KFF Health News’ Weekly Edition: Aug. 2, 2024

Since Fall of ‘Roe,’ Self-Managed Abortions Have Increased
By Sarah Varney
The percentage of people who say they’ve tried to end a pregnancy without medical assistance increased after "Roe v. Wade" was overturned. One of the most common reasons for seeking a self-managed abortion was privacy concerns.

Urgent Care or ER? With ‘One-Stop Shop,’ Hospitals Offer Both Under Same Roof
By Phil Galewitz
Hospitals in several states are partnering with a private equity-backed company to offer combined emergency and urgent care in a single building. But patients may not realize prices vary between the two services — often by a lot.

Abortion Heats Up Presidential Race 
The elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris to the top of the presumed Democratic presidential ticket is newly energizing the debate over abortion, while former President Donald Trump attempts to distance himself from more sweeping proposals in the “Project 2025” GOP blueprint put together by his former administration officials and the conservative Heritage Foundation. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” about a preauthorized surgery that generated a six-figure bill.

GOP Charge That Harris Backed Taxpayer-Funded Care for All Immigrants Overlooks Details
By Stephanie Armour
Hoping to portray presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris as extreme on immigration, former President Donald Trump and his supporters have said she wanted to give free health benefits, paid by taxpayers, to immigrants in the country without legal permission. But this statement overlooks key details.

Montana Designs New Hurdles for Abortion Clinics Ahead of Vote To Protect Access
By Matt Volz
Proposed regulations would require clinics providing abortions in the state to meet sweeping new health standards, despite a likely vote in November on a constitutional amendment to protect abortion access.

Bird Flu Cases Are Going Undetected, New Study Suggests. It’s a Problem for All of Us.
By Amy Maxmen
Dairy workers in Texas show signs of prior, uncounted bird flu infections in a new study. Without labor protection and better health care, cases are bound to quietly rise as the outbreak among livestock blazes in the United States.

Florida’s RSV Season Has Started, and It’s Coming Soon to the Rest of US. Here’s a Primer.
By Sam Ogozalek, Tampa Bay Times
Florida’s RSV season begins earlier and runs longer than anywhere else in the U.S., according to the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute. New vaccines can help, but most older adults, who are vulnerable to RSV, haven’t gotten them yet.

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“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week.

California Lawmakers Debate Sending Local Health Inspectors Into Immigration Facilities
By Vanessa G. Sánchez
Immigration is regulated by the federal government, but California lawmakers may give local public health inspectors the authority to inspect privately operated immigration detention facilities, citing complaints and lawsuits from detainees alleging inadequate medical care and unsanitary conditions.

Maternity Care in Rural Areas Is in Crisis. Can More Doulas Help?
By Jess Mador, WABE
Rural communities are losing access to maternity care, raising the risk of pregnancy complications, especially for Black women, who face higher rates of maternal mortality. Now, a Georgia medical school is trying to help by training doulas, practitioners who offer patients extra support before, during, and after childbirth.

Why Many Nonprofit (Wink, Wink) Hospitals Are Rolling in Money
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
Legal maneuvering, industry lobbying, and lax IRS oversight leave lots of room for “operating surpluses.”

Journalists Drill Down on Ongoing Covid Risks, Escalating Health Care Costs
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in the last two weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Readers Weigh In on Abortion and Ways To Tackle the Opioid Crisis
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.