Different Takes: People With Eating Disorders Deserve Treatment; How Can We Help Our Struggling Kids?
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Opinion writers tackle eating disorders and teenage mental health.
Opioid Supply Lawsuit Against Drug Distributor Cencora Limited By Judge
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
The company, formerly called AmerisourceBergen, is accused of failing to report thousands of suspicious painkiller prescriptions, but a U.S. district judge ruled any federal penalties should only apply to failed reports after the Controlled Substances Act was amended. In other news, all Miami-Dade public schools now stock naloxone.
Survey Finds Many Med School Students Are Considering Quitting
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Shining a worrying spotlight on the future of the medical profession, an Elsevier Health survey found nearly 1 in 4 medical school students are thinking of quitting amid concerns over staffing shortages and burnout. And nearly 2 in 3 who’ll stay in school are considering careers outside of direct patient care.
‘I’m Now Independent’: Parkinson’s Patient Says Implant ‘Changed My Life’
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Two years ago, Marc Gauthier of France volunteered to be the first person to receive a spinal cord stimulator designed to treat Parkinson’s disease. In an update this week, Gauthier, 63, reported that his walking has improved enough that he goes to the store alone and can also climb stairs.
Firearm Injuries Saddle Kids With Pain, Psychiatric Issues In Long Term: Study
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Perhaps unsurprisingly, researchers found that through a year after surviving a firearm injury, youngsters experience steep rises in pain as well as psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is set to tackle whether people accused of domestic violence have a right to carry firearms.
CDC Adds Flu, RSV To Covid Sampling For International Air Travelers
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
The CDC’s infection surveillance, called the traveler-based genomic surveillance program, began in 2021 and now expands to other health threats beyond covid. But even as the pandemic fades, reports say some covid shots are hard to find, though successes with a nasal covid vaccine are also in the news.
White House Faces Pressure To Ban Menthol Cigarettes
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
The White House Office of Management and Budget is reviewing an FDA proposal to ban menthol cigarettes, and a coalition of politicians and health organizations want to see it happen. But the idea faces pushback from former law enforcement officials, including concerns over Mexican cartels’ reactions.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, November 7, 2023
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Election Day, Medicare Advantage rules, gun violence, virus surveillance, abortion law, opioids, smoking, and more are in the news.
CMS-Proposed Rules Would Cap Medicare Advantage Broker Incentives
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are launching a second-wave effort to target Medicaid Advantage marketing practices in an effort to ensure older Americans have access to Medicare supplemental benefits and drug coverage.
It’s Election Day: Abortion Battles Will Play Out In Ohio, Virginia
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
A ballot measure in Ohio seeks to protect abortion access, and in Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin said he’d seek a 15-week abortion ban if Republicans win control of the legislature. Legalized recreational pot is also up for consideration in Ohio.
First Edition: Nov. 7, 2023
November 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Epidemic: The Scars of Smallpox
November 7, 2023
Podcast
The series finale of “Epidemic: Eradicating Smallpox” is a visit to the home of Rahima Banu, the last person with a documented case of naturally occurring variola major smallpox. When the virus was declared eradicated, she became a symbol of one of the greatest victories in global public health. What happened to Rahima Banu afterward?
Iowa’s Governor Opposes Abortion — And Has Final Say on Whether Medicaid Pays for It
By Tony Leys
November 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The federal government requires state Medicaid programs to pay for abortions in limited circumstances, but Iowa hasn’t done so for years. No providers seek Medicaid payments, which require the approval of the governor, an anti-abortion Republican.
New California Law Offers Fresh Protection From Steep Ambulance Bills
By Bernard J. Wolfson
November 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The law, which takes effect Jan. 1, prohibits out-of-network ground ambulance operators from billing patients more than they would pay for in-network rides. It also caps how much the uninsured must pay.
Children Who Survive Shootings Endure Huge Health Obstacles and Costs
By Liz Szabo
Updated November 7, 2023
Originally Published November 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A new study finds that young people who have been injured by firearms are more prone to psychiatric diagnoses and developing a substance use disorder than kids who have not been shot — and their families also suffer long-term ill effects.
Si la ciencia asegura que los adolescentes necesitan dormir más, ¿por qué es tan difícil hacer que las clases empiecen más tarde?
By Catherine Sweeney, WPLN
November 6, 2023
KFF Health News Original
La resistencia a empezar más tarde tiene menos que ver con dificultades logísticas y financieras, sobre todo en aspectos básicos como el transporte escolar.
Viewpoints: Ohio Is Next State To Make Big Decision On Abortion Rights; Does NyQuil Work Anymore?
November 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle abortion rights, decongestants, insurance, and more.
Infamous Tuskegee Syphilis Study Has Been Digitized For Public Use
November 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post calls the study one of “medical history’s bleakest chapters.” Meanwhile, data show emergency room visits for children injured by firearms doubled during the pandemic. Other research linked daily cannabis use to a higher risk of severe heart disease, similar to smokers.
UN And Aid Agencies Decry Israel’s Airstrike On Gaza Ambulance
November 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
Officials and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society say wounded people were being evacuated in a convoy of ambulances. Israel’s military claimed the ambulance hit was carrying Hamas militants. Separately, Turkey and Egypt agreed for 1,000 cancer patients and other injured civilians from Gaza to receive treatment in Turkey.
Medicare Requiring Hospitals To Make Pricing Information Easier To Find
November 6, 2023
Morning Briefing
New Medicare regulations aim to make hospital prices more transparent to patients by improving compliance and transparency with existing requirements and with plans to publicly assess facilities. Other Medicare news relates to home health care, outpatient reimbursements, and more.