolis Star: Trans Teens Share Their Stories As New Indiana Laws Target Them
A generation of Hoosier children who have had access to gender-affirming care their whole lives will soon see it end in their state. Their families face uncertain futures as they grapple with how to access health care for their kids after the end of the year — a decision that could force some of them to move out of state. (Fradette, Beck and Watson, 6/8)

The 19th: Americans Are Divided On Gender Identity, Pronoun Use, New PRRI Survey Shows
In much of the country, there are deep divides by partisanship and news consumption on using gender-neutral pronouns, being comfortable with a friend coming out as LGBTQ+, and feeling that it’s appropriate to discuss gender identity in schools. A new survey from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) provides more insight into these splits — and finds that some Americans seem to be moving further away from certain acceptance of LGBTQ+ people. (Rummler and Panetta, 6/8)

The Hill: FDA Panel To Vote On Alzheimer’s Drug
The FDA panel meeting Friday is likely to recommend full approval, and the agency has a deadline of July 6 to make a determination. The FDA doesn’t have to follow the panel’s recommendation, but it usually does. FDA staff in a briefing document were largely positive about the drug and indicated that data from a clinical trial supported Leqembi’s clinical benefit to patients. (Weixel and Choi, 6/8)

Stat: Tracking The FDA Advisory Panel On Eisai And Biogen’s Treatment For Alzheimer’s Disease
The Food and Drug Administration is convening a meeting of outside experts on Friday to consider full approval for Leqembi, the Alzheimer’s treatment made by Eisai and Biogen. We’ll be watching a livestream of the FDA advisory meeting, starting at 10 a.m. ET, and writing updates and analysis throughout the day. Coverage will be posted in reverse chronological order. (Feuerstein and Garde, 6/9)

In other pharmaceutical news —

Modern Healthcare: FTC Pharmacy Benefit Manager Probe Expands To Emisar Pharma
A Federal Trade Commission investigation into pharmacy benefit managers and group purchasing organizations continues to broaden. On Thursday, the FTC issued a compulsory order to Emisar Pharma Services requiring it to turn over information about its business practices. The GPO negotiates rebates with drug manufacturers on behalf of UnitedHealth Group subsidiary OptumRx. The company has 90 days to provide the records. (Berryman, 6/8)

The Washington Post: Opioid Distributor, Already Facing License Revocation, Sued By Tribe 
Morris & Dickson, one of the nation’s largest drug distributors, was sued Thursday over claims that it fed a devastating addiction crisis within the Cherokee Nation by not stopping the suspicious shipment of millions of painkillers to a small number of Oklahoma pharmacies. The negligence lawsuit was filed by the tribe in Oklahoma state court nearly two weeks after the Drug Enforcement Administration, in a separate matter, announced that it would revoke the company’s ability to distribute controlled substances unless Morris & Dickson can reach a settlement agreement with the agency. The company is fighting that move in federal court, saying the revocation would force the company to close after 180 years in business. (Ovalle, 6/8)

NBC News: New Drug For Marijuana Addiction Shows Promise, Small Study Finds
As marijuana use in the United States reaches record highs among young adults, there is a growing need to address its potential for addiction, experts say. An experimental pill, the first in a new class of drugs, has shown promise in treating cannabis use disorder, according to the results of a small trial published Thursday in Nature Medicine. (Syal, 6/8)

Stat: CRISPR Therapy Offers Lasting Benefits For Sickle Cell, Thalassemia
Updated results released Friday highlighted the lasting benefits of a CRISPR-based medicine for blood disorders developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, as the treatment awaits regulatory decisions in the United States and Europe. The treatment, a one-time infusion known as exa-cel, uses CRISPR to fix the genetic faults at the root of sickle cell disease and beta thalassemia. The latest findings were described Friday, coinciding with the European Hematology Association’s annual meeting in Frankfurt. (Joseph, 6/9)

NPR: He Jiankui, Chinese Scientist Scorned For Gene-Edited Babies, Is Back In The Lab 
In a mostly empty coworking office on the outskirts of China's capital, a scientist whose name is etched in history is trying to stage a comeback. He Jiankui announced nearly five years ago that he had created the first gene-edited babies, twin girls named Lulu and Nana. The news sent shockwaves around the world. There were accusations that the biophysicist had grossly violated medical ethics; some critics compared him to Dr. Frankenstein. (Ruwitch, 6/8)

