Morning Briefing for Friday, March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Cybersecurity, drug pricing, Medicare, PBM reforms, IVF, teen pregnancy, long covid, and more are in the news. Plus, your weekend reads.
EPA Limits Carcinogenic Gas That Is Used To Sterilize Medical Devices
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Sterilizing facilities must drastically limit their emissions of ethylene oxide, a chemical that has been linked to cancer cases in communities around such buildings.
Senators Grill Becerra On Cybersecurity Rules, Marijuana Restrictions
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra testified before the Senate Finance Committee Thursday. The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare dominated a lot of the questioning, along with other topics such as drug prices, the FDA’s cannabis recommendations, migrant health, and more.
First Edition: March 15, 2024
March 15, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
How Your In-Network Health Coverage Can Vanish Before You Know It
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
One of the most unfair aspects of medical insurance is this: Patients can change insurance only during end-of-year enrollment periods or at the time of “qualifying life events.” But insurers’ contracts with doctors, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies can change abruptly at any time.
A New Orleans Neighborhood Confronts the Racist Legacy of a Toxic Stretch of Highway
By Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
New federal funds aim to address an array of problems created by highway construction in minority neighborhoods. These are economic, social, and, perhaps above all, public health problems. In New Orleans’ Treme neighborhood, competing plans for how to deal with harm done by the Claiborne Expressway reveal the challenge of how to mitigate them meaningfully.
When Copay Assistance Backfires on Patients
By Julie Appleby
March 15, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Drugmakers offer copay assistance programs to patients, but insurers are tapping into those funds, not counting the amounts toward patient deductibles. That leads to unexpected charges. But the practice is under growing scrutiny.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Maybe It’s a Health Care Election After All
March 14, 2024
Podcast
Health care wasn’t expected to be a major theme for this year’s elections. But as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump secured their respective party nominations this week, the future of both Medicare and the Affordable Care Act appears to be up for debate. Meanwhile, the cyberattack of the UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Change Healthcare continues to do damage to the companies’ finances with no quick end in sight. Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Kelly Henning of Bloomberg Philanthropies about a new, four-part documentary series on the history of public health, “The Invisible Shield.” Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
Research Roundup: TB; Air Pollution; Maternal Obesity; Medical Resource Allocation
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Viewpoints: Prior Authorization Can Be Deadly; Ableism Is Behind Anti-Vaccination Trend
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss dangerous prior authorizations, vaccine fears, tuition-free medical schools, and more.
Cannabis Policy Could Take A Hit After Report Showing More Teens Use THC
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Some health experts want more regulation of the cannabis market, citing health concerns and easy access for youths. In other news, Vice President Kamala Harris will hold a marijuana reform roundtable Friday.
Nurse Who Accidentally Killed Patient Highlights Hospital’s Errors
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Former nurse RaDonda Vaught told CommonSpirit Health staff members that her accidental administering of the wrong medication was influenced by hospital issues like a faulty medication dispenser. Also in the news: Mass General Brigham, Mayo Clinic, and more.
645 People Died From Heat In Arizona’s Most Populous County Last Year
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
The figure is up over 50% on 2022’s number for the arid metro Phoenix area. Also in the news: loss of health care for immigrants in Illinois; a failed override of Nebraska’s governor’s veto of a “safe needles” bill; and more.
Researchers Warn Of New Amoeba Risk From Nasal Rinsing
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Using the right kind of water in your neti pot now seems extra important since the CDC has linked rare but deadly Acanthamoeba infections to nasal rinsing systems. Also in the news: A man living in an iron lung has died at age 78.
HHS Looking Into Cybersecurity At UnitedHealth Following Change Hack
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
The HHS Office for Civil Rights is investigating the ransomware attack at UnitedHealth’s subsidiary Change Healthcare to evaluate the extent of the hack’s breach and the insurance company’s HIPAA compliance. Meanwhile, fallout from the attack continues to be felt across the health industry.
Harris Will Be First Vice President To Visit An Abortion Clinic
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit and meet with abortion providers and staff members at a health center in Minneapolis, spotlighting an issue that Democrats will lean into during the 2024 election.
2 Chicago Public School Students Have Measles; CDC Updates Travel Guidance
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
There are now 10 confirmed measles cases in Chicago, and the city is said to be “moving quickly” to vaccinate public school students. The CDC is also warning that if you’re traveling abroad, you should check whether you’re up to date on measles shots.
Study: New Blood Test Good At Detecting Colorectal Cancer Early
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
A clinical trial of the new test found it detected 83% of people with colorectal cancer. It’s not yet FDA approved. Also in the news, a blood cancer treatment is found promising for treating the deadliest type of brain cancer, glioblastoma.
First Edition: March 14, 2024
March 14, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.