Medicaid’s ‘Unwinding’ Can Be Especially Perilous for Disabled People
By Rachana Pradhan
November 28, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Earlier this year, Beverly Likens thought she’d done everything she needed to do to keep her Medicaid. Then came an unwelcome surprise: Ahead of surgery to treat chronic bleeding, the hospital said her insurance was inactive, jeopardizing her procedure. Likens had just been diagnosed with severe anemia and given a blood transfusion at the emergency room. “I […]
Viewpoints: Too Many People Are Dying From Hepatitis C; It’s Time For Novel Mental Health Treatments
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle hepatitis C, mental health treatments, lung cancer, and more.
10 States Approach Universal Coverage With Uninsured Rates Under 5%
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets report on the tools and the innovations — provided largely under the Affordable Care Act — that states are employing to chip away at the number of people who do not have health insurance in the U.S.
Idaho Pushes To Lift Block On Its Strict Emergency Abortion Laws
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
State law only allows abortions when they’re necessary to prevent death during pregnancy, or when rape or incest was involved. But the Biden administration sued and won, arguing that federal laws allow abortions under a broader health emergency range. Idaho has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider.
BA.2.86 Is The New Covid Variant To Be Wary Of
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
New CDC data show this particular covid variant represents nearly 1 in 10 new covid cases, triple its estimated infection rate from just two weeks ago. Meanwhile the WHO has upgraded BA.2.86, plus subvariants, to a variant of “interest.” Also: U.S. flu hospitalizations are continuing to rise.
For First Time, New Swine Flu Variant May Have Infected A Person In The UK
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets cover what’s said to be the first time a flu strain normally found in pigs has infected people in the United Kingdom. But the story is fuzzy: Authorities, for example, don’t know how the patient became infected and do not know if there is community spread of this exact type of porcine flu.
Ransomware Attack Forces 2 ERs In New Jersey To Divert Patients
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
Hospitals in Westwood and Montclair, New Jersey had to turn away patients from their emergency rooms after the facilities became aware on Thanksgiving of the probable cyberattack.
You’ll Lose More Weight And Do It Faster With Mounjaro, Data Show
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
An analysis found that within one year of starting treatment, 42% of those taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) had dropped at least 15% of their weight. In the same time, 19% of those taking semaglutide (Wegovy and Ozempic) had done the same.
Study: Indiana Lost $4.2 Billion In 2019 On Untreated Mental Illness
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study throws a sharp light on the broader economic impact of a health system not properly addressing mental health needs, with Indiana’s leading crop sales not even equaling the economic cost of untreated mental illness.
New Pennsylvania Law Bans Pelvic Exams On Anesthetized Patients
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
Beginning in January, medical students are barred from performing pelvic or rectal exams without a patient’s verbal and written consent. Also in the news: a biomarker testing bill in New York; pressure on Texas food banks; delayed wheelchair repairs in Massachusetts; and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, November 28, 2023
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
Gun violence, Obamacare, medical supply shortages, abortion law, covid variants, flu, cyberattacks, weight loss drugs, and more are in the news.
Biden Invokes Defense Production Act To Target Medical Supply Shortages
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Cold War-era measure allows the president to direct private companies to invest in the manufacturing of medicines or medical supplies characterized as essential to national defense.
First Edition: Nov. 28, 2023
November 28, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Back Pain? Bum Knee? Be Prepared to Wait for a Physical Therapist
By Mark Kreidler
November 28, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Physical therapists left the field en masse during the covid-19 pandemic, even as demand from aging baby boomers skyrocketed. While universities try to boost their training programs to increase the number of graduates, patients seeking relief from often debilitating pain are left to wait.
She Once Advised the President on Aging Issues. Now, She’s Battling Serious Disability and Depression.
By Judith Graham
November 28, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Coping with disability — and the cost of coping with disability — is an enormously important issue for older adults. Nora Super, an expert on aging, shares her personal story.
‘Everybody in This Community Has a Gun’: How Oakland Lost Its Grip on Gun Violence
By Samantha Young
November 28, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A few years ago, Oakland won national acclaim for slashing gun-related crimes. Then the covid-19 pandemic tore through poor neighborhoods, and the murder of George Floyd fueled distrust in police. With guns readily available, violent crime has once again skyrocketed, leaving the community struggling to contain it.
El altísimo costo de tener una enfermedad autoinmune en Estados Unidos
By Andy Miller
November 27, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A pesar de ser muy frecuentes, encontrar ayuda para muchas enfermedades autoinmunes puede resultar frustrante y costoso.
Report: State Laws Aren’t Stopping Health Insurers From Denying Claims
November 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
ProPublica explains that hundreds of consumer protection laws that are supposed to mandate what insurers must cover aren’t working, as health plans violate them. A case where Cigna denied coverage for a double-lung transplant to a lung cancer patient is also reported.
Sanofi To Seek Approval For Dupixent, Its Promising COPD Drug
November 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
Reuters reports that a second large trial of the drug lowered exacerbations of COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, by 34%. Other pharma news is on C. diff, obesity drugs, and more.
Texas Tries $2 Billion Effort Against Rural Mental Health Care Gaps
November 27, 2023
Morning Briefing
A $2.26 billion effort in Texas aims to help state hospitals and decrease suicides in the state, the Texas Tribune explains. Also in Texas, a new Sugar Land nursing program will welcome its first students in January. Other news is from Tennessee, Massachusetts, Florida, and elsewhere.