Scientists Say Bird Flu Began To Affect Cattle In Texas In Late 2023
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
Genetic “breadcrumbs,” virus particles left behind, suggest H5N1 was spreading in cattle in Texas in December. Meanwhile, researchers are concerned that human bird flu cases among farm workers may be being missed as the outbreak spreads.
Federal Noncompete Ban Triggers Worries For Rural Hospital Staffing
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
Attracting new recruits may be harder for rural providers now that the FTC ban is in place, Modern Healthcare says. Separately, Walmart and Walgreens are finding it difficult to make their health care operations profitable.
California Supreme Court To Hear Controversial Case On HIV Drugs
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
The complex case involves an argument that drugmakers could be held negligent if they don’t develop a particular drug. Also in the news: Amgen drops plans for an obesity pill, focusing instead on new injectable drugs to compete with Wegovy and Zepbound.
Title IX Trans Rules Should Be Disregarded, Arkansas Governor Says
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a Republican, is joining a list of governors ordering their state to ignore new federal civil rights rules. And in Tennessee, an appeals court is weighing whether the state ban on amending gender on birth certificates is unconstitutional.
Morning Briefing for Friday, May 3, 2024
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
ACA coverage for ‘Dreamers,’ bird flu, abortion law, doctor and nurse shortages, cancer screenings, and more are in the news. Plus, your weekend reads.
HHS Expects 100,000 ‘Dreamers’ To Enroll In Obamacare Under New Rule
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Biden administration has announced that undocumented immigrants with protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will be eligible for a federal health plan under the ACA starting in 2025. It’s estimated that about 100,000 of the 800,000 “Dreamers” will become insured under the change.
In Emotional Ceremony, Ariz. Governor Rids State Of 1864 Abortion Ban
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
The repeal of the archaic law that outlawed abortions completely will take effect 90 days after the legislative session ends, typically in June or July. After that, state law will ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
New Rule Makes It Easier For People With Disabilities To Visit The Doctor
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
Health facilities will soon be required to update features such as elevators, ramps, exam tables, scales, mammogram machines, and more. Other health policy news is on Medicaid reimbursements, home health care workers, telehealth, and more.
First Edition: May 3, 2024
May 3, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Oh, Dear! Baby Gear! Why Are the Manuals So Unclear?
By Darius Tahir
May 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Sure, new parents are an anxious lot. But instruction manuals for devices meant to keep the baby safe and healthy are daunting and add to the anxiety. Why are they so confusing?
Bird Flu Is Bad for Poultry and Dairy Cows. It’s Not a Dire Threat for Most of Us — Yet.
By Amy Maxmen
May 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Cattle across the country are infected by the H5N1 bird flu. The virus isn’t spreading among people — but if it evolves to do that, fears of another pandemic could be realized.
California Floats Extending Health Insurance Subsidies to All Adult Immigrants
By Jasmine Aguilera, El Tímpano
May 3, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The legislature is considering taking the first steps to make Covered California plans available to immigrants without permanent legal status. The state has already extended Medi-Cal coverage to low-income immigrants.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Abortion Access Changing Again in Florida and Arizona
May 2, 2024
Podcast
A six-week abortion ban took effect in Florida this week, dramatically restricting access to the procedure not just in the nation’s third-most-populous state but across the South. Patients from states with even more restrictive bans had been flooding in since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Meanwhile, the CEO of the health behemoth UnitedHealth Group appeared before committees in both the House and Senate, where lawmakers grilled him about the February cyberattack on subsidiary Change Healthcare and how its ramifications are being felt months later. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too.
In Oregon, Medicaid Is Buying People Air Conditioners
By Samantha Young
May 2, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Oregon has started providing air conditioners, air purifiers and power banks to help some of its Medicaid recipients cope with soaring heat, smoky skies and other dangers of climate change. It’s a first-in-the-nation experiment that expands a Biden administration strategy to take Medicaid beyond traditional medical care and into the realm of social services. “Climate change is […]
Viewpoints: Infant Formula Bill Will Prevent Future Shortages; It’s Time To Start Testing Wastewater for H5N1
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers delve into the infant formula shortage, bird flu, health insurance claims, and more.
Morphine Regulation Is Changed Back After Plan To Avert Shortages Backfired
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Drug Enforcement Administration announced in December that it would switch from annual to quarterly quotas in an attempt to prevent shortages. However, STAT reports that the change had the opposite effect. The DEA is returning to annual quotas.
After HCA Cut Staff At North Carolina Hospital, Profits ‘Soared’
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Carolina Public Press reports on financial affairs at the Mission Hospital in Asheville after it was acquired by HCA Healthcare. Also in the news: Brigham and Women’s Hospital nurses call for better pay, a new medical school is slated for Northern Colorado, more.
Appeals Court Orders End To Children’s Climate Change Lawsuit
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
A U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit said a lower court judge must end the suit brought against the federal government. In other news, skyrocketing weight-loss drug coverage costs in Illinois, opioid overdoses in Austin, and more.
A Majority Of Americans Believe Mental Health Isn’t Properly Addressed
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
A new survey shows 3 in 4 respondents say mental health issues aren’t spotted and treated in the same way that physical ailments are. Meanwhile, a study found 12% of LGBTQ+ youth attempted suicide last year, and some 39% seriously considered it.
Research Roundup: New Strain Of Mpox; Cancer; Antibiotic Resistance
May 2, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health studies and briefs.
