The Hill: US Uninsured Rate Hits Record Low Of 8 Percent, Biden Admin Report Says 
The U.S. uninsured rate fell to a record low of 8 percent in the first quarter of 2022, according to a new report from the Biden administration.  President Biden touted the number on Tuesday, saying it showed the success of his efforts to build on the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  (Sullivan, 8/2)

AP: Number Of Uninsured Americans Drops To Record Low
The drop in uninsured Americans began last year, when Congress and Biden signed off on a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that lowered premiums and out-of-pocket costs for new or returning customers purchasing plans through the Affordable Care Act’s private health insurance markets. ... Prior to last year, the uninsured rate had consistently remained in the double digits for decades. (Seitz, 8/2)

Axios: U.S. Uninsured Rate Hits Record Low As Subsidy Extension Looms
The 2021 American Rescue Plan temporarily expanded who was eligible for more generous ACA subsidies, resulting in millions of Americans enrolling in health insurance for the first time. ... Biden urged Congress to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which he said would "lock in an average $800 a year savings in health insurance premiums for 13 million Americans and prevent 3 million Americans from becoming uninsured." (Gonzalez, 8/2)

And Pennsylvania is the latest state to warn of rising insurance rates —

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pennsylvania Health Insurers Requested Bigger Rate Increases For 2023
Pennsylvanians who plan to shop later this year on the state’s Affordable Care Act exchange are unlikely to find shelter from the inflation that has engulfed other areas of the economy, according to a preview offered Monday by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. (Brubaker, 8/2)

Kansas City Star: Kansas Rejects Abortion Amendment: 2022 Election Vote Results
The right to an abortion will remain in the Kansas Constitution. In the first ballot test of abortion rights in a post-Roe America, Kansas voters turned out in historic numbers to overwhelmingly reject a constitutional amendment that would have opened the door for state lawmakers to further restrict or ban abortions across the state. (Bernard and Gutierrez, 8/3)

The Washington Post: Kansans Resoundingly Reject Amendment Aimed At Restricting Abortion Rights
In a major victory for abortion rights, Kansas voters on Tuesday rejected an effort to strip away their state’s abortion protections, sending a decisive message about the issue’s popularity in the first political test since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. (Gowen and Itkowitz, 8/3)

Politico: Kansas Voters Block Effort To Ban Abortion In State Constitutional Amendment Vote
Turnout for the primary also soared above usual levels Tuesday, and in some counties was closer to the participation usually seen in a presidential election. The in-person early vote, which tends to favor Democrats, was also nearly 250 percent higher than the last primary midterm election in 2018, when both Democrats and Republicans had competitive governors’ races, while the number of mail-in ballots was more than double. (Ollstein, 8/2)

AP: Kansas Voters Resoundingly Protect Their Access To Abortion 
The proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution would have added language stating that it does not grant the right to abortion. A 2019 state Supreme Court decision declared that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right under the state’s Bill of Rights, preventing a ban and potentially thwarting legislative efforts to enact new restrictions. (Hanna and Stafford, 8/3)

President Biden cheers the results in Kansas —

The Hill: Biden Praises Kansas Vote To Protect Abortion Rights 
President Biden on Tuesday hailed a vote in Kansas rejecting a state constitutional amendment that would have eliminated abortion protections and given the state legislature more power to regulate access to the procedure. ... "This vote makes clear what we know: the majority of Americans agree that women should have access to abortion and should have the right to make their own health care decisions,” Biden said. (Vakil, 8/3)

The Washington Post: Misleading Kansas Abortion Texts Linked To Republican-Aligned Firm 
The text messages arrived on Monday, the day before Kansans were set to vote on an amendment that would excise abortion protections from their state constitution. The text claimed that approving that measure, which could allow the Republican-controlled legislature to outlaw abortion, would safeguard “choice.” If the amendment fails, constitutional protections would remain in place, buttressing current law that allows abortion in the first 22 weeks of pregnancy. (Stanley-Becker, 8/2)

Newsweek: Is Abortion Banned In Kansas? What Referendum Vote Means
In Kansas, abortion is allowed up to 20 weeks after fertilization—about the middle of the second trimester. After that, it is allowed only to save the patient's life or prevent "a substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function." (Fung, 8/2)

In related election news —

Politico: Roe Jolts The Midterms — 5 Takeaways From A Key Primary Night
It would have been a victory for Democrats and abortion rights activists if they’d even kept it close in Kansas. Instead, as the heavily Republican state rejected an anti-abortion constitutional amendment, it marked a political earthquake with the potential to reshape the entire midterm campaign. (Siders, Wren and Montellaro, 8/3)

