Morning Briefing for Wednesday, January 11, 2023
January 11, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s roundup covers suspicious deaths, covid vaccines, mental health, abortion pills, 340B program, Medicare, flu, guns, and more.
Biden Signs $1.2T Spending Bill That Includes $117B For HHS
March 25, 2024
Morning Briefing
Axios reports that the funding bill “keeps health programs near status quo.” Also in the news: the 14th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act, the Health Care Cybersecurity Improvement Act of 2024, a new antibody to protect against covid, and more.
El vínculo con la esclerosis múltiple impulsa una vacuna contra el virus Epstein-Barr
By Liz Szabo
October 19, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Los científicos llevan años intentando desarrollar vacunas contra este virus. Sin embargo, recientemente varios avances en la investigación médica han dado más urgencia a la búsqueda y más esperanzas de éxito.
Ohio Six-Week Abortion Ban Forces Some To Bulk-Buy Plan B
July 5, 2022
Morning Briefing
The Columbus Dispatch reports on how Ohioans are considering reproductive care options under the new abortion ban, with some stocking up on Plan B, and one woman describes how she’s considering sterilization as an option. Also: more on Plan B, employer abortion aid, and impacts on doctors.
West Virginia Sen. Manchin Takes the Teeth Out of Democrats’ Plan for Seniors’ Dental Care
By Phil Galewitz
December 10, 2021
KFF Health News Original
In West Virginia, older residents often go without dental care, and a quarter of people 65 and older have no natural teeth, the highest rate of any state in the country. But a powerful senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, has rebuffed efforts to add a dental benefit to Medicare.
¿Por qué Medicare no paga por las pruebas caseras para covid?
By Michelle Andrews
January 24, 2022
KFF Health News Original
Las mismas leyes del programa para los adultos mayores previenen que puedan comprar medicamentos de venta libre y obtener este tipo de pruebas sin una orden médica.
Majority Of $1.25B Mallinckrodt Opioid Payout At Risk In Bankruptcy Plan
August 24, 2023
Morning Briefing
The company has reached a plan for bankruptcy for the second time in three years, The New York Times says. The plan would cancel the majority of the previous settlement plan in return for a final payout of just $250 million. Also in the news: AI takes a role in tackling opioid addiction.
Researchers Link Chronic Constipation With Cognitive Decline
July 21, 2023
Morning Briefing
A study finds that defecation frequency may impact cognitive function. Also in the news, the benefits of maternal strep B vaccines, health care disruptions linked to preventable hospital admissions, and goals of building a real-life “bionic” person.
Medicare Cuts 2024 Payments For Safety Net Hospitals By Almost $1B
August 4, 2023
Morning Briefing
The CMS cut of $957 million to a fund destined to help pay hospitals that treat poor and uninsured patients is more than eight times larger than one proposed in April, Stat says. Also in the news: Cigna reports a net income fall, people want weight-loss drugs despite the costs, and more.
Medicare Could Save $245B Over A Decade If It Covered Obesity Drugs
August 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
Axios reports on a startling statistic from new research, showing how much taxpayer money could be saved over 10 years if Medicare covered weight-loss meds. Meanwhile, Stat reports that the popularity of the GLP-1 drugs has “alarmed” insurers, and patients are braced for them to halt coverage.
Study: Arthritis Drug Boosts Effect Of ‘Morning-After’ Pill For Up To 3 Days
August 17, 2023
Morning Briefing
Researchers found that using piroxicam, a common arthritis anti-inflammatory drug, with Levonorgestrel, or Plan B, significantly increased the typical effectiveness window of 24 hours. In other news, Facebook’s parent company is criticized for rating reproductive health for adults-only.
Hemophilia B Treatment Has Late-Stage Study Success
January 3, 2023
Morning Briefing
Pfizer says its experimental gene therapy treatment for hemophilia B met its main goal in a study — with a single dose outperforming current care standards. Other research covers women’s higher levels of empathy, covid vaccines, hydration’s link to lower disease risk, and more.
No hay que sufrir efectos secundarios con la vacuna contra covid para estar protegido
By Arthur Allen
April 28, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Si bien los síntomas muestran que el sistema inmune está respondiendo a la vacuna y que protegerá contra la enfermedad, las personas con pocos o ningún síntoma también estaban protegidas.
‘An Arm and a Leg’: How to Avoid a Big Bill for Your COVID Test
By Dan Weissmann
November 30, 2020
KFF Health News Original
Tests for the coronavirus are supposed to be free. And, usually, they are. But sometimes … things happen. Here’s how to avoid getting a surprise bill for a test.
Schools, Pediatricians Look to Make Up Lost Ground on Non-Covid Vaccinations
By Kate Ruder
November 18, 2021
KFF Health News Original
Health officials hope the rollout of covid shots for young children and other initiatives will boost routine vaccine rates that dropped during the pandemic and narrow socioeconomic disparities.
Watchdog Finds That Gaps In CMS Oversight Cost Medicare Part B Millions
January 5, 2023
Morning Briefing
Medicare Part B and its beneficiaries missed out on millions in savings related to drug payments, according to a report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General. HHS also issued a new rule on Medicaid reimbursements.
Morning Briefing for Friday, September 30, 2022
September 30, 2022
Morning Briefing
Friday’s roundup covers the FDA, suicide rates, Hurricane Ian, covid, 340B payments, Medicaid, and spies (!) Plus, weekend reads.
American Red Cross Warns Of Emergency Blood Supply Shortage
January 9, 2024
Morning Briefing
The American Red Cross said it was experiencing the lowest number of blood donors in 20 years, with hospitals demanding blood products faster than the organization can replenish supplies. Also in the news: Bayer to expand in U.S., despite blood thinner fails; the “better” ApoB cholesterol test; and more.
Global Vaccine Program COVAX Will End Dec. 31; Gave Out Nearly 2B Doses
December 20, 2023
Morning Briefing
The program is estimated to have averted at least 2.7 million deaths, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. In other covid news, subvariant JN.1 is on the move, and fast.
Judge Hands Decisions On Disputed 340B Payments To HHS
January 11, 2023
Morning Briefing
A federal judge ruled that the Department of Health and Human Services will put a plan in place to address more than $1 billion in underpayments to hospitals under the federal drug discount program. Obamacare enrollment stats and Medicaid expansion benefits are also in the news.