Trench Fever Risk Grows For The Unhoused And Transplant Patients, CDC Says
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns us about a rare disease spread by body lice that is affecting homeless people and can cause complications and death to transplant patients who receive infected organs.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
Top Candidates For FDA, NIH Wait In The Wings As RFK Jr. Steals Spotlight
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Marty Makary, a surgeon at Johns Hopkins, is considered a contender for the job of FDA chief, sources told Bloomberg. And Jay Bhattacharya of Stanford University, who once was the object of ex-NIH director Francis Collins’ scorn, has emerged as a contender to lead the agency. Plus: More on Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Health Care Industry Maneuvers Ahead Of Trump’s Planned Tariffs On Supplies
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Industry leaders are hopeful that the threatened taxes won’t be imposed on items and pharmaceutical ingredients crucial to patient care. Also in the news: Affordable Care Act subsidies, prior authorization policies, health transparency rules, and more.
World Girds For Trump Abortion Policy
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Global health officials wait to see whether the incoming administration will withhold funding from the United Nations Population Fund and other groups that offer abortion assistance abroad. Past Republican administrations have. Meanwhile, women worried that contraception won’t be covered after Trump takes office are racing to renew their IUDs.
Trans People’s Bathroom Use Limited To ‘Biological Sex’ Facilities At Capitol
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
The rule change is in response to Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride’s election to Congress. No stranger to such actions, McBride said: “This effort to distract from the real issues facing this country hasn’t distracted me over the last several days.”
Half Of Those With HIV In The US Live In Climate Change-Vulnerable Areas
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
The 19th reports that for those living with HIV, extreme weather events make it more difficult to stay on top of medications. In separate climate news, rising temperatures may propel a wider spread of tick-borne diseases. Also: Semaglutide shows success at improving liver fibrosis in a late-stage trial.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, November 21, 2024
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
The ACA, primary care spending, Trump health nominees, Medicare and Medicaid, looming tariffs, abortion access, HIV, and more.
Biden’s CMS Chief Warns That GOP’s Plans Will Hurt Low-Income Enrollees
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Some say that putting TV star Dr. Mehmet Oz in charge of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would be “devastating” for millions of Americans. Disability advocates warn that proposed changes would undermine the nation’s system of home and community-based services.
Kaiser Permanente To Downsize Headquarters In California
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
In other news, federal investigators found evidence that anti-discrimination laws at Cedars-Sinai may not have been followed for Black maternity patients. Also: Texas aims to create dementia research fund; patient care workers strike; and more.
First Edition: Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024
November 21, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
After Institutions for People With Disabilities Close, Graves Are at Risk of Being Forgotten
By Tony Leys
November 21, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Thousands of people with disabilities lived and died in state institutions. Now, decades after the facilities began closing, the cemeteries left behind are at risk of falling into disrepair.
California Sets 15% Target for Primary Care Spending Over Next Decade
By Vanessa G. Sánchez
November 21, 2024
KFF Health News Original
The state Office of Health Care Affordability has set a goal for insurers to direct 15% of their spending to primary care by 2034, part of a push to expand preventive care services. Health plans say it’s unclear how the policy will mesh with the state’s overarching goal to slow spending growth.
Washington Power Has Shifted. Here’s How the ACA May Shift, Too.
By Stephanie Armour Sam Whitehead Julie Rovner
Updated November 22, 2024
Originally Published November 21, 2024
KFF Health News Original
With a new Trump administration poised to move into the White House and Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress, party leaders are making a to-do list for the Affordable Care Act.
Nearly All Vermonters Have Health Insurance, but Care Is Tough To Find
November 20, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Almost all people have health insurance in Vermont, a state famed for its maple syrup and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, yet residents pay the nation’s highest insurance premiums for individual coverage and endure months-long waits for care — and most hospitals here are losing money, according to state reports and interviews with residents and […]
Bay Area Child Recovering From Bird Flu Of Unknown Origin
November 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Health officials are investigating whether wild birds might have infected the child, whose family members all tested negative. Meanwhile, as we head into cold and flu season, roughly 60% of Americans say they are skipping this fall’s updated covid jab.
Change Healthcare’s Claims Center Is Back Online Months After Cyberattack
November 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
Change Healthcare is the largest clearinghouse for billing and payments in the U.S. The company is still working to restore other technology platforms affected by the ransomware attack in February.
Biden Unlikely To Achieve Menthol Ban Before End Of Term
November 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
The FDA might still try to push through a proposal to curb nicotine levels in cigarettes in an attempt to lower their addictiveness. Still, it’s unlikely that a federal ban on menthol cigarettes will go into effect before Donald Trump takes office in January.
Texas Sues Health System For Stopping Off-Duty Cops From Carrying Guns
November 20, 2024
Morning Briefing
The lawsuit alleges it happened illegally at least 10 times at Memorial Hermann Health System facilities in Houston. In related news: Houston nurses say violence is on the rise at hospitals.