KHN: Two-Thirds Of Americans Disapprove Of Ending ‘Roe,’ But It’s Not A Top Voting Issue
Barely a month after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade’s federal guarantee of access to abortion, two-thirds of Americans said they disapprove of the court’s decision and 6 in 10 said they want their states to make abortion legal, a new poll finds. Yet despite that interest, abortion is not top of mind for many voters, the poll released Aug. 2 by KFF found. Three-quarters of registered voters said inflation and gas prices were their top concerns when considering decisions in the upcoming midterm elections. Abortion access was a key priority for 55% of voters, about the same as health care costs and gun violence. That was up from the 46% recorded by a KFF poll in February, after the Supreme Court had heard arguments in the case. (Verdon, 8/2)

Fox News: Biden To Sign Second Executive Order To Expand Abortion Access 
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will host the first meeting of the interagency Task Force on Reproductive Health Care Access on Wednesday, when the president is expected to take further executive action to protect abortion services. At the meeting, Biden will issue and sign a second executive order that will help allow women to receive abortions even if abortion is illegal in their state, a senior administration official said. (Richard, 8/3)

The New York Times: Biden To Issue Second Executive Order On Abortion 
Wednesday’s order asks the department’s secretary, Xavier Becerra, to “consider action to advance access” to abortion, including through Medicaid, for those who travel out of state, the White House said in a news release. It also calls for Mr. Becerra to “consider all appropriate actions” to ensure health care providers comply with federal nondiscrimination laws, and promote research on maternal health. (Victor, 8/3)

USA Today: Biden To Sign Order To Help Those Traveling Out Of State For Abortion
However, the executive order will not result in any immediate policies being implemented. And, it's unclear how the Hyde Amendment – a long-standing prohibition on using federal funds for abortion – could interfere with actions as a result of the executive order. (Morin, 8/3)

In related news from Capitol Hill —

Axios: Warren Says She Won't Back Bipartisan Abortion Rights Bill
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told NBC News Tuesday night she'll vote against a new bipartisan bill on federal abortion protections introduced in response to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. (8/3)

Roll Call: Justice Department Sues Idaho Over Abortion Ban
The Justice Department is suing Idaho over the state’s abortion ban, saying it violates a federal law requiring hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment to patients when necessary, including abortion. Idaho's six-week abortion ban, which takes effect Aug. 25, allows for abortions to prevent the death or "substantial and irreversible impairment" of the mother, and when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. (Hellmann, 8/2)

NBC News: Justice Department Sues Idaho Over Abortion Ban In First Post-Roe Litigation
The suit seeks a declaratory judgment stating that Idaho's law violates the Constitution's Supremacy Clause and is preempted and conflicts with federal law. It also seeks a judgment that Idaho may not initiate a prosecution against or attempt to revoke the professional license of any medical provider who performs an abortion authorized under federal law. The department also called for a preliminary and permanent injunction against the state of Idaho to prohibit enforcement of its abortion ban when it conflicts with federal law. (Shabad and Dilanian, 8/2)

AP: Abortion Court Battles Press On, Even In Deep Red States
It’s likely that virtually all abortions will be banned eventually in deeply conservative Idaho, along with most other Republican-dominated states, but there are still battles to play out in court and maybe the legislature before it happens. Wednesday, lawyers representing a physician and the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate will be before the Idaho Supreme Court asking the justices to block enforcement of three laws intended to restrict abortion. (Boone, 8/3)

Billings Gazette: Governor Asks Montana High Court To Reverse 1999 Abortion Ruling
Montana’s governor is asking the state’s high court to consider his arguments that justices should reverse a previous decision upholding the right to access an abortion and instead put the matter in state legislators’ hands. (Michels, 8/2)

In other abortion updates from Kentucky, Indiana, and California —

AP: Kentucky Clinics Appeal Order That Reinstated Abortion Ban
Kentucky’s two abortion clinics filed a quick appeal Tuesday aimed at restoring abortion services in the state, a day after an appellate judge reinstated a near-total statewide abortion ban. The clinics, both in Louisville, asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to vacate the ruling issued Monday evening by a judge on the state’s intermediate Court of Appeals. (Schreiner and Lovan, 8/2)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana House Broadens Protection For Health Of Mother In Abortion Ban
An Indiana House committee passed wide-ranging changes to the proposed near-total abortion ban Tuesday morning with less than five minutes of discussion moments before, giving the public its final chance to testify on what's seen as one of the most controversial issues Indiana lawmakers have touched. (Lange and Herron, 8/2)

