First Edition: Jan. 16, 2024
January 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
What Would a Second Trump Presidency Look Like for Health Care?
By Julie Rovner
January 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Health policy during Donald Trump’s tenure was dominated by covid-19 and a failed effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. His appointments to the Supreme Court led to the end of national abortion rights, and he took steps to increase hospital price transparency and improve care for veterans.
Federal Program to Save Rural Hospitals Feels ‘Growing Pains’
By Sarah Jane Tribble and Tony Leys
January 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Fewer than two dozen rural hospitals were converted into Rural Emergency Hospitals in the program’s first year. Now, advocates and lawmakers say tweaks to the law are necessary to lure more takers and keep health care in rural communities.
Mary Lou Retton’s Explanation of Health Insurance Takes Some Somersaults
By Julie Appleby
January 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The gold-medal gymnast’s explanation of why she remained uninsured has health policy experts doing mental gymnastics — because it makes little sense.
Trump Official Who OK’d Drugs From Canada Chairs Company Behind Florida’s Import Plan
By Phil Galewitz
January 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Alex Azar advanced Canadian drug importation as Donald Trump’s secretary of Health and Human Services. Now he chairs the board of a company managing Florida’s importation program.
Oficial de Trump que aprobó traer medicamentos de Canadá ahora preside la empresa detrás de la importación
By Phil Galewitz
January 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Es común que altos funcionarios de ambos partidos dejen el servicio público por trabajos o puestos en juntas directivas, a menudo mejor remunerados, en empresas de las industrias que antes regulaban
Alex Azar’s Unusual Spin Through the Revolving Door
By Phil Galewitz
January 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Washington’s infamous revolving door took an unusual turn for former Health and Human Services secretary Alex Azar. Azar spent about a decade with pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. before coming to the nation’s capital to lead HHS in the Trump administration. But in September 2020, just a couple of months before former president Donald […]
New York Governor Launches Expanded Mental Health Initiatives
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Gov. Kathy Hochul is, CBS News says, “doubling down” on her pledge to tackle mental health in the state — including with 1,000 more beds toward in-patient capacity. Meanwhile, in Florida, the Senate is set to pass a broad health care plan that includes efforts to boost the number of doctors.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. This week’s selections include stories on mental health, “clown cardio,” padel, and more.
Viewpoints: Conservative Judges Couldn’t Care Less About Women; How Worried Should You Be About Nanoplastics?
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle abortion rights, microplastics, prescription drugs and more.
FDA: No Link Between Suicidal Thoughts And Weight-Loss Drugs
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
In positive news for the millions of people already taking GLP-1 drugs, the pharmaceuticals are not linked to adverse-event reports of suicidal thoughts or actions, preliminary analysis by the FDA found. It wasn’t possible to rule out a “small risk” however, and further monitoring will now happen.
Depression During Or After Pregnancy Linked To Higher Suicide Risk
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
New research shows that people who develop depression during pregnancy or soon after are at a greater risk of attempting suicide for a number of years after. Other reproductive health news reports on postpartum depression, midwifery services, and more.
Ohio Won’t Indict Woman Who Miscarried A Nonviable Fetus
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Brittany Watts, 34, was arrested after suffering a miscarriage in her bathroom and trying to flush the remains down the toilet. She had previously visited a hospital several times, where doctors ruled the fetus was not viable. On one trip, she waited for eight hours as an ethics board determined what to do, The New York Times wrote.
Fentanyl Poisonings Pushed Teen Overdose Rates To Record High In 2022
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The fentanyl overdoses came from counterfeit pills, a new study based on CDC data says. Meanwhile, rapper Jelly Roll spoke in front of Congress to tackle the deadly spread of fentanyl across the country. Also in the news: A landmark study finds prescribed opioids can reduce deaths and overdoses.
Hormone-Disrupting Plastic Chemicals Cost US Billions Annually
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
In 2018 alone, the tally reached $249 billion, a new study found. The endocrine-disrupting chemicals from plastics are linked with illnesses that drive up health care costs, CNN explains. Also in the news: the role “high touch” surfaces like bed rails have in spreading pathogens in hospitals.
In Philly Measles Outbreak, A Child Was Sent To Day Care, Breaking Quarantine
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
NBC News says that during the outbreak, which has affected at least eight people, an unvaccinated child who had been exposed to measles was then was sent to day care, despite quarantine instructions. Measles in a children’s hospital in Wilmington, Delaware, is also in the news.
Morning Briefing for Friday, January 12, 2024
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Rural hospitals, government funding, weight-loss drugs, depression during pregnancy, dangerous plastics, measles, and more are in the news.
Senate Preps For Stopgap Funding Measure While House At Impasse
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Lawmakers are now in recess for the holiday weekend, while the clock ticks down on a first deadline before a partial government shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson continues to try to navigate between the demands of hard-right Republicans and the rest of his caucus.
First Edition: Jan. 12, 2024
January 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: First Edition will not be published Monday, Jan. 15. Look for us in your inbox Tuesday.
Hospitales rurales, atrapados en el dilema de sus viejas infraestructuras
By Markian Hawryluk
January 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
El aumento de los costos, en medio de reducciones de los pagos de las aseguradoras, dificulta que los pequeños hospitales obtengan financiación para grandes renovaciones.