The Hill: Democrats Yank COVID Relief After Revolt By Own Members 
Facing a revolt from rank-and-file Democrats, party leaders on Wednesday yanked billions of dollars in emergency funding from a $1.5 trillion government funding package — a move that will allow for passage of the larger package but leaves the fate of the pandemic relief up in the air. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) confirmed the news in a "Dear Colleague" letter on Wednesday afternoon, largely blaming Republicans for the impasse that sparked the stunning last-minute revision to the larger spending package. (Lillis and Folley, 3/9)

Politico: House Dems Clear $1.5T Spending Deal After Stripping Covid Aid 
Democrats were jubilant over the passage of the bill, which was the result of months of protracted battles with GOP leaders. But it wasn’t without last-minute drama in the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team were forced to yank the White House’s $15 billion coronavirus relief request out of their bill after dozens of members revolted against paying for that aid using their home states’ stockpiles of pandemic cash. The decision to ditch the virus aid was a tough setback for party leaders and Biden, who now have no clear path to deliver that money — intended to help bolster global vaccinations and prepare the U.S. for another variant. (Ferris, Wu and Scholtes, 3/9)

The New York Times: Uncertainty For Biden’s Covid Plan After Aid Is Dropped From Spending Bill
Faced with Republican resistance after asking for billions of additional dollars to keep fighting the coronavirus, the Biden administration recently supplied Congress with a chart showing how much money it had left for testing, therapeutics and vaccines. It was filled with zeros. But on Wednesday, Democrats in Congress stripped a $15.6 billion emergency aid package from a broader spending bill amid disputes over how to cover the cost. The move injects uncertainty into President Biden’s plan, announced last week, to address “urgent needs” in his pandemic response and to prepare for future variants. (Stolberg and Ngo, 3/9)

The Hill: Pelosi Says Separate Coronavirus Relief Bill Will Be Put On The Floor 'Hopefully Today' 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Wednesday that a separate coronavirus relief bill would be put on the House floor “hopefully today” after she informed House members earlier that day that COVID-19 funding would be removed from a $1.5 trillion government funding package. “We have a bill that's going to be on the floor, hopefully today, just depends. We have a bill that I mentioned, that will be on the floor today. And it will be — really contain what the administration says that we need. It’s a separate funding package to continue the battle against coronavirus largely focusing on the new therapies that are there,” Pelosi said during her weekly news conference. (Vakil and Sullivan, 3/9)

What else is included in the $1.5T spending package? —

Modern Healthcare: Congress' $1.5 Trillion Spending Deal Includes 340B, Telehealth Coverage
The overall package also does not include several other provider group requests, including another delay of Medicare payment cuts, which are set to partially resume in April. The package also does not include more money for the Provider Relief Fund, which helps providers offset financial losses due to COVID-19, nor does it include a suspension of Medicare loan repayments. Providers did score some wins. Some hospitals that fell out of the 340B Drug Discount Program during the pandemic due to a change in patient mix and volume will be allowed to stay in the program through Dec. 31. More than 50 hospitals have already been kicked out of the program during the pandemic, according to the American Hospital Association. However, the language is not retroactive, meaning that hospitals that already lost eligibility may not benefit. (Hellmann, 3/9)

NPR: Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Is Added To A $1.5 Trillion Spending Bill
Party leaders announced Wednesday that a long-stalled reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act — the federal law that provides resources to victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence — is included in the $1.5 trillion federal spending package making its way through Congress this week. First enacted in 1994, VAWA lapsed four years ago due to a partisan dispute over an expanded gun provision that Democrats wanted to include in the updated version of the law. Republicans objected, and the reauthorization languished on Capitol Hill ever since. Last month, senators announced they had reached an agreement after months of renewed talks. Democrats backed down from an earlier demand to include a provision that would have expanded existing gun laws that prohibit convicted abusers of possessing firearms, addressing what's commonly referred to as the "boyfriend loophole." (Davis, 3/9)

NBC News: School Meal Programs In 'Financial Peril' After Spending Bill Snub, Advocates Say
A sprawling $1.5 trillion spending bill that would fund the federal government beyond Friday doesn't include special benefits put in place at the start of the pandemic for schools to ensure that every student is fed. The exclusion means child nutrition waivers would expire on June 30, potentially cutting off access to breakfast and lunch for millions of schoolchildren at a time of rising food costs, school nutrition advocates warn. (Ortiz, 3/9)

Politico: Finger-Pointing Ensues After Congress Fails To Extend Universal School Meals 
Schools whose nutrition programs feed millions of kids daily are in a tailspin after expecting an extension for another year. The flexibility allowed an additional 10 million students to eat free meals at school each day. The sudden shift sparked a fierce political fight Wednesday over who is to blame. Democrats and a long list of school groups are pointing at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for taking a hardline stance against extending the waivers. (Evich and Calefati, 3/9)

In other action from Capitol Hill —

The Washington Post: Congress Weighs Permanent Daylight Saving Time In A Debate As Regular As Clockwork 
A congressional panel on Wednesday debated whether to end the nation’s “spring forward” and “fall back” daylight saving policy, citing the health effects of shifting the clock twice per year. Most agreed it was about time. On Sunday, people in most parts of the United States will set their clocks ahead one hour so that darkness falls later in the day, a seasonal shift that is enforced by the federal government and will be reversed on Nov. 6. But more than 40 states, including Maryland, are considering changes to end the shifting, and federal lawmakers are weighing legislation that could make daylight saving time permanent. (Diamond, 3/9)

AP: Limits On Insulin Costs Revived In Push For Senate Action
Legislation to limit insulin costs for people with diabetes is getting revived in the Senate. Democrats say they want to move quickly, but they’ll need Republican support to get anything through an evenly divided chamber — and they’re not there yet. Curbs on insulin costs have the backing of President Joe Biden, and before that, even enjoyed support from his Republican predecessor Donald Trump. The goal reemerged this week after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote colleagues that “negotiations are underway with Senate Republicans on legislation to lower the cost of insulin,” part of an urgent push to address economic pain points for American families. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 3/9)

Also —

The Hill: More Than One-Quarter Of Congress Has Had COVID-19 
More than one-quarter of all House and Senate lawmakers reported having COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic nearly two years ago, according to data analyzed by The Hill. In total, 152 lawmakers, which includes seven who reported having antibodies and two presumed cases, had COVID-19 since January 2020.  Republicans made up 82 of those individuals, while 69 Democrats and one independent made up the rest. (McLean and Mueller, 3/9)

NBC News: Covid Pill: Pfizer Launches Kids Trial To Test Antiviral
Pfizer announced Wednesday that it has started a clinical trial testing its Covid-19 antiviral pill in children as young as 6. The drugmaker said it aims to enroll approximately 140 participants in the trial, which will look at whether the drug, called Paxlovid, can safely treat Covid in children who are at risk of becoming severely ill. (Lovelace Jr., 3/9)

Politico: Pfizer To Begin Late-Stage Testing Of Covid-19 Antiviral For Kids 
Pfizer will begin Phase II/III testing of its Covid-19 antiviral pill in children, the company said on Wednesday. In December 2021, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Paxlovid, a combination of two antivirals, to treat Covid-19 in high-risk individuals 12 and older weighing at least 88 pounds. The upcoming trials will test the drug at different doses for children as young as 6 years old who test positive for Covid-19 and are not hospitalized, but are also at risk of developing severe disease. (Foley, 3/9)