Voice of OC: California City To Consider Banning Abortions Within City Limits
San Clemente City Councilmembers are set to discuss making their city an abortion-free zone under a new resolution. The resolution states that San Clemente will be a “sanctuary for life,” and that the city council will “enforce this resolution by all means within its power and authority.”  ... The resolution has not yet been discussed by council members. They’re expected to debate the proposal at the Aug. 16 meeting, and it looks to be headed to a city council that’s split over the issue, based on interviews and past public statements. (Biesiada, 8/2)

In related news —

CNN: Pharmacist Did Not Fill Morning-After Pill Prescription Because It Violated His Beliefs, Lawsuit Alleges
A pharmacist in McGregor, Minnesota, refused to fill a woman's morning-after pill prescription because it violated his "beliefs," a lawsuit alleges. (Watson, 8/2)

USA Today: Roe: Arthritis Drug Methotrexate Hard To Access Due To Abortion Bans
Denise Johnston stood in line at the pharmacy to pick up her monthly prescription of methotrexate, which she takes to relieve pain from her psoriatic arthritis. A month earlier, Johnston, 49, picked up her new prescription with no problems. But this time, she was stopped at the counter of her CVS pharmacy outside San Antonio, Texas, and asked about her “birth control plan.” (Rodriguez, 8/3)

NPR: A Fetus Counts As A Dependent On State Tax Returns In Georgia
Pregnant Georgians can now list their fetus as a dependent on their tax returns. The Georgia Department of Revenue released new guidance this week establishing that the agency "will recognize any unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat ... as eligible for the Georgia individual income tax dependent exemption." (Diaz, 8/2)

Bloomberg: Microsoft Donations To Anti-Abortion Groups Targeted By Activist
Microsoft Corp. is coming under pressure from an activist shareholder group that is seeking greater transparency about political giving to groups and individuals that oppose abortion rights, asking the software giant to end donations and lobbying that might conflict with its stated support for employees accessing reproductive health care. (Bass, 8/3)

Politico: Senate Sends Veterans Health Care Bill To Biden
The Senate on Tuesday passed a sweeping expansion of veterans health care, sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk after GOP resistance held up the bill last week. Lawmakers voted 86-11 to back the measure, which caps a yearslong quest to help veterans who were exposed to substances like Agent Orange and toxins from burn pits while on active duty. Republicans quickly fell in line behind the bill — after blocking it less than a week ago — after Majority Leader Chuck Schumer allowed three GOP amendment votes, all of which failed on the floor. (Adragna and Carney, 8/2)

Roll Call: Veterans Toxic Exposure Bill Clears Senate After Tortuous Path
President Joe Biden is certain to sign the bill into law in the coming days. The legislation, long sought by veterans groups, means that millions of veterans suffering health problems will no longer have to prove their illnesses were caused by exposure to toxic substances from military deployments. Many served at bases that used open-air burn pits to dispose of trash and hazardous waste. The bill would make servicemembers who contracted any of 23 conditions — from brain cancer to hypertension — after being deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat zones automatically eligible for VA benefits. (Lerman, 8/2)

The New York Times: Senate Passes Burn Pits Legislation, Expanding Benefits For Veterans
Susan Zeier, the mother-in-law of Heath Robinson, a member of the Ohio Army National Guard for whom the bill is named, had been protesting outside the Capitol for days to urge the Senate to pass the measure before leaving for its summer recess. Mr. Robinson served in Iraq and died in 2020 after battling lung cancer believed to have been tied to burn pit exposure, and the bill is called the Sgt. First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022.“For me and my daughter, this is the satisfaction that we fulfilled our promise to Heath,” Ms. Zeier said. “We hope families don’t suffer like we did.” (Lai, 8/2)

Insider: Here Are The 11 Republicans Who Voted Against The PACT Act, Which Boosts Healthcare For Veterans Exposed To Toxins During War
Eleven Republican senators voted Tuesday against a bipartisan measure, the PACT Act, that is designed to help veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals while deployed abroad. All 11 senators also voted against the bill in June. (Davis, 8/2)

USA Today: What Are Burn Pits? Dangers Of The Military Practice Explained
According to the VA, burning waste in pits can prove more toxic than in a commercial incinerator which operates a controlled, high-temperature burn. The open air allowed soldiers to breathe in the fumes from the burn pits fires, which have now been linked to some cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. (Kaufman, 8/2)

