Axios: Harris' Chance To Forge A New Health Agenda For Democrats
Kamala Harris is expected to pick up President Biden's policy torch as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, but the reality is that she's stepping into a role leading the party at a time when it's biggest long-term health care goals have to some extent been realized. (Owens, Knight and Sullivan, 7/23)

Poynter: Kamala Harris Is Running For President. Here's How PolitiFact Has Rated Her Claims On Abortion, The Economy And Trump
PolitiFact has fact-checked Harris 46 times since 2012 in her roles as California attorney general, U.S. senator, Democratic presidential candidate and vice president. Her vice presidency was one of firsts: She is the first woman and first Black and Asian person to hold the position. Here’s a look at Harris’ fact-checked comments on topics including abortion and the economy and her potential 2024 opponents, Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance. (Czopek and Ramirez Uribe, 7/22)

The Guardian: Biggest US Abortion Rights Groups Back Kamala Harris As Effective Messenger
The biggest abortion rights groups in US politics are lining up behind Kamala Harris’s bid for president, a show of faith in a politician who has already become the face of the White House’s fight over abortion rights – which is not only one of the election’s biggest issues but one of the few where Democrats have the advantage. Within hours of Joe Biden’s stunning announcement on Sunday that he would drop out of the presidential race and endorse the vice-president, Emilys List, which champions Democratic women who support abortion rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All, which advocates for abortion access and was previously known as Naral Pro-Choice America, officially endorsed Harris. Emilys List plans to pour at least $20m into the race in support of Harris. (Sherman, 7/22)

NBC News: Harris' Frank Talk About Abortion And Its Impact On Women's Health Might Energize Voters
Vice President Kamala Harris’ willingness to speak freely about abortion could mark a turning point in the national conversation about women’s health, experts said Monday, a day after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election. “She talks about abortion rights, and she talks about it unapologetically,” said Kelly Baden, vice president for public policy at the Guttmacher Institute, a nongovernmental research organization that works to expand reproductive rights. “She makes the connection between all facets of reproductive health care and abortion rights.” (Edwards and Harris, 7/22)

The Conversation: 6 In 10 Americans Support Abortion Rights. This Could Be The Advantage Kamala Harris Needs Against Donald Trump
Kamala Harris is assertive and confident on the issue, while Trump and his running mate seem to be at odds over strategy. (Flowers, 7/23)

How is Donald Trump's health? —

The Washington Post: Trump's Age And Health Now A Focus After Biden's Exit From The Race
Donald Trump, a 78-year-old with a history of heart disease and obesity, according to experts, has not shared any updated bloodwork results or other specific information during this campaign to help experts assess his ongoing medical risks. Instead, he has released a vague, three-paragraph letter from his primary care physician, Bruce A. Aronwald, who wrote in November that the former president was in excellent physical and mental health, and who later said in a statement released by campaign officials to The Washington Post that “there is no need for President Trump to release another medical report in addition to the one he recently made public.” (Kranish, 7/22)

The Wall Street Journal: Drug Middlemen Push Patients To Pricier Medicines, House Probe Finds
The drug middlemen that promise to control costs have instead steered patients toward higher-priced medicines and affiliated pharmacies—steps that increase spending and reduce patient choice, a House investigation found. The pharmacy-benefit managers, or PBMs, have devised formularies of preferred medicines that encouraged use of higher-priced drugs over lower-priced alternatives, the Republican-led House Committee on Oversight and Accountability found. (Whyte, 7/23)

FiercePharma: Sinking Prices For Generic Meds A Major Factor In US Shortage Crisis: Report
As lawmakers and industry groups seek to get a handle on U.S. drug shortages, a new white paper from German market analytics firm QYOBO supports the thesis that disproportionately low prices for generic medicines can make it difficult for drugmakers to keep supplies afloat. Chief among the insights from QYOBO’s research, the company discovered that net sales prices for drugs that have faced shortages in recent years have plummeted in many cases. (Kansteiner, 7/22)

Axios: Six Straight Quarters Of Drug Shortages
The number of active drug shortages fell to 300 in the second quarter of this year after hitting an all-time high of 323, according to a tracker from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. It's the sixth straight quarter with at least 300 drugs on shortage, many of them critical to patient outcomes, the pharmacists' group said. (Reed, 7/22)