In news about the vaccine rollout —

NBC News: A 2nd Booster May Come This Fall. It Might Not Be The Same Shot You Got Last Time
If another Covid-19 booster shot is needed this fall, it might not be the same shot you got the last time. ... If Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna get their way, the next round of vaccines will contain a new formulation that targets the supercontagious omicron variant, or perhaps two strains of the coronavirus, instead of just one. (Lovelace Jr., 3/9)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Health Department Admits The City Is Far Less Vaccinated Against COVID-19 Than It Has Been Saying
Philadelphia’s vaccination rates are significantly lower than the Department of Public Health has been saying, officials acknowledged Wednesday, blaming data errors for the inflated figures. Most significant, only a third of Philadelphia’s 5-to-11-year-olds have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, far fewer than the 53.6% officials have been touting for weeks. About 26% of the city’s children in that age range are fully vaccinated, the health department announced in a news release Wednesday, the first day children could attend public schools in the city without masks. (Laughlin and Graham, 3/9)

Side Effects Public Media: How A Rural Hospital Broke Language Barriers To Provide COVID Vaccines To Immigrants 
In the days leading up to her hospital’s COVID-19 vaccine clinic, hospital administrator Bethany Daugherty carefully monitored pre-registrations. The numbers were low: only about 30 people signed up to receive their shot. “I thought, ‘Well, 30 is better than zero,’” said Daughtery, the health and wellness education specialist at the Schneck Medical Center in the southern Indiana town of Seymour. Last summer’s vaccine clinics were targeted toward the growing number of immigrants from Central America in Seymour, Indiana, which includes Indigenous Mayan people from Guatemala. Near the start of the pandemic, Daugherty spearheaded her hospital’s efforts to engage with the town’s growing Hispanic community. She connected with the local school, churches and nonprofits. Alongside community leaders, she helped launch a COVID-19 task force in 2020, initially aimed at distributing COVID information. (Barrett, 3/8)

Also —

Axios: U.S. Set To Miss COVID Vaccine Donation Goal
The U.S. has pledged to donate more than 1 billion COVID vaccines around the world, but it would have to significantly scale up its monthly donation rate to meet that goal by the end of this year, according to a new Public Citizen analysis. Vaccines not only save lives, but also help protect the world against new variants. The U.S. had shipped 474 million doses abroad by the end of February and was recently donating around 60 million doses a month. To reach 1.2 billion doses by the end of 2022 — which USAID recently cited as the administration's goal — the U.S. would have to increase its donation rate to 73 million doses per month, per Public Citizen. (Owens, 3/9)

The Wall Street Journal: United Airlines To Let Unvaccinated Workers Return 
United Airlines Holdings Inc. will allow workers who haven’t been vaccinated against Covid-19 for religious or medical reasons to return at the end of this month, according to people familiar with the decision. The move permits staffers with exemptions from the carrier’s vaccination requirement for its U.S. employees to return from unpaid leave or from the noncustomer-facing roles they were allowed to apply for as an alternative to their regular jobs, the people said. (Sider, 3/9)

In other vaccine mandate news —

San Francisco Chronicle: San Francisco Drops Vaccine Mandate For Indoor Restaurants, Bars
Starting this Friday, San Francisco will no longer require people to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test to enter indoor restaurants, bars and gyms, city health officials announced Wednesday. The move will bring an end to a requirement that was first implemented in August, when San Francisco became the first major U.S. jurisdiction to mandate full vaccination to enter these indoor spaces. City health officials enacted the requirement because people in such locales typically remove their masks or breathe heavily, which increases the risk of transmission. (Ho, 3/9)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. Moves To Lift Vaccine Verification Mandate At Indoor Businesses
Los Angeles City Council members took the first step Wednesday toward lifting vaccine verification requirements at many indoor businesses, the latest in a slew of rule relaxations as the Omicron surge steadily fades. While not yet final, the move would have a sweeping effect in the City of Angels: removing the mandate that establishments such as restaurants and bars, hair salons, gyms and movie theaters screen whether their indoor patrons are vaccinated against COVID-19. (Money, Lin II and Alpert Reyes, 3/9)

AP: Panel Opts Against New Vaccine Requirement For Wash. Schools 
A state advisory group has decided against recommending a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students in K-12 schools. The state Board of Health last fall created a separate technical advisory group tasked with researching whether a COVID vaccine would meet all the scientific criteria needed to be added to the list of required K-12 immunizations. The volunteer group was made up of doctors, public health officers, state and local education leaders and community organizers. (3/9)

AP: Delaware Paramedic Gets Probation For Fake Vaccine Cards 
A Delaware paramedic has been sentenced to six months of probation for making and selling fake COVID-19 vaccine cards. David Hodges pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor on Monday, The News Journal reported. The judge also ordered him to pay a $1,300 fine, which is equivalent to what federal prosecutors said were his proceeds from the scheme. (3/9)

And in updates on mask mandates —

The Boston Globe: Boston Public Health Officials Rescind Public Health Emergency, Take Steps Toward Ending School Mask Mandate
The end of the emergency measure comes nearly two years after it was declared and represents another milestone in the city’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration went into effect on March 15, 2020, enabling the city to institute mask mandates, vaccine requirements, and access to state and federal resources. Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission, recommended rescinding the emergency order, noting many provisions have already ended. But she said the agency will remain vigilant in protecting the public from the virus and will respond accordingly when necessary. (Vaznis, 3/9)

AP: Seattle Schools Will Drop COVID-19 Mask Mandate 
Seattle Public Schools says it will lift its COVID-19 mask mandate beginning Monday. Late last month Gov. Jay Inslee said the statewide mask requirement for schools would lift on March 12 as cases and hospitalizations have been declining following a surge during caused by the omicron variant. Inslee had said going forward decisions about masking would be left to local districts. (3/9)

AP: NC Governor's Veto Of School Mask Mandate Opt-Out Is Upheld 
The North Carolina legislature failed on Wednesday to override another of Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes, this one on a bill that would have allowed K-12 students to opt out of COVID-19 mask-wearing mandates, even as those schools with such directives have become few. The Senate’s 27-22 vote fell short of the three-fifths majority required to overcome Cooper’s most recent veto. The result means the Democratic governor’s streak of upheld vetoes — stretching from early 2019 — continues. (Robertson, 3/10)

AP: GOP Lawmakers In Kansas Pushing For Ban On All Mask Mandates 
Republican legislators in Kansas are trying to prohibit state and local mask mandates during disease outbreaks, advancing such a ban Wednesday along with proposals aimed at discouraging local restrictions on businesses and public gatherings. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a measure that would limit the power of state and local health officials during pandemics and strip them of their power to mandate wearing masks. It approved a separate measure to require cities and counties to cut businesses’ property taxes for each day they are forced to close or limit their operations. Both measures go next to the full Senate for debate. (Hanna, 3/9)

CNN: How Kids Are Navigating Schools Where Masks Are Optional 
As many schools in the United States are lifting mask mandates, some kids are taking their health into their own hands. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's new measure for determining community Covid-19 levels and severity means that nearly 70% of the United States population lives in areas where masks are no longer required. Heeding this guidance, some schools have made mask-wearing optional for students and staff -- but some children and their parents aren't ready to let masks go just yet. (Rogers, 3/9)

