For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes
By Kim Krisberg, Public Health Watch Stephanie Colombini, WUSF
October 30, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Medications such as methadone can cut the risk of a fatal opioid overdose in half. Medicaid covers the medication. But as state Medicaid programs reevaluated coverage of each enrollee following a pause in disenrollments during the covid-19 pandemic, some patients lost a crucial pillar of their sobriety.
Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than a Quarter Million Dollars
By Jackie Fortiér
October 30, 2024
KFF Health News Original
For snakebite victims, antivenom is critical — and costly. It took more than $200,000 worth of antivenom to save one toddler’s life after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.
Florida Medical Device Maker Exactech Declares Bankruptcy
By Fred Schulte
October 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The company faces more than 2,000 lawsuits alleging it sold defective knee and hip implants.
Post-Helene, Patients Who Rely on IV Nutrition Face Severe Shortages
By Arthur Allen
October 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina last month, wrecked a Baxter International factory that produced 60 percent of the country’s IV fluids, according to the American Hospital Association. The company is rationing its products, and some hospitals have delayed or canceled surgeries that require large amounts of IV hydration. Among the worst-hit patients are those […]
Over $600 Million In Medicaid Funding For Special Ed Program Cut In Texas
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
The move is expected to worsen already strained care budgets for low-income students with disabilities in the coming year. More than 775,000 students receive special education services in Texas, though not all through Medicaid. In other news: California wants to ban slavery; mental health hotline for first responders; and more.
VR Treatment For Hallucinations Shows Promise In Ongoing Trial
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
In a new phase 2/3 trial, virtual avatars are being used to treat auditory verbal hallucinations, especially in people with schizophrenia (which affects 24 million people globally). Also: new health technology, health tracking apps, AI, and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, October 29, 2024
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Halloween Haiku Contest results are in! Stay tuned to see cartoons of the top three winners on Thursday! 🎃
Harris Or Trump? Grieving Parents Split On Who Can Fix Fentanyl Crisis
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
The issue of border security is a priority, regardless of which candidate they support. In other election-related health news: abortion, rural hospital closures, RFK Jr.’s role in a Trump administration, and more.
1 Death Reported In Iowa From Lassa Fever, An Ebola-Like Virus
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
The resident had recently returned from West Africa. Iowa health officials say the risk of transmission is “incredibly low.” Also in the news, locally acquired malaria, “walking pneumonia” in children, bird flu in California, and more.
Near-Premature Organ Procurement Incident Prompts Donors To Reconsider
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
Registries in America and abroad are suffering after people became spooked when a man in Kentucky was declared dead and sent to have his organs harvested.
Biden Administration Amps Up Signature Cancer Moonshot Policy
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
The government is calling for greater cooperation among hospitals, nonprofits, and wholesalers to alleviate pediatric drug shortages. Other cancer news looks at cancer vaccines, rising lung cancer rates, colon cancer testing, and more.
First Edition: Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024
October 29, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way
By Julie Appleby
October 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.
An Arm and a Leg: Can Racism Make You Sick?
By Dan Weissmann
October 29, 2024
Podcast
In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann sits down with KFF Health News’ Cara Anthony to talk about the documentary and podcast series she produced about the impact of a 1942 lynching and a 2020 police killing on a rural Missouri community. The project is called “Silence in Sikeston.”
Ahora los “Dreamers” pueden inscribirse en planes de salud de ACA. Pero una demanda podría acabar con el sueño
By Julie Appleby
October 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Del medio millón de beneficiarios de DACA, el gobierno estima que alrededor de 100.000 que anteriormente no tenían seguro podrían inscribirse a partir del 1 de noviembre.
Vance Wrongly Blames Rural Hospital Closures on Immigrants in the Country Illegally
By Sam Whitehead
October 29, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Experts disputed the claim by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, noting that a range of other issues — from low reimbursement rates to declining patient use — combine to cause these facilities to shutter.
Louisiana Must Stop Homeless Sweeps Without Proper Notice, Judge Rules
October 28, 2024
Morning Briefing
Homeless encampments were cleared ahead of Taylor Swift’s concerts this weekend. In other news, mental health initiatives from across the country, accidental THC in pizza, and more.
Health Care Access Hampered By Helene
October 28, 2024
Morning Briefing
In the aftermath of hurricane Helene, North Carolinians struggle to fulfill their health care needs, volunteers from other states arrive to help. Also: more environmental stories and the challenges faced by rising heat and storms across the country.
