Ghosts, Ghouls, and Ghastly Drug Prices in Winning Halloween Haikus
Entries for our sixth annual Halloween haiku contest gave us shivers. Based on a review by our panel of judges, here’s the winner and runners-up — plus the original artwork they inspired.
‘A Pressure Campaign’: Beverly Hills Settles After Allegedly Blocking Abortion Clinic
By Christine Mai-Duc
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.
Can a $10 Billion Climate Bond Address California’s Water Contamination Problem?
By Vanessa G. Sánchez
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.
In Montana, Conservative Groups See Chance To Kill Medicaid Expansion
By Katheryn Houghton
Conservative groups are working to undermine support for Montana’s Medicaid expansion ahead of a political fight over whether to keep the program.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, October 30, 2024
Snakebite bills, emergency abortion care, Kaiser strike, Covered California plans, homeless funding, election news, bird flu, and more
Toddler’s Backyard Snakebite Bills Totaled More Than a Quarter Million Dollars
By Jackie Fortiér
For snakebite victims, antivenom is critical — and costly. It took more than $200,000 worth of antivenom to save one toddler’s life after he was bitten by a rattlesnake.
For People With Opioid Addiction, Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Raises the Stakes
By Kim Krisberg, Public Health Watch and Stephanie Colombini, WUSF
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.
Florida Medical Device Maker Exactech Declares Bankruptcy
By Fred Schulte
The company faces more than 2,000 lawsuits alleging it sold defective knee and hip implants.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, October 29, 2024
No End In Sight For KP Worker Strike: The union representing some 2,400 striking Kaiser Permanente mental health workers said negotiations with the health care provider have broken down heading into a second week of picketing. Read more from LAist.
‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way
By Julie Appleby
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.