Bloomberg: Cough Drop Sales Could Be Used To Map Omicron's Spread
As governments around the world start to limit testing for Covid-19, the humble throat drop may become a gauge of how quickly omicron is spreading. Sales of medicated lozenges and gargles, cough suppressants and over-the-counter pain relief medications have soared so high the products are often in short supply around the world, according to manufacturers and sellers. The trend has emerged even in countries where official testing numbers appear to show that active cases are falling. (Ramli, 3/9)

In other news about the spread of covid —

Politico: Health Experts Plead With Biden To 'Reverse Course' In Global Pandemic Response 
Over 100 public health, medical and epidemiology experts and advocates sent the Biden administration a letter on Wednesday begging it to do more to control the pandemic around the world, saying America’s current global efforts have failed. The authors asked the administration to share Covid-19 vaccine technology and increase manufacturing around the world, ask for more funding from Congress to support distribution in low- and middle-income countries and increase access to Covid therapeutics and rapid tests around the world, according to the letter obtained by POLITICO. (Payne, 3/9)

Axios: COVID Cases Continue To Plummet As America Moves On
Coronavirus cases have continued to plummet nationally and in nearly all states, and daily deaths are also dropping. COVID precautions have already been lifted across most of the country as pandemic fatigue runs deep. The virus will probably be with us for the long term, but these improving metrics show Americans are moving on with their lives more safely. In the post-Omicron, post-vaccination world, case counts aren't a very good indicator of how severe the pandemic is — a sentiment the CDC has embraced and worked into its official guidance. (Owens, 3/10)

Bangor Daily News: Maine’s COVID-19 Hospitalizations Have Fallen 70 Percent From Pandemic High
Maine’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have continued their steep slide, falling 70 percent in the last two months. It’s the latest evidence that COVID-19 is loosening its grip as winter nears its close, and hospitalizations have increasingly been relied upon as a barometer for the strength of the virus here. There are now 131 Mainers infected with the virus in hospitals across the state as of Wednesday morning, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s down from 143 the day before and down from the pandemic high of 436, set on Jan. 13. (Burns, 3/9)

In related news about health worker shortages —

NPR: Nurse License Delays Are Worsening COVID-19 Hospital Staffing Shortages
Three hours spent on hold. That's how long Courtney Gramm waited one day, all so that she might get her license from the state of California to work as a nurse. That morning was just a snapshot from a long ordeal. "Panicked, anxious, frustrated, mad even," Gramm describes how she felt as she called over and over. "I just couldn't get any information out of them." Gramm waited seven months for her nurse practitioner license at a time when COVID-19 cases were skyrocketing across the U.S. and hospitals were desperate to keep nurses on staff. (Fast, 3/10)

The Wall Street Journal: Lighter Covid-19 Caseload Brings Little Relief To One New York Hospital 
The number of Covid-19 patients has receded at Faxton-St. Luke’s Healthcare, but its leaders say they expect to stay in crisis mode for the foreseeable future because of persistent staffing shortages and the end of pandemic-related support they have been using as a crutch. Signs of the stress abound: Emergency-room wait times are up, staffed beds are down and patients are being transferred hours away for treatments such as gastrointestinal care that previously were offered on-site. The hospital’s nursing home is reliant upon the National Guard to keep its doors open. (Vielkind, 3/9)

KHN: Two Years In, Covid Leaves Montana Public Health Officials Feeling ‘Watched’
After covid-19 arrived in Park County, Montana, the local health officer, Dr. Laurel Desnick, became the face of pandemic measures and the focus of attention as never before. She’s been whispered about at the grocery store, yelled at on her way home, and called a tyrant. She and other public health workers say they feel that they’re living in a fishbowl and that everything they say will be scrutinized. “It almost sort of feels like you’re being watched,” Desnick said. “It’s not a good feeling.” (Houghton, 3/10)

Bloomberg: 800 Rural U.S. Hospitals At Risk Of Shutdown As Costs Surge
Pummeled by the pandemic, at least 40% of rural U.S. hospitals are in danger of shutting down and leaving millions of people in smaller and less affluent communities without a nearby emergency and critical care facility. That’s the conclusion of the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, whose recent study sees 500 hospitals at immediate risk for closing within two years and more than 300 others at high risk within five years. The grim assessment by the policy center found the problems spread across the country, and that the threats will persist even if the pandemic ends because rising costs are outrunning revenue. (Coleman-Lochner, 3/9)

AP: Biden Restores California's Power To Set Car Emissions Rules
The Biden administration is restoring California’s authority to set its own tailpipe pollution standards for cars, reversing a Trump administration policy and likely ushering in stricter emissions standards for new passenger vehicles nationwide. A waiver approved Wednesday by the Environmental Protection Agency allows California to set tough emissions rules for cars and SUVs and impose mandates for so-called zero-emission vehicles that do not contribute to global warming. (Daly, 3/9)

San Francisco Chronicle: California Has Power To Set Its Own Tough Auto Emission Standards Restored By EPA
California got the go-ahead on Wednesday to set emissions standards for cars and trucks that are stricter than the federal government’s, positioning the state to again lead the country on the issue of vehicle pollution and climate change. The green light given to the state by the Environmental Protection Agency marks an about-face from 2019, when the agency under President Donald Trump revoked California’s power to independently regulate tailpipe emissions and mandate the sale of zero-emissions vehicles. The EPA said at the time it wanted a uniform national policy. (Alexander, 3/9)

In other news from the federal government —

AP: Indian Health Service Head Nominated Amid Tough Challenges 
President Joe Biden announced Wednesday he is nominating veteran health administrator Roselyn Tso to oversee the federal agency that delivers health care to more than 2.5 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The selection of Tso to lead the Indian Health Services comes amid a push from tribal health advocates for stability in the agency. Acting directors have filled the role for years at the agency that’s chronically underfunded and struggles to meet the needs of Indian Country. (Fonseca, 3/9)

New York Post: Malliotakis 'Mad As Hell' Biden Admin. Wants To 2 Close NYC VA Hospitals
The Biden administration plans to close two of the Veterans Administration hospitals in New York City — in Brooklyn and Manhattan, The Post has learned. The VA would close those two hospitals and contract with private medical providers as part of a “strategic collaboration” to treat vets. The plan sparked immediate rebuke from Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island). “Me and the veterans I represent are mad as hell, and we will not allow the Biden administration to close these facilities,” Malliotakis told The Post. (Campanile and Levin, 3/9)

The Washington Post: U.S. Drug Supply Relies On Foreign Ingredients Even For Trump-Backed Federal Contractor For Domestic Manufacturing 
A Virginia start-up that won up to $812 million in federal money, under an early pandemic push by President Donald Trump’s White House to solve drug shortages and create emergency stockpiles by bolstering manufacturing on American soil, is rolling out its first products. The wrinkle: Some if not all of the drugs contain active ingredients made overseas, a dependency that highlights the real-world difficulties of Phlow’s promise to restore domestic production by building manufacturing capacity. (Rowland, 3/9)

Stat: Pressure Builds On Government To Probe Claims Of Patient Data Blocking
Patients, lawyers, developers, and others across the country have lodged more than 250 federal complaints against health care providers they say have made it harder for patients to access their own electronic medical data. Now, pressure is mounting on the federal agencies investigating the claims to handle them faster — and to disclose far more details about what they find. Health technology leaders and former federal officials have started publicly pressing the Department of Health and Human Services to more aggressively approach instances of “information blocking,” or any interference with the exchange and sharing of patient data. (Ravindranath, 3/10)