FiercePharma: Pfizer Blockbuster Heart Drug Too Pricey, Report Says
Pfizer’s blockbuster drug tafamidis for the treatment of the rare heart disease transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) needs at least a 96% discount off its list price to be considered cost-effective under common benchmarks. The finding came from a draft report (PDF) published Wednesday by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), an influential organization focused on evidence-based drug-cost analysis. (Liu, 7/18)

ProPublica: The Biden Administration Says Its Trade Policy Puts People Over Corporations. Documents on Baby Formula Show Otherwise.
The Biden administration has quietly pushed more than a half-dozen countries to weaken, delay or rethink baby formula regulations aimed at protecting the public’s health — sometimes after manufacturers complained, a ProPublica investigation has found. In the European Union, the U.S. opposed an effort to reduce lead levels in baby formula. In Taiwan, it sought to alter labeling that highlighted the health benefits of breastfeeding. And in Colombia, it questioned an attempt to limit microbiological contaminants — the very problem that shut down a manufacturing plant in Michigan in 2022, leading to a widespread formula shortage. (Vogell, 7/22)

The New York Times: Biden And Georgia Are Waging A Fight Over Medicaid And The Future Of Obamacare
The Affordable Care Act was once a potent electoral issue that could swing campaigns with its more familiar moniker, Obamacare. But the 2010 health law did not factor into last week’s Republican National Convention.The Republican National Committee’s platform made only vague reference to a Trump health plan, saying that the party will “increase transparency, promote choice and competition, and expand access to new affordable health care.” Former President Donald J. Trump, who said last year he was “seriously looking at alternatives” to Obamacare, made little reference to health policy in his speech on Thursday accepting the Republican nomination. (Weiland, 7/21)

President Biden is recovering well from covid —

USA Today: Biden's COVID Symptoms 'Almost Completely Resolved,' His Doctor Says.
President Joe Biden’s symptoms have “almost resolved completely” after testing positive for COVID-19 last Wednesday, according to a White House press release. After completing his tenth dose of the antiviral Paxlovid, his pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature remain normal, his doctor, Kevin O'Connor, said in the release. His oxygen saturation is “excellent” in room air and his lungs remain clear. All those are markers of recovery and general health. (Rodriguez, 7/22)

KFF Health News: Covid Is Still With Us, But The Guidance Has Changed. Here's What To Know If You're Exposed
President Joe Biden tested positive for covid-19 last week, but his symptoms were reportedly mild. With covid still circulating and putting Americans at risk, KFF Health News reviews the latest safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Lofton, 7/22)

Modern Healthcare: Pharmacy Group, Providers Sue UnitedHealth Over Change Outage
Pharmacists and providers are still allegedly waiting on delayed payments from the Change Healthcare outage, according to a proposed class-action lawsuit filed Friday. The National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents more than 19,000 independent pharmacies, joined 39 providers in alleging Change Healthcare parent company UnitedHealth Group's actions in response to a February cyberattack allegedly affected their ability to make payroll, pay rent and purchase medical supplies. (Berryman, 7/22)

Hospital watch —

Becker's Hospital Review: 15 Health Systems Dropping Medicare Advantage Plans
Medicare Advantage provides health coverage to more than half of the nation's seniors, but some hospitals and health systems are opting to end their contracts with MA plans over administrative challenges. Among the most commonly cited reasons are excessive prior authorization denial rates and slow payments from insurers. (Emerson, 7/22)

Modern Healthcare: Rural Hospital CEOs Risk Cuts Unless Medicare, Medicaid Pay Grows
Rural hospitals are weighing which services to cut if lawmakers do not boost Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and streamline pay processes, CEOs said. Half of rural hospitals were operating in the red last year, up from 43% in 2022, according to a February report from the consulting firm Chartis Center for Rural Health. As a result, a growing number of providers in rural communities are slashing obstetric and chemotherapy services, among others, the report found. (Kacik, 7/22)