In other updates on veterans' health care —

St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis VA Officials Plan Massive Hospital Overhaul
The St. Louis Veterans Administration Health System plans to extensively renovate and overhaul the John Cochran Veterans Hospital in Grand Center, adding multiple new buildings. (Fentem, 8/2)

Stat: Medicare Reverses Course On Plan To Hide Hospital Safety Data Next Year
Medicare will continue to report hospital safety data as usual next year after the program, apparently swayed by backlash from patient safety advocates, reversed course on its plan to keep some information under wraps. (Bannow, 8/2)

Fierce Healthcare: Patient Safety Advocate Cheers CMS' Reversal On Quality Reporting, But Hospitals Say The Data Are No Good
The agency’s decision received a warm welcome from The Leapfrog Group, a patient safety watchdog that has been petitioning the government via letters, reports and informational webinars to keep the hospital quality measure available to the public. (Muoio, 8/3)

In other Medicare news —

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Johnson Wants Medicare, Social Security To Be Discretionary Programs
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson indicated Tuesday that Medicare and Social Security should be subjected to annual budget deliberations, a move that could upend guaranteed benefits relied upon by millions of Americans. (Glauber, 8/2)

And in news about Medicaid —

Missouri Independent: Missouri's Maternal Mortality Rates Are Getting Even Worse, Especially For Women On Medicaid
A multi-year report analyzing maternal mortality in Missouri and published Monday found that women on Medicaid are eight times more likely to die within one year of pregnancy than their counterparts with private health insurance. (Weinberg, 8/2)

New Hampshire Public Radio: Thousands In N.H. Risk Losing Medicaid Coverage Without Pandemic Protections
During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Hampshire and other states have been required to keep people enrolled in Medicaid throughout the ongoing federal public health emergency — even if they haven’t filed key paperwork or have lost eligibility due to a change in income, for example. It’s not clear when the federal public health emergency will end, but when it does, about 90,000 Granite Staters could risk losing Medicaid access. (Fam, 8/2)

KHN: They Lost Medicaid When Paperwork Was Sent To An Empty Field, Signaling The Mess To Come 
Three years ago, Mason Lester, a rambunctious toddler, tumbled off his family’s porch and broke his wrist. His mother, nine months pregnant, rushed him to a nearby hospital, where she made a confounding discovery: Their health insurance had vanished. Alarmed, Katie Lester called the Tennessee Medicaid agency, TennCare, which had covered her during a prior pregnancy and insured Mason since the day he was born. (Kelman, 8/3)

Becker's Hospital Review: Medical Groups Urge Congress To Reauthorize Program To Improve Physician Workforce Shortage
In letters to the House and Senate, medical groups urged Congress to pass the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act, which incentivizes foreign physicians to serve in underserved communities. The bill would extend the Conrad 30 waiver program, which allows these international medical graduates to remain in the United States. (Schoonover, 8/2)

The Star Tribune: Twin Cities Area Nurses Warn Of Burnout: 'Pushed To The Limit'
Nurses in stalled contract talks sought to increase public pressure on Twin Cities area hospitals Tuesday, warning that burned-out colleagues are poised to leave bedside care if they don't get incentives to stay. Negotiations have produced little progress on wages and how to compensate nurses after two-plus years of the pandemic. Nurses, working under prior contracts that expired two months ago, accused the hospitals of exploiting their good will to work last-minute shifts and take extra patients to get through the pandemic's peaks. (Olson, 8/2)

In other health care industry news —

Becker's Hospital Review: Kaiser Permanente, Geisinger Among 37 Organizations Affected By Vendor Ransomware Attack
Dozens of healthcare providers and health plans were affected by a data breach involving printing and mailing vendor OneTouchPoint. On April 28, OneTouchPoint discovered encrypted files on some of its computer systems, it said in a July 27 notice on its website. With the help of third-party forensic specialists, an investigation determined an unauthorized party had accessed the vendor's servers the day before. (Bruce, 8/2)

Becker's Hospital Review: New HHS Tool Helps Hospitals Estimate Supply Levels In Emergencies
The HHS launched a service July 29 for hospitals to track the availability of medications, personal protective equipment, products used for burn patients and supplies for trauma patients. The tool, called the Disaster Available Supplies in Hospitals, is designed to estimate how much medical supply a hospital needs within 49 hours of a "mass casualty incident" or an infectious disease emergency, according to its website. It isn't intended to be used for disasters. (Twenter, 8/2)

