Study Shows Algorithm Can Detect Signs Of Autism In Month-Old Babies
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
The breakthrough, reported by USA Today, involved using children’s health records to train an algorithm: infants who were later diagnosed with autism tended to have particular health care needs early. The research could benefit groups of children that are typically overlooked for such diagnoses.
Biden Takes Flak For Barely Mentioning Abortion Rights In Speech
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
Abortion rights supporters say the State of the Union speech was a “missed opportunity” for the president, The New York Times reported. The Guardian noted just one mention of abortion happened in the speech. The 19th points out that historically, abortion is an uncommon topic in State of the Union addresses.
Fears Of New Covid Strains From China So Far Unfounded
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
A study in The Lancet says the surge in cases after China lifted its zero-covid policy did not lead to new variants. And on Capitol Hill, the acting director of the NIH slammed Republican assertions that a lab leak stemming from taxpayer-funded research may have caused the pandemic.
Covid Antiviral Cuts Hospitalizations In Half — But FDA Won’t Let You Have It
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
A shot of interferon lambda prevented 51% of hospitalizations among vaccinated people, according to a study Wednesday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The findings support FDA clearance, said Jeffrey Glenn, a senior author on the interferon study who said it could have saved millions of lives if it had been available earlier, Bloomberg reported. The FDA wouldn’t comment.
President’s Call For More Criminal Fentanyl Penalties Met With Criticism
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
President Joe Biden addressed the growing fentanyl crisis during his speech, citing a recent law change making it easier for doctors to prescribe buprenorphine and urging stronger criminal penalties. Some Republicans responded that blame for the problem rests on the Biden administration’s border policies, while some harm reduction advocates worry that tackling the problem through the criminal justice system could make it worse.
Biden Leans Into Medicare Turbulence With Republicans On Road Trip
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
Following heated reactions to his State of the Union assertion that some Republicans want to make big cuts to Medicare and Social Security, President Joe Biden touted the exchange with Republicans as a “deal” and promised to preserve the federal programs. “They sure didn’t like me calling them on it,” he told a Wisconsin crowd during his post-speech road trip.
First Edition: Feb. 9, 2023
February 9, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Congress Told HHS to Set Up a Health Data Network in 2006. The Agency Still Hasn’t.
By Sam Whitehead
February 9, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Since 2006, federal officials have been charged with setting up a network to let various parts of the U.S. health system share information during emergencies. It still hasn’t been built or even planned, even after the communication and data-sharing failures put on display during the pandemic.
‘The Country Is Watching’: California Homeless Crisis Looms as Gov. Newsom Eyes Political Future
By Angela Hart
February 9, 2023
KFF Health News Original
As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters his second term, his legacy as governor and path forward in the Democratic Party hinge on his making visible headway on California’s homeless crisis. We lay out the possibilities — and challenges — as he unleashes an $18 billion battle plan.
Community Resurrects Colorado Birth Center Closed by Private Equity Firm
By Claire Cleveland
February 9, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A private equity firm bought a birth center and then shut it down. The community brought it back as a nonprofit.
Centene Agrees to $215 Million Settlement With California for Alleged Medicaid Overbilling
By Samantha Young
February 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The nation’s largest Medicaid insurer denies wrongdoing after the California attorney general’s office investigated it for inflating prescription drug costs.
Políticas de salud fueron tema prominente en el discurso del Estado de la Unión de Biden
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs
February 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
A diferencia de sus discursos anteriores, éste fue a Cámara llena, y sin limitaciones por covid-19. Y los legisladores en la audiencia, tanto partidarios como opositores, parecían estar de un humor estridente.
Health Policies Were a Prominent Theme in Biden’s State of the Union Speech
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs
February 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Our partners at PolitiFact fact-checked a range of President Joe Biden’s statements, including key health-related comments.
Drug-Resistant Pathogens Are Growing Problem; Covid Linked To Antibiotic Overuse
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments and pricing stories from the past week in KHN’s Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Viewpoints: Could Our Fitness Trackers Have The Opposite Effect?; Future Of Mifepristone In Jeopardy
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss fitness trackers, medication abortion, and more.
In Washington, DC, Pandemic Drove Up HIV Diagnoses
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post reports that new HIV cases remain well below historic highs, but in 2021 the District of Columbia saw an uptick in diagnoses. Separately, the D.C. Council passed emergency legislation to spend $850,000 to design suicide barriers for the William Howard Taft Bridge.
Study Claims Baby Formula Companies Prey On Parents’ Fears To Boost Sales
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets report on an analysis from Professor Nigel Rollins of the World Health Organization alleging that formula makers exploit parents’ emotions and manipulate scientific data to boost sales. Aggressive lobbying tactics used by the industry are also called out.
Federal Judge Rules Cheaper Drugs Can Be Imported From Canada
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
A lawsuit had tried to prevent state governments from importing meds from Canada in an effort to lower drug prices for consumers, but U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly said drugmakers failed to prove “concrete” harm. Also, curbing pharma pollution is needed to battle superbugs.
Centene Likely To Lose 2.2 Million Medicaid Members Over 18 Months
February 8, 2023
Morning Briefing
The redetermination process will significantly impact the insurer’s pandemic-era growth, Modern Healthcare reports. Meanwhile, a federal judge’s ruling issued another win to providers against surprise billing regulation, related to the arbitration process.