In other health care industry news —

Modern Healthcare: Providence's Operating Losses Doubled In 2021
Providence health system endured much deeper operating losses in 2021 than during the previous year, the not-for-profit company reported Wednesday. Providence recorded a $714 million operating loss on operating revenue of $27.3 billion last year, down from $306 million and $25.7 billion in 2020. The 52-hospital chain accrued $1.2 billion from non-operating income and $313 million from COVID-19 relief grants that offset its losses. Providence collected $1 billion in non-operating income and $957 million in relief funding the previous year. (Kacik, 3/9)

The Baltimore Sun: UMMS Board Chairman, Who Saw The Hospital System Through COVID And Past ‘Healthy Holly,’ Steps Down 
James “Chip” DiPaula Jr. has stepped down as chairman of the University of Maryland Medical System after nearly three years in the position that was punctuated by the coronavirus pandemic. DiPaula, however, may be best remembered as taking the helm of the 13-hospital system’s board in the wake of a major scandal involving lucrative contracts for board members. That included former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, who made hundreds of thousands of dollars selling her “Healthy Holly” children’s books in a sole-source deal with UMMS. (Cohn, 3/9)

Detroit Free Press: MyMichigan Health CEO, Spouse Dies In Florida Plane Crash
MyMichigan Health President and CEO Diane Postler-Slattery and her husband, Donald Slattery, died in a fatal plane crash in northwest Florida on Tuesday. Greg Rogers, executive vice president and chief operating officer, said it is a huge loss for the health system. “Diane was a strong, passionate and inspirational leader and was beloved by her family, friends and colleagues. We ask that you keep her family and friends in your thoughts and prayers and that you respect their privacy during this difficult time.” Rogers is serving as acting CEO for the health system until further action is taken. (Stein, 3/9)

AP: Mississippi House Leaders Kill Postpartum Medicaid Extension 
Republican leaders of the Mississippi House killed a bill Wednesday that would have let mothers keep Medicaid coverage for a year after giving birth, up from the current two months. Supporters said extending coverage under the government health insurance program could help reduce Mississippi’s maternal mortality rate, which is significantly higher than the national rate. (Pettus, 3/9)

Mississippi Today: Medicaid In Mississippi: The Real Cost Of Not Expanding It
As hundreds of thousands of working Mississippians struggle to afford healthcare, state lawmakers have again decided not to consider Medicaid expansion and do not seem poised to do so anytime soon. (Royals. 3/9)

In other Medicaid updates —

Health News Florida: House Passes Its Medicaid Bill But Remains At Odds With Senate Over 'Essential' Providers 
The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would make changes in the state’s Medicaid managed-care system as the Agency for Health Care Administration prepares to move forward with awarding billions of dollars of contracts. But the House and Senate remained at odds about part of the bill that deals with disputes between managed-care plans and “essential” providers, such as children’s hospitals and teaching hospitals. The House voted 77-38 to approve the bill (SB 1950) after making changes Monday. The bill will go back to the Senate as lawmakers try to end the annual legislative session as scheduled Friday. (3/9)

Georgia Health News: House Backs Big Change In Medicaid Program’s Pharmacy Practices 
The Georgia House unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that would strip the prescription drug benefit function from Medicaid’s managed care companies. It’s the second House bill approved in as many days that targets financial practices of the three Medicaid insurers in Georgia. On Tuesday, the chamber passed mental health legislation (House Bill 1013) that would require these insurers to spend at least 85 percent of the dollars they receive in premiums on medical care and quality improvements. (Miller, 3/9)

Reuters: Planned Parenthood Patient Wins Medicaid Defunding Fight In 4th Circ
South Carolina cannot cancel a Planned Parenthood affiliate’s status as a Medicaid-approved healthcare provider solely because the organization also offers abortions, a federal appeals court held Tuesday. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals insisted the case “is not about abortion,” but rather about a Medicaid patient’s right to choose any qualified provider – a right that was added to the federal statute 55 years ago. (Grzincic, 3/9)

And in Medicare news —

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals Want Required Pause On MA Prior Authorization In Future PHEs
Hospitals and providers say federal regulators should seek authority from Congress to require Medicare Advantage plans to pause prior authorization requirements during future public health emergencies. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services allowed MA plans to relax or waive prior authorization requirements for patient transfers to post-acute care facilities during 2020 due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. But as the PHE continued, many plans reinstated requirements for plan year 2021. CMS' proposed rule says hospitals have told the agency that more patient transfer flexibilities from MA plans could ease bed scarcity. (Goldman, 3/9)

Los Angeles Times: Two Arrested In $30-Million California Hospice Fraud Scheme
A Ventura County doctor and a marketer from Lancaster were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of carrying out a hospice fraud scheme that netted more than $30 million from Medicare, federal authorities said. Dr. Victor Contreras, 66, of Santa Paula, and Callie Jean Black, 63, of Lancaster were arraigned Tuesday and pleaded not guilty, said Thom Mrozek, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office for the Central District of California. (Yee, 3/9)

AP: Judge Favors Boosting Sackler Payment In Purdue Pharma Deal 
A judge said Wednesday that he would approve a plan that locks members of the Sackler family who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma into pumping at least another $1.2 billion into a nationwide lawsuit settlement that, if ultimately confirmed, would transform the company into a public trust. The initial approval from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Drain set the stage for an emotional virtual hearing Thursday that will allow people recovering from addiction and those who have lost loved ones to the crisis to directly address some of the Sacklers. (Mulvihill, 3/10)

AP: Opioid Crisis Victims To Confront Purdue Pharma's Owners 
Their advocacy helped send Purdue Pharma into bankruptcy and is forcing the family that has controlled the company for generations to relinquish ownership and provide billions of dollars for communities to combat opioid addiction. But what victims of opioid abuse and those who have lost loved ones to America’s long battle with addiction have wanted most was a chance to confront members of the Sackler family, who they blame for touching off a crisis that has cost some 500,000 lives over the past two decades. On Thursday, some of them will finally get their chance. (Mulvihill, 3/10)

Stat: Towns And Counties Object To 'Hush Money' Tied To Purdue Opioid Settlement
Ahead of a bankruptcy court hearing to approve a $6 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma for its role in the opioid crisis, dozens of towns and counties argue the deal should be rejected because it provides “hush money” to a handful of states that negotiated the revised terms. The issued was raised after the Sackler family members who own Purdue Pharma last week agreed to increase the payout to settle a hotly contested bankruptcy plan that would compensate governments and tens of thousands of individuals affected by the crisis. An earlier version of the settlement called for the Sacklers family members to pay $4.3 billion. A two-day hearing gets under way on Wednesday afternoon. (Silverman, 3/9)

In other news about the opioid crisis —

AP: Dozen Doctors Get Prison In Health Care Fraud, Opioid Scheme
A dozen doctors are among 16 people in Michigan and Ohio sentenced to prison for a health care fraud that included the distribution of 6.6 million opioid doses and $250 million in false billings. A multi-state network of pain clinics participated in the scheme from 2007 to 2018 in which doctors refused to provide patients with opioids unless they agreed to expensive, unnecessary and sometimes painful back injections, the Justice Department said Wednesday. (3/10)

