KFF Health News Weekly Edition: Dec. 8, 2023

Being Black and Pregnant in the Deep South Can Be a Dangerous Combination
By Lauren Sausser Being Black has always been dangerous for pregnant women and infants in the South. And researchers say things are continuing to move in the wrong direction.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Democrats See Opportunity in GOP Threats to Repeal Health Law 
Sensing that Republicans are walking into a political minefield by threatening once again to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Biden administration is looking to capitalize by rolling out a series of initiatives aimed at high drug prices and other consequences of “corporate greed in health care.” Meanwhile, the Supreme Court hears a case that could determine when and how much victims of the opioid crisis can collect from Purdue Pharma, the drug company that lied about how addictive its drug, OxyContin, really was. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann of KFF Health News’ sister podcast, “An Arm and a Leg,” about his investigation into hospitals suing their patients over unpaid bills.

Dodging the Medicare Enrollment Deadline Can Be Costly
By Susan Jaffe As open enrollment ends, many people are tuning out. They could wind up with a surprise next year: higher costs and less access to health care providers.

Candidates Clashed But Avoided Talk of Abortion at 4th GOP Primary Debate
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs Obamacare had its moment, but not until the faceoff’s final minutes. Front-runner Donald Trump again was not on the debate stage, leaving the other Republican presidential hopefuls to slug it out to break through and gain voters’ attention.

Food Sovereignty Movement Sprouts as Bison Return to Indigenous Communities
By Jim Robbins Native American leaders see bison herds and ancestral gardens as ways to bring healthy eating to their people.

Colorado Blames Biden Team and Drugmakers for Delaying Canadian Imports
By Phil Galewitz Colorado officials say they haven’t been able to stand up a program to import drugs from Canada because of drugmaker opposition — and the Biden administration’s inaction.

Social Security Clawbacks Hit a Million More People Than Agency Chief Told Congress
By David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group More than 2 million people a year have been sent notices that Social Security overpaid them and demanding they repay the money. That’s twice as many as the head of Social Security disclosed at a congressional hearing in October.

Biden Wants States to Ensure Obamacare Plans Cover Enough Doctors and Hospitals
By Julie Appleby The regulatory proposal was announced Nov. 15 and is likely one of the last major ACA policy efforts of the president’s first term.

These Programs Put Unused Prescription Drugs in the Hands of Patients in Need
By Kate Ruder States and counties look to expand programs that accept donations of unused surplus drugs from places like nursing homes and hospitals and redistribute them to low-income and uninsured residents.

Grassroots College Networks Distribute Emergency Contraceptives on Campus
By Michelle Andrews Peer-to-peer efforts can meet a clear need among students whose colleges may not make sexual health products accessible or affordable.

Colorado Says Drug Industry Blocked Its Canada Dreams – And Biden Hasn’t Helped
By Phil Galewitz Colorado’s leaders had grand plans to import cheaper medicines from Canada, after the Trump administration issued rules in 2020 allowing states to try it. But officials in Denver say they’ve been stymied by opposition from drugmakers — as well as the Biden administration’s inaction on the policy. That’s according to a Dec. 1 report we […]

Patients Expected Profemur Artificial Hips to Last. Then They Snapped in Half.
By Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News The FDA and the manufacturer were alerted to Profemur titanium hips breaking inside U.S. patients as of 2005. It took 15 years to recall the devices. Many fractures could have been avoided.

Many People of Color Worry Good Health Care Is Tied to Their Appearance
By Colleen DeGuzman Many people from racial and ethnic minority groups brace themselves for insults and judgments before medical appointments, according to a new survey of patients that reaffirms the prevalence of racial discrimination in the U.S. health system.

California’s Ambitious Medicaid Experiment Gets Tripped Up in Implementation
By Angela Hart The health care insurers, nonprofit organizations, and other groups responsible for implementing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious plan to infuse Medicaid with social services say their ability to serve vulnerable, low-income Californians is hamstrung.

Desperate Families Search for Affordable Home Care
By Reed Abelson, The New York Times Facing a severe shortage of aides and high costs, people trying to keep aging loved ones at home often cobble together a patchwork of family and friends to help.

What to Know About Home Care Services
By Reed Abelson, The New York Times Finding an aide to help an older person stay at home safely takes work. Here’s a guide.

Doctors on (Video) Call: Rural Medics Get Long-Distance Help in Treating Man Gored by Bison
By Arielle Zionts A rural South Dakota medic said using an ambulance video system to communicate with a doctor gave him peace of mind as he treated a patient who was seriously injured when gored by a bison.

Watch: The Long-Term Care Crisis: Why Few Can Afford to Grow Old in America
By Jordan Rau Long-term care options in the U.S. are costly, complex, and often inadequate. KFF Health News' Jordan Rau and Reed Abelson of The New York Times host a Zoom panel to explore the challenges of providing — and affording — care.

Watch and Listen: Opioid Settlement Case Triggers Protests Outside the High Court
By Aneri Pattani The Supreme Court heard arguments over whether the Sacklers, the family behind Purdue Pharma — which marketed OxyContin — could claim immunity from future lawsuits without claiming bankruptcy.

Readers Slam Hospital Monopolies and Blame the Feds for Understaffed Nursing Homes
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

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