Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Teen Traveled to Philly to Get Vaccinated Against His Parents’ Wishes

KFF Health News Original

Nicolas Montero is 16, and that’s old enough to get a vaccine on his own in Philadelphia. Vaccine regulations vary around the country and, in more than a dozen states, teens can consent to their own medical care.

State Constitutions Vex Conservatives’ Strategies for a Post-Roe World

KFF Health News Original

Conservative lawmakers may find their anti-abortion agendas complicated by state constitutions that explicitly grant citizens the right to privacy, regardless of what the U.S. Supreme Court does.

Medical Boards Pressured to Let It Slide When Doctors Spread Covid Misinformation

KFF Health News Original

State medical boards have an obligation to investigate complaints about doctors, including those who may spread false information about medical care. But in Florida, Tennessee, and other states, lawmakers are moving to protect physicians using unproven covid treatments or spreading misinformation.

Covid Precautions Are Part of Hispanic Community’s Efforts to Tend to Community Good

KFF Health News Original

Among many Latinos, especially recent immigrants, there is a cultural emphasis on living in harmony within one’s community — called “convivir” in Spanish. That notion may have helped drive improvements in covid vaccination and testing rates.

Skirmish Between Biden and Red States Over Medicaid Leaves Enrollees in the Balance

KFF Health News Original

The Biden administration is getting rid of several policies implemented by Trump-era appointees that restricted enrollment. Federal officials now say states can no longer charge premiums to low-income residents enrolled in Medicaid and have ruled out work requirements.

‘Somebody Is Gonna Die’: Medi-Cal Patients Struggle to Fill Prescriptions

KFF Health News Original

Problems with California’s new Medicaid prescription drug program are preventing thousands of patients from getting their medications, including some life-saving ones. State officials say they’re working on fixes.