Columbus Dispatch: Former Nurses: William Husel Ordered 2 Large Fentanyl Doses
Two former intensive care nurses at Mount Carmel Health testified Wednesday that in 2017 they each administered large doses of fentanyl to the same patient about 20 minutes apart at the direction of former doctor William Husel. The second nurse testified in the murder trial of former doctor William Husel that he was unaware that his colleague had earlier given the same dosage of 1,000 micrograms to the patient. Both dosages were prescribed by Husel, who was the attending physician at the time for Ryan Hayes, 39, an overdose patient who was considered comatose during his two-day admittance to the hospital. (Narciso, 3/9)

AP: A Look Inside The 1st Official 'Safe Injection Sites' In US 
Jose Collado settled in at a clean white table in a sunlit room, sang a few bars and injected himself with heroin. After years of shooting up on streets and rooftops, he was in one of the first two facilities in the country where local officials are allowing illegal drug use in order to make it less deadly. (Peltz, 3/9)

In news about legalized drug use —

The New York Times: New Yorkers With Marijuana Convictions Will Get First Retail Licenses
New York State will soon announce plans to usher in its first outlets for retail sales of marijuana by the end of the year, giving applicants access to stockpiles of the drug grown by local farmers and offering sweeteners like new storefronts leased by the state. The only catch? To be one of the state’s first licensed retailers, you or a member of your family must have been convicted of a marijuana-related offense. (McKinley and Ashford, 3/9)

AP: South Dakota Lawmakers Pass Limit On Homegrown Medical Pot
South Dakota lawmakers on Wednesday passed a proposal place a four-cap limit on the number cannabis plants that medical marijuana patients can grow in their homes. The Republican-controlled House and Senate have debated for weeks what limits to place on the number of cannabis plants that may be grown in homes after a voter-passed law placed no limit on homegrown plants. (3/10)

Stat: Oregon Wrestles With Offering Psychedelics Outside Medical System 
Visitors to the fabric store, kitty-corner to a Whole Foods, are greeted by a sign on the glass front door. Outlined in red, it says: “NO drugs, NO money kept in this building.” Not for much longer. Come early next year, if all goes according to plan, the rolls of cloth and sewing machines will be replaced by magic mushrooms. The century-old wooden building will become one of hundreds of locations across Oregon where people can come to take psychedelic drugs legally. Starting in 2023, Oregon will be the first state with widely legalized psychedelics. Technically, the state didn’t approve psychedelic therapy, though the program is often interpreted as such. Ballot Measure 109, which passed in November 2020, gave the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) the job of overseeing magic mushroom consumption at “service centers,” in the presence of “licensed facilitators.” (Goldhill, 3/10)

USA Today: Patient Dies Two Months After Historic Pig Heart Transplant
David Bennett, 57, who received a pig heart in January in place of his own failing one, died Tuesday. It's not yet clear precisely what caused Bennett's death, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he received the transplant Jan. 7 and had been recovering since. He began deteriorating in recent days and the hospital announced his death Wednesday. Bennett was the first patient ever to receive an animal organ genetically modified to prevent rejection in a person. (Weintraub, 3/9)

The New York Times: Patient Who Received Groundbreaking Pig Heart Transplant Dies
It was unclear whether his body had rejected the foreign organ. “There was no obvious cause identified at the time of his death,” a hospital spokeswoman said. Hospital officials said they could not comment further on the cause of death, because his physicians had yet to conduct a thorough examination. They plan to publish the results in a peer-reviewed medical journal. (Rabin, 3/9)

AP: US Man Who Got 1st Pig Heart Transplant Dies After 2 Months 
David Bennett’s son praised the hospital for offering the last-ditch experiment, saying the family hoped it would help further efforts to end the organ shortage. “We are grateful for every innovative moment, every crazy dream, every sleepless night that went into this historic effort,” David Bennett Jr. said in a statement released by the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “We hope this story can be the beginning of hope and not the end.” (Neergaard and Johnson, 3/9)

NBC News: Americans Are Besieged By Stress, Poll Finds
Financial woes, coupled with a barrage of horrifying scenes from Ukraine as Russia continues its invasion, have pushed a majority of Americans to unprecedented levels of stress, according to a new report from the American Psychological Association. The association's annual "Stress in America" poll, published Thursday, found that U.S. adults — already weary from two years of the Covid-19 pandemic — are now overwhelmingly troubled by inflation and the war in Ukraine. (Edwards, 3/10)

In other public health news —

Public Health Watch: More Latino Men Are Dying By Suicide Even As National Rate Declines 
While still jarringly high, U.S. suicide rates fell in 2019 and again in 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month. The year-over-year rate declined by 3 percent overall, falling by 8 percent among women and 2 percent among men. But there were some stark outliers. Notably, suicides among Latino men increased by nearly 6 percent. (Morris, 3/9)

Philadelphia Inquirer: Pennsylvania Warns About Risks Of Deer Tick Virus
As the warmer weather comes with spring, so does a pest that seemingly grows in virulence each year: the tick. This year, officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are cautioning those venturing outside that “the rare but dangerous” deer tick virus, or DTV, has been detected at high levels in ticks for the first time in several areas of the state, and as close to Philly as Montgomery County. DTV is a type of Powassan virus, which the CDC says has increased in recent years, mostly in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions from late spring to midfall, when ticks are most active. Pennsylvania began detecting DTV-positive ticks after it launched its five-year tick surveillance program in 2018. (Kummer, 3/10)

CNN: Affection From A Dog Really Is Medicinal, According To A New Study 
Dogs may also be a doctor's best friend. For patients suffering from pain in the emergency room, just 10 minutes with a four-legged friend may help reduce pain, according to a study published Wednesday. The results support what dog lovers everywhere have long suspected -- canine affection cures all ills -- as well as provides a bit of optimism for patients and health care providers frequently grappling with strapped hospital resources in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. "There is research showing that pets are an important part of our health in different ways. They motivate us, they get us up, (give us) routines, the human-animal bond," said lead study author Colleen Dell, the research chair in One Health and Wellness and professor at the University of Saskatchewan. (Holcombe, 3/9)

Side Effects Public Media: The Pandemic May Delay Progress Toward Closing Racial Gaps In Cancer Outcomes 
For more than a decade, Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has worked to reduce Black cancer rates through a program that emphasizes prevention and healthy living habits. Body & Soul is a national, evidence-based initiative that’s recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Paulette Clark, a longtime parishioner at Mt. Zion, set up the church’s Body & Soul program with help from the Iowa Cancer Consortium. Church members created a community garden. Volunteers tend to it year round, and the vegetables are distributed to whoever wants them. Clark recruited a certified fitness instructor from within the congregation to teach classes at the church. (Krebs, 3/8)

Stat: New Research Casts Doubt On A Cornerstone Of Thyroid Cancer Treatment
For decades, radiation has been a cornerstone of thyroid cancer care. But it may soon be phased out entirely for many thyroid tumors as emerging research casts doubt on whether it benefits patients. A study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that surgery alone might be sufficient to cure the lowest-risk thyroid cancers, and that follow-up treatment with radioactive iodine offers no additional benefit for these patients. (Chen, 3/9)

