New Mexico Supreme Court Set To Hear Arguments Against Abortion Bans
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
The lawsuit’s target is recent abortion ban ordinances in several cities and counties. Meanwhile, South Carolina’s top court on Tuesday declined to reconsider a recent ruling upholding the state’s fetal heartbeat abortion ban.
MOVEit Data Breach Has Affected At Least 88 Health Providers
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
A threat analyst at Emsisoft said, “This isn’t simply people’s logins, passwords or even Social Security numbers,” Modern Healthcare reported. “It’s a mix of health records, legal records … and a huge variety of data.”
Walmart Asks Some Pharmacists To Take Pay Cuts To Lower Costs
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Reuters has an exclusive on the cuts, which target pharmacists in higher wage brackets. They’re being asked to reduce their working hours. To blame: so many people buying “weight-loss drugs that drag on profits.” AI-based drug discovery is also in the news, along with developments on 3M’s legal problems over earplugs.
Forget Alcohol, Tobacco: Dirty Air Is Now Biggest External Health Threat
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
A major new study is saying that air pollution is a more dangerous threat to the average person on the planet than smoking or alcohol. Also in the news: deadly West Nile virus in Massachusetts; an E. coli outbreak at the University of Arkansas; warnings over malaria; and more.
Prescribing Healthy Food Leads To Health Benefits, Study Finds
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
In a deliciously unsurprising finding, a new analysis published in an American Heart Association journal found that if fruits and vegetables are “prescribed” to adults and children, they eat more of them and have multiple health benefits. Also in the news; drug misuse and abuse.
Hospital Financial Performance Squeezed As Medicaid Unwinds: Report
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
A summertime drop in outpatient business and ongoing Medicaid redeterminations are hitting hospital financial performance, according to an industry report. The Hill, meanwhile, reports that Medicaid-eligible people who are not actually enrolled are far more likely to delay care.
Major Antibiotic Overprescribing For Children Reported
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read recent pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Perspectives: The Drug Pricing War Rages On
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
Viewpoints: Will People Take Covid Precautions This Time?; Cancer Diagnosis May Not Be Cancer
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers delve into covid, cancer, aging, and more.
Canada Now Warns Its LGBTQ+ Travelers Of US Laws Targeting Them
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Our friendly neighbors to the north are being warned of potentially unfriendly state and local laws that target LGBTQ+ people as part of an update to the travel advisory for the U.S. In other global health news, Danaher is buying a British bio reagents company that’s labeled “the Amazon of antibodies.”
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, August 30, 2023
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Drug pricing and Medicare, NIH nominee, nursing homes, AI, the ‘Pirola’ variant, a data breach, air quality, and more are in the news.
Medicare And Pharma May Not See Big Impact At First From Drug Negotiations
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
After CMS released its list of selected medications for which it will negotiate prices, pharmaceutical companies denounced the process and news outlets report on the potential savings for Medicare and its beneficiaries.
Biden NIH Head Nominee Has Pledged To Not Work For Big Pharma Later On
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
The move, Politico says, is a major concession from the White House to Sen. Elizabeth Warren over ethics. Monica Bertagnolli, who was nominated to lead NIH months ago, agreed to limit her post-role employment options for 4 years. Also: generics patents, the No Surprises act, and more.
Pay Attention To ‘Pirola’ Covid Variant, Health Experts Warn
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
“It’s drastically different” from the dominant strains that are currently circulating, said one scientific adviser to the CDC. Meanwhile, Dr. Deborah Birx, who served as former President Donald Trump’s covid response coordinator, says not enough people are taking the newest surge seriously and that the new vaccine is coming weeks too late.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. For the long holiday weekend, we’ve included stories on cancer, aging, parenting, conservatorships, and more.
First Edition: Aug. 30, 2023
August 30, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: KFF Health News’ First Edition will not be published Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. Look for it again in your inbox on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
A Move to Cut Drug Prices Has Patients With Rare Diseases Worried
By Markian Hawryluk
August 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A Colorado board has named five drugs it will review for affordability and potential cost caps. But patients with cystic fibrosis worry they will lose access to a life-changing therapy.
5 Things to Know About the New Drug Pricing Negotiations
By Arthur Allen and Rachana Pradhan and David Hilzenrath
August 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The Biden administration unveiled the first 10 drugs subject to price negotiations, taking a swipe at the pharmaceutical industry. But what does it mean for patients?
Artificial Intelligence May Influence Whether You Can Get Pain Medication
By Andy Miller and Sam Whitehead
August 30, 2023
KFF Health News Original
To contain the opioid crisis, health and law enforcement agencies have turned to technology to monitor doctor and patient prescription data. Experts have raised questions about how these systems work and worry about their accuracy and potential biases. Some patients and doctors say they’re being unfairly targeted.
Exclusive: CMS Study Sabotages Efforts to Bolster Nursing Home Staffing, Advocates Say
By Jordan Rau
August 29, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Research commissioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services analyzed only staffing levels below what experts have previously called ideal. Patient advocates have been pushing for more staff to improve care.