From Dr. Oz to Heart Valves: Tiny Device Charted a Contentious Path Through the FDA
By David Hilzenrath and Holly K. Hacker
The story of MitraClip, a device Dr. Oz helped invent to treat faulty heart valves, is a cautionary tale about the science, business, and regulation of medical technology.
If Lawsuit Ends Federal Mandates on Birth Control Coverage, States Will Have Say
By Sam Whitehead
An ongoing lawsuit aims to set aside the Affordable Care Act’s requirements that insurers cover preventive care, such as contraception. If that happens, state reproductive health laws — varying across the country — would carry more weight, resuming the “wild West” dynamic from before Obamacare.
Daily Edition for Monday, July 8, 2024
Measures Added To California Ballot: California voters will be asked to consider 10 ballot measures in November. Among the initiatives: funding Medi-Cal, same-sex marriage, forced labor, and Medicaid payments for pharmaceuticals. Read more in The Los Angeles Times and AP.
Listen: How the End of ‘Roe’ Is Reshaping the Medical Workforce
By Julie Rovner
In this episode of “The Indicator From Planet Money,” KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, reports on how the medical labor force is changing post-Roe v. Wade and why graduating medical students, from OB-GYNs to pediatricians, are avoiding training in states with abortion bans.
Abortion and the 2024 Election: A Video Primer
By Julie Rovner and Rachana Pradhan
Video by Hannah Norman
The first presidential election since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago takes place in November, and abortion is sure to play a key role.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': SCOTUS Term Wraps With a Bang
The Supreme Court has issued its final opinions for the 2023-24 term, including decisions affecting abortion access, the opioid epidemic, and how the federal government functions. In this special episode, Sarah Somers , legal director of the National Health Law Program, joins KFF Health News’ chief Washington correspondent, Julie Rovner, to discuss how the justices disposed of the term’s health-related cases and what those decisions could mean going forward.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, July 3, 2024
Settlement Reached Over Struggling Hospitals: UCSF must continue charity care, adhere to price growth caps, and invest hundreds of millions of dollars into St. Mary’s Medical Center and Saint Francis Memorial Hospital, the two struggling San Francisco hospitals it is acquiring for $100 million, under a settlement reached with the state attorney general. Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Beyond PMS: A Poorly Understood Disorder Means Periods of Despair for Some Women
By Lauren Peace, Tampa Bay Times
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is estimated to affect around 5% of people who menstruate, but a lack of research and limited awareness of menstrual disorders — even among health care providers — can make getting care difficult.
Lack of Affordability Tops Older Americans’ List of Health Care Worries
By Judith Graham
Rising health care costs are fueling anxiety among older Americans covered by Medicare. They’re right to be concerned.
Planned Parenthood to Blitz GOP Seats, Betting Abortion Fears Can Sway Voters
By Molly Castle Work
The reproductive rights organization hopes to oust GOP incumbents from key California congressional seats by highlighting the possibility of a national abortion ban. A state Republican official calls it a swing and a miss, noting that, under Democrats, hospitals have closed maternity wards and filed for bankruptcy.