Houston Chronicle: Texas AG To Probe Medicaid Fraud Allegations At Texas Children's
Federal and state officials are investigating allegations that Texas Children's Hospital unlawfully billed Medicaid for transgender care. The developments follow multiple public statements made by a nurse who claims to have seen evidence indicating that Texas Children's illegally charged the government for hormone treatment and other transgender care. The nurse, who has publicly identified herself as Vanessa Sivadge, said she worked with patients seeking transgender care at the hospital. (Gill, 7/22)

Becker's Hospital Review: Mount Sinai Pushes Back On Threats To 'Lock Up' Execs Amid Beth Israel Closure Plans
As the closure of New York City-based Mount Sinai's Beth Israel hospital remains in limbo, the health system has expressed concerns over threats to "lock up" specific Mount Sinai senior executives should the hospital close in violation of a temporary restraining order. The hospital was supposed to close on July 12, according to its revised closure plan, but the New York State Department of Health's continued review of the plan has delayed the closure. (Ashley, 7/22)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Report: Most St. Louis Hospitals Charge Above ‘Fair Price’
Most hospitals in St. Louis are charging businesses and health insurers above a benchmark that a national business group considers a “fair price” for medical services, according to a new report Monday from a coalition of St. Louis employers. (Barker, 7/22)

Becker's Hospital Review: Intermountain Unveils $680M Colorado Hospital
Murray, Utah-based Intermountain Health has unveiled its $680 million Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, Colo., which will replace the existing Lutheran Medical Center, according to a July 22 news release shared with Becker's. The 620,000-square-foot new hospital comprises 226 licensed beds. In addition to maintaining a Level 2 trauma designation, the hospital will also have a rooftop helipad with access to stroke care, labor and delivery and trauma rooms. (Ashley, 7/22)

On the battle over Steward Health —

Bloomberg: Bankrupt Steward Health Finds Buyers For Two Hospitals Amid Senate Probe
Bankrupt Steward Health said it found buyers for two of its hospitals in Arkansas and Louisiana, as the nation’s largest for-profit health system braces for a bipartisan Senate investigation into its financial woes. Steward is selling the Wadley Regional Medical Center in Hope, Arkansas, to Pafford Health Systems Inc. and Glenwood Regional Medical Center in West Monroe, Louisiana, to an affiliate of American Healthcare Systems. Pafford and AHS have agreed to pay $200,000 and $500,000 for the hospitals, respectively, and assume certain liabilities, according to court documents filed on Sunday. (Randles, 7/22)

WKBN 27: Steward Health Has Not Received ‘Qualified Bids’ For Sale Of Local Hospitals
The Steward Health Care System has canceled auctions for its locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania. According to court documents filed on Sunday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas — where Steward Health is based — the organization has “not received bids that constitute a qualified bid” needed to hold an auction. Auctions were originally scheduled for June 27 and were postponed before this announcement. (Yudt, 7/22)

Iowa Public Radio: Iowa Supreme Court Won't Reconsider Abortion Ruling
The Iowa Supreme Court on Monday denied abortion providers’ request to reconsider its decision to uphold a law banning most abortions around six weeks of pregnancy. The Court ruled last month in a 4-3 decision that the abortion ban is constitutional and that an injunction blocking its enforcement should be dissolved. However, the law banning most abortions when cardiac activity is detected has not taken effect as of Monday afternoon because a lower court has yet to dissolve the injunction. Until that happens, abortion is still legal in Iowa up to about 20 weeks of pregnancy. (Sostaric, 7/22)

PoliticoPro: House GOP Forced To Temporarily Scrap 2 Funding Bills With Abortion Riders
House Republicans have pulled two government funding bills scheduled for a floor vote this week, signaling further peril for leadership's doomed efforts to pass all 2025 spending measures before the August recess. Republicans’ funding bill for the Agriculture Department and the FDA, in addition to the Financial Services spending bill, will not be considered on the floor as originally planned, according to three sources familiar with the whipping problems. (Scholtes, 7/22)

