Latest KFF Health News Stories
Rising Temperatures Are Making Pollen Season Longer, Worse
The Washington Post reports on how pollen season is getting worse and longer, which impacts the health of people with allergies or asthma. Meanwhile, the Houston Chronicle reports on how people switching to using electric vehicles could lead to fewer asthma cases.
UnitedHealth Buying In-Home Health Provider LHC For $5.4 Billion
The deal by Optum — UnitedHealth’s health-services arm — is to purchase LHC Group, one of the largest home-health companies. Fraud in California’s hospice industry, a $5 million fine for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Black-owned health care centers in Indianapolis and more are also in the news.
Ky. Lawmakers Send Governor Bill With New Abortion Restrictions
The bill would ban abortions after 15 weeks and require women seeking medical abortions to see a physician in person. Meanwhile, in Maryland where Democrats control the Statehouse, lawmakers voted to expand access to abortion.
Covid Striking Black Communities Worse
News outlets cover reports on how the pandemic is impacting Black Americans on an ongoing basis with high hospitalization rates, and how Black cancer patients were significantly more likely than white peers to have severe outcomes regardless of other factors.
21 States Sue To End Federal Mask Rules For Public Transit
The transportation mandate is in effect until April 18, but federal officials have indicated they are weighing scaling back the rules for a more targeted approach.
Contagious Omicron BA.2 Now Dominates US Covid Infections
CDC data reveals that the subvariant dubbed “stealth omicron” is responsible for 55% of new covid cases, making it the most common strain in the U.S. Other CDC research finds nearly every American now has some form of covid antibodies, which may protect the nation from another severe surge.
People 50 And Older Can Get Second Covid Booster
The CDC updated its vaccination guidance Tuesday to match FDA authorization announced earlier in the day. A fourth shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines is framed as an option for people 50 or older four months after the first booster. News outlets examine who should get another dose.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Change Needed To Bring Equity To Health Care Payments For Lower-Income Americans
Editorial writers weigh in on these public health topics.
Different Takes: Congress Must Approve Covid Response Money; Are Vaccines For Kids Effective?
Opinion writers examine these covid related issues.
Russian Covid Shot Is First Proven To Work For People With HIV
A new study published in The Lancet shows that Sputnik V is the world’s first covid vaccine that is efficacious for people living with HIV, achieving 79% efficiency. Separately, the invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions against Russia are complicating Russia’s vaccine effort.
Florida’s Governor Signs Bill Limiting Education Of Gender Identity
HB 1557, nicknamed “Don’t Say Gay,” was signed into law Monday. The bill has faced stiff opposition and criticism, and after it was signed the Walt Disney Co. condemned it and vowed to work with those already working toward its repeal. The Miami Herald breaks down the language of the bill.
Oregon’s Assisted Suicide Law Now Extends To Residents Of Other States
Opponents said the change in the law would lead to “suicide tourism,” but advocates stressed that safeguards in the law make that extremely unlikely. The lawsuit had been filed on behalf of a Portland physician who had been unable to write terminal prescriptions for patients who live just across the Columbia River in Washington state.
Alopecia Gets Time In Spotlight After Oscars Controversy
Though much of the media coverage of the Oscars controversy, that centered around Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, missed a prime opportunity to educate people about the medical condition alopecia. The AP reports that it affects about 2% of the U.S. population.
Mothers With Female Partners Face Greater Childbirth, Postpartum Risks: Study
Stanford University researchers discover health disparities and higher risks for new moms with partners who also identified as mothers than those whose partners identify as fathers. Other reproductive health news reports on home births, abortion, and more.
Experimental ALS Drug Gets Negative Review From FDA
Patients have been advocating for regulators to approve the drug from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, but the Food and Drug Administration has issued a negative review, skeptical of its prospective benefits. Stat notes the FDA did mention “regulatory flexibility” when it comes to drug approval, however.
Health Spending Expected To Level Off For Decade After Pandemic Highs
Axios and The Wall Street Journal report on new expectations for U.S. health care spending after covid prompted soaring figures. For the rest of the decade, spending is likely to level out, only growing at inflationary rates. Meanwhile, reports say hospitals remain at an operating loss after omicron.
Anti-Mandate Trucker Convoy Says It’s Leaving DC For California
After three weeks in the District and surrounding areas, the protesters say they will head to the Golden State to protest bills coming up for votes soon. Meanwhile in Idaho, Republican Gov. Brad Little vetoed legislation that would make it illegal for most businesses to require the covid vaccine.
US Starts Vaccinating Migrants Seeking Asylum At Southwest Border
The Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it has begun to give covid vaccines to people seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrants who refuse the shot will be placed in removal proceedings.
Study Shows Early US Contact Tracing Stopped Covid Infections
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention model seems to show that up to 1.36 million U.S. covid cases were averted by contact-tracing efforts over a 60-day period during winter in 2020-21. Separately, as the overall U.S. death count sadly continues to grow, the rate has dramatically slowed.
