Legislation Archives - Page 23 of 39

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Leaked Abortion Opinion Rocks Washington’s World

The unprecedented early leak of a Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn the landmark abortion-rights ruling Roe v. Wade has heated the national abortion debate to boiling. Meanwhile, the FDA, after years of consideration, moves to ban menthol flavors in cigarettes and cigars. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico, Shefali Luthra of the 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Rovner interviews KHN’s Paula Andalo, who wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a family whose medical debt drove them to seek care south of the border.

May 5, 2022

As Overdoses Soar, More States Decriminalize Fentanyl Testing Strips

Georgia may soon join a growing list of states decriminalizing the use of fentanyl testing strips. Bans of the strips — on the books in about half of states, experts say — stem from laws criminalizing drug paraphernalia adopted decades ago. But the testing devices are now recommended to help prevent overdose deaths.

By Andy Miller

May 5, 2022

A photo shows a woman protester in front of the Supreme Court yelling at someone off camera. A crowd of photographers is taking photos behind her.

HealthBent

Historic ‘Breach’ Puts Abortion Rights Supporters and Opponents on Alert for Upcoming Earthquake

An opinion published by Politico confirms what many who have followed the abortion debate already suspected: Roe v. Wade is soon to be no more. But the question remains: How will the public respond?

By Julie Rovner

May 3, 2022

States Watching as Massachusetts Takes Aim at Hospital Building Boom and Costs

A Massachusetts health care cost watchdog agency helped block plans of the state’s largest hospital system to expand into the suburbs. Now, other states are looking at whether Massachusetts’ decade-old model of controlling health costs is worth emulating.

By Harris Meyer

May 3, 2022

Tech Titans Want the Richest Californians to Pay for Pandemic Preparedness

A measure likely to be on California’s November ballot would tax the state’s wealthiest residents to rebuild crumbling public health infrastructure and try to head off another pandemic. But are inflation-weary Californians willing to vote for new taxes?

By Angela Hart

April 26, 2022

Shaunti Meyer stands in front of a mirrored door. She looks at the camera with a serious expression.

Physicians Are Uneasy as Colorado Collects Providers’ Diversity Data

Colorado is requiring insurers that offer public option plans to collect demographic data on health providers, including race and sexual orientation. The aim is to connect patients with the right provider, but providers are worried about their privacy.

By Markian Hawryluk

April 25, 2022

KHN & PolitiFact HealthCheck

US Rep. Gaetz’s Diagnosis of What’s Driving Insulin Costs Misses the Root Cause

A diabetes diagnosis is not always related to a person’s weight or overall health, especially for those with Type 1 diabetes, who are dependent on insulin treatment for life.

By Victoria Knight and Colleen DeGuzman

April 22, 2022

Christina Keys poses for a selfie with her mother, Patricia. The two are wearing matching pink tiaras.

Washington State Retools First-in-the-Nation Long-Term Care Benefit

The WA Cares Fund program, which would provide workers in the state a lifetime benefit of $36,500, was set to begin collecting money through a payroll tax in January, but it was delayed while lawmakers made adjustments to address equity problems. Now the payroll deductions will begin in July 2023, and benefits will become available in 2026.

By Michelle Andrews

April 18, 2022

A crowd holding signs stands on the steps of the Montana capitol. The signs display anti-mask slogans: "Let us breathe," and "My child, my choice."

A Year In, Montana’s Rolled-Back Public Health Powers Leave Some Areas in Limbo

Montana lawmakers stripped authority from local health boards, leading to power struggles between cities and counties and leaving public health officers to wonder to whom they answer.

By Katheryn Houghton

April 14, 2022

A group of family members surround Jean White's mother, who sits in a wheelchair. They are posing for a family photo.

COVID-19

New Laws Let Visitors See Loved Ones in Health Care Facilities, Even in an Outbreak

To contain the spread of covid, hospitals and nursing homes barred visits. The separation and isolation took a toll on patients and families. Florida is one of the latest states to ensure access for visitors.

By Stephanie Colombini, WUSF

April 8, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Finally, a Fix for the ‘Family Glitch’

President Joe Biden welcomed former President Barack Obama back to the White House this week to announce a new policy for the Affordable Care Act that would make subsidies available to more families with unaffordable employer coverage. Meanwhile, Congress struggled to find a compromise for continued federal funding of covid-19 vaccines, testing, and treatments. Tami Luhby of CNN, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

April 7, 2022

A patient hands over an insurance card to a doctor.