Oklahoma Voice: Attempts To Further Restrict Abortion Fail To Cross The Finish Line In Oklahoma
Despite a near-total ban on abortion, Oklahoma’s state Legislature saw dozens of bills attempting to impose more restrictions. But none crossed the finish line to become law this session. Bills ranged in focus, from restricting “chemical abortions” and “abortion pills” to personifying fetuses and restricting travel for the procedure. Oklahoma law bans abortion, with the only exception being to save the life of the pregnant person. It does not allow exceptions for rape or incest. (Murphy, 7/22)

Michigan Advance: Anti-Abortion Researchers Back Riskier Procedures When Pregnancy Termination Is Needed, Experts Say
The day the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the medical board that certifies OB-GYNs in America released a statement calling legal pregnancy termination and knowledge of abortion procedures “essential to reproductive health care.” But a small number of influential anti-abortion doctors have spent the last two years trying to change the reproductive health care standards in state and federal health policy, in a way that is potentially dangerous, doctors representing major medical institutions say. (Resnick, 7/21)

The Guardian: Most New HIV Infections Occurred Outside Sub-Saharan Africa For First Time – UN Report
The majority of new HIV infections last year occurred in countries outside sub-Saharan Africa for the first time. African countries have made swift progress in tackling the virus, with the number of infections in sub-Saharan Africa 56% lower than in 2010, a new report from UNAids said. Globally, infections have fallen by 39% over the same period. "This reflects both the prevention achievements in much of sub-Saharan Africa and the lack of comparable progress in the rest of the world,” said the report, which found case numbers were rising in eastern Europe and central Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and north Africa. (Lay, 7/22)

AP: UN Says Nearly 40 Million People Had HIV In 2023, Lack Of Treatment Means Someone Died Every Minute
Nearly 40 million people were living with the HIV virus that causes AIDS last year, over 9 million weren’t getting any treatment, and the result was that every minute someone died of AIDS-related causes, the U.N. said in a new report launched Monday. (Lederer, 7/23)

Euronews: UN Report: AIDS Could End By 2030 If World Leaders Help Ease Access To Treatment
A new report was released by UNAIDS on Monday saying the AIDS pandemic can be ended by 2030 if more is done to fund initiatives and protect human rights. (O'Sullivan, 7/22)

HIV.gov: Conversation At The Opening Of AIDS 2024
The International AIDS Society’s 25th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2024) opened [Monday] in Munich, Germany. HIV.gov began its coverage with a video conversation about the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR's Ambassador John Nkengasong and the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy's Kaye Hayes discussedExit Disclaimer the importance of the U.S. government's attendance at the conference and PEPFAR’s activities. Ambassador Nkengasong said PEPFAR is a game-changing initiative that has offered hope to the individuals, communities, and countries it has supported. (7/22)

Also —

Stat: A Pricey Gilead HIV Drug Could Be Made For $26 A Person A Year, Researchers Say
Following the release of widely touted study results for a Gilead Sciences HIV treatment, a new analysis finds the medicine — called lenacapavir — could be made for as little as $26 to $40 per person each year, which the researchers argue could alleviate concerns about limited access in many countries. (Silverman, 7/23)

Bloomberg: GSK’s Long-Acting HIV Preventive Drug Is Safe In Pregnant Women
GSK Plc’s long-acting HIV prevention drug is as safe in pregnant women as daily pills, a boost to the company’s efforts to cement its place in the market for antivirals that patients don’t have to take each day. Pregnancy outcomes were similar among women who took the drug, called Apretude, and those who took daily antiviral pills, UK-based GSK said Tuesday in a statement. The drug has already been approved for prevention in other adults, and the company will seek to expand the label to include pregnant women. (Furlong, 7/23)

Reuters: Robitussin Maker Settles Lawsuit In US Over 'Non-Drowsy' Claim
The maker of Robitussin settled a consumer lawsuit that claimed its "non-drowsy" cough and flu medicine causes drowsiness, agreeing to pay $4.5 million and remove the "non-drowsy" claim from its packaging and marketing. (Stempel, 7/22)