Stat: If AI Invents A New Medicine, Who Gets The Patent? 
Pharmaceutical and biotech companies are increasingly using artificial intelligence to discover and make drugs and therapeutics. Congress on Wednesday asked the question: Does that mean AI can be an inventor on a patent? (Trang, 6/8)

ABC News: 2024 Candidate Who Signed Strict Abortion Ban In His State Wouldn't Outlaw It Nationwide
Republican presidential candidate and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Thursday that while he backed a strict abortion ban in his own state, he would not support a similar, nationwide law if he is elected to the White House. "I think the decision that was made returning the power to the states was the right one. And I think we're going to have -- we have a lot of division on this issue in America. And what's right for North Dakota may not be right for another state ... the best decisions are made locally," Burgum said on "CNN This Morning." (Walsh and Oppenheim, 6/8)

Politico: McCarthy’s Fractured Leadership Team Faces New Abortion Tension 
As conservatives continue to snarl the House floor in protest, centrists are taking their turn to squeeze Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Behind closed doors on Wednesday, McCarthy’s No. 2 and No. 3 briefed about a dozen Republicans — mostly battleground-seat members — on their plan to take up two bills next week: Rep. Andrew Clyde’s (R-Ga.) bid to nix a Biden administration gun regulation and a separate proposal bill to strengthen limits on taxpayer funding for abortion. The meeting didn’t go smoothly. (Beavers and Ferris, 6/8)

More abortion news from New York, Indiana, and Illinois —

The Hill: New York AG Hits Anti-Abortion Group With Lawsuit For Blocking Access To Health Care Clinics 
New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit Thursday against an anti-abortion group, Red Rose Rescue, alleging its members have repeatedly blocked entrances to health clinics and have “made it their mission to terrorize reproductive health care providers and the patients they serve.” (Fortinsky, 6/8)

Fox 59: Marion Co. Judge Grants Class Action In Religious Freedom Lawsuit Challenging Indiana Abortion Ban
An Indiana judge has now granted class action for a religious freedom-based lawsuit that seeks to strike down a near-total abortion ban in the Hoosier state. On Tuesday, a Marion County Superior Court judge certified a lawsuit being brought against the state by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana as a class action. (Schroeder, 6/7)

Illinois Newsroom: Danville’s Proposed Abortion Clinic Is Attacked For A Second Time 
On May 20, an Illinois man drove his car into the clinic and has been charged with attempted arson by federal authorities. Abortion is still legal in the state. “Attacks like this are designed to intimidate and terrorize us out of providing abortion care to Illinois women and pregnant people from across the South and the Midwest, who face bans in their own home states,” said property owner LaDonna Prince in a statement. (Anderson, 6/8)

The New York Times: FDA Panel Recommends RSV Shot To Protect Infants 
A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended approval of a monoclonal antibody shot aimed at preventing a potentially lethal pathogen, respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., in infants and vulnerable toddlers. The treatment, called Beyfortus by its developers Sanofi and AstraZeneca, would be the second such therapy that the F.D.A. has allowed to be given to very young children to prevent R.S.V., which is a leading killer of infants and toddlers globally. A similar treatment approved more than 20 years ago is given in multiple doses and is only approved for high-risk infants. (Jewett, 6/8)

On mpox —

CIDRAP: High Mpox Vaccine Shortfall Seen Among Black Americans
As many as 78% of Black Americans eligible for mpox protection via the Jynneos vaccine have not been vaccinated, according to a new shortfall analysis published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). A second MMWR report today delves into mpox transmission risks to kids, noting that some adults did not begin to isolate until after they had received a diagnosis. (Soucheray, 6/8)

On salmonella —

AP: Salmonella Outbreak In Chicago Area Linked To Ground Beef 
An outbreak of salmonella infections in the Chicago area has been linked to ground beef, the Illinois Department of Public Health said Wednesday. Health officials have identified 26 confirmed cases in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties, the department said. Those people fell ill between April 25 and May 18. (6/8)

On Klebsiella —

USA Today: Klebsiella Pneumoniae Bacterial Outbreak At Seattle Hospital: 9 Deaths
A hospital in Seattle has confirmed two more deaths in connection to a bacterial outbreak that began last year. Beginning in October 2022, hospital staff at Virginia Mason Medical Center said it detected an increase in cases of Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria at its downtown campus. Since then, nearly a dozen people have died after contracting the bacteria strain. (Hauari, 6/8)