North Carolina Health News: Mergers Can’t Always Save Rural Hospitals
When an independently owned rural hospital is in financial crisis, hospital leaders often say they’d be able to survive if only a big hospital system would come in and buy them. It would give them an infusion of capital, help with technological upgrades, and increase their patient population and ability to negotiate better reimbursement rates with insurers. And sometimes when a rural hospital is already owned by a larger system and begins to struggle, its hospital administrators will point to the facility’s affiliation as its safety net. They’ll say that while their hospital’s specific numbers might look bad, what we can’t see are all of the resources it has access to through this larger system — resources that will ensure its survival. (Donnelly-DeRoven, 8/3)

Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Is Dirty. Hospitals Are Doing Something About It
The U.S. healthcare system emits the same amount of greenhouse gases every year as 100 coal-fired power plants. That’s according to Gary Cohen, founder and president of Practice Greenhealth and Health Care Without Harm. Cohen said two culprits account for nearly 80% of the healthcare industry’s carbon emissions: the supply chain and nonrenewable energy investments. The supply chain in particular—which includes anything from medical devices to food—is a pain point for all hospitals, because they cannot function without a reliable pipeline. (Abrams, 8/2)

KHN: ‘An Arm And A Leg’: Her Bill For A Prenatal Test Felt Like A ‘Bait-And-Switch’ Scheme 
Can a health care company make enough people mad about its billing practices that its business is hurt? For one genetic testing company, maybe. An “Arm and a Leg” listener got a test that has become routine in early pregnancy: noninvasive prenatal testing. It was supposed to be $99. But then — after she took the test — that turned into $250. And when she asked questions, she was told it could go up to $800 if she didn’t pay up quickly. The patient looked up the testing company and found that lots of people had experienced what she called “the genetic testing bait-and-switch.” (Weissmann, 8/3)

Reuters: Omicron Better At Invading Young Noses Than Other Variants; Smell Loss May Predict Memory Issues
The Omicron variant may be more efficient at infecting children through the nose than previous versions of the coronavirus, a small study suggests. ... And severity of smell dysfunction after infection with the coronavirus may be a better predictor of long-term cognitive impairment than overall severity of COVID-19, according to an Argentinian study. (Lapid, 8/2)

More on the spread of covid —

CIDRAP: US BA.5 Omicron Subvariant Dominance Increases
The proportion of the more transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant continued to increase in the United States last week, rising to 85.5% of sequenced samples, up from 81.6% the week before, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Meanwhile, the proportion of the BA.4 subvariant made up 7.7% of samples, down from 9.6% the previous week. (8/2)

USA Today: COVID Deaths: US Stuck In 'Horrible Plateau,' Experts Say. Here's Why
"COVID is over" might trend within social media circles, but weekly U.S. death tolls tell a different story. Despite a slight uptick in July, the pace of COVID-19 deaths has remained steady since May at about 400 a day, according to a USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins University data. (Rodriguez, 8/3)

The Boston Globe: Data: Mass. Pandemic Shows Little Sign Of Quitting
Boston public health officials sounded a hopeful note Friday, saying COVID-19 metrics in the city had shown some improvement. But COVID-19 data from other sources last week continued to paint a picture of a pandemic that was refusing to fade in Massachusetts, thanks to the arrival of the highly transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant. (Finucane and Huddle, 8/2)

San Francisco Chronicle: More Than A Third Of Coronavirus Tests Conducted At Walgreens Are Positives
About 36.8% of the coronavirus tests conducted at Walgreens stores nationally are coming back positive, according to data published by the retail chain on Tuesday. That's up from about 30% recorded at the beginning of July. (Vaziri, Ho, Echeverria and Beamish, 8/2)

AP: Court: Top NC Health Official Can Be Sued For COVID Shutdown
The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Gov. Roy Cooper’s secretary of health and human services should not be immune from a lawsuit over the administration’s restrictions on large gatherings in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic. (Schoenbaum, 8/2)

And an update on President Joe Biden's condition —

AP: Doctor: Biden's COVID Symptoms Return, In 'Good Spirits' 
President Joe Biden’s “loose cough” has returned as he faces a rebound case of COVID-19, his doctor said Tuesday, though he “continues to feel well.” White House physician Kevin O’Connor provided the update on the president’s condition as he continues to test positive for the virus. He said Biden “remains fever-free,” and that his temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate and oxygen saturation “remain entirely normal.” (8/2)