The Wall Street Journal: J&J Allies With Mass-Tort Specialists To Seal $8 Billion Talc Settlement
Johnson & Johnson is closing in on one of the largest settlements of mass-tort lawsuits in history. Its strategy is to divide and conquer the trial lawyers. The healthcare-products company is nearing a resolution of the long-running lawsuits over its talc products, offering a settlement to roughly 100,000 women who allege the company’s iconic baby powder caused them to develop gynecological cancers. If J&J wins enough of their support, it will try to use a bankruptcy filing to carry out its settlement plan, worth roughly $8 billion over time. (Scurria, Mulvaney and Gladstone, 7/23)

On marijuana —

Stat: Marijuana Rescheduling Proposal Divides Medical Professionals
The Biden administration’s proposal to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana is dividing some of the nation’s top medical professionals. The nation’s largest and most powerful doctors group, the American Medical Association, has raised multiple concerns with the move, which is known as rescheduling. (Florko, 7/23)

CNN: Prenatal Marijuana Use Linked To Serious Risks For Mother During Pregnancy, Study Finds
Women who use marijuana before they learn of their pregnancy are at higher risk for potentially life-threatening complications like preeclampsia, a new study finds. (LaMotte, 7/22)

In other pharmaceutical news —

KFF Health News: Why Millions Are Trying FDA-Authorized Alternatives To Big Pharma’s Weight Loss Drugs
Pharmacist Mark Mikhael has lost 50 pounds over the past 12 months. He no longer has diabetes and finds himself “at my ideal body weight,” with his cholesterol below 200 for the first time in 20 years. “I feel fantastic,” he said. Like millions of others, Mikhael credits the new class of weight loss drugs. But he isn’t using brand-name Wegovy or Zepbound. Mikhael, CEO of Orlando, Florida-based Olympia Pharmaceuticals, has been getting by with his own supply: injecting himself with copies of the drugs formulated by his company. (Allen, 7/23)

AP: Too Many Pills? How To Talk To Your Doctor About Reviewing What’s Needed
Swallowing a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, from young adults coping with anxiety to older adults managing chronic conditions. Overall, 13% of people in the U.S. take five or more prescription drugs. For those 65 and older, that number is 42%. If you’re taking multiple meds, it’s smart to be aware of potential problems. One pill can lead to a side effect, leading to another pill and another side effect in what experts call a “prescribing cascade.” (Johnson, 7/22)

FiercePharma: Insulet Drops Song Using All The Sounds Of An Omnipod 5 Pod Swap
There’s a new contender for song of the summer out now, and it comes from none other than diabetes tech maker Insulet. Insulet, maker of the Omnipod series of insulin pumps, has released “The Pod Drop (Pod Change Theme Song),” an undeniably catchy tune made solely from the sounds of an Omnipod 5 insulin pod change. Available now on popular streaming services, “The Pod Drop” was made by YouTuber and musician Andrew Huang, well known for his “Song Challenge” series of videos making music out of foods, toys and other random, non-instrument items. (Park, 7/22)

Axios: Experimental Lyme Disease Vaccine Passes Milestone
A Pfizer-led effort to develop the first new Lyme disease vaccine in more than two decades passed a key milestone last week, putting the drug on a timeline to potentially hit the market in 2026 if trial results are favorable. (Bettelheim, 7/23)

On bird flu, polio, and rabies —

CIDRAP: Avian Flu Infects Two More Colorado Poultry Cullers, One At Second Farm
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) today reported that another worker culling poultry a second large layer farm tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza in preliminary tests, just days after it reported another case at the first farm, raising the total number to seven. Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed initial positive results for H5N1 in two of Colorado's recent cases, detailed genetic sequencing findings from a sample from a sick Colorado poultry culler, and reported preliminary results from a seroprevalence study in Michigan farm workers. (Schnirring, 7/22)

CIDRAP: Poliovirus Found In Gaza Wastewater
Sewage sampling has turned up circulating variant type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2) in two sites in the Gaza Strip, though no related paralysis cases have been detected, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) said in a July 19 statement. (Schnirring, 7/22)

Military Times: Military Families Overseas Scrambling As U.S. Dog Travel Rules Change Over Rabies
A number of military families stationed overseas are scrambling to find other arrangements for transporting their dogs back to the United States because of new regulations taking effect Aug. 1 — in the middle of the military’s heavy moving season. The issue stems from new requirements from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that take effect Aug. 1, aimed at preventing the introduction of dog rabies into the United States. While dog rabies was eliminated in the United States in 2007, there are over 100 countries where dog rabies isn’t controlled, according to the CDC. (Jowers, 7/22)

