How the Mixed Messaging of Vaccine Skeptics Sows Seeds of Doubt
By Darius Tahir
June 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Some GOP members of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic have two-stepped around vaccine skepticism, proclaiming themselves to be pro-vaccine while also validating the beliefs of people who oppose vaccine mandates. The result could have serious public health consequences.
Massage Therapists Ease the Pain of Hospice Patients — But Aren’t Easy to Find
By Kate Ruder
June 8, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The pandemic disrupted the massage industry. Now those who specialize in hospice massage therapy are in demand and redefining their roles.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Debt Deal Leaves Health Programs (Mostly) Intact
June 7, 2023
Podcast
The bipartisan deal to extend the U.S. government’s borrowing authority includes future cuts to federal health agencies, but they are smaller than many expected and do not touch Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, Merck & Co. becomes the first drugmaker to sue Medicare officials over the federal health insurance program’s new authority to negotiate drug prices. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News senior correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble, who reported the latest KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month” feature, about the perils of visiting the U.S. with European health insurance.
Personal Medical Debt in Los Angeles County Tops $2.6 Billion, Report Finds
By Molly Castle Work
June 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Medical debt is a leading public health problem, researchers say. Despite the county’s ongoing expansion of health coverage, the prevalence of medical debt remained unchanged from 2017 to 2021.
Progress Made In Treating Gliomas
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Read about the biggest pharmaceutical developments in KFF Health News’ Prescription Drug Watch roundup.
Florida’s Ban On Gender Care For Minors Blocked, Temporarily
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the new law, saying that “gender identity is real” and suggesting Florida has no basis for denying patients’ treatment. Separately, the volume of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation passed in the U.S. leads a rights organization to declare a “state of emergency.”
Anxiety Rises In US Young, But Appropriate Treatment Reaches Fewer
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
A new study of data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey showed that more children, teens and young adults are having anxiety even as rates of appropriate treatment fell. Also in the news: deaths linked to a recalled infant lounger; the Pope undergoes surgery; and more.
Study: Even Hospitals With High Safety Ratings Deliver Care With Racial Biases
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Research from the Leapfrog Group and Urban Institute shows that regardless of a hospital’s safety rating, Black and Latino patients are at higher risk of adverse safety events. Also: burnout in primary care workers, an electrical field system for tackling lung cancer, and more.
First-Of-Its-Kind Study Says No Covid Shot Side Effects For Kids Under 5
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
The new study looked at records of around a quarter of a million doses of Pfizer and Moderna covid shots given to children ages 4 and under. Also in the news, the FDA has approved Cue Health’s at-home covid test, heart dysfunction in long covid patients, and more.
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Hits US; NYC Has World’s Worst Air Pollution
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
News outlets cover the pall of wildfire smoke that’s drifting south from Canada and affecting air quality in the U.S., potentially hitting the health of vulnerable people. Also in environmental health news: PFAS and “forever chemical” pollution.
Morning Briefing for Wednesday, June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Preventive care, drug price negotiations, covid vaccines, ‘abortion reversal,’ gun deaths, dangerous air quality, and more are in the news.
Kansas Sued Over ‘Abortion Reversal’ Law And Other Medical Falsehoods
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Planned Parenthood is trying to block a new law that requires health care providers to tell patients that medication abortion can be reversed, which is not supported by medical evidence. A Kansas law also says providers must warn patients that abortion is linked to breast cancer, which is untrue. Other abortion news is from Maryland, Indiana, and Colorado.
Gun Violence’s Record Deadly Toll In 2021: A Victim Every 11 Minutes
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
CDC data, from a Johns Hopkins study, show roughly 40,000 deaths from gun violence happened in 2021 — a record high. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court ruled that people convicted of non-violent crimes can’t be barred from owning a gun. Two recent poignant shooting tragedies are also reported.
Merck Files Lawsuit To Stop Medicare Negotiation Of Drug Prices
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Calling the program a “sham,” Merck is suing the federal government over plans to negotiate Medicare drug prices. The Biden administration voiced confidence that its authority to make deals will be upheld in court.
Appeals Court Hears Arguments On Freeze Of Preventive Care Challenge
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
After hearing arguments Tuesday, a federal appeals court will decide whether to lift or retain the current freeze on a lower court’s ruling that would overturn the ACA’s preventive care provision.
First Edition: June 7, 2023
June 7, 2023
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
A Windfall in Health Insurance Rebates? It’s Not as Crazy as It Sounds
By Julie Appleby
June 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
The billion-dollar amount cited by former Sen. Al Franken, while an estimate, is likely very close to what insurers will owe this year under a provision of the Affordable Care Act that compels rebates when insurers spend too little on actual medical care.
Burnout Threatens Primary Care Workforce and Doctors’ Mental Health
By Lauren Sausser
June 7, 2023
KFF Health News Original
Burnout is a widespread problem in the health care industry. Although the pandemic made things worse, burnout among doctors is a long-standing concern that health systems have become more focused on as they try to stop doctors from quitting or retiring early.