First Edition: Aug. 23, 2023
August 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The Painful Pandemic Lessons Mandy Cohen Carries to the CDC
By Fred Clasen-Kelly and Rachana Pradhan and Holly K. Hacker
August 23, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Mandy Cohen, the new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, earned praise for her leadership and communication as the face of North Carolina’s response to covid-19. People in the state’s most vulnerable communities tell a more complicated story.
Naming Suicide in Obits Was Once Taboo. Changing That Can Help Loved Ones Grieve.
By Debby Waldman
August 23, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Mental health is being talked about more openly than ever, but the word “suicide” has remained largely taboo when describing how someone died. See why that’s slowly changing, what it means for people who grieve those deaths, and how candor can help prevent additional suicides.
Doctors and Patients Try to Shame Insurers Online to Reverse Prior Authorization Denials
By Lauren Sausser
August 23, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Prior authorization is a common tool used by health insurers for many tests, procedures, and prescriptions. Frustrated by the process, patients and doctors have turned to social media to publicly shame insurance companies and elevate their denials for further review.
Indiana Supreme Court Ruling Means Strict Abortion Ban Will Take Effect
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
The state’s near-total abortion ban was challenged by the ACLU which asked for a rehearing, but the Supreme Court denied the case. In Texas, the state’s punitive anti-abortion law was “quietly” relaxed, NPR reports, with abortions allowed after a patient’s water breaks early and for ectopic pregnancies.
2 Generics Makers Settle With Justice Department Over Price-Fixing Charges
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
The U.S. branches of Teva and Glenmark will pay $225 million and $30 million, respectively, to settle what Politico notes are “long-running criminal price-fixing charges.” Separately, Boehringer Ingelheim, a German drugmaker, is suing the U.S. government over its Medicare drug price negotiation effort.
Minnesota Investigates Allina Health Over Medical Debt Policy
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Modern Healthcare reports the nonprofit refused to treat some patients who owed medical debts, and now state authorities are investigating. Also in the news: Corewell Health, Cano Health, diversity in medical illustrations, and more.
Listeria-Contaminated Milkshakes Kill 3 In Tacoma, Washington
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Three other people were hospitalized by the bacterial contamination linked to a restaurant called Frugals. Also in the news: Americans’ exposure to smoke pollution reached a 17-year high in 2023; virtual reality exercises may help back pain; and more.
Appeals Court Revives Alabama’s Youth Trans Care Ban
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Reuters reports the Republican-backed law was revived after a panel of judges said a legal challenge didn’t show evidence of a constitutional right for trans youth gender care. But a federal judge blocked part of a similar law in Georgia, since it likely violates constitutional equal protection clauses.
Viewpoints: Asylum-Seeking Kids Deserve Health Care; How To Tell If It’s Alzheimer’s
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle pediatric care for asylum-seeking families, Alzheimer’s, health care reimbursement, and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, August 22, 2023
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Health misinformation, RSV vaccines, covid’s long-term risks, drug pricing, abortion law, medical debt, listeria, and more are in the news.
FDA Approves Pfizer’s Adult RSV Shot That’s Meant To Protect Newborns
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
The vaccine, also approved for use in adults 60 and older, is given to pregnant people in the latter part of pregnancy, Stat reports. The CDC must still sign off on the vaccine but is expected to do so.
Toddlers’ Use Of Tablets, Phones Linked To Developmental Delays
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets cover research relating to screen time for the very young, showing that giving a 1-year-old a screen like a tablet for more than four hours a day is linked to developmental delays at ages 2 and 4. Separately, gun-related deaths among children rose in 2021.
Covid Can Leave People Vulnerable To New Health Problems 2 Years Later
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
A large study of Veterans Affairs health records finds that patients who were infected with covid are at a higher risk developing other diseases or disabilities. Mortality risks were also found to be greater for people who were hospitalized.
First Edition: Aug. 22, 2023
August 22, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Doctors Advocate Fresh Efforts to Combat Chagas Disease, a Silent Killer
By Paula Andalo
August 22, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Chagas disease, caused by a parasite, affects people primarily in rural Latin America. But an estimated 300,000 residents of the U.S. have the disease, which can cause serious heart problems. Patient advocates call for much more aggressive efforts to fight it.
Médicos abogan por nuevos esfuerzos para combatir al Chagas, un asesino silencioso
By Paula Andalo
August 22, 2023
KFF Health News Original
La enfermedad de Chagas, causada por un parásito, afecta principalmente a personas en las zonas rurales de Latinoamérica. Pero se estima que 300,000 personas en Estados Unidos viven con la enfermedad, que puede causar problemas cardíacos graves. Defensores de pacientes piden esfuerzos mucho más agresivos para combatirla.
Few Firm Beliefs and Low Trust: Americans Not Sure What’s True in Age of Health Misinformation
By Darius Tahir
August 22, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A new poll from KFF shows many Americans aren’t willing to embrace misinformation — but aren’t willing to reject it either. And they don’t know whom to trust.
Life in a Rural ‘Ambulance Desert’ Means Sometimes Help Isn’t on the Way
By Taylor Sisk
August 22, 2023
KFF Health News Original
No local hospital and anemic ambulance services mean residents in rural Pickens County, Alabama, are thrown into perilous situations when they have medical emergencies. It’s a kind of medical care roulette that has become a fact of life for rural Americans who live in ambulance deserts.
Viewpoints: It’s Past Time For Museums To Repatriate Human Remains
August 21, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers examine museums use of human remains, fracking’s link to cancer, American maternal mortality, misinformation, and more.