On the environment and your health —

Los Angeles Times: 15,000-Gallon Sewage Leak Triggers Closures At Two L.A. County Beaches
Parts of Venice Beach and Dockweiler State Beach are closed after 15,000 gallons of sewage leaked into the ocean near Marina del Rey over the weekend, the Los Angeles County Public Health Department said. Beachgoers are being advised to stay out of the water one mile north and one mile south of Ballona Creek until tests there over 48 hours show the water quality meets health standards. The first test was scheduled for Monday, according to the health department. (Deng, 7/22)

Santa Cruz Sentinel: State Cautions Against Recreational Shellfish Harvesting In Santa Cruz, Monterey Counties
According to a release from the environmental health division of the county’s Health Services Agency, the California Department of Public Health has warned consumers not to eat recreationally harvested mussels, clams or whole scallops gathered from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. State experts have discovered dangerous levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning, or PSP, toxins in mussels within the pair of coastal counties that can cause illness or death, according to the release. (Hattis, 7/22)

North Carolina Health News: Case Against Plastic Waste Grows, As Studies Point To Potential Harm
What type of pollution is so tiny it can be invisible to the naked eye? Hint: Humans ingest it through the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. The answer: microplastics. (Atwater, 7/23)

The New York Times: Nursing Home Owner Gets 3 Years’ Probation in Deadly Hurricane Evacuation
A Louisiana nursing home owner who sent more than 800 residents to a squalid warehouse with what the authorities called poor sanitation and inadequate food supplies while they braced for Hurricane Ida in 2021 was sentenced on Monday to three years’ probation, despite prosecutors’ calls for prison time. The man, Bob Glynn Dean Jr., 70, pleaded no contest to the 15 criminal charges he faced, including cruelty to persons with infirmity, Medicaid fraud and obstruction of justice on Monday at the Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse in Amite, La. (Petri, 7/22)

On LGBTQ+ health —

WLRN Public Media: Florida Seeks The Go-Ahead To Enforce Restrictions On Gender-Affirming Therapies
Florida has asked a federal appeals court to allow the state to restrict treatments for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria while a legal battle continues to play out. Attorneys for the state filed a 36-page motion at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals seeking a stay of a ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle that blocked restrictions Florida imposed last year on puberty blockers and hormone therapy. (Saunders, 7/22)

The Hill: DOJ Asks Supreme Court To Partially Restore Biden Title IX Rule In Republican-Led States
The Department of Justice (DOJ) asked the Supreme Court to take emergency action Monday to restore parts of President Biden’s Title IX rule in a handful of Republican-led states where the new regulations are blocked, arguing that lower court injunctions pausing the rule in its entirety are “more burdensome” than necessary. In April, the Education Department unveiled a final set of sweeping changes to Title IX, the federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in schools and education programs that receive government funding. The new rule, which covers discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity for the first time, drew swift criticism from Republicans who claimed the new regulations undermine the original intent of Title IX, triggering a flurry of multistate lawsuits. (Migdon, 7/22)

More health news from across the country —

CBS News: Patients At Pittsburgh Hospital Can Enter Opioid-Free Pain Management Program
For the first time in western Pennsylvania and possibly in the nation, patients at a local hospital can choose not to be given opioids before, during and after surgeries. Inside UPMC Shadyside Hospital, doctors are taking a unique route to managing surgical and post-op pain in some patients to help prevent opioid use disorder. (Guay, 7/22)

Bloomberg: NY’s CDPAP Home Health Aide Job Program Has Become A ‘Racket’: Hochul
“Get paid to care for your loved ones,” the subway ad for one of New York’s Medicaid-funded home health aide programs says. But the statewide benefit, which pays people to care for their family members and friends, is being exploited and becoming a “racket,” according to Governor Kathy Hochul. (Nahmias, 7/22)

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis County Executive Bypasses Council On Big Contract
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page’s administration is bypassing the St. Louis County Council to ink a major contract with a new health benefits administrator, arguing the move is necessary to ensure there was no disruption to employee health insurance. (Barker, 7/22)