The Boston Globe: Residents, Fellows At Mass General Brigham Vote To Unionize
Medical residents and fellows at the state’s largest health system have voted to unionize, creating one of the largest unions of its kind in the country. In a vote of 1,215 to 412, residents and fellows at multiple Mass General Brigham hospitals voted to join the Committee of Interns and Residents, or CIR, at the Service Employees International Union. (Bartlett, 6/8)

Modern Healthcare: Amazon's One Medical Expands Into Connecticut
Amazon's One Medical is expanding its membership-based primary care services into Connecticut with two offices, as part of a larger collaboration with Hartford HealthCare. One Medical, purchased by Amazon for $3.9 billion earlier this year, opened an office at Darien Commons this week and will open another at New Canaan later this summer. The locations will offer primary care, including lab services, chronic disease management and behavioral health resources. Patients will also have access to Hartford HealthCare's network of specialty providers, outpatient facilities and hospitals. (Hudson, 6/8)

The Baltimore Sun: Johns Hopkins Medical School Renames Outpatient Center After Levi Watkins Jr., First Black Chief Resident
Dr. Levi Watkins Jr. was the first Black chief resident at the Johns Hopkins Medical School and the first surgeon to successfully implant an automatic heart defibrillator in a human in 1980. Forty-three years later, his family gathered to see the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center renamed for him on Thursday. The cardiac surgeon pioneered the procedure that now routinely saves the lives of those with an irregular heartbeat. In addition, he was an advocate for diversifying the medical industry. (Brown, 6/8)

Modern Healthcare: Digital Health Unicorn Cityblock Health Lays Off 155 
Cityblock Health, a New York-based digital health company focused on primary care for underserved populations, laid off 155 employees, or 12% of its staff. Co-founder and CEO Dr. Toyin Ajayi said in a blog post Thursday that the company has made changes to “enable key processes through technology, standardize care teams and reduce layers for stronger accountability.” (Perna, 6/8)

Also —

Retraction Watch: How A Now-Retracted Study Got Published In The First Place 
The scientific paper inspired international headlines with its bold claim that the combination of brain scans and machine learning algorithms could identify people at risk for suicide with 91% accuracy. The promise of the work garnered lead author Marcel Adam Just of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and co-author David Brent of the University of Pittsburgh a five-year, $3.8 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to conduct a larger follow-up study. But the 2017 paper attracted immediate and sustained scrutiny from other experts, one of whom attempted to replicate it and found a key problem. (Kincaid, 6/9)

Roll Call: HHS' First National STI Plan Could Face Obstacles 
The Biden administration on Thursday issued its new multiagency plan to address rising rates of sexually transmitted infections, but experts see possible legislative and judicial hurdles that could thwart that effort. (Raman, 6/8)

The Washington Post: An AIDS Epidemic Pamphlet Defied Ronald Reagan, Taught America Sex Ed 
Thirty-five years ago, Americans opened their mailboxes during the HIV-AIDS epidemic to discover a sealed package from the U.S. government. The mass mailing came whether they wanted it or not, and it came with a warning: “some of the issues involved in this brochure may not be things you are used to discussing openly.” The 1988 mailer, which came from the U.S. Public Health Service, marked a bold step in sex education, launching a public discussion about HIV-AIDS that was grounded in science, and influenced public health efforts on diseases from covid-19 to mpox. It also caused a firestorm.

In other health and wellness news —

Stat: Study Finds Amino Acid Taurine Slows Aging In Mice And Monkeys
The first clue was blind cats. About 50 years ago, K.C. Hayes, a professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, took on the mystery of why some cats experienced rapid deterioration of their vision. The problem, Hayes figured out, was that some brands of cat food lacked an amino acid called taurine, something cats don’t produce themselves. (Garde, 6/8)

The New York Times: Energy Drinks Are Surging. So Are Their Caffeine Levels
It has been more than 25 years since Red Bull hit the market and introduced caffeinated energy drinks to the United States. While the company claimed its beverage would “give you wings,” it never said it was actually good for people. Yet as the energy drink market continues to grow rapidly, companies both new and old are trying to attract health-conscious customers with a wave of no-sugar, low-calorie drinks that claim to boost energy as well as replenish fluids with electrolytes and other ingredients. ... But there are concerns that drinks being pitched as healthy are resulting in children and teenagers consuming caffeine in unhealthy amounts. (Creswell, 6/9)

