Medical School on Cherokee Reservation Will Soon Send Doctors to Tribal, Rural Areas
By Arielle Zionts
November 1, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Native Americans and rural residents are underrepresented in medical schools. But in this new program, 25% of students are Indigenous and half are from rural areas.
In ‘Tokelahoma,’ Once-Booming Medical Pot Industry Is Dwindling
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
At its peak, Oklahoma had nearly 14,000 licensed medical marijuana businesses. But one veteran says the industry is “struggling” and predicted two-thirds of current businesses could soon shut down.
FDA Panel Meeting Today To Review Proposal For Sickle Cell Gene Therapy
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
A FDA advisory panel will hear proposals Tuesday from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics in an all-day meeting. USA Today examines the potential and high cost of using gene therapy to treat diseases.
Hold That Sneeze — This Year’s Flu Season May Not Hit So Hard
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
Doctors and scientists note that positive signs from the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season point to a potentially milder season in the North, too. Also in the news, the Biden administration has acknowledged problems with the transition from government to private control over the covid vaccine program.
Trump: ‘Mental Institutions’ Should Return — To Tackle Homelessness
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
The kind of state-run psychiatric hospital that former President Donald Trump called for faded in the mid-1900s, and they were associated with inhumane practices. Their return, Trump said, would “get the homeless off our streets.” Also in the news: dementia and slow-wave sleep loss; your Halloween haikus, and more.
Kansas Judge Blocks New Abortion Pill Law, 24-Hour Abortion Waits
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
A 2022 statewide vote in Kansas affirmed support for abortion access under the state constitution, AP reports, and the new ruling supports this by also blocking older abortion restrictions, including a forced 24-hour wait window. Other abortion news is from Arizona, Tennessee, and elsewhere.
Biden Uses Executive Order To Push For AI Health Care Standards
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
President Joe Biden’s executive order invoked the Defense Production Act to establish standards on using artificial intelligence in health care and other industries — while trying not to stifle innovation in the field. Other news includes HHS digital info blocking rules, GSK and 23andMe, and more.
Study Finds How Dramatically Health Plan Rates Vary County To County
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
One of the first studies of insurer price data shines a sharp spotlight onto health care pricing and how where you live in the U.S. impacts how much you pay. Among other news, Healthpeak Properties is set to buy Physicians Realty Trust; a report on costs of unnecessary stents; and more.
Maine Gunman’s Mental Health Issues More Serious Than First Disclosed
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
Law enforcement was explicitly warned about the declining mental health of Robert Card many months ahead of the Maine shooting, news outlets report.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, October 31, 2023
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
Open enrollment, pharmacy workers, abortion pill, AI, gene therapy, and more are in the news. Plus, see our Halloween haiku contest winners.
3-Day ‘Pharmageddon’ Pharmacist Walkout Begins
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
Organizers have estimated that about 4,500 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are participating from several store chains, including CVS and Walgreens. The impact of the walkout on pharmacy services is currently unclear.
Street Medicine Practitioners Are Getting Paid. Now They Want Higher Rates.
By Angela Hart
October 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Street medicine, the practice of caring for homeless people outdoors, is a burgeoning field — an unfortunate reality as America confronts a growing homelessness epidemic. But it’s at least become a little more rewarding after the Biden administration made an under-the-radar yet revolutionary change to Medicaid. Starting this month, doctors, nurses and other providers can bill […]
First Edition: Oct. 31, 2023
October 31, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Comienza la inscripción para los seguros de salud del Obamacare
By Julie Appleby
October 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Los consumidores pueden ir en línea, llamar o buscar ayuda de un corredor, o un navegador, para conocer sus opciones de cobertura para 2024, calcular sus posibles subsidios o cambiar de plan.
Start Shopping: Enrollment Begins Nov. 1 for Most Obamacare Insurance Plans
By Julie Appleby
October 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
More than 16 million Americans who buy their own health insurance through state and federal marketplaces have until Jan. 15 to compare prices, change their coverage, or enroll for the first time.
Medical Debt and Nurse Shortages Haunt Winning Halloween Haikus
October 31, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Entries for our fifth annual Halloween haiku contest left us terrified. Based on a review by our panel of judges, here’s the winner and runners-up — plus the original artwork they inspired.
An Arm and a Leg: John Green vs. Johnson & Johnson (Part 2)
By Dan Weissmann
October 31, 2023
Podcast
The high price of lifesaving tuberculosis drugs makes them inaccessible to many who need them most. On this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” hear how a decades-long global fight to reform drug patents is helping to lower the cost.
This Week, Private Insurers Take Over Paying For Covid Drugs
October 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
The transition begins Nov. 1, marking a shift from the government paying for covid treatments to private insurers and drugmakers. Notably, the uninsured and those on Medicare or Medicaid will be able to access Paxlovid for free until the end of 2024. Meanwhile, a new covid variant — HV.1 — is spreading.
FDA Warns 26 Eye Drop Products Could Cause Dangerous Infections
October 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
People are being urged to stop using the over-the-counter items on the FDA’s list because of the worry that they could lead to vision loss. Among other news, an active tuberculosis case in California; rising cases of strep throat; and worries that STDs, including syphilis, are on the rise, too.