KHN Weekly Edition: April 14, 2023

Feds Launch Criminal Investigation Into ‘AGGA’ Dental Device and Its Inventor
By Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS News Illustration by Oona Zenda KFF Health News and CBS News recently reported that multiple lawsuits allege the device has led to grievous injuries to patients’ mouths, resulting in loss of teeth.

Most Americans Say They or a Family Member Has Experienced Gun Violence
By Liz Szabo More than 1 in 5 Americans report having been threatened with a firearm, and almost as many say they worry about gun violence every day or almost every day, a new KFF poll shows.

A Smart Move on Tax Day: Get Health Insurance Information Using Your State’s Tax Forms
By Sarah Boden, WESA A growing number of states — including Maryland, Colorado, and Massachusetts — are using tax forms to point people toward lower-cost health coverage available through state insurance marketplaces.

Abortion Clinics in Conservative-Led States Face Increasing Legal Threats
By Aaron Bolton, MTPR Since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed federal protections for abortions, medical providers in conservative-led states have been fighting legal and political battles — as well as escalating threats from the anti-abortion movement.

Journalists Explain Impact of Texas Judge’s ACA Decision and Cuts in Federal Food Benefits
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The Confusing Fate of the Abortion Pill
The legality and availability of the abortion pill mifepristone is in question after a federal judge in Texas canceled the FDA’s approval of the first drug used in the two-drug medication abortion regimen. A 5th Circuit Court of Appeals panel overruled that decision in part, saying the pill should remain available, but only under the onerous restrictions in place before 2016. Meanwhile, another federal judge in Washington state issued a ruling in a separate case that conflicts with the Texas decision, ordering the FDA not to roll back any of its restrictions on the drug. Victoria Knight of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

The Drug Company That Prospered Without Creating Any Drugs
By Arthur Allen Horizon Therapeutics, which Amgen is acquiring for about $28 billion, grew large by snapping up cheap drugs from other companies, marketing them to perfection, and jacking up prices.

Watch: Rulings on Abortion Pill Have Far-Reaching Repercussions
By Sarah Varney Sarah Varney, a senior correspondent for KHN, joins Ali Rogin of PBS NewsHour to discuss the ruling by a federal judge in Texas that threatens nationwide access to the widely used abortion drug mifepristone, and a separate ruling in Washington state that reached the opposite conclusion.

Doctor Shortages Distress Rural America, Where Few Residency Programs Exist
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez Patients in rural northeastern Nevada soon will have fewer providers and resources, after a local hospital decided to close its medical residency program. Nationally, the number of rural residency slots has grown during the past few years but still makes up just 2% of programs and residents nationwide.

Doctors’ Lesson for Drug Industry: Abortion Wars Are Dangerous to Ignore
By Julie Rovner The American Medical Association ducked the abortion issue for years and now sees its members’ professional opinions second-guessed by lawmakers and judges. PhRMA is following the same playbook.

The Rate of Older Californians Dying of Malnutrition Has Accelerated
By Phillip Reese Californians 85 and older are especially susceptible to malnutrition. They accounted for almost three in five malnutrition deaths in the state last year.

California Bill Would Mandate HPV Vaccine for Incoming College Students
By Rachel Scheier A state lawmaker wants all incoming college students to get an HPV vaccine, as part of a push to drive up vaccination rates and prevent cervical cancer. At least four other states have enacted a similar mandate.

As Montana’s Mental Health Crisis Care Crumbles, Politicians Promise Aid
By Katheryn Houghton One of Montana’s largest mental health providers has ratcheted back services amid financial troubles, leaving a vacuum. State policymakers have promised more money to aid behavioral health care, but lasting change could be years out.

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.

For Uninsured People With Cancer, Securing Care Can Be Like Spinning a Roulette Wheel
By Charlotte Huff When uninsured people are diagnosed with cancer, accessing resources and paying for treatment can be daunting. The safety nets meant to help often fall short, say cancer physicians and health policy experts who study access to care. Some patients find it easier to play the odds.

Special Medicaid Funds Help Most States, but Prompt Oversight Concerns
By Andy Miller Georgia is among 35-plus states that have used an under-the-radar federal funding mechanism to boost payments for hospitals and other providers under Medicaid. But a government watchdog and a congressional advisory commission say sparse oversight makes it hard to tell if the “directed payments” program is meeting its goals.