California Bill Would Require State Review of Private Equity Deals in Health Care
By Bernard J. Wolfson
August 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Proposed legislation would require the state attorney general’s consent for a wide range of private equity acquisitions in health care. The hospital lobby negotiated an exemption for for-profit hospitals.
Watch: How Patients Get Charged Hospital Prices for Doctor’s Office Care
By Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV
August 13, 2024
KFF Health News Original
This installment of InvestigateTV and KFF Health News’ “Costly Care” series digs into patients’ getting charged hospital prices for doctor’s office care. For five years, a patient got the same injection from the same office. Then it changed how it billed and she owed more than $1,100 for one treatment.
Rural NC County Aims To Reopen Hospital Using New Federal Program
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The effort is happening in Martin County and leverages a federal program set up by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to try to reopen a facility closed in 2023 for financial reasons. Boosted nursing programs in North Carolina are among other news.
Study Finds Women, Black People Have Lower Survival Chances After CPR
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The causes for the stark differences in survival rates found in the study are not clear. White people were three times more likely to live than Black people, and men were twice as likely to survive as women. In other news, an infant formula recall, health labeling for alcoholic drinks, and more.
Morning Briefing for Monday, August 12, 2024
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Parkinson’s, VP candidates’ health positions, maternal health, MDMA, endemic covid, swine flu, opioids, and more.
FDA Rejects MDMA As PTSD Treatment
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
California-based Lykos Therapeutics plans to ask the agency to reconsider its decision after concerns were raised about the data surrounding the psychedelic drug’s effectiveness. Separately, the FDA gave the go-ahead for an epinephrine nasal spray to treat allergic reactions.
Schumer Vows To Block Measure That Would Slash CDC Funding 22%
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says he’ll reject any legislation that includes the cut. A current bill in the House also aims to pare spending on programs that address firearm injuries and opioid overdose prevention.
Covid Is Now Categorized As Endemic Disease, US Health Officials Say
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The revised classification means covid is here to stay, but we can manage it better because it is now predictable. The change in stance does not affect any guidance on how to deal with the disease and comes as reports show most areas of the U.S. are seeing consistent rises in covid infections.
Michigan Health Department Reports Human Case Of Swine Flu
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The state’s Department of Health and Human Services says the source of the patient’s exposure is still under investigation but that the risk to the public is low. The person has recovered.
Harvard Says It Will Keep Sackler Name On Campus Buildings Despite Protests
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
The decision runs counter to several other institutions who have removed the name, including Tufts University and the Louvre in Paris. In other news: An employee who died at a California prison may have been exposed to fentanyl while opening mail.
First Edition: Monday, Aug. 12, 2024
August 12, 2024
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Watch: Where the Presidential and VP Candidates Stand on Health Policy
Video by Hannah Norman
August 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
How do the top-of-the-ticket candidates compare on abortion, medical debt, and more? Here’s what you need to know.
Exercise Is Key for Parkinson’s Relief. But Bias, Underdiagnosis Hold Black Patients Back.
By Elizabeth Cohen
August 12, 2024
KFF Health News Original
Exercise is considered fundamental treatment for Parkinson’s disease, a progressive condition that attacks the central nervous system. But there’s a huge equity gap, researchers say, with Black people missing from popular treatment programs.
Journalists Highlight Maternal Health Challenges in Rural America, From Iowa to Georgia
August 10, 2024
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News and California Healthline staff took to the airwaves in the last couple of weeks to discuss maternal health care challenges in rural areas. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
15 GOP-Led States Sue Biden Admin Over Health Coverage For ‘Dreamers’
August 9, 2024
Morning Briefing
Effective Nov. 1, DACA immigrants will have access to insurance and related assistance such as lower out-of-pocket costs. The lawsuit filed Thursday says the rule violates federal law. Plus: In a loss for the pharmaceutical industry, an Ohio judge has tossed out a Medicare drug negotiation lawsuit.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
August 9, 2024
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on undiagnosed diseases, covid, elder care, Neuralink, and more.
Trump Dangles Notion Of Federal Restrictions On Abortion Pills
August 9, 2024
Morning Briefing
The GOP nominee hasn’t said that he’ll support federal limitations on mifepristone, but on Thursday, he wouldn’t rule it out, either. Separately, a look at how Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz bonded over reproductive rights.
FDA May Decide Today If MDMA Therapy For PTSD Will Be Approved
August 9, 2024
Morning Briefing
The decision will come after a decades-long campaign to legalize the psychedelic as a mainstream treatment — though the FDA could also put off a ruling if it needs to review clinical trial data. Among other news, magic mushroom use in palliative care, and the rise of legal psilocybin truffles.
