KHN Weekly Edition: Jan. 13, 2023
Ask Voters Directly, and Abortion Rights Wins Most Ballot Fights
By Julie Rovner
Anti-abortion candidates have fared well in recent elections. But decades of ballot initiatives — including a half-dozen measures considered after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June — show that when voters are asked directly, they usually side with preserving abortion rights.
Why People Who Experience Severe Nausea During Pregnancy Often Go Untreated
By Katheryn Houghton
Because morning sickness is common, severe nausea in pregnancy can be minimized by doctors or the patients themselves. Untreated, symptoms can worsen — and delays lead to medical emergencies.
Ending Involuntary Commitments Would Shift Burden of Dementia Care to Strapped Communities
By Keely Larson
Health department officials anticipate having to transfer two dozen patients from the Montana State Hospital to another state-run facility if a bill to end involuntary commitments passes.
California Attorney General Sues Drugmakers Over Inflated Insulin Prices
By Angela Hart and Samantha Young
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is taking three major drugmakers and three distributors to court, alleging the companies illegally raised prices at the expense of diabetes patients.
The Decision of Where to Seek Care Is Complicated by the Multitude of Options
By Sam Whitehead
The proliferation of care options — particularly urgent care centers and free-standing emergency departments — can make the head spin. Facilities have little incentive to clear up the confusion of where to go. But for patients, the wrong choice can mean big bills and possibly poor health outcomes.
Hospitals’ Use of Volunteer Staff Runs Risk of Skirting Labor Laws, Experts Say
By Lauren Sausser
Hospitals using volunteers is commonplace. But some labor experts argue that deploying unpaid workers to do work that benefits the organization’s bottom line lets for-profit hospitals skirt federal labor laws, deprives employees of work, and potentially exploits the volunteers.
Despite Doctors’ Concerns, University of California Renews Ties With Religious Affiliates
By Annie Sciacca
The public university’s health system is renewing contracts with outside hospitals and clinics even as some doctors and faculty say clearer language is needed to protect physicians performing abortions and gender-affirming treatments.
Behavioral Telehealth Loses Momentum Without a Regulatory Boost
By Darius Tahir
As flexible treatment options spurred by the covid pandemic wane, patients relying on medications classified as controlled substances worry that without action to extend the loosened rules, it’ll be harder to get their meds.
In PA County Jails, Guards Use Pepper Spray and Stun Guns to Subdue People in Mental Crisis
By Brett Sholtis, WITF
An investigation of records from 25 county jails across Pennsylvania showed that nearly 1 in 3 "use of force" incidents by guards involved a confined person who was having a psychiatric crisis or who had a known mental illness.
Bleeding and in Pain, a Pregnant Woman in Louisiana Couldn’t Get Answers
By Rosemary Westwood, WWNO
How one Louisiana woman experiencing a miscarriage sought care amid a climate of fear and confusion among doctors fueled by that state’s restrictive abortion law.
Medicaid and Abortion Top Health Agenda for Montana Lawmakers
By Keely Larson
State lawmakers say their health care goals for the new legislative session are to lower costs and improve access to care. They’ll have to grapple with a full slate of other issues, as well.
Listen: Who Investigates Suspicious Deaths in Your Community — And Why It Matters
KHN senior correspondent Samantha Young appeared on the “Apple News Today” podcast and KOA, a public radio station in Denver, to discuss the difference between coroners and medical examiners and why it matters.
Journalists Review 2022’s Top Health Stories and the CDC’s Policy on Remote Work
KHN and California Healthline staffers made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.