GOP’s Tim Sheehy Revives Discredited Abortion Claims in Pivotal Senate Race
By Matt Volz
July 9, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In Montana’s U.S. Senate race, Republican Tim Sheehy made the false claim that his Democratic opponent, incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, supports abortion “up to and including the moment of birth.”
If Lawsuit Ends Federal Mandates on Birth Control Coverage, States Will Have the Say
By Sam Whitehead
July 9, 2024
KFF Health News Original
An ongoing lawsuit aims to set aside the Affordable Care Act’s requirements that insurers cover preventive care, such as contraception. If that happens, state reproductive health laws — varying across the country — would carry more weight, resuming the “wild West” dynamic from before Obamacare.
Florida ERs See Jump In Covid Cases, Nearing Last Winter’s Peaks
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
CBS News reports that Florida’s weekly average of emergency room patients with covid ranks among the highest of any state during this summer’s surge. Other covid updates are on the KP.3 variant, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, nursing home vaccination rates, and more.
Human Plague Case In Colorado: Warnings Include Looking After Pets
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
No details about the infected person have been reported. Fox News notes that plague is endemic among ground squirrels and rodents and that pets can be a vector. Other news is on measles, bird flu, and malaria.
Record-Breaking Heat Wave Sears West, Prompts Warnings For 10% Of US
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
The heat wave is showing no signs of giving up, and, over the weekend, it caused deaths in the West, sent many to hospitals, and prompted excessive heat warnings for about 1 in 10 people in the country. Meanwhile, West Nile virus may be circulating more than usual.
Obesity-Related Cancers May Be Less Likely For Ozempic Patients
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
People who took GLP-1s for Type 2 diabetes were found to have lower risk for obesity-related cancers than people who were treated with insulin, a study found. Meanwhile researchers suggest that experiencing bright lights at night could lift your diabetes risk.
Viewpoints: Our Primary Care System Needs A Boost Before Next Pandemic; ‘Heartbeat’ Bills Cause Harm
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle primary care, infant mortality post-Roe, Alzheimer’s, and more.
Rule Requiring Faster Reporting Of Hacks Is Resisted By Health Industry
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Axios says the health industry’s reasoning for pushing back against a new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency rule is that it may actually hinder their responses during a crisis.
Insurers Bilked $50B From Medicare For Dubious Diagnoses, Review Finds
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
In its analysis of the Medicare Advantage program, The Wall Street Journal looked at details of “doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions and other care.” Separately, a Stat review has found that more than two dozen Medicare Advantage insurers now qualify for big taxpayer-funded bonuses.
Conservatives Lash Out At Trump Over Possible Change To Abortion Platform
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post reported that the behind-the-scenes disagreement over the Republican National Committee’s platform has become so tense in recent weeks that some social conservative leaders have issued public warnings of a coming split within Donald Trump’s coalition.
Citing ‘Personal Autonomy,’ Kansas High Court Affirms Right To Abortion
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Providers may perform dilation and extraction procedure as allowed under the state’s constitution, the court ruled. Meanwhile, a ballot measure to enshrine abortion rights in Arkansas is gaining momentum after groups supporting it collected enough signatures to make the November ballot.
First Edition: July 8, 2024
July 8, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Listen: How the End of ‘Roe’ Is Reshaping the Medical Workforce
By Julie Rovner
July 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In this episode of “The Indicator From Planet Money,” KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, reports on how the medical labor force is changing post-Roe v. Wade and why graduating medical students, from OB-GYNs to pediatricians, are avoiding training in states with abortion bans.
Abortion and the 2024 Election: A Video Primer
By Julie Rovner and Rachana Pradhan
Video by Hannah Norman
July 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The first presidential election since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago takes place in November, and abortion is sure to play a key role.
Planned Parenthood to Blitz GOP Seats, Betting Abortion Fears Can Sway Voters
By Molly Castle Work
July 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The reproductive rights organization hopes to oust GOP incumbents from key California congressional seats by highlighting the possibility of a national abortion ban. A state Republican official calls it a swing and a miss, noting that, under Democrats, hospitals have closed maternity wards and filed for bankruptcy.
Planned Parenthood enfrenta a los republicanos y espera captar el apoyo de los votantes
By Molly Castle Work
July 8, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Esta ofensiva estratégica es parte de un esfuerzo nacional más amplio del grupo de derechos reproductivos, que se propone evitar que una mayoría republicana apruebe restricciones al derecho al aborto, incluida una prohibición nacional.
CDC Reports Fourth US Dairy Worker Bird Flu Infection; First in Colorado
July 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
The CDC said Wednesday that a fourth person has been infected with bird flu in the U.S. this year. The person, who works on a dairy farm in Colorado, experienced eye inflammation, and recovered after treatment. The other three cases, in Texas and Michigan, were mild and linked to dairy farms as well. The CDC said in a statement that it continues to regard the ongoing bird flu outbreak in dairy cattle as a low risk to the general public.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': SCOTUS Term Wraps With a Bang
July 3, 2024
Podcast
The Supreme Court has issued its final opinions for the 2023-24 term, including decisions affecting abortion access, the opioid epidemic, and how the federal government functions. In this special episode, Sarah Somers , legal director of the National Health Law Program, joins KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss how the justices disposed of the term’s health-related cases and what those decisions could mean going forward.
Two Rival Hospitals Want To Join Forces. Will Patients Lose?
By Samantha Liss
July 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In Terre Haute, Ind., two rival hospitals want to merge, a move that supporters say will save patients money and help people live longer. But similar hospital consolidations in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina have resulted in government reports documenting diminished care. In more than a dozen states, certificates of public advantage (COPAs) permit deals […]