KHN Weekly Edition: Aug. 5, 2022

Two-Thirds of Americans Disapprove of Ending ‘Roe,’ but It’s Not a Top Voting Issue
By Lexie Verdon Despite concerns about making abortion legal in the states and strong interest in the issue, three-quarters of Americans say economic matters are top of mind as they consider voting in the fall, according to a new KFF poll.

A GOP Talking Point Suggests Birth Control Is Not at Risk. Evidence Suggests Otherwise.
By Julie Rovner Republicans say Democrats are wrong to claim that birth control could be the Supreme Court’s next target. But Democrats have plenty of evidence that it might be.

Because of Texas Abortion Law, Her Wanted Pregnancy Became a Medical Nightmare
By Carrie Feibel, NPR News A Houston woman was 18 weeks pregnant when her water broke. That means her fetus had virtually no chance of survival, and she was at risk of an infection that could threaten her future fertility and even her life. Following Texas' law, the hospital made her wait until she was showing signs of serious infection to terminate the pregnancy.

In California, Abortion Could Become a Constitutional Right. So Could Birth Control.
By Rachel Bluth Proposition 1, the constitutional amendment that would enshrine abortion in California’s constitution, would also lock in a right that has gotten less attention: the right to “choose or refuse” contraception.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Kansas Makes a Statement
In the first official test vote since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, voters in Kansas’ primary said in no uncertain terms they want to keep a right to abortion in their state constitution. Meanwhile, the Senate is still working to reach a vote before summer recess on its health care-climate-tax measure, but progress is slow. Tami Luhby of CNN, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KHN’s Bram Sable-Smith, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment about a very expensive ambulance trip.

Journalists Detail the Scope of the Abortion Ruling, Monkeypox, and Public Health Powers
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.

A California Man’s ‘Painful and Terrifying’ Road to a Monkeypox Diagnosis
By Jackie Fortiér, LAist A Bay Area man described himself as “delirious” from the pain of a quickly spreading rash, but it took six telehealth appointments, one urgent care visit, and two emergency room trips before he was finally diagnosed and treated for monkeypox.

Cognitive Rehab May Help Older Adults Clear Covid-Related Brain Fog
By Judith Graham People whose brains have been injured by concussions, traumatic accidents, strokes, or neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease can benefit from targeted therapy. Experts also employ therapies for long-covid patients with memory and language problems.

The Time Has Come for DIY Mandates on Covid
By Bernard J. Wolfson Yes, lots of us suffer from pandemic fatigue and have been getting sloppy about precautions in recent months. But with covid an ongoing menace — and governments reluctant to return to sweeping mandates — it’s time for all of us to step up our game.

The Debt Crisis That Sick Americans Can’t Avoid
By Elisabeth Rosenthal The federal government is stepping in to assist student loan borrowers. But little public attention has been focused on what is — statistically, at least — a bigger, broader debt crisis in our country: An estimated 100 million people in the U.S., or 41% of all adults, are saddled with pernicious health care debt.

Watch: Explaining the Nitty-Gritty of Medicare Drug Price Negotiations — And Patients’ Potential Savings
KHN chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discusses the Senate Democrats’ plans to let Medicare negotiate some drug prices, cap out-of-pocket drug costs for seniors, and fund enhanced subsides for ACA marketplace health plans.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Her Bill for a Prenatal Test Felt Like a ‘Bait-and-Switch’ Scheme
By Dan Weissmann Her doctor told her the noninvasive genetic test would be $99. When she called, she was told $250 and if she didn't pay quickly it could be $800.

Skin Cancer Is a Risk No Matter the Skin Tone. But It May Be Overlooked in People With Dark Skin.
By Sandy West Black people and those with high levels of melanin in their skin have long been left out of efforts to combat skin cancer. Historically neglected both by sunscreen manufacturers and a medical community lagging in diversity and cultural competency, many people with dark skin tones have not been informed about sun safety or how to monitor their skin for damage or cancer.

‘Children Are Not Little Adults’ and Need Special Protection During Heat Waves
By Emmarie Huetteman Public health experts say heat waves pose health risks for children, whose bodies may not be as effective at cooling and who rely on caretakers to prevent and notice the signs of heat-related illness.

They Lost Medicaid When Paperwork Was Sent to an Empty Field, Signaling the Mess to Come
By Brett Kelman Tennessee expects to soon disenroll about 300,000 people from its Medicaid program. But families like the Lesters have suffered when bureaucracy and clerical mistakes caused them to unfairly lose coverage under the same program.

Music Festivals Embrace Overdose Reversal Drugs, but Fentanyl Testing Kits Remain Taboo
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio Music festival promoters are allowing distribution of overdose reversal medication as fentanyl deaths continue to surge. But nonprofits and volunteers are often left to do the work, and more controversial forms of harm reduction aren’t openly allowed.

When Mental Illness Leads to Dropped Charges, Patients Often Go Without Stabilizing Care
By Katheryn Houghton When criminal suspects are deemed too mentally ill to go through the court process and their charges are dropped, they can be left without stabilizing treatment — and sometimes end up being charged with additional crimes.

Citing a Mental Health Crisis Among Young People, California Lawmakers Target Social Media
By Zinnia Finn Legislators are considering two bills that address online addiction among children by taking aim at website features such as push notifications and targeted posts. But Big Tech is fighting the effort, saying companies are already taking steps to protect children.

To Retain Nurses and Other Staffers, Hospitals Are Opening Child Care Centers
By Lauren Sausser More than two years into the pandemic, parents face a child care crisis. That’s why some hospitals are considering starting child care centers to address recruitment and retention troubles.