ProPublica: Maryland Moves To Process A Nearly 50-Year-Old Backlog Of Rape Kits
One of the country’s oldest backlogs of untested evidence from rape exams is on track to be processed by the end of the year after new laws in Maryland put more than 1,400 cases dating back to 1977 on an expedited timetable. As detailed in ProPublica’s 2021 series “Cold Justice,” a doctor at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center began quietly preserving physical evidence obtained during exams of rape survivors in the 1970s, believing that one day the technology would exist to be able to connect specimens to perpetrators. (Rentz, 7/22)

Bay Area News Group: Newsom Signs New Bills To Reform Universities' Sex Harassment Policies
A year after a scathing report revealed widespread mishandling of sexual misconduct claims at San Jose State and across the California State University system, two new laws will require stronger sexual harassment policies at its 23 campuses. The new laws Gov. Gavin Newsom signed July 15 require Cal State University officials to expand current sexual assault prevention training, standardize investigation and reporting processes, track cases and address unprofessional conduct that doesn’t fall under sexual harassment. (Gibbs, 7/22)

Los Angeles Times: Deadly Drug Overdoses Plateaued In L.A. County In 2023
Deaths from drug overdoses and poisoning reached a plateau last year in Los Angeles County — the first time in a decade that such fatalities had not continued a year-over-year rise, public health officials said. Across L.A. County, 3,092 lives were lost to drug overdoses or poisoning in 2023, a slight decline from 3,220 deaths the year before, according to a newly updated report. County officials welcomed the change after years of devastating increases in overdose deaths but said much work remains to be done to save lives. (Alpert Reyes, 7/22)

San Francisco Chronicle: Golden Gate Bridge Officials Say Suicide Barriers Are Saving Lives
Officials say the $224 million net erected to deter suicides at the Golden Gate Bridge may also be deterring people from jumping in the first place, with fewer recorded attempted jumps. So far this year, staff successfully intervened in 56 attempted jumps, when at this point in a typical year, officials say they would have expected to see up to 100 already. “The net is working,” said Paolo Cosulich-Schwartz, director of public affairs for the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District. “Suicides have declined dramatically since the net was completed.” (Vainshtein, 7/22)

CNN: Brain Care Score May Also Predict Depression, Study Finds
Scientists announced in December the successful creation of the Brain Care Score, a tool for assessing dementia or stroke risk without medical procedures. That score, which also helps patients and doctors identify beneficial lifestyle changes, may now also be able to predict the odds of developing depression later in life, according to a new study. (Rogers, 7/23)

Fortune Well: Is The 24/7 News Cycle Making It Hard For You To Function? Here's How To Cope
A Democratic campaign shake-up. Political violence. War. Shootings. Supreme Court decisions. Election campaigning. High-profile deaths. If the constant barrage of news is leaving you feeling anxious, stunned, deflated, or paralyzed—particularly when it comes to getting through the regular tasks of your day, from work to childcare—you are definitely not alone. (Greenfield, 7/22)

If you need help —

Dial 988 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.

On dementia and cognitive health —

CBS News: Reducing Dementia Risk May Be As Simple As Putting Down The Phone And Taking A Nap
Want to reduce your risk of dementia? Try turning off your devices and taking a nap. In a new book, a Canadian expert on artificial intelligence says that to nurture our minds and reduce the risk of dementia, we should focus on real intelligence rather than artificial intelligence. In other words, we should put down our smartphones and instead take an afternoon nap to refresh our memories and rejuvenate our bodies. (Marshall, 7/22)

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Night Owls Challenge Early Birds For Cognitive Edge, Study Suggests
The early bird may not always get the worm, at least when it comes to cognitive performance. A study from Imperial College London suggests night owls — those who feel more alert and productive in the evening — tend to outperform their early rising counterparts on brain tests. Researchers analyzed data from more than 26,000 participants and found evening people scored up to 13.5% higher than morning people on cognitive assessments. Even those without a strong preference for morning or night still performed better than early risers. (Newmark, 7/22)

