KHN Weekly Edition: Feb. 10, 2023

Congress Told HHS to Set Up a Health Data Network in 2006. The Agency Still Hasn’t.
By Sam Whitehead Since 2006, federal officials have been charged with setting up a network to let various parts of the U.S. health system share information during emergencies. It still hasn’t been built or even planned, even after the communication and data-sharing failures put on display during the pandemic.

Health Policies Were a Prominent Theme in Biden’s State of the Union Speech
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs Our partners at PolitiFact fact-checked a range of President Joe Biden’s statements, including key health-related comments.

‘We Ain’t Gonna Get It’: Why Bernie Sanders Says His ‘Medicare for All’ Dream Must Wait
By Arthur Allen As he takes the reins of the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee, the independent from Vermont and implacable champion of “Medicare for All” maps out his strategy for negotiating with Republicans — and Big Pharma.

Era of ‘Free’ Covid Vaccines, Test Kits, and Treatments Is Ending. Who Will Pay the Tab Now?
By Julie Appleby Insurers, employers, and taxpayers will all be affected as drug manufacturers move these products to the commercial market.

A Secret Weapon in Preventing the Next Pandemic: Fruit Bats
By Jim Robbins New research links habitat destruction with the spillover of viruses from animals to humans.

Public Health Agencies Turn to Locals to Extend Reach Into Immigrant Communities
By Markian Hawryluk Local health departments combat disparities by funding immigrant and minority community groups and letting them decide how best to spend the money.

A Technicality Could Keep RSV Shots From Kids in Need
By Arthur Allen The Vaccines for Children program, which buys more than half the pediatric vaccines in the U.S., may not cover the RSV shot for babies because it’s not technically a vaccine.

Decisions by CVS and Optum Panicked Thousands of Their Sickest Patients
By Arthur Allen Pharmacy closures by two of the biggest home infusion companies point to grave shortages and dangers for patients who require IV nutrition to survive.

Why Two States Remain Holdouts on Distracted Driving Laws
By Eric Berger Missouri and Montana are the only states without distracted driving laws for all drivers. With traffic fatalities rising significantly nationwide, some Missouri lawmakers and advocates for roadway safety are eyeing bills in the new legislative session that would crack down on texting while driving in the Show Me State.

Montana Considers Allowing Physician Assistants to Practice Independently
By Keely Larson The bill, modeled on laws in North Dakota and Wyoming, is opposed by doctors who say it would let physician assistants practice outside the scope of their training.

The Pill Club Reaches $18.3 Million Medicaid Fraud Settlement With California
By Don Thompson The online women’s pharmacy agreed to pay $15 million to the state Department of Justice and $3.3 million to the Department of Insurance over claims it overbilled Medi-Cal.

‘The Country Is Watching’: California Homeless Crisis Looms as Gov. Newsom Eyes Political Future
By Angela Hart As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters his second term, his legacy as governor and path forward in the Democratic Party hinge on his making visible headway on California’s homeless crisis. We lay out the possibilities — and challenges — as he unleashes an $18 billion battle plan.

Centene Agrees to $215 Million Settlement With California for Alleged Medicaid Overbilling
By Samantha Young The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer denies wrongdoing after the California attorney general’s office investigated it for inflating prescription drug costs.

Community Resurrects Colorado Birth Center Closed by Private Equity Firm
By Claire Cleveland A private equity firm bought a birth center and then shut it down. The community brought it back as a nonprofit.

More Young Colorado Children Are Consuming Marijuana Despite Efforts to Stop Them
By Helen Santoro Lawmakers say they don’t plan to revise state regulations on the sale of edibles despite more kids 5 and under ingesting them.

Journalists Probe Problems in Providing Care for Foster Kids and Propping Up Addiction Treatment
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.

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