Survey Finds Nearly 7% Of American Adults Have Long Covid Symptoms
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
A new CDC survey revealed what’s being called an “alarming” rise in long covid cases in recent months. Separately, the CDC is also continuing to receive reports of MIS-C in children following a covid infection.
FDA Approves First Treatment For MASH Liver Disease
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
The drug, called Rezdiffra, is manufactured by Madrigal Pharmaceuticals. Separately, Gilead Pharmaceuticals says it will be able to quadruple production of its CAR-T cancer therapy by 2026 due to manufacturing process improvements.
Attendees Of A Disney On Ice Show Warned Of Measles Exposure Risk
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Cincinnati Health Department is warning that anyone who went to the performance on March 8 is at risk of being exposed to measles. Meanwhile, in Stanislaus County, California, an unvaccinated child was confirmed with measles.
Lurie Children’s Hospital Reopens Patient Portal After Cyberattack
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
It’s been more than a month since Lurie Children’s Hospital was hit by a cyberattack, but it’s now bringing the MyChart portal back online. Also in the news: University of Chicago Medical Center must pay $14 million over a boy’s death.
Morning Briefing for Friday, March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Cybersecurity, drug pricing, Medicare, PBM reforms, IVF, teen pregnancy, long covid, and more are in the news. Plus, your weekend reads.
EPA Limits Carcinogenic Gas That Is Used To Sterilize Medical Devices
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Sterilizing facilities must drastically limit their emissions of ethylene oxide, a chemical that has been linked to cancer cases in communities around such buildings.
Senators Grill Becerra On Cybersecurity Rules, Marijuana Restrictions
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra testified before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday. The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare dominated a lot of the questioning, along with other topics such as drug prices, the FDA’s cannabis recommendations, migrant health, and more.
First Edition: March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
How Your In-Network Health Coverage Can Vanish Before You Know It
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
One of the most unfair aspects of medical insurance is this: Patients can change insurance only during end-of-year enrollment periods or at the time of “qualifying life events.” But insurers’ contracts with doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies can change abruptly at any time.
A New Orleans Neighborhood Confronts the Racist Legacy of a Toxic Stretch of Highway
By Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
New federal funds aim to address an array of problems created by highway construction in minority neighborhoods. These are economic, social, and, perhaps above all, public health problems. In New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood, competing plans for how to deal with harm done by the Claiborne Expressway reveal the challenge of how to mitigate them meaningfully.
When Copay Assistance Backfires on Patients
By Julie Appleby
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Drugmakers offer copay assistance programs to patients, but insurers are tapping into those funds, not counting the amounts toward patient deductibles. That leads to unexpected charges. But the practice is under growing scrutiny.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Maybe It’s a Health Care Election After All
March 14, 2024
Podcast
Health care wasn’t expected to be a major theme for this year’s elections. But as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump secured their respective party nominations this week, the future of both Medicare and the Affordable Care Act appears to be up for debate. Meanwhile, the cyberattack of the UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Change Healthcare continues to do damage to the companies’ finances with no quick end in sight. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Kelly Henning of Bloomberg Philanthropies about a new, four-part documentary series on the history of public health, “The Invisible Shield.” Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
Research Roundup: TB; Air Pollution; Maternal Obesity; Medical Resource Allocation
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Viewpoints: Prior Authorization Can Be Deadly; Ableism Is Behind Anti-Vaccination Trend
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss dangerous prior authorizations, vaccine fears, tuition-free medical schools, and more.
Cannabis Policy Could Take A Hit After Report Showing More Teens Use THC
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Some health experts want more regulation of the cannabis market, citing health concerns and easy access for youths. In other news, Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a marijuana reform roundtable Friday.
Nurse Who Accidentally Killed Patient Highlights Hospital’s Errors
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Former nurse RaDonda Vaught told CommonSpirit Health staff members that her accidental administering of the wrong medication was influenced by hospital issues like a faulty medication dispenser. Also in the news: Mass General Brigham, Mayo Clinic, and more.
645 People Died From Heat In Arizona’s Most Populous County Last Year
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
The figure is up over 50% on 2022’s number for the arid metro Phoenix area. Also in the news: loss of health care for immigrants in Illinois; a failed override of Nebraska’s governor’s veto of a “safe needles” bill; and more.
Researchers Warn Of New Amoeba Risk From Nasal Rinsing
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Using the right kind of water in your neti pot now seems extra important since the CDC has linked rare but deadly Acanthamoeba infections to nasal rinsing systems. Also in the news: A man living in an iron lung has died at age 78.
HHS Looking Into Cybersecurity At UnitedHealth Following Change Hack
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
The HHS Office for Civil Rights is investigating the ransomware attack at UnitedHealth’s subsidiary Change Healthcare to evaluate the extent of the hack’s breach and the insurance company’s HIPAA compliance. Meanwhile, fallout from the attack continues to be felt across the health industry.