Minnesota Lawmakers Expand State Health Insurance Program
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Axios reports that Minnesota has now joined states like Colorado and Washington, which have turned to public option plans to control health costs. Among other news, the Texas House voted to repeal the state’s “tampon tax” on menstrual products.
US HIV Infection Rate Dips Thanks To Young People, CDC Says
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates show a 12% drop in new HIV infections in 2021 compared to 2017. In other news, a study shows HPV doesn’t often transmit to babies during pregnancy, and cookie dough is blamed for a six-state salmonella outbreak.
More Americans Skipped Seeking Care Over Cost Concerns
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new Federal Reserve Survey says while the share of Americans who skipped medical treatment over costs hit a low during 2020 and 2021, it rose substantially last year. Also, fewer people in families with low incomes reported being in good health. Plus: hospital DEI programs, hospital mergers, and more.
Congress Hammers PBMs Over Drug Pricing
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
And sometimes Congress misses the mark. Meanwhile, CMS announces that it will audit annually the prices of drugs covered by Medicaid. And among news from the pharmaceutical industry, an explainer on why employer insurance plans discourage the use of Ozempic.
Long Covid Research May Help In The Fight Against Chronic Fatigue
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, a new U.S. study shows pre-infection covid shots are linked to lower odds of developing persistent symptoms. Bloomberg also reminds us that covid is still killing one person every four minutes. Also in the news: high blood pressure in Black Americans; and missing covid aid at the VA.
A Focus On Kids’ Mental Health, Social Media After Surgeon General’s Warning
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
After Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy outlined his concerns over how younger people’s relationship to social media may be harming their mental health, news outlets examine the risks, deliver hints on how parents can help, and look at other surgeon general warnings from the past.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, May 24, 2023
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Medicaid, abortion bans, youth mental health, gun laws, drug pricing, patients postponing care, water quality, and more are in the news.
Biden To Push For Action To Curb Gun Violence
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
And in a new poll, most Americans say fighting gun violence should take precedence over gun rights. Meanwhile, House Republicans will seek to repeal bipartisan gun reform measures. In other news: a call for Hollywood to depict safer gun use, and the mental health impact mass shootings have on children.
Medicaid Work Requirements At Center Of Ongoing Debt Talks
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
With leaders of both parties preparing to rally their members around certain debt limit negotiation compromises, stricter work requirements for recipients of Medicaid and SNAP remain a key sticking point. And the prospect of invoking the 14th Amendment will be explored in court.
Six-Week Abortion Ban Coming To South Carolina
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
South Carolina is set to limit abortion to six weeks. At least 25 states now restrict the procedure, with 14 banning most abortions. More on abortion pill vigilantes and how the politics of the issue can flummox Republican candidates.
One Year After The Uvalde Massacre: Agony, Anger, And Few Answers
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
On May 24, 2022, a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers inside a classroom at Robb Elementary School in Texas. Many parents say officers’ hesitant response, paired with the gunman’s use of an AR-style rifle, contributed to the high death toll. But demands for stricter gun control have mostly fallen on deaf ears.
First Edition: May 24, 2023
May 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Refugios para víctimas de violencia doméstica dejan de esconderse
By Katheryn Houghton
May 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Por mucho tiempo, el estándar para este tipo de refugios, también llamados casas de acogida, ha sido alojar a las víctimas de violencia doméstica en casas ocultas con direcciones secretas
A medida que bajan los niveles de agua, suben los de arsénico
By Melissa Bailey
May 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A medida que el oeste lucha contra una mega sequía que ha durado más de dos décadas y los estados corren el riesgo de recortes en el agua del menguante río Colorado, el Valle de San Luis ofrece pistas sobre lo que el futuro puede deparar.
As Water Levels Drop, the Risk of Arsenic Rises
By Melissa Bailey
May 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
As the West grapples with a megadrought, its driest spell in at least 1,200 years, rising levels of arsenic — a known carcinogen — in Colorado’s San Luis Valley offer clues to what the future may hold.
Domestic Violence Shelters Move Out of Hiding
By Katheryn Houghton
May 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A new domestic violence shelter in Bozeman, Montana, reflects efforts nationwide to rethink the model that keeps survivors of abuse in hiding. But there are no guidelines for bringing shelters out into the open, leaving each to make it up as they go.
Abortion Bans Are Driving Off Doctors and Closing Clinics, Putting Basic Health Care at Risk
By Julie Rovner
May 24, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Doctors say they are reluctant to practice in abortion-banned states, where making the best decision for a patient could run afoul of the law. Even former President Donald Trump’s surgeon general is concerned about the repercussions for women’s health, writes KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner.
Michigan’s Red Flag Gun Violence Bills Become Law
May 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The bills, signed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, will allow certain parties to petition courts to temporarily remove guns from someone who may pose a threat. Meanwhile, in California, a bill progresses that would ban some chemicals linked to health issues in food items like Skittles.
Research Points To Brain Regions For Future Chronic Pain Treatments
May 23, 2023
Morning Briefing
The new study, published in Nature Neuroscience, involved electrodes embedded in the brains of four people that captured data on chronic pain. Also, racism’s legacy on Black Americans’ health; over 36,000 older people in the U.S. died in falls in 2020; and more.