Dallas Morning News: Texas Appeals Court Sides With Parent Of Transgender Teen In Case Of Alleged Child Abuse
The lawsuit stems from a nonbinding opinion Paxton issued last month interpreting state law to define certain gender-affirming medical treatments as “child abuse.” Based his opinion, Gov. Greg Abbott then directed child protective services and other agencies to investigate reports of minors receiving these treatments. At least three families with transgender children have been visited by CPS agents since the order went out. On March 1, the state employee and a Houston psychologist sued to block the directive with the backing of the ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal. Travis County District Court Judge Amy Clark Meachum granted their request to temporarily halt implementation of the directive, which applied just to the plaintiffs, the next day. (McGaughy, 3/9)

CNN: Texas Files Lawsuit Over Latest Federal Health Guidance That Highlighted Protections For Pediatric Gender Affirming Care
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Wednesday he is suing the Biden administration over guidance from federal health officials that conflicts with his legal opinion that gender affirming procedures in children should be considered "child abuse." Paxton's February legal opinion -- which was seen by many as an attack on transgender children -- prompted Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to direct the state's Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate instances of those procedures. (Rose and Maxouris, 3/9)

Bloomberg Law: Texas Transgender ‘Abuse’ Policy Portends Biden Investigation
The administration has just two options to stop Texas from investigating families for child abuse if they are suspected of seeking gender-affirming care for transgender children—pulling federal health funding or suing the state. Attorneys say both options are likely being discussed at the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, especially in light of strong statements and guidance opposing the state’s actions by President Joe Biden and his agencies March 2. (Stein, 3/10)

In related news from Idaho —

NBC News: Idaho Lawmakers Seek To Punish Parents Who Take Trans Youth To Other States For Health Care
The Idaho House of Representatives on Tuesday passed legislation to make it a crime punishable by life in prison for a parent to seek out gender-affirming health care for their transgender child. The bill is among 29 pieces of Republican-backed legislation nationwide proposed so far this year to curtail health care for transgender youth, and it coincides with dozens of additional bills seeking to limit what can be discussed about gender identity and sexual orientation in schools and restrict transgender athletes in school sports. (Kingkade, 3/9)

More on Texas' fight against transgender health care —

NBC News: 'Our State Is Terrorizing Us': Texas Families Of Transgender Kids Fight Investigations
L., a mom who lives in Austin, Texas, said she was excited and relieved when her transgender son turned 18 last month, because “he made it.” Her son attempted suicide multiple times, she explained, first when he was just 9 years old. After he came out as trans and started wearing different clothing and using male pronouns, she said she heard him laugh for the first time in a long time. Now, he’s going to college in another state, and L., whose lawyer recommended she go by an initial instead of her full name to protect her family's privacy, thought her family was safe. (Yurcaba, 3/9)

Houston Chronicle: Dallas-Area Parents Of Transgender Son Say CPS Is Targeting Them Through ‘State Terrorism’
Thousands have remained in the shadows after Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive calling for parents of transgender youth to be investigated for child abuse if they support medical interventions. But one Dallas-area family is speaking out against what they called “state terrorism.” The statement by Amber and Adam Briggle, provided by their lawyer, tells the story of how the couple’s lives have been turned upside down after their family became a target of Texas’ Child Protective Services. The couple and their transgender son have been politically active in recent years, showing up at the Capitol to dissuade lawmakers from passing bills that target children like him. (Goldenstein, 3/8)

The Texas Tribune: Parents Of Trans Child Who Dined With Paxton Investigated For Child Abuse
In 2016, when Texas tried to stop transgender students from using the bathroom of their choice, there were protests, press conferences and a whole lot of anger directed toward the state’s elected officials. But one mom tried something different — she invited Attorney General Ken Paxton to have dinner at her house with her 8-year-old transgender son. Amber Briggle told The 19th recently that Paxton and her son washed up together in the bathroom before dinner. “He turns around and looks and says, ‘This is nice. It’s been a while since I had kids this age,’” Briggle told The 19th. More than five years later, Paxton has helped set in motion a targeting of families with trans kids unlike anything experts or lawyers say they’ve ever seen — and the Briggles are now caught in the crosshairs. (Klibanoff, 3/8)

The Texas Tribune: Treatment For Transgender Kids Becomes Litmus Test For Texas Republicans
Gov. Greg Abbott sparked a national uproar last month when he authorized child-abuse investigations into families that allow transgender kids to receive gender-affirming care. But the political momentum toward the move had been building for months, after the failure at the Legislature of a bill to block such treatments for kids paved the way for executive action amid a competitive primary season. Along the way, the issue emerged as a new litmus test for Texas Republicans. The issue is no longer contained to just the party’s fringes — and it is unlikely to go away any time soon as the national fervor grows, Abbott’s directive faces legal challenges and it factors prominently into a slew of GOP primary runoffs. (Svitek, 3/9)

The 19th: Poll: GOP Voters Are Split On Government Blocking Vital Gender-Affirming Care For Trans Youth
Republicans surveyed by the left-leaning polling firm Data for Progress are nearly evenly split on whether the government should prevent transgender youth from accessing gender-affirming care. The national polling data, shared exclusively with The 19th, suggests that GOP voters are not nearly as supportive of anti-trans bills being pushed by Republican state lawmakers across the country as some Republican politicians may want to believe. The data also carries significance for trans Republicans who spoke with The 19th about running in their local elections. (Rummler, 3/9)

And Disney World weighs in on Florida "Don't Say Gay" law —

NPR: Disney Now Says It Is Opposed To Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' Bill
The Walt Disney Company has now come out against Florida's Parental Rights In Education bill. The so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill was passed by Florida's House and Senate and is headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis' desk. The bill would limit discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools. In recent days, Disney employees shared their outrage on social media when the company did not denounce the proposed legislation. On Wednesday, at Disney's annual meeting with shareholders, Disney CEO Bob Chapek acknowledged their anger, saying that he knows "many are upset that we didn't speak out against the bill." (Blair, 3/8)

Politico: DeSantis Agrees To Meet With Disney CEO Amid 'Don't Say Gay’ Fallout 
Walt Disney Co.’s CEO told shareholders on Wednesday that Gov. Ron DeSantis agreed to meet with him to discuss Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” parental rights bill amid widespread condemnation of the controversial measure. Bob Chapek, the head of the California-based Walt Disney corporation, said he called DeSantis expressing “disappointment and concern” over the legislation and that the Republican governor agreed to meet with him and LGBTQ company leaders over the impact the bill could have, according to a readout of Chapek’s comments provided to POLITICO by Disney. (Atterbury, 3/9)

The Baltimore Sun: Anne Arundel Residents Say They’re Being Put On Hold When They Call 911. County Says Call Center Needs Adjustments
Arnold resident Kirsten Neumann’s daughter Vivian is 4 years old and has been in remission for a year from stage four neuroblastoma — a cancer that grows in immature nerve tissue. Vivian is participating in a clinical trial for a drug to treat the illness. On Feb. 16, the day after she got a shot as part of the trial, Vivian had a low-grade fever. Neumann gave her Tylenol and a few minutes later Vivian started choking, turning blue and seizing. Neumann stuck her finger down Vivian’s throat to induce vomiting, which helped the choking, but she continued to seize. Neumann called 911. “I was greeted with, ‘I’m sorry, we’re experiencing a high call volume. Please hold.’ Elevator music came on and then it disconnected,” Neumann said. (Munro and Belson, 3/10)

