Rural Dispatch: April 25, 2023

Banning Noncompete Contracts for Medical Staff Riles Hospitals
By Harris Meyer It’s about the money — on both sides — as arguments swirl about patient safety, rising prices, and paying back on-the-job training.

As Colorado Reels From Another School Shooting, Study Finds 1 in 4 Teens Have Quick Access to Guns
By Markian Hawryluk The study analyzed Colorado kids’ responses to how quickly they could get their hands on a loaded gun without their parents’ knowledge. More than 1 in 10 said they could do so within 10 minutes.

Truly Random Drug Testing: ADHD Patients Face Uneven Urine Screens and, Sometimes, Stigma
By Arielle Zionts Doctors have no national standards on when to order urine tests to check whether adult ADHD patients are properly taking their prescription stimulants. Some patients are subjected to much more frequent testing than others.

Congressman Seeks to Plug ‘Shocking Loophole’ Exposed by KHN Investigation
By Sarah Jane Tribble A federal lawmaker has introduced a House bill that would close one of a laundry list of oversight gaps revealed in a recent KHN investigation of the system regulators use to ban fraudsters from billing government health programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.

The CDC Lacks a Rural Focus. Researchers Hope a Newly Funded Office Will Help.
By Christina Saint Louis Advocates for improving rural health pushed for the CDC to extend its rural health focus by creating an Office of Rural Health. They hope the agency will commit to rural health research and provide analyses that lead to good public health policies for rural communities.

People With Down Syndrome Are Living Longer, but the Health System Still Treats Many as Kids
By Tony Leys The median life expectancy for a U.S. baby born with Down syndrome jumped from about four years in 1950 to 58 years in the 2010s. That’s largely because they no longer can be denied lifesaving care, including surgeries for heart defects. But now, aging adults with Down syndrome face a health system unprepared to care for them.

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.

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.

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.

Minnesota Overhauled Substance Use Treatment. Rural Residents Still Face Barriers.
By Christina Saint Louis A recent policy change in Minnesota promotes quick evaluations and care for people with substance use disorders. But because of gaps riddling rural treatment systems nationwide, the promise of swift care isn’t reaching rural Minnesotans.

States Step In as Telehealth and Clinic Patients Get Blindsided by Hospital Fees
By Markian Hawryluk At least eight states have implemented or are considering limits on what patients can be billed for the use of a hospital’s facilities even without having stepped foot in the building.

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.

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.