KFF Health News Weekly Edition: June 14, 2024

Indiana Weighs Hospital Monopoly as Officials Elsewhere Scrutinize Similar Deals
By Samantha Liss If Indiana officials approve a proposed hospital merger in western Indiana in the coming months, the state will have its first hospital monopoly created by a “Certificate of Public Advantage.” Other such deals have resulted in government reports documenting diminished care in Tennessee and North Carolina.

California Lawmakers Preserve Aid to Older, Disabled Immigrants
By Vanessa G. Sánchez Lawmakers passed a budget that rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to save nearly $95 million by eliminating in-home support services for qualifying older, blind, and disabled immigrants lacking legal residency. Advocates say Newsom’s plan would have cost more in the long run. Newsom has not indicated whether he’ll veto.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: SCOTUS Rejects Abortion Pill Challenge — For Now 
The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the FDA’s approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, ruling unanimously that the anti-abortion doctor group that filed the suit lacked standing. But abortion opponents are expected to pursue other strategies to ban or restrict the medication. Meanwhile, the Biden administration moves to stop the inclusion of medical debt on individual credit reports, and former President Donald Trump tries to claim credit for $35 insulin. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News, and Emmarie Huetteman of KFF Health News join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF president and CEO Drew Altman about KFF’s new “Health Policy 101” primer.

Watch: California Pays Drug Users To Stay Clean
KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart discusses a state Medicaid experiment for people addicted to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants. For every clean urine test, they can earn money — up to $599 a year.

Funding Instability Plagues Program That Brings Docs to Underserved Areas
By Michelle Andrews A medical residency program designed to train future primary care physicians in outpatient rather than hospital settings has proved an effective means to bring doctors to rural and underserved areas. But it hinges on unpredictable congressional funding.

Biden’s on Target About What Repealing ACA Would Mean for Preexisting Condition Protections
By Jacob Gardenswartz A Biden campaign ad highlighting how an Obamacare repeal would affect people with preexisting conditions is mostly true.

‘I Try To Stay Strong’: Mom Struggles To Get Diagnosis for Son’s Developmental Problems
By Sejal Parekh An Alameda County mother has spent 10 months seeking help for her 4-year-old son’s speech and behavior issues from his school district and her Medicaid health insurer. She still doesn’t have an answer.

Many Young Adults Who Began Vaping as Teens Can’t Shake the Habit
By John Daley, Colorado Public Radio New data on substance use among young adults suggests that many former teen e-cigarette users are continuing the habit.

Biden Administration Advances Plan To Remove Medical Debt From Credit Scores
By Noam N. Levey The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed federal regulations that would prevent unpaid medical bills from being counted on consumers’ credit reports.

Biden Plan To Save Medicare Patients Money on Drugs Risks Empty Shelves, Pharmacists Say
By Susan Jaffe President Joe Biden is campaigning for reelection on his efforts to cut costs for Medicare patients at the pharmacy counter. But independent pharmacists say one strategy makes it unaffordable for them to keep some brand-name medicines in stock.

Bird Flu Tests Are Hard To Get. So How Will We Know When To Sound the Pandemic Alarm?
By Amy Maxmen and Arthur Allen If widely used, flu tests could be helpful now. In the meantime, the government needs to clear a path for H5N1 tests, researchers warn, to avoid the early missteps of the covid pandemic.

Heat Rules for California Workers Would Also Help Keep Schoolchildren Cool
By Samantha Young Proposed state standards to protect indoor workers from extreme heat would extend to schools. The rules come as climate change is bringing more frequent and intense heat waves, causing schools nationwide to cancel instruction.

Nursing Homes Are Left in the Dark as More Utilities Cut Power To Prevent Wildfires
By Kate Ruder A nursing home in Colorado had 75 minutes to prepare for a power outage that lasted 28 hours. Such public safety power shut-offs are being used more often as a fire prevention tool, but not all health facilities are prepared.

Journalists Discuss Abortion Laws, Pollution, and Potential Changes to Obamacare Subsidies
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.

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