Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Union With Labor Dispute of Its Own Threatened To Cut Off Workers’ Health Benefits
The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union, told striking workers that their health coverage would be cut off Aug. 1 absent a deal on a new contract. Tensions have mounted after staff disrupted the union’s convention, at which President Joe Biden had been scheduled to speak.
The CDC’s Test for Bird Flu Works, but It Has Issues
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promises better tests are being developed, but the episode points to vulnerabilities in the country’s defense against emerging outbreaks.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Harris in the Spotlight
For the 2024 campaign, Joe Biden is out, and Kamala Harris is in. As the vice president makes moves toward the top of the Democratic presidential ticket, health policy is resurging as a campaign issue. Meanwhile, Congress tries — and again fails — to make timely progress on the annual government spending bills as abortion issues cause delays. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Stephanie Armour of KFF Health News, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Anthony Wright, the new executive director of Families USA, about his plans for the organization and his history working with Harris on health topics.
Montana Looks To Become Latest State To Boost Nonprofit Hospital Oversight
Montana’s proposal to increase oversight is part of a national trend by states to ensure nonprofit hospitals act as charitable organizations as they claim tax-exempt status. But the state has yet to set standards for how much the hospitals must do.
California Speeds Up Indoor Heat Protections Amid Sweltering Summer Weather
Indoor workers who toil in hot jobsites in California gain immediate protection from this summer’s extreme heat. The state’s worker safety chief announced finalized rules Wednesday, capping a years-long push by workers.
Oregon Senator Proposes Criminal Charges and Fines for Rogue Obamacare Agents
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden introduced legislation intended to curb a growing problem in which consumers, without their consent, are enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans or their coverage is switched.
World-Famous Wall Drug Isn’t Immune From Challenges Facing Rural Pharmacies
Even as part of a popular South Dakota tourist attraction, an independent pharmacy serving locals, remote ranchers, and sightseers struggles with staffing and insurer payments.
Louisiana Reclassifies Drugs Used in Abortions as Controlled Dangerous Substances
Louisiana lawmakers have added two drugs commonly used in pregnancy and reproductive health care to the state’s list of controlled dangerous substances, a move that has alarmed doctors in the state.
Why Millions Are Trying FDA-Authorized Alternatives to Big Pharma’s Weight Loss Drugs
Although Novo Nordisk and Lilly lump together the pharmacies that compound semaglutide and tirzepatide with internet cowboys selling fake drugs, there is a distinction. The FDA has offered Americans little clarity about the vast gray and black markets for the drugs.
California Forges Ahead With Social Media Rules Despite Legal Barriers
State lawmakers are advancing two bills aimed at protecting children from the harms of social media, part of a nationwide wave of efforts to address the issue. Yet the bills’ proponents face hurdles in finding an approach that can survive legal challenges from the tech industry.
Rescue From Above: How Drones May Narrow Emergency Response Times
Public safety and health care organizations are using drones to speed up lifesaving treatment during medical emergencies in which every second counts.
Harris, Once Biden’s Voice on Abortion, Would Take an Outspoken Approach to Health
If she grabs the baton from President Joe Biden to become the new presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Kamala Harris would widely be expected to take an aggressive stance in support of abortion access — hitting former President Donald Trump on an issue that could undermine his chances of victory.
Biden Administration Tightens Broker Access to Healthcare.gov To Thwart Rogue Sign-Ups
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it has received more than 200,000 complaints in the first six months of the year about people being signed up for Obamacare plans or switched to new plans without their consent.
At Trump’s GOP Convention, There’s Little To Be Heard on Health Care
Republicans were once the party of Obamacare repeal and abortion opposition. They’ve said little about either issue in Milwaukee.
Misleading Ads Play Key Role in Schemes to Gin Up Unauthorized ACA Sign-Ups, Lawsuit Alleges
Misleading money-for-groceries ads helped lure people to call centers where some were enrolled in Affordable Care Act coverage — or switched from their existing plans — without their express permission, a new lawsuit alleges.
A California Medical Group Treats Only Homeless Patients — And Makes Money Doing It
Healthcare in Action, a California medical group that exclusively serves homeless people, has tapped into growing demand and funding for street medicine services. Three years in, the innovative nonprofit is raking in revenue and serving thousands of people who otherwise might flock to the hospital for high-cost care.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': At GOP Convention, Health Policy Is Mostly MIA
After an assassination attempt last weekend sent former President Donald Trump to the hospital with minor injuries, the Republican National Convention went off with little mention of health care issues. And Trump’s newly nominated vice presidential pick, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, has barely staked out a record on health during his 18 months in office — aside from being strongly opposed to abortion. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Renuka Rayasam, who wrote June’s installment of KFF Health News-NPR “Bill of the Month,” about a patient who walked into what he thought was an urgent care center and walked out with an emergency room bill.
Trump Is Wrong in Claiming Full Credit for Lowering Insulin Prices
Though the Trump administration established a voluntary, temporary program lowering insulin costs for some older Americans on Medicare, the mandatory price caps implemented through Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act go significantly further.
Tennessee Agrees To Remove Sex Workers With HIV From Sex Offender Registry
For years, Tennessee has required anyone convicted of prostitution while HIV-positive to register as a sex offender for life. In response to DOJ and ACLU discrimination suits, the state has agreed to reverse course.
The Nation’s 911 System Is on the Brink of Its Own Emergency
911 outages have hit at least eight states this year. They’re emblematic of problems plaguing emergency response communications due in part to wide disparities in capabilities and funding.