WTAE Pittsburgh: Allegheny County 911 Dispatchers, Other County Employees, Reach Deal With County To Avoid Strike On March 12
The SIEU Local 668 union, which represents Allegheny County 911 dispatchers and hundreds of other county employees reached a tentative deal with county officials on Wednesday to avoid a dispatcher strike. The dispatchers had been at odds with the county over long hours and a better living wage. They had said they would strike this Saturday, the same day as the St. Patrick's Day Parade. (3/10)

In abortion news from Idaho —

AP: Texas-Styled Idaho Abortion Measure Advances In House 
A House panel of Idaho lawmakers on Wednesday approved a bill that would ban abortions after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo — at about six weeks of pregnancy — by allowing extended family members of the patient to sue a doctor who performs one. The House State Affairs Committee voted to send the measure to the full House where it is expected to pass. It has already passed the Senate. (Ridler, 3/9)

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

AP: Health Care Bill Advances For Kids Who Are Illegally In US 
A bill providing state taxpayer-funded health care for children who are in the country illegally and ineligible for Medicaid or other federally funded coverage has cleared a House committee. The Democrat-led committee voted unanimously Wednesday to release the bill for consideration by the full House. (Chase, 3/9)

North Carolina Health News: A Widow’s Mission To Change NC Dental Sedation Rules 
When Shital Patel accompanied her husband Henry to a dental appointment in Leland on July 30, 2020, she was told it would not be long before he returned to the lobby of Mark Austin’s oral surgery practice. Hemant “Henry” Patel, a cardiologist with ties to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center, had gone to Austin Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery for a tooth implant procedure. “They told me, it’s going to be 20 minutes ma’am, he’ll be in and out, no problem,” Patel recounted to the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners at a meeting in February. “Twenty, 30 minutes go by, I ask, ‘Hey, can you update me?’ They said, ‘Oh we got a late start,’ which I completely understand being married to a physician. Wait another 15, 20, 30 minutes, and I ask again. They say, ‘We already told you, we got a late start.'” Patel’s anxiety grew. (Blythe, 3/10)

New Hampshire Public Radio: A New Mental Health Hotline Is Coming. What Could It Look Like For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Granite Staters? 
A small group Deaf and hard of hearing Granite Staters participated in an hour-long listening session this week to offer feedback on the rollout of the three-digit mental health hotline coming to New Hampshire this summer.Starting in July 2022, Granite Staters will reach the National Suicide Prevention Hotline by dialing the three digit number 9-8-8. For calls that require in person support, mobile crisis units, staffed with behavioral health professionals will respond. In preparation for the summer launch, these teams have already been rolling out across the state, in tandem with a new statewide phone number, 1-833-710-6477. “We want to talk more about the system and how they [Deaf and hard of hearing people] can get support at their own home without being hospitalized,” said DT Bruno, a member of the 988 planning commission who is Deaf. Bruno, who is also a clinician in Nashua, led the Monday evening call. (Fam, 3/9)

Mississippi Today: Some Mentally Ill Mississippians Wait In Jail For Hospital Beds. Here's Why
Last winter, a George County woman spent weeks waiting in jail for a bed at a mental health facility. Civil commitment – when a local court orders someone to be hospitalized for treatment – is supposed to be used when a person with a serious mental illness is in crisis, not when someone has addiction, an intellectual disability or dementia. The George County woman’s diagnosis was “major neurocognitive disorder,” an umbrella term that includes dementia. In September 2021, local Community Mental Health Center staff recommended against hospitalizing her. (Taft, 3/9)

Bloomberg: Ukraine Warns Of Chernobyl Radiation; IAEA Says Risk Low
A cut power cable leading to Ukraine’s defunct nuclear power plant in Chernobyl prompted officials on Wednesday to warn of potential safety risks. The 2,600 square kilometer (1,000 mile) Chernobyl exclusion zone, site of the deadly 1986 meltdown, also houses a nuclear-waste facility, where spent fuel from Ukraine’s reactors is encased for safe long-term storage. Operator Energoatom said the power cut could elevate safety risks because the temperature of the spent fuel will gradually rise, potentially resulting in a release of radiation. (Tirone and Choursina, 3/9)

Live Science: Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Has Lost Electricity
Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant and all the facilities in the Chernobyl exclusion zone have been completely disconnected and are now without electricity, Ukraine’s state energy company has announced. ... Ukrainian officials have warned that this could increase the likelihood of the evaporation and discharge of nuclear material, and give a dangerous dose of radioactive material to the plant’s personnel. Some nuclear energy experts, however, have cautioned that, as the spent fuel rods are now 22 years old and much colder than they were, this event is unlikely. (Turner, 3/9)

The New York Times: What A Power Cutoff Could Mean For Chernobyl’s Nuclear Waste 
Unlike an operating nuclear plant, which can use some of the electricity it generates to power its operation, the long-defunct Chernobyl plant in Ukraine is completely dependent on outside sources of electricity. So when that power is cut, as Ukrainian officials and the International Atomic Energy Agency say it has been by Russian troops, problems can result. (Fountain, 3/9)

In other news about the invasion of Ukraine —

CBS News: Pfizer Plans No Further Investment In Russia, Says CEO Albert Bourla 
The chief executive of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer says his company does not have plans to invest further in Russia, as that nation's invasion of Ukraine is about to enter its third week. Still, CEO Albert Bourla told "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan that Pfizer is not cutting ties with Russia entirely, and noted that while the company makes "some medicines in Russia for Russia," the company does not export from Russia. (Escobedo, 3/9)

KHN: Which Companies Aren’t Exiting Russia? Big Pharma 
Even as the war in Ukraine has prompted an exodus of international companies — from fast-food chains and oil producers to luxury retailers — from Russia, U.S. and global drug companies said they would continue manufacturing and selling their products there. Airlines, automakers, banks, and technology giants — at least 320 companies by one count — are among the businesses curtailing operations or making high-profile exits from Russia as its invasion of Ukraine intensifies. McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Coca-Cola announced a pause in sales this week. (Varney, 3/10)

Daily Southtown: Doctors Prepare For Humanitarian Trip As Southland Churches Collect Needed Supplies For Ukraine 
Dr. John Kahler has seen something like what is happening in Ukraine before and is worried about what could come next. Kahler, a pediatrician who lives in Palos Park, traveled to Aleppo in 2016 in the midst of a Syrian crisis to offer humanitarian aid. There, he said he got a taste of the Russian playbook, “surround, bomb, isolate and starve,” in that country’s support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “They’ve never shown compunction for killing civilians, for leveling a town,” Kahler said. Kahler and Dr. Zaher Sahloul, of Burr Ridge, co-founders of the Chicago Ridge-based humanitarian nongovernmental organization MedGlobal in 2017, were set to leave Wednesday for a trip with a group of 10 to Poland, Moldova and Ukraine. There, physicians, nurses and others plan to do a needs assessment and deliver 90 “well-stocked bags” full of medical and surgical supplies. (Jones, 3/9)

