Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Decried as Biased Against Disabled People
By Daniel Chang
May 14, 2024
KFF Health News Original
People with disabilities say they are abruptly losing their Medicaid home health benefits and are being advised incorrectly when they call state offices for more information. “Every day the anxiety builds,” one beneficiary told KFF Health News.
Nursing Homes Wield Pandemic Immunity Laws To Duck Wrongful Death Suits
By Fred Schulte
May 14, 2024
KFF Health News Original
More than 172,000 nursing home residents died of covid. In lawsuits, some families who lost loved ones say they were misled about safety measures or told that covid wasn’t a danger in their facilities.
Abortion Bans Are Repelling the Nation’s Future Doctors
By Julie Rovner
May 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Ash Panakam is about to graduate from Harvard Medical School. She’s from Georgia and always assumed she would return to the South for her residency. But the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning the nationwide right to abortion changed everything. “Ultimately I shifted my selection pretty drastically,” she said. “I was struggling to find a residency […]
California Governor Redirects Funds Intended For Health Care Priorities
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
The change in plans comes amid a state budget crisis. Elsewhere, in New Jersey, a task force says the state should aim for more home- and community-based care instead of nursing homes. And, thanks to New York, a paid parental leave initiative could go national.
Viewpoints: It’s Not In Your Head, Allergies Are Getting Worse; Doctors Know Healthcare Better Than Judges
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers delve into climate change and allergies, doctors decision-making, mental healthcare, and more.
Morning Briefing for Monday, May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s briefing includes news on bird flu, AI in health care, a controversial dental device, Medicaid waivers, child sleep, and more.
Federal Agencies Earmark Millions To Help Combat Bird Flu On Dairy Farms
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
HHS and the Department of Agriculture pledged nearly $200 million to stem the spread of avian flu that has already been detected in 40 dairy cow herds across nine states. The money will be used to test, track and treat animals potentially infected by H5N1 and to incentivize farms to take containment steps.
First Recipient Of A Genetically Modified Pig Kidney Dies Weeks Later
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Rick Slayman has died after the historic operation on March 16 when the first genetically engineered pig kidney was transplanted to him. Massachusetts General Hospital, where the surgery was performed, said there was “no indication” that the death was a result of the transplant.
AI Is Finding A Role In Improving Effectiveness Of Medical Visits
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Artificial intelligence is also helping physicians save time by streamlining some tasks like updating a patient’s file after a visit. Separately, union leaders say that nurses are concerned about the use of AI in health care and that they should be kept more in the loop, including educating them about the tools.
States Given Extra Year To Sort Medicaid, CHIP Eligibility Waivers
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Meanwhile, the home care industry is facing possible consolidation efforts in the wake of the Medicaid 80/20 rule changes. In other news, WHO member states will continue efforts to draw up a global pact should we face another pandemic in the future.
Private Insurers Pay Hospitals Wildly Different Rates, More Than Medicare
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Typically, Rand researchers found, insurers paid 254% more than what Medicare pays for the same services, based on 2022 data. Separately, as at-home care rises, reports say hospital executives are telling patients to visit their facilities less often.
FDA Issues Serious Recall For App The Controls Smart Insulin Pump
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Class 1 recall was issued for an app that crashed, draining the pump’s batteries and injuring over 200 people. Also in the news: a Washington-based company is recalling goat milk-based formula due to concerns over its insufficient nutritional worth.
Survey Finds 79% Of Parents Have Used Substances To Get Their Kids To Sleep
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Melatonin is substance most commonly used, according to a poll. In other news, high stress levels in late pregnancy are linked to later impaired IQ scores in young boys; scientists investigate brain benefits from handwriting; a breakthrough is made in understanding childhood autism development; and more.
FDA Said It Never Inspected Dental Lab That Made Controversial AGGA Device
By Brett Kelman Anna Werner, CBS News
May 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Johns Dental Laboratories stopped making the Anterior Growth Guidance Appliance last year after a KFF Health News-CBS News investigation into allegations of patient harm. The company had “never” reported any complaints about its products to the FDA, according to the agency.
First Edition: May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
San Francisco Tries Tough Love by Tying Welfare to Drug Rehab
By Ronnie Cohen
May 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Facing an overdose epidemic and public fury over conditions on the streets, famously tolerant San Francisco will start requiring welfare recipients to undergo drug screening, and treatment if necessary, to receive cash public assistance.
First Responders, Veterans Hail Benefits of Psychedelic Drugs as California Debates Legalization
By Bernard J. Wolfson
May 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
California lawmakers have modified a psychedelic drug bill that was vetoed last year, narrowing it to allow only supervised use of psilocybin mushrooms, ecstasy, and other hallucinogens rather than decriminalize more broadly. The current bill would establish new state agencies to regulate the program.
Journalists Demystify Bird Flu, Brain Worms, and New Staffing Mandates for Nursing Homes
May 11, 2024
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media in recent weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Viewpoints: Telemedicine May Be What Saves Reproductive Rights; AI Is The Future Of New Medications
May 10, 2024
Morning Briefing
Editorial writers discuss telemedicine, AI in health care, bird flu, and more.
Republicans Target NIH For Changes If They Win Senate Control Next Year
May 10, 2024
Morning Briefing
Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, says reforms at the federal health agency are “overdue.” Separately, an NIH official will appear later this month before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic to answer questions about the covid pandemic timeline.