The End of the Covid Emergency Could Mean a Huge Loss of Health Insurance

It is a perilous time to throw low- and middle-income Americans off the insurance cliff: A new omicron subvariant is spreading, and a program that provided coronavirus testing and covid-19 treatment at no cost to the uninsured has expired.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

April 6, 2022

Doctors Trying to Prescribe Abortion Pills Across State Lines Stymied by Legislation

Some doctors are getting licensed in multiple states so they can use telemedicine and mail-order pharmacies to provide medication abortions to more women. At the same time, states are cracking down on telemedicine abortions, blunting the efforts of out-of-state doctors.

By Rachel Bluth

April 6, 2022

Sen. Susan Collins holds a binder and papers while walking. She is wearing a striped mask.

Insulin Copay Cap Passes House Hurdle, But Senate Looks for a Broader Bill

Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) are seeking to craft a compromise that members from both parties could accept. Their plan, still being ironed out, would not guarantee a specific limit on out-of-pocket costs but seeks to roll back insulin prices by barring rebate payments to pharmacy benefit managers.

By Michael McAuliff

April 4, 2022

HealthBent

As Red States Push Strident Abortion Bans, Other Restrictions Suddenly Look Less Extreme

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority has yet to make clear its stand on Roe v. Wade. But state lawmakers aren’t waiting to consider a variety of extreme measures: bills that would ban abortions in cases of ectopic pregnancies, allow rapists’ families to object to terminating a victim’s pregnancy, or prohibit the procedure in the case of fetal disability. Do these proposals make the less extreme restrictions seem more mainstream?

By Julie Rovner

March 30, 2022

Two women are seen standing in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic wearing blue vests. The vests bear text that reads "Escort / Escorta."

Colorado Doubles Down on Abortion Rights as Other States — And the High Court — Reconsider

The Supreme Court is expected to overturn or weaken “Roe v. Wade.” If that happens, Colorado may become an abortion-access island, nearly surrounded by a sea of anti-abortion states. The state is bracing for impact, and advocates are trying to shore up its abortion defenses.

By Rae Ellen Bichell

March 29, 2022

Paris Hilton leads a line of protesters dressed in all black. She holds a sign that reads, "Shut down Provo." Others hold signs that read, "Torture is not treatment," and "The kids you abuse today will be the ones that will take you down tomorrow."

Montana Is Sending Troubled Kids to Out-of-State Programs That Have Been Accused of Abuse

State health officials are using Medicaid funds to send children in their care to treatment programs in states with less stringent regulations, including programs accused of abuse and mistreatment.

By Cameron Evans

March 25, 2022

Podcast

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: The ACA Turns 12

Although its fate was in doubt more than a few times, the Affordable Care Act turned 12 this week. Year 13 could be pivotal in determining how many Americans receive ACA health insurance, and at what price. Meanwhile, three leading credit bureaus agreed to stop using most medical debt to measure U.S. consumers’ creditworthiness. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.

March 24, 2022

On the left side of the image, a Black woman with short, white dreadlocks leans over a senior man, her father, to help button his shirt. The woman wears a turquoise shirt, while the man sits in a red recliner. They are in their home living room.

Navigating Aging

To Families’ Dismay, Biden Nursing Home Reform Doesn’t View Them as Essential Caregivers

Relatives who often provide vital caregiving for nursing home residents say the lockdowns during the covid pandemic showed the need for family members to visit in person with their loved ones. About a dozen states have passed laws guaranteeing that right, and California is considering one.

By Judith Graham

March 22, 2022

Missouri Reps. Lynn Morris and Tricia Derges stand together in a room inside the Missouri Capitol building. Both are looking at the camera and smiling.

Missouri Tried to Fix Its Doctor Shortage. Now the Fix May Need Fixing.

Five states have created “assistant physician” licenses that allow medical school graduates to practice without completing residency training. But a federal indictment in Missouri of one assistant physician has some original supporters trying to rein in the medical specialty.

By Bram Sable-Smith

March 17, 2022

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