NBC News: Covid Can Rebound Even In People Who Haven’t Taken Paxlovid, Study Finds
Around a third of people with Covid will experience a rebound of their symptoms, regardless of whether they’ve been treated with the antiviral Paxlovid, according to a study posted online Tuesday. The preprint study — meaning it hasn’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal  — found that 27% of people with Covid saw a rebound in their symptoms after they had initially improved. (Lewis, 8/2)

The Washington Post: Congress Passes Bill Inspired By Jan. 6 Recognizing Officer PTSD, Suicide
Inspired by the mental health toll that the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot took on first responders, the U.S. Senate passed a bill Monday night that creates a pathway for families of officers who die by suicide to access death benefits. The unanimous passage of the Public Safety Officer Support Act means it now heads to President Biden’s desk, following prolonged advocacy by the partners of multiple officers who were on duty at the Capitol during the Jan. 6 assault and died by suicide in the aftermath. The bill also would amend the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Program to make it easier for officers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder linked to their work to access disability benefits. (Flynn, 8/2)

In other mental health news —

CalMatters: Kaiser Mental Health Workers Signal Strike In California
A union representing 2,000 Kaiser Northern California mental health workers this morning announced plans for an open-ended strike beginning Aug. 15.Among the reasons union representatives outlined: high clinician workloads and patients waiting weeks or even months for mental health care. Even as demand for care has surged, frustrated therapists are abandoning the health giant, said union spokesperson Matt Artz. (Wiener, 8/2)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: How The New Georgia Mental Health Law Works For Patients With Insurance Coverage
There’s a new law on the books that should make accessing treatment for mental illness and addiction much easier. But some proponents of the new law fear that many Georgia residents may not know about the change. That means patients could continue to pay out of pocket for treatments that should be covered, or choose to forgo needed medical care entirely. (Landergan, 8/3)

Stat: Research Is Elusive On Patient Engagement With Mental Health Apps
As companies selling health care apps struggle to prove to a skeptical system that they really deliver results, we’re about to start hearing a lot more about “engagement.” (Aguilar, 8/2)

In related news about the effects of gun violence —

The Washington Post: 10-Year-Old Is Last Uvalde Victim To Leave The Hospital, 66 Days Later
Mayah Zamora was the last victim to be released from the hospital after being injured in the May 24 shooting rampage that killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. ... A tan brace decorated with a rainbow heart sticker covered Mayah’s left wrist, a still-visible remnant of the violence. But after 66 days inside the hospital and multiple surgeries, Friday “was a happy day at University Hospital,” according to the Twitter account for the medical center where Mayah was treated. (Paul, 8/2)

CIDRAP: US Lyme Disease Diagnoses Increased Dramatically In Past 15 Years
A report today from FAIR Health reveals that, from 2007 to 2021, Lyme diagnoses rose 357% in rural regions of the United States and 65% in urban areas, according to private insurance claims. In the past 5 years, from 2016 to 2021, insurance claims increased 60% in rural areas and 19% in urban areas. (8/2)

In updates on the spread of monkeypox —

Los Angeles Times: Long Beach Child Gets Monkeypox; L.A. County Declares Emergency
“While news of a pediatric case may cause alarm, please remember that monkeypox is still rare, is much more difficult to get than COVID-19 and other common childhood illnesses, and is rarely dangerous,” Dr. Anissa Davis, city health officer, said in Long Beach’s announcement Tuesday. (Toohey, 8/2)

Dallas Morning News: Dallas Expands Monkeypox Vaccine Eligibility, But Some Are Frustrated At Limited Access
“It’s a balance of wanting to maximize our impact. We’re already getting a ton of calls bombarding our system,” said Dr. Philip Huang, the county’s top health official. “So we’re trying to balance that with, what can we handle? And, what can we get out there effectively and quickly?” (Wolf, 8/2)

In other public health news —

The Washington Post: Oatly Maker Recalls 53 Specialty Beverages Over Contamination Risk 
The maker of certain Oatly, Premier Protein and other specialty beverages has issued a recall for 53 of its products because of potential microbial contamination, according to the Food and Drug Administration. (Gregg, 8/2)

The Boston Globe: Billerica Woman Who Suffered Miscarriage After Listeria Infection Sues Florida Ice Cream Maker
A Billerica woman who suffered a miscarriage after she ate ice cream contaminated with listeria during a visit to Florida is suing the ice cream maker and vendor, saying she has experienced physical and mental pain, lost wages, and medical expenses, according to court records. (Fox, 8/2)