Axios: The Science Behind Teen Girls' Mental Health Crisis
A brain chemical essential to decision-making and managing stress is emerging as another indicator of why teen girls are bearing the worst of the youth mental health crisis. Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is a neurotransmitter that plays a role in controlling anxiety and impulses. Low levels of it are associated with addiction and disorders like ADHD, PTSD and depression. GABA levels during puberty are overall lower than they would be for 18-to-22-year-olds, but they're even lower for girls in the weeks leading up to their period, said Marisa Silveri, who leads Harvard's Neurodevelopmental Lab on Addictions and Mental Health at McLean Hospital. (Moreno, 6/9)

Minnesota Public Radio: As Medicaid Sign-Up Deadline Looms, Minnesota Health Officials Urge Recipients To Act Now
State and federal health leaders on Thursday had a message for Minnesotans: Please open your mail. Ahead of the first-phase deadline for Medicaid recipients to re-up their enrollment or risk losing coverage, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra made a trip to Minneapolis to highlight what’s at stake. (Ferguson, 6/8)

Roll Call: New Food Stamp Requirements Test States And USDA 
State agencies and the Agriculture Department face a perfect storm of legislative and regulatory demands as they turn the new food stamp work requirements in the debt ceiling law into reality. (Ferguson, 6/8)

In other health news from across the U.S. —

Oklahoman: Oklahoma Launching Harm Reduction Campaign To Combat Fentanyl Overdoses
Over the next few months, the Oklahoma State Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services officials will install vending machines across the state with Naloxone and fentanyl testing strips as part of its Harm Reduction campaign, which seeks to stop the stigma associated with asking for help regarding substance abuse. Already, billboards have gone up across the city warning of fentanyl contaminating controlled substances. (Aston, 6/8)

AP: Jury Returns $63M Verdict After Finding Chevron Covered Up Toxic Pit On California Land
A California jury has returned a $63 million verdict against Chevron after finding the oil giant covered up a toxic chemical pit on land purchased by a man who built a house on it and was later diagnosed with a blood cancer. Kevin Wright, who has multiple myeloma, unknowingly built his home directly over the chemical pit near Santa Barbara in 1985, according to his lawsuit. (6/9)

San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area Residents Can Eat Garden Produce Despite Toxic Refinery Dust
Toxicologists tested soil samples taken across about a dozen miles and centered in Martinez, a city in the backyard of a major oil refinery, PBF Energy’s Martinez Refining Co., which processes 157,000 barrels of crude oil each day. Scientists analyzed levels of a variety of heavy metals, such as chromium, barium and nickel, to determine if there were any long-term health risks from the dust that coated the ground the day after Thanksgiving. (Johnson, 6/8)

North Carolina Health News: NC Disability Rights Organization Asks A Judge To Take A Step Back
In the seven months since a judge issued an extensive order in a long-running North Carolina disability rights lawsuit, a creeping sense of trepidation has persisted in some families whose members with intellectual and developmental disabilities live in long-term care facilities. (Blythe, 6/9)

Also —

Axios: State Laws Can Impact Where You Die, Study Shows
Policy can have a big impact on where we die. A new JAMA Open Network study found that cancer patients in states with palliative care laws, which can require health care providers to tell patients about their end-of-life treatment options, were more likely to die in the comfort of their home or in hospice care rather than a hospital bed. (Dreher, 6/9)

Minnesota Public Radio: For UMN Researchers, Finding A Better Way To Educate About Cancer Starts In The Community
On a hot day in late May, Abdifatah Ali walks through a community health and wellness fair at Currie Park in the Cedar-Riverside area of Minneapolis. As kids run in the fountains and play in the bounce house, Ali, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, is searching for someone who might be willing to leave the festivities and go across the street to fill out a survey about cancer. (Wiley, 6/9)

Detroit Free Press: Ukrainian Doctors Working In Extreme Conditions Rely On US Peers' Help
When the first missiles flew and the air raid sirens wailed at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Dr. Oleksii Vlasov, chief general of the Regional Medical Center of Family Health in Dnipro, acted quickly. For the safety of the patients and the staff, "everything that the team needed all had to go underground: medicine, lights, water filtration, everything," he said. ... What has helped, Vlasov said, is having the support of some of America's leading physicians, who have offered virtual consultations, shipments of supplies and even a mission trip in mid-May. (Jordan Shamus, 6/4)

