Biden Administration Sets Higher Staffing Mandates. Most Nursing Homes Don’t Meet Them.
By Jordan Rau
Updated April 24, 2024
Originally Published April 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The staffing regulation was disparaged by the industry as unattainable. Patient advocates say it doesn’t go far enough. Labor unions welcomed the requirement.
Nursing Home Residents Lagging In Covid Vaccines, CDC Study Finds
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reports that fewer Americans are now sick with covid, the flu, and RSV. In other news, a global effort to create a plan to combat future pandemics appears to have stalled.
Massachusetts Making Huge Effort To Overhaul Nursing Care For The Elderly
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
As part of a lawsuit settlement, Massachusetts has committed $1 billion in spending for new housing and community support services so that nursing home residents can return to their communities. Separately, reports explore alternative options to nursing home care for older people who need support.
Scientists Mount Study To Test Diabetes Drug’s Anti-Aging Powers
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Metformin is a widely popular diabetes drug with anti-inflammatory effects that might help protect against some age-related ailments, including cognitive decline. Separately, the DEA is warning that Adderall abuse could become another opioid crisis-like event.
Viewpoints: Abortion Exceptions Aren’t Worth The Paper They’re Printed On; We Need Better Ways To Regulate PFAS
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle consequences of overturning Roe, the plague of “forever chemicals,” and more.
Supreme Court To Hear Momentous Case On Abortion Care In Emergencies
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Justices will hear arguments Wednesday centering on the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires hospitals to provide stabilizing care. The Biden administration has told states that the federal law applies to abortion services, even in ones that have banned the procedure.
Arizona Abortion Ban Will Be Enforced Starting June 8
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
The ban stemming from an 1864 law that the Arizona Supreme Court upheld will not be enforced until June, the state attorney general said. Fallout from the controversial court decision is also being felt in California, the legislature, and campaigns.
Lower-Income Patients Have Farther To Go For Abortion Care, Data Show
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Axios maps the drive times to nearest clinics from states with strict bans in place, while Salon dives deeper into the cost of traveling for out-of-state care.
House Panel Will Confront UnitedHealth CEO Over Cyberattack
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Andrew Witty is due to testify before a House subcommittee on May 1 regarding the Change Healthcare hack and its impact on the health industry and patients. Reports say some providers found the attack’s impact worse than the pandemic.
About 1 In 5 Could Get A Bird Flu Shot In An Emergency, Feds Say
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
About a fifth of the population could be vaccinated inside four months if the current bird flu outbreak crossed to people and began to spread. Meanwhile, bird flu vaccine development is “not where we need to be,” according to a top WHO official.
More Measles Cases Reported So Far This Year Than In All Of 2022: CDC
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
At least 125 cases across 17 states have been counted by the CDC. The most recent annual peak year for measles infections was 2022. In other news, the EPA has designated PFAS “forever” chemicals as a Superfund hazardous material.
Morning Briefing for Monday, April 22, 2024
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Emergency health care, abortion law, bird flu, UnitedHealth hack, measles, nursing homes, covid, forever chemicals, and more are in the news.
First Edition: April 22, 2024
April 22, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Rural Jails Turn to Community Health Workers To Help the Newly Released Succeed
By Lillian Mongeau Hughes
April 22, 2024
KFF Health News Original
To reduce recidivism, some rural counties are hiring community health workers or peer support specialists to connect people leaving custody to mental health resources, substance use treatment, medical services, and jobs.
Journalists Take Stock of Opioid Settlement Payouts and Concierge Care Trend
April 20, 2024
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News staff made the rounds on state and local media in recent weeks to discuss stories they and their colleagues reported. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Medical Providers Still Grappling With UnitedHealth Cyberattack: ‘More Devastating Than Covid’
By Samantha Liss
April 19, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Medical providers say they’re still coping with the Change Healthcare cyberattack disclosed in February even though parent company UnitedHealth Group reported that much is back to normal and its revenue is up over last year.
Morning Briefing for Friday, April 19, 2024
April 19, 2024
Morning Briefing
Title IX revisions, ‘through-the-air’ viruses, monopolies, drug shortages, seasonal allergies, and more are in the news. Plus, your weekend reads.
Mass. Cancer Care Center Abruptly Closes, Leaving Patients In A Lurch
April 19, 2024
Morning Briefing
Steward Medical Group officials are hoping to reopen Brockton facility once they find a new physician. Meanwhile, Minnesotans will have to travel farther for in-patient care after Mahnomen converts to rural emergency hospital.
Arizona Physicians, Leery Of Breaking Law, Likely Won’t Do Abortions
April 19, 2024
Morning Briefing
Arizona doctors aren’t likely to chance prison time for performing procedures even though the state’s attorney general promises not to prosecute. Elsewhere, pharmacists are navigating unchartered waters that have them questioning why misoprostol, which is used for ailments other than abortion, is being prescribed.
Viewpoints: Climate Change Is Revving Up Allergies; Maybe Transgender Care Should Be Reassessed After NHS Report
April 19, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers tackle seasonal allergies, transgender care, weight-loss drugs, and AI in health care.