Axios: Why Baby Formula Shortage Is Here To Stay
The baby formula shortage that has plagued American families this spring isn't over yet, according to a report from the research firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI). (Scribner, 8/2)

The Boston Globe: Massachusetts Ranked Healthiest State In The US For Second Year In A Row
Massachusetts maintained the number one spot in 2021 for the second year in a row, followed by Hawaii, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York. Mississippi remains at the bottom of the list for the third year running, joined in the bottom five by Arkansas, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Alabama. (Bowker, 8/2)

In news from New York and Florida —

AP: Polio Virus Found In New York Wastewater, But No New Cases 
The polio virus was detected in wastewater samples from the suburban county near New York City where an unvaccinated adult recently contracted the life-threatening disease, but health officials said Tuesday they have not identified any additional cases. (Hill, 8/2)

CIDRAP: Florida Reports Second Local Dengue Case
The Florida Department of Health on Jul 29 reported the state's second locally transmitted dengue case, also involving a resident of Miami-Dade County. Spread by Aedes mosquitoes, local cases aren't uncommon in south Florida. (8/2)

WLRN 91.3 FM: Florida Board Of Medicine Considers Whether To Block Gender-Affirming Care For Youth
The Florida Board of Medicine is slated Friday to consider a proposal by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to bar physicians from providing treatments such as hormone therapy and puberty-blocking medication to transgender youths. (Saunders, 8/2)

WUFT: Nearly 1,000 Instances Of Florida Nursing Home Residents Exiting Without Supervision 
Between 2017 and 2021, there were 993 instances of residents of Florida nursing homes exiting their facility without proper authorization or supervision, according to Florida Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) records. (Carnell and Garcia, 8/2)

In news about drug overdoses —

The Texas Tribune: Texas Has Run Out Of Money To Provide Narcan To Police Departments
For years, Callie Crow and her charity, Drew’s 27 Chains, have depended on a federally funded state program run out of the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing for free Narcan. But in January, the program ran out of money for the fiscal year, which began in September. (Barragan, 8/3)

CBS News: Overdose Nation: Deadly Drug Overdoses By State
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes annual data on drug-overdose death rates in every U.S. state. Here is a ranking of every state by overdose-related deaths for 2020, the most recent year available. (Learish, 8/2)

KHN: Music Festivals Embrace Overdose Reversal Drugs, But Fentanyl Testing Kits Remain Taboo
A 26-year-old was found dead at his campsite during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in 2019. The toxicology report linked his death to a grim trend that has only worsened since. In his system were both ecstasy and fentanyl — a dangerous combination, especially if people don’t know the party drug contains the highly potent synthetic opioid. (Farmer, 8/3)

Politico: Dems Ready To Gamble Their Domestic Agenda On Sinema 
Senate Democrats will probably start a climactic series of votes on their party-line energy, tax and health care bill this week with very little public indication of where Sen. Kyrsten Sinema stands. They’re willing to risk it. While all of Washington waits on the Arizona Democrat, her previous treatment of high-profile issues shows she’s unlikely to make any statement about how she sees the deal written by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer — at least until it’s on the floor. If the past is prologue, she’ll also be a wild card on amendments that Republicans may offer in a bid to alter the bill on the Senate floor during votes later this week. (Everett, 8/2)

Axios: Democrats' Backdoor Crackdown On Pharma "Gaming"
Democrats' drug pricing plan could end drugmakers' practice of taking out overlapping patents around one drug — a strategy which fends off competitors but that the industry argues incentivizes innovation after a drug is approved. (Owens, 8/3)

And in developments from the pharmaceutical industry —

Reuters: Axcella Long COVID Treatment Helps Some Patients In Small Trial 
One of the first trials aimed at tackling long COVID helped some patients recover from lingering physical and mental fatigue, although the drug developed by Axcella Health Inc (AXLA.O) failed on the small study's main goal of restoring the normal function of mitochondria - the energy factories of cells. (Steenhuysen, 8/2)

CIDRAP: Sotrovimab Linked To Treatment-Resistant SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Mutations
More than half of high-risk SARS-CoV-2 Omicron inpatients or outpatients given the monoclonal antibody sotrovimab rapidly developed viral spike-protein mutations linked to treatment resistance, according to a study from the Netherlands published yesterday in JAMA. (8/2)

CIDRAP: Less Methadone, More Buprenorphine Distributed Amid COVID In US
A study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open details US utilization of the two most effective medications used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, finding that quantities of methadone dwindled as buprenorphine doses expanded. (Van Beusekom, 7/27)