Los Angeles Times: O.C. Couple And Newborn Who Escaped Ukraine Are Back Home. What Happened To Their Surrogate?
Jessie and Jacob Boeckmann felt relieved when they set foot in their Costa Mesa home last Tuesday. After a harrowing escape from Ukraine during last week’s Russian invasion, they’d finally made it to safety with their newborn daughter, Vivian. Their other daughter, 2-year-old Mary, greeted “Mama” and “Daddy” by jumping up and down with excitement. Grandparents who’d flown in from across the country took turns fawning over little Vivian. There was cooing, laughter and bubbly sipped in celebration. (Carcamo, 3/8)

CIDRAP: Mental Decline Seen In Older COVID Patients 1 Year Later
A team led by researchers at Daping Hospital in Chongqing, China, followed 1,438 COVID-19 survivors aged 60 and older released from one of three dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in Wuhan from Feb 10 to Apr 10, 2020, and compared them with 438 of their uninfected spouses. (Van Beusekom, 3/9)

ScienceDaily: Researchers Uncover How The Human Brain Separates, Stores, And Retrieves Memories
Researchers have identified two types of cells in our brains that are involved in organizing discrete memories based on when they occurred. This finding improves our understanding of how the human brain forms memories and could have implications in memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. (NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 3/7)

ScienceDaily: More Alcohol, Less Brain: Association Begins With An Average Of Just One Drink A Day
Even light-to-moderate drinking is associated with harm to the brain, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 adults that found a link between drinking and reduced brain volume that begins at an average consumption level of less than one alcohol unit a day -- the equivalent of about half a beer -- and rises with each additional drink. (University of Pennsylvania, 3/4)

Nature: Immune Cells Alter Genetic Decoding In Cancer
Cancer cells make proteins in which the amino acid phenylalanine is swapped for tryptophan when immune cells trigger a tryptophan shortage. This finding reveals unexpected dynamics of genetic decoding. (Baranov and Atkins, 3/9)

Nature: AI Predicts The Effectiveness And Evolution Of Gene Promoter Sequences
A long-standing goal of biology is the ability to predict gene expression from DNA sequence. A type of artificial intelligence known as a neural network, combined with high-throughput experiments, now brings this goal a step closer. (Wagner, 3/9)

New England Journal of Medicine: Shorter Treatment For Nonsevere Tuberculosis In African And Indian Children 
Two thirds of children with tuberculosis have nonsevere disease, which may be treatable with a shorter regimen than the current 6-month regimen. (Turkova, M.R.C.P.C.H., et al, 3/10)

ScienceDaily: Cellular Rejuvenation Therapy Safely Reverses Signs Of Aging In Mice
Age may be just a number, but it's a number that often carries unwanted side effects, from brittle bones and weaker muscles to increased risks of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Now, scientists have shown that they can safely and effectively reverse the aging process in middle-aged and elderly mice by partially resetting their cells to more youthful states. (Salk Institute, 3/7)

The Atlantic: Masking Policy Is Incredibly Irrational Right Now 
Even as adults and older children all over the country fully shake off the pandemic posture, one group has been left behind in the old world: toddlers. Although the CDC recently moved to relax COVID guidelines, it continues to recommend universal indoor masking in early-childhood-education programs for those ages 2 and older. Accordingly, in New York City and elsewhere, kids in kindergarten and above may attend school maskless, but kids in pre-K and below may not. (Emily Oster, 3/9)

Scientific American: When Is It Safe To Have Sex After COVID? 
Recently, my husband endured a mild case of COVID—a cough, a sore throat, some aches and fatigue. Fortunately, he is vaccinated and boosted, and he recovered quickly. On day 10 after infection, he produced a negative rapid antigen test. Cool! So when can we have sex? (Carolyn Barber, 3/9)

Also —

Miami Herald: Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Isn’t About Parental Rights 
Just listen to the rhetorical gymnastics Republicans in the Florida Legislature have employed to defend what opponents call the “Don’t say Gay” bill. We have nothing against LGBTQ kids, they argued. We’re just protecting parental rights, they said, trying — and failing — to defend themselves against charges that they are homophobic. But it took a debate on the Florida Senate floor on Monday for the true views of at least one of the politicians behind House Bill 1557 to emerge: There are just too many gay kids nowadays. (3/8)

Miami Herald: Speaking Up Tests Florida Legislature’s Don’t Say Gay Bill 
You don’t know, dastards who rule the diverse state of Florida from the hills of Tallahassee, the pain and suffering gay children endure staying in the closet and not being accepted for who they are by society. Or, maybe you do, and you’re just plain evil and taking shelter behind your so-called Christian facade. Who else can vote for a bill — dubbed ‘Don’t Say Gay’ for good reason — that hurts children, gay and otherwise, by fomenting a culture of silence in schools? (Fabiola Santiago, 3/8)

Los Angeles Daily News: Patients Suffer When Doctors Can Face Decades In Prison For Prescribing Opioids
Xiulu Ruan, a board-certified Alabama pain specialist, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for prescribing opioid analgesics “outside the usual course of professional medical practice.” According to the appeals court that upheld his conviction, it did not matter whether he sincerely believed he was doing what a physician is supposed to do. (Jacob Sullum, 3/9)

Newsweek: Abortion Rights Are About Human Rights, Not Politics 
Everyone should have the freedom to make personal decisions with those they love and trust, especially when it comes to reproductive health care, without interference from politicians. Abortion rights—guaranteed across the nation since 1973 by the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision—are now threatened by new cases before the high court, endangering the reproductive freedom of all women and girls. (Barbara Lee and Donna Brazile, 3/9)

Stat: Gaslighting Of Black Medical Trainees Makes Residency A Thing To 'Survive'
Some say the lack of Black physicians is a pipeline problem, with too few Black people going to medical school. I say it’s a gaslighting problem. The health of Black Americans lags behind that of white Americans, driven in part by the underrepresentation of Black physicians in the medical field. Numerous studies have found that patients of color experience better health care outcomes and higher satisfaction when cared for by racially and ethnically concordant physicians. Despite the existence of pipeline programs designed to increase the number of Black physicians, only 5% of all doctors identify as Black, in stark contrast to the number of Black individuals in America who account for 14% of the population. While there are multiple causes for this discrepancy, one reason is that Black trainees represent 20% of all residents dismissed from their training programs before completion. (Shenelle Wilson, 3/10)

Houston Chronicle: Texas Children’s, Use Your Lawyers To Fight For Transgender Patients
My family has personal experience with evidence-based gender-affirming health care at Texas Children’s Hospital. An amazing team of professionals lovingly guided us through a process that involved months of discernment with an incredible array of best-in-the-world physicians, social workers and mental health professionals. And our child’s quality of life immediately improved. Everything we did was medically necessary. We cannot imagine the devastation we would feel at being told “our lawyers say we cannot provide the medically necessary health care you desperately need.” (Neil E. Giles, 3/9)

Modern Healthcare: Integrating Mental Health With Primary Care Is Needed Now More Than Ever
Integrating people's mental health with their primary care is increasingly seen as vital to better overall health. In fact, this issue received a lot of attention from President Joe Biden in his recent State of the Union address. The president outlined the national mental health crisis and steps needed to address it right away. (Katherine Suberlak, 3/9)

The Tennessean: Adult-Size Changing Tables Offer Needed Convenience, Dignity
To have a great life, all people should be able to enjoy access to their community and all that it offers. The Americans with Disabilities Act provided many new protections and accommodations that helped that become more of a reality. But the idea that some adults needed very intimate and intense care in toileting was not considered. (Phillip C. Garner, 3/9)