Study: Risk Of Long Covid Is High For Pregnant Women Infected With Virus
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The findings said nearly 1 in 10 pregnant women who caught covid went on to develop long covid. Meanwhile, a separate study found that long covid was more likely to occur after a first infection compared to a reinfection.
As Big PBMs Dangle On A Hook, Smaller Players Surface For A Bite
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
As Modern Healthcare explains, the newer entrants are trying to set themselves apart from giants CVS, Cigna, and UnitedHealth and are passing along drug rebates, disclosing cost negotiations, reimbursing pharmacies at higher rates, and more.
Beware Of Canned Meats Illegally Imported From Philippines, USDA Says
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The warning addresses ready-to-eat meat products shipped to Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, and Virginia. Also in public health news: Olympic wastewater monitoring, the latest trend in tween skincare, human longevity, and more.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on the opioid crisis, “magic mushrooms,” cancer, and health tracking rings.
Morning Briefing for Friday, July 12, 2024
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Nursing home staffing, opioid settlement cash, IVF access, a weight-loss pill, HHS funding, PBMs, long covid risks, and more are in today’s news. Plus, your weekend reads.
Most US Adults Support Protecting Access To IVF: Survey
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
According to a new AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll, 6 in 10 U.S. adults support protecting IVF access. When it comes to the complex issue of the destruction of unused embryos, opinions are more mixed — 4 in 10 people are “neutral” about banning it.
First Edition: July 12, 2024
July 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
States Set Minimum Staffing Levels for Nursing Homes. Residents Suffer When Rules Are Ignored or Waived.
By Jordan Rau
July 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The Biden administration set stringent new federal staffing rules. But for years, nursing homes have failed to meet the toughest standards set by states.
How to Find a Good, Well-Staffed Nursing Home
By Jordan Rau
July 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Here are the telltale signs to look for in nursing homes to avoid, and resources that can point to better places.
Lifesaving Drugs and Police Projects Mark First Use of Opioid Settlement Cash in California
By Aneri Pattani and Don Thompson
July 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
California is in line for more than $4 billion in opioid settlement funds, and local governments are most often spending the first tranche of money on lifesaving drugs. An exclusive KFF Health News analysis also found projects to help police deter youths’ drug use and counsel officers who witness overdoses.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': GOP Platform Muddies Abortion Waters
July 11, 2024
Podcast
As Donald Trump prepares to be formally nominated as the GOP’s candidate for president next week, the platform he will run on is taking shape. And in line with Trump’s approach, it aims to simultaneously satisfy hard-core abortion opponents and reassure more moderate swing voters. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission takes on pharmacy benefits management firms. Shefali Luthra of The 19th News, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council, about the Biden administration’s policies to ensure access to reproductive health care.
Relieving the Growing Burden of Medical Debt
By Molly Castle Work
July 11, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Medical debt is a growing burden for millions of people around the country, from parents in Illinois to immigrants in Colorado to residents of the “Diabetes Belt” across the South, and it’s now being recognized as a health-care problem. People often forgo care or prescriptions if they have debt, according to a KFF Health News […]
Research Identifies Immune System Issues As Cause Of Lupus
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
A new study illuminates the pathway that lupus follows as it develops, with abnormalities in sufferers’ immune systems as a root cause. Also in the news, an AI disease diagnosis startup, and obituaries for two pioneering medical scientists.
Research Roundup: Foodborne Pathogens; Post-Covid Loss Of Smell; Meningococcal Vaccine; RSV Vaccine
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Medicare Physician Payments May Fall 2.9% In 2025
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
A proposed CMS rule would see doctors taking a 2.9% Medicare pay cut next year. The AMA and other medical societies have sharply criticized the suggestion. Meanwhile, CMS also proposed to raise outpatient hospitals reimbursements 2.6% next year.
Medicaid Coverage For Unhealthy ‘Medically Tailored’ Meals Questioned
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
A report in Stat says that some “dietitian-approved” meals that are being delivered to homes of seriously ill people are actually salty and packed with fat, throwing their “medically tailored” label into sharp contrast. Meanwhile, Medicaid taxes on hospitals are helping cover state budgets.
Arkansas Secretary Of State Denies Attempt To Put Abortion On The Ballot
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
In a letter to a group hoping to amend the state Constitution to allow the procedure up to 18 weeks of pregnancy, the state said the “petition is insufficient on its face for failure to obtain the required 90,704 signatures.” Arizona, Florida, and the U.S. Senate also are in the news.
GAO Says FEMA Needs To ID Lessons Learned From Covid Pandemic
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
CIDRAP looks at a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which assessed how FEMA estimated spending from January 2020 to March 2024. Also in the news: Michigan’s bird flu response; H5N1 in five more dairy herds and three more cats; and more.
Navy Experiencing Uptick In Suicides As Sailors Report Increasing Stress
July 11, 2024
Morning Briefing
The military branch has lost 24 of its own to suicide in just the first quarter of this year, Pentagon data show. Other military news is on retirement and disability benefits, death benefits for family members of ROTC cadets, and a mother’s plea.