Stat: AbbVie's 'Patent Thickets' For Humira Don't Thwart Competition, Court Rules
In a significant victory for AbbVie, a U.S. appeals court panel declined to revive a lawsuit that accused the company of using a so-called patent thicket to forestall competition for its Humira medication, a franchise product that generates billions of dollars in sales each year. (Silverman, 8/2)

Bloomberg: Teva Is Facing Adderall Supply Disruptions As Demand For ADHD Drug Soars 
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., the biggest seller of Adderall in the US, has been experiencing “supply disruptions” of the popular ADHD drug at a time when demand is at all-time highs, a spokesperson for the company said. (Swetlitz, 8/2)

The Mercury News: A Cornerstone Of Modern Medicine Is On The Brink Of Collapse
Roughly a century after the first antibiotics revolutionized medicine, the development pipeline for these critical drugs is on the brink of collapse. Without policies to reinvigorate research into newer, more potent antibiotics, the world may soon face another global public health crisis as devastating as COVID-19. (Michelle McMurry-Heath, 8/2)

NBC News: FDA Might Ban Menthol Cigarettes. It's About Time, Especially For Black America
In 2009, Congress took the important step of banning flavored cigarettes that enticed youth to start smoking. However, that landmark legislation contained a significant flaw: a loophole that allowed tobacco companies to continue selling  menthol cigarettes. (Dr. Keith Churchwell, 8/1)

Stat: Paxlovid Rebound Happens. Why And To Whom Are Still A Mystery 
As an emergency department physician in New York, I often field calls about medical issues from family members, friends, and even friends of friends. The latest slew of these, about Paxlovid and rebound Covid-19 has revealed the confusion surrounding this phenomenon for me, my physician colleagues, and at least one Nobel laureate. (Joan Bregstein, 8/2)

Columbus Dispatch: Pharmacy Benefit Managers' Practices Surrounded By Secrecy
Most Americans are blissfully unaware of the complicated intricacies that plague our healthcare system, which often increase the cost of critical care and reduce the availability of life-saving drugs. The commission study is an important step in the right direction. (Ted Strickland, 7/29)

Indianapolis Star: Indiana General Assembly Should Act Now To Save Lives Of Babies, Moms
I’ve found my silver lining in this special session about abortion legislation. As I listened to debates, discussions and testimonies, I heard renewed attention on the symbiotic issues of maternal mortality and infant mortality. Ever since I learned of Indiana’s abysmal track record of keeping people alive after delivery, I’ve made it my mission to illuminate the issue whenever I can. (Boyd, 8/2)

Salt Lake Tribune: ‘I’m Absolutely Terrified Of Getting Pregnant Now’: What 7 Utahns Say About State’s Abortion Trigger Law
People said they worry what options they would have if something were to go wrong with a pregnancy, and about how their doctor would respond if providing them an abortion could lead to a felony charge. “I will do whatever I can to save patients and make the best health care decisions with them and for them,” one medical student said. “This could easily now mean breaking the law and I could go to prison for saving someone’s life.” (Jacobs, 8/2)

The Hill: To Preserve Women’s Reproductive Rights, End Gerrymandering 
Given that abortion laws will now be set by state lawmakers, gerrymandering will have a direct impact on which party controls state legislatures and the direction for abortion laws in the future. (Sheldon H. Jacobson, 8/2)

The Washington Post: Manchin’s Bill Requires 50 Votes. Defending Constitutional Rights Should, Too
Sen. Joe Manchin frequently insists that if Democrats take steps to weaken the filibuster, Republicans will do the same when they are in power. Well, Republicans have already weakened Senate rules by lowering the votes needed to confirm Supreme Court justices to a simple majority. Republicans have also already used the reconciliation process in an attempt to pass bills such as the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. That failed because their extreme measures were so unpopular that they could not get even a majority for that. (Jennifer Rubin, 8/2)

Also —

The Washington Post: They Stood On The Grass, Pleading. They Found Victory. But Respect? 
The activists ultimately got what they came for, but having to plead for it was a reminder of the disrespect that lawmakers so often have for the people who employ them. On Tuesday, the veterans, military family members and their supporters were on their sixth day outside the Capitol. They were clustered under a few trees in the blessed shade just beyond the Capitol’s east plaza on a morning that was already sweltering. They were there to shame the Senate into passing the PACT Act, which extends health-care benefits to veterans who were exposed to toxins from the enormous pits in which the military regularly disposed of waste. (Robin Givhan, 8/2)