Latest Morning Briefing Stories

7 of 10 States Backed Abortion Rights. But Little To Change Yet.

KFF Health News Original

Voters in 10 states weighed in on abortion rights this election. Despite the results supporting abortion rights in seven of those states, much of the abortion landscape on abortion won’t change much immediately, as medical providers navigate the legal hurdles that remain.

In Vermont, Where Almost Everyone Has Insurance, Many Can’t Find or Afford Care

KFF Health News Original

Vermont has one of the lowest uninsured rates in the U.S., even though its residents pay some of the highest health insurance costs. Still, most of its hospitals are losing money and patients often face long waits for care.

As Nuns Disappear, Many Catholic Hospitals Look More Like Megacorporations

KFF Health News Original

The nation’s Catholic health systems were largely founded and led by nuns with a mission to serve the sick regardless of their creed or financial means. Today, no nuns run any U.S. Catholic health system, while many of these hospitals pull in billions, according to their financial reports.

What’s at Stake: A Pivotal Election for Six Big Health Issues

KFF Health News Original

Health care has ebbed and surged as an election issue throughout the presidential campaign. Here are the ways some of the most consequential changes in health policies could hinge on whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump wins.

Dentists Are Pulling ‘Healthy’ and Treatable Teeth To Profit From Implants, Experts Warn

KFF Health News Original

Americans are getting dental implants more than ever — and at costs reaching tens of thousands of dollars. Experts worry some dentists have lost sight of the soul of dentistry: preserving and fixing teeth.

Paid Sick Leave Is Up for a Vote in Three States

KFF Health News Original

The coronavirus pandemic underscored the importance of paid sick leave, a benefit to help workers and their families when they fall ill. Now voters in Missouri, Nebraska, and Alaska are deciding whether employers must provide it.

Can a $10 Billion Climate Bond Address California’s Water Contamination Problem?

KFF Health News Original

California voters will decide in November whether to approve a $10 billion climate bond that supporters say is needed to jump-start water system repairs for residents without safe drinking water. Opponents say those repairs should be prioritized in the state budget, not put on a credit card.

‘A Pressure Campaign’: Beverly Hills Settles After Allegedly Blocking Abortion Clinic

KFF Health News Original

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a settlement with Beverly Hills after finding city officials pressured the landlord to cancel DuPont Clinic’s lease. It’s the state’s first enforcement action under Proposition 1, which enshrined abortion rights in the state constitution.

For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes

KFF Health News Original

Medications such as methadone can cut the risk of a fatal opioid overdose in half. Medicaid covers the medication. But as state Medicaid programs reevaluated coverage of each enrollee following a pause in disenrollments during the covid-19 pandemic, some patients lost a crucial pillar of their sobriety.

Post-Helene, Patients Who Rely on IV Nutrition Face Severe Shortages

KFF Health News Original

Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina last month, wrecked a Baxter International factory that produced 60 percent of the country’s IV fluids, according to the American Hospital Association. The company is rationing its products, and some hospitals have delayed or canceled surgeries that require large amounts of IV hydration. Among the worst-hit patients are those […]

‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way

KFF Health News Original

Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.

Vance Wrongly Blames Rural Hospital Closures on Immigrants in the Country Illegally

KFF Health News Original

Experts disputed the claim by Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance, noting that a range of other issues — from low reimbursement rates to declining patient use — combine to cause these facilities to shutter.