Morning Briefing for Wednesday, July 17, 2024
July 17, 2024
Morning Briefing
Health affordability, the 911 system, ACA enrollment schemes, extreme heat, suicide hotline, covid, cannabis, and more are in the news.
Heat-Related Ailments Are Prompting More Folks To Seek Medical Care
July 17, 2024
Morning Briefing
Noting such high temperatures can be especially dangerous for people with underlying health conditions, doctors say symptoms — dehydration, dizziness, a racing heart rate, nausea and confusion — should let people know to seek fluids and cooler climes. Separately, officials are investigating whether extreme heat is playing a part in the spread of bird flu.
Nearly Half Of Americans Can’t Afford Health Care, Report Warns
July 17, 2024
Morning Briefing
The latest Healthcare Affordability Index highlights the struggles Americans face in paying for their medical needs. High Medicaid expenses for UnitedHealth, potential health cost savings from personalized meal deliveries, and more are also in the news.
Two Years In, 988 Suicide Hotline Sees Successes Amid Awareness Concerns
July 17, 2024
Morning Briefing
The increases in call volume and response times has helped many people in a mental health crisis, officials say, but too many Americans still don’t know the service is available.
First Edition: July 17, 2024
July 17, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The Nation’s 911 System Is on the Brink of Its Own Emergency
By Stephanie Armour
July 17, 2024
KFF Health News Original
911 outages have hit at least eight states this year. They’re emblematic of problems plaguing emergency response communications due in part to wide disparities in capabilities and funding.
An Arm and a Leg: The Woman Who Beat an $8,000 Hospital Fee
By Dan Weissmann
July 17, 2024
Podcast
In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann speaks with Georgann Boatright, a patient in Mississippi who was willing to drive to another state to avoid paying a steep fee to her local hospital.
Her Hearing Implant Was Preapproved. Nonetheless, She Got $139,000 Bills for Months.
By Elisabeth Rosenthal
July 17, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Even when patients double-check that their care is covered by insurance, health providers often send them bills as they haggle with insurers over reimbursement, which can last for months. It’s stressful and annoying — but legal.
El sistema de emergencias del 911 está al borde del colapso
By Stephanie Armour
July 17, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Mientras que algunos estados, ciudades y condados ya han modernizado sus sistemas de emergencia del 911 o han hecho planes para actualizarlos, muchos otros están rezagados.
HealthSherpa and Insurers Team Up To Curb Unauthorized ACA Enrollment Schemes
By Julie Appleby
July 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The initiative targets the biggest incentive driving fraudulent sign-ups and plan switches: the commissions that rogue agents or large call centers seek.
JD Vance, Trump’s VP Pick, Says Media Twisted His Remarks on Abortion and Domestic Violence
By Maria Ramirez Uribe, PolitiFact
July 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
In his first interview after being named as the vice presidential pick by former President Donald Trump, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) spoke about his previous statements on topics like abortion.
911 Faces Its Own Emergency
By Stephanie Armour
July 16, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The national 911 emergency response system is in the midst of its own code red. The lack of federal funding to upgrade aging 911 systems has created significant disparities in state emergency response services, with older operations plagued by outages and longer response times. Last month, for instance, Massachusetts was hit with a statewide 911 […]
Viewpoints: Litigation May Create Another Formula Crisis; Let’s Offer Hep C Treatment At Addiction Centers
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers examine infant formula and fortifiers, hepatitis C, palliative care, and more.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, July 16, 2024
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Bird flu, prescription drug affordability, J.D. Vance’s health record, abortion access, extreme weather, opioids, and more are in the news.
USDA Confirms Months-Old Bird Flu Infection In Oklahoma Dairy Herd
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
The dairy only recently sought testing after learning it could receive financial aid for lost milk production. Meanwhile, as we learn of a wider outbreak among dairy cows, the CDC is sending a team to Colorado to help manage that state’s response to human and poultry infections.
Prescription Drug Affordability Boards Gain Steam Across The Country
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Stateline reports on the growth of these watchdogs while noting that consumers have yet to see significant savings. Also in the news: Outlets report on the impact of corporate landlords on tenants’ health and on whether a sleep apnea cure would lead more insurers to cover weight-loss drugs.
Restrictive Abortion Laws Hinder Training For Complex OB-GYN Cases
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Medical students in North Carolina report encountering situations in which they aren’t learning how to care for patients with complicated circumstances. Related news is from South Dakota, Oklahoma, Michigan, and more.
Where Vance Stands On Abortion Access, Health Investments, Opioids
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Following the announcement of J.D. Vance as Donald Trump’s running mate, news outlets are diving into the first-term senator’s past statements and work on health care policy. The 19th writes that his anti-abortion positions have softened a bit in recent weeks to be more in line with the Trump campaign. And Stat looks as his record of health investments as a VC investor and his focus on the opioid epidemic due to a family connection.
Investigation Accuses Umbilical Cord Blood Banks Of Misleading Clients
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
A New York Times investigation says leading newborn cord blood banks have “consistently misled customers and doctors” about the promise held by freezing umbilical cords. Also in the news: fine white skin hair as a cancer warning, sleep habit links to dementia risk, and more.
Immunologists Find Calcium Transport Explanation For Gulf War Syndrome
July 16, 2024
Morning Briefing
Molecules involved in transporting necessary calcium into cells were found to be not working in veterans with Gulf War Illness. The discovery opens up the chance for future treatments. Meanwhile, as of early 2023, scientists say nearly 18 million U.S. adults had suffered long covid.
