KHN Weekly Edition: May 6, 2022

Historic ‘Breach’ Puts Abortion Rights Supporters and Opponents on Alert for Upcoming Earthquake
By Julie Rovner An opinion published by Politico confirms what many who have followed the abortion debate already suspected: Roe v. Wade is soon to be no more. But the question remains: How will the public respond?

What’s Next if ‘Roe v. Wade’ Falls? More Than Half of States Expected to Ban or Restrict Abortion
By Sarah Varney If the Supreme Court affirms the leaked draft decision and overturns abortion rights, the effects would be sweeping in states where Republican-led legislatures have been eagerly awaiting the repudiation of a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.

On the Steps of the Supreme Court, Tears and Glee, Bitterness and Smiles
By Victoria Knight In the nation’s capital, abortion activists and lawmakers weigh in on the leaked ‘Roe v. Wade’ draft court opinion.

Abortion Politics Lead to Power Struggles Over Family Planning Grants
By Katheryn Houghton Conservative-leaning states and nonprofit reproductive health care providers are competing over control of states’ Title X funding for family planning programs.

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Leaked Abortion Opinion Rocks Washington’s World
The unprecedented early leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark abortion-rights ruling Roe v. Wade has heated the national abortion debate to boiling. Meanwhile, the FDA, after years of consideration, moves to ban menthol flavors in cigarettes and cigars. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Shefali Luthra of the 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Paula Andalo, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a family whose medical debt drove them to seek care south of the border.

Medicare Surprise: Drug Plan Prices Touted During Open Enrollment Can Rise Within a Month
By Susan Jaffe Even the savviest Medicare drug plan shoppers can get a shock when they fill prescriptions: That great deal on medications is no bargain after prices go up.

California Opens Medicaid to Older Unauthorized Immigrants
By Bernard J. Wolfson Photos by Heidi de Marco Starting May 1, low-income unauthorized immigrants over age 49 became eligible for full Medicaid health coverage, a significant milestone in California’s effort to expand coverage.

A Guide to Help You Keep Up With the Omicron Subvariants
By Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact How different are the seemingly endless stream of emerging omicron subvariants from one another and how protected are we?

Sweeping, Limited, or No Powers at All? What’s at Stake in the Mask Mandate Appeal
By Julie Appleby Dictionaries, public comments, and even an old court case that involved underwear pricing could play a role as the government appeals a ruling that sharply limits federal authority during pandemics.

Can a Monthly Injection Be the Key to Curbing Addiction? These Experts Say Yes
By Jenny Gold In California, where overdose deaths are on the rise, physicians say administering anti-addiction medication as a monthly injection holds tremendous potential. So, why aren’t more patients getting it?

As Overdoses Soar, More States Decriminalize Fentanyl Testing Strips
By Andy Miller Georgia may soon join a growing list of states decriminalizing the use of fentanyl testing strips. Bans of the strips — on the books in about half of states, experts say — stem from laws criminalizing drug paraphernalia adopted decades ago. But the testing devices are now recommended to help prevent overdose deaths.

States Watching as Massachusetts Takes Aim at Hospital Building Boom and Costs
By Harris Meyer A Massachusetts health care cost watchdog agency helped block plans of the state’s largest hospital system to expand into the suburbs. Now, other states are looking at whether Massachusetts’ decade-old model of controlling health costs is worth emulating.

Downsized City Sees Its Health Care Downsized as Hospital Awaits Demolition
By Giles Bruce A 124-year-old hospital in a midsize Rust Belt city in Indiana will soon be torn down, despite protests from residents and city officials decrying the loss of local health services. The Catholic hospital system said it is downsizing the 226-bed hospital because of a lack of demand for inpatient care, as the organization has been building new hospitals in wealthier suburbs.

Even When IVF Is Covered by Insurance, High Bills and Hassles Abound
By Phil Galewitz Illustration by Oona Zenda Only 15 states require insurance to cover in vitro fertilization, a common path to parenthood for people who have trouble getting pregnant. And even for those whose insurance covers IVF, the expensive procedures and required drugs can lead to unexpected bills.

Sex Education Update in Texas Still Lacking, Say Some Students and Educators
By Elena Rivera, KERA The last time Texas updated its sex education curriculum was in the '90s. Students will now learn about contraception and STIs — but not gender or consent. And parents must opt in to the classes for their children.