Daily Edition for Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Is Pink Fire Suppressant Harmful To Your Health?: Hundreds of thousands of gallons of pink fire suppressant have been dropped on Los Angeles hillsides and homes ahead of the flames in a desperate effort to stop the fires from spreading. The pink goop is generally a mixture of water, ammonium phosphate, and iron oxide. But is it safe? Read more from AP. Scroll down for more wildfire updates.
Midwives Blame California Rules for Hampering Birth Centers Amid Maternity Care Crisis
By Ronnie Cohen
Birth centers, where midwives deliver babies with emergency backup from hospitals, can offer an alternative for families as hospitals close maternity units. But the state’s stiff regulations and what many call a dysfunctional licensing process are hobbling new initiatives and forcing some facilities to shut down.
Voters Backed Abortion Rights but State Judges Have Final Say
By Bram Sable-Smith and Katheryn Houghton
Illustration by Oona Zenda
Though abortion rights supporters prevailed on ballot measures in seven of the 10 states where abortion was up for a vote on Nov. 5, the state supreme courts voters have elected indicate legal fights to come aren’t clear-cut.
Beyond Hard Hats: Mental Struggles Become the Deadliest Construction Industry Danger
By Katja Ridderbusch
The physical hazards of construction work have long been a focus of safety professionals. Yet attention on the psychosocial hazards is relatively new, with suicide and substance use soaring among male construction workers. Mitigating those risks requires more than hard hats, safety vests, and protective goggles.
Daily Edition for Monday, January 13, 2025
Pregnant And Live Near LA Wildfires? Take Extra Precautions Or Consider Leaving, Experts Say: After five days of an unrelenting firestorm in Los Angeles County, medical experts are warning that the area’s smoke levels pose unique risks to those who are pregnant and their fetuses. Read more from the Los Angeles Times. Plus, NPR explains why the smoke is so dangerous. Scroll down for more wildfire updates.
Trump’s Return Puts Medicaid on the Chopping Block
By Phil Galewitz
Republicans in Washington are working on plans to shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans.
Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?
By Felice J. Freyer
More medical schools say they will no longer charge tuition, in hopes that more students, graduating free of debt, will choose lower-paying primary care careers. But evidence suggests it will take a lot more than a free ride to replenish the primary care pipeline.
Cinco cambios críticos que puede sufrir Medicaid bajo Trump
By Phil Galewitz
Los republicanos en Washington afirman que planean utilizar recortes de financiamiento y cambios regulatorios para reducir drásticamente Medicaid, el programa de salud federal gerenciado por los estados
Journalists Address HHS Under Trump, Rural PFAS Contamination, and Bird Flu
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Doctors, Nurses Press Ahead as Wildfires Strain Los Angeles’ Health Care
By Bernard J. Wolfson and Molly Castle Work and Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times
A primary care clinic burned, medical offices closed, and hospitals struggled with possible evacuations. The wildfires that have incinerated large swaths of Los Angeles County are stressing the region’s health care infrastructure. Still, providers continue to find ways to deliver vital care.