The Washington Post: Ancient Toilets Yield Dysentery Discovery For Archaeologists 
Iron-Age Jerusalem’s upper crust had access to the ultimate in luxury: latrines with carved stone seats. But newly uncovered archaeological evidence reveals that they couldn’t escape dysentery, a parasite-caused intestinal infection that leads to stomach cramps and painful diarrhea. Analyzing 2,600-year-old feces found at two cesspits used by the Kingdom of Judah’s elite, archaeologists discovered traces of Giardia duodenalis, which causes dysentery, they report in the journal Parasitology. They say it’s the oldest known example of the parasite infecting humans. (Blakemore, 6/3)

The New York Times: For These Bird Flu Researchers, Work Is A Day At The Very ‘Icky’ Beach 
The H5N1 virus poses “a great unknown threat” to birds and humans alike. Understanding and thwarting it begins with excrement collection. (Anthes, 6/5)

The Washington Post: Forget 10,000 Steps. 7 Surprising Tips For Step Counters. 
If you’re struggling to reach 10,000 steps a day, here’s some good news: The latest science suggests fewer daily steps may be the sweet spot for many of us, depending on our age, fitness and health goals. There is nothing magical or evidence-based about 10,000 steps a day. So feel free to let go of that goal. (Reynolds, 6/7)

Research on a rare genetic mutation frees a woman accused of killing her children —

The New York Times: Citing Doubt, Officials Free Woman Convicted in 4 Children’s Deaths in 2003
Two decades ago, Kathleen Folbigg was convicted of smothering all four of her young children. Australian tabloids called her the country’s worst female serial killer. But Ms. Folbigg, who was serving a 30-year term, insisted she was innocent. And in recent years, a growing number of scientists began to argue that she was telling the truth. Genetic evidence, they said, indicated that the children had very likely died of natural causes. ... in recent years, geneticists have found that Ms. Folbigg and her two daughters had a rare genetic mutation in what is known as the CALM2 gene. In 2020, an international team of scientists published a research paper concluding that the mutation was likely to result in life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Further research found that the two boys had separate rare genetic variations, which in mice have been linked to lethal epileptic seizures. (Zhuang, 6/4)

The Sydney Morning Herald: Kathleen Folbigg Pardon: How The Science Got Her Out Of Jail
Professor Carola Vinuesa took saliva swabs from Kathleen Folbigg and in 2018 began work to sequence her DNA. The genetic map discovered eventually led to her release. (Cubby, 6/5)

New England Journal of Medicine: Approving Workplace Accommodations For Patients With Long Covid — Advice For Clinicians
How does long Covid, also called post-acute sequelae of Covid-19, differ from other chronic illnesses? And what are your ethical and legal responsibilities in approving workplace accommodations? (Doron Dorfman, L.L.B., J.S.D., and Zachary Berger, M.D., Ph.D., 6/8)

The Washington Post: A Middle Ground On Masking In Health-Care Settings 
Should hospitals and other health-care facilities maintain mask requirements, even though they have long been dropped in virtually all other settings? (Leana S. Wen, 6/8)

Dallas Morning News: Medical Debt In Dallas-Fort Worth Is Unbearable. Something Needs To Change
Medical debt in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a critical issue that needs to be addressed now. Our D-FW community suffers from one of the nation’s highest levels of medical debt, as a recent article by Kaiser Health News states. As a result, many families struggle to pay their medical bills and face costly interest payments or, worse, bankruptcy. (Chuck Bernal, 6/9)

The Star Tribune: A Necessary Boost For Nursing Homes
Before COVID-19, PioneerCare had about 325 employees on its payroll. But at one point, as inflation took its toll and other businesses competed for employees, "We were down to 185 for a while. It was pretty scary," said CEO Nathan Johnson. (6/8)

Stat: Your Health Insurance May Not Meet State Minimum Requirements
In 2017, the Massachusetts state Legislature passed a law to ensure ease of access to birth control. It says there should be no copay for hormonal birth control prescriptions. It also allows women to fill a 12-month prescription at once. Infertility care has similar protections. The state mandates that plans cover “medically necessary expenses of diagnosis and treatment of infertility” if the insurance provides other pregnancy-related benefits. This includes comprehensive coverage of even costly treatments such as in vitro fertilization. However, health plans covering 57% of Massachusetts residents, and a similar rate nationally, don’t have to comply with state laws like these. Why? Because many companies are “self-insured.” (Shira Fischer, 6/9)