On children's mental health —

CNN: 5 Strategies For Families To Ensure Children Are Safe Online, According To A New White House Report
When it comes to the online safety of their children, parents could build a family media plan to set expectations, maintain open conversations with their kids about their social media use, choose content that’s developmentally appropriate for their child, set good examples and balance time with and without devices by creating “screen-free” times. Those are just some of the latest strategies put forth in a first-of-its-kind report released Monday by the White House’s Task Force on Kids Online Health and Safety. (Howard, 7/22)

KFF Health News: California Forges Ahead With Social Media Rules Despite Legal Barriers
California lawmakers are pursuing legislation aimed at protecting children from the dangers of social media, one of many efforts around the country to confront what U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy and other public health experts say is a mental health emergency among young people. But California’s efforts, like those in other states, will likely face the same legal challenges that have thwarted previous legislative attempts to regulate social media. (Kreidler, 7/23)

The Washington Post: Teens And Parents Have Wildly Different Views On Kids’ Support Needs
Adolescents and teens are less than half as likely as their parents to say they always receive the emotional and social support they need, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report suggests, with less than 30 percent of young people in a survey reporting that they always have such support. The analysis, released last week, draws on data gathered by the National Health Interview Survey, which queries a representative sample of U.S. residents. Nearly 1,200 adolescents ages 12-17 and some 4,400 parents were interviewed between July 2021 and December 2022. (Blakemore, 7/20)

Other mental health news —

The Washington Post: Are You A Workaholic — Or A Hard Worker? Why It Matters For Your Health.
Every profession has its share of hard chargers and overachievers. But for some people — roughly 15 percent of workers — the job becomes all-consuming. A healthy work ethic develops into an addiction, a shift with far-reaching consequences, says Toon Taris, a behavioral scientist and work researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Taris stresses that the “workaholic” label doesn’t apply to people who put in long hours because they love their jobs. Those people are considered engaged workers, he says. “That’s fine. No problems there.” People who temporarily put themselves through the grinder to advance their careers or keep up on car or house payments don’t count, either. (Woolston, 7/21)

Axios: Why Olympic Silver Medalists Seem Less Happy Than Bronze Winners
Despite their better performances, Olympic silver medalists seem less happy than their bronze-winning counterparts, according to a 2021 study by University of Iowa professors. The findings illuminate how expectations can dampen or elevate our perceptions of ourselves. (Ta, 7/22)

U.S. News & World Report: A Call To Action From 9 Former U.S. Cabinet Secretaries: We Need A National Effort To Protect Patients Against Health Care Cyberattacks
The severity and scope of these alarming attacks cause serious concerns for patients, providers and payers alike. The cyberattacks on Change Healthcare and Ascension Health earlier this year show that even the largest companies and health systems are not immune on this battlefront and can face billions of dollars in losses. (David Shulkin, Anthony Principi, Jim Nicholson, Louis Sullivan, Donna Shalala, Michael O. Leavitt, Kathleen Sebelius, Tom Price and Alex Azar, 7/22)

The New York Times: How To Protect The World From An Accidental Pandemic
It’s been about a century since viruses were recognized as causing devastating human diseases. Since then, scientists and public health experts have diligently tried to reduce the threats they pose by developing vaccines and treatments, improving ventilation and more. (Tom Inglesby, Anita Cicero and Marc Lipsitch, 7/23)

Military Times: Fixing The Military’s Overweight And Obesity Crisis
A service member being overweight impacts their ability to contribute to their respective unit’s mission. Statistics that reveal a continuing, alarming climb in rates of overweight and obesity in children and adults in America apply to America’s troops as well. Obesity almost doubled from 22% to 42% in U.S. adults between 1988 and 2020. Active component Army statistics show a current rate of obesity of 20%, with overweight soldiers comprising approximately 40% to 50% of the force. (Mary McCarthy, Tanisha Currie and Kevin M. Kilroy, 7/20)

Stat: FDA Breakthrough Medical Devices Treated Differently Than Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration designates as “breakthrough” technologies certain drugs and devices. This designation helps expedite the development and review of therapies intended to treat serious conditions that may offer improvements over available therapies. (Richard Macary, 7/23)