Daily Edition for Wednesday, August 30, 2023
Homelessness, hospital news, covid cases, teen use of fentanyl, Medicare drug prices, birth control, and more are in the news.
5 Things to Know About the New Drug Pricing Negotiations
By Arthur Allen and Rachana Pradhan and David Hilzenrath
The Biden administration unveiled the first 10 drugs subject to price negotiations, taking a swipe at the pharmaceutical industry. But what does it mean for patients?
Artificial Intelligence May Influence Whether You Can Get Pain Medication
By Andy Miller and Sam Whitehead
To contain the opioid crisis, health and law enforcement agencies have turned to technology to monitor doctor and patient prescription data. Experts have raised questions about how these systems work and worry about their accuracy and potential biases. Some patients and doctors say they’re being unfairly targeted.
Exclusive: CMS Study Sabotages Efforts to Bolster Nursing Home Staffing, Advocates Say
By Jordan Rau
Research commissioned by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services analyzed only staffing levels below what experts have previously called ideal. Patient advocates have been pushing for more staff to improve care.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, August 29, 2023
State Sues School District Over Transgender Policy: California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit Monday against the Chino school district, ordering an end to a policy that requires notifying parents if their children change their gender identity. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, Bay Area News Group, San Francisco Chronicle, and Politico. Keep scrolling for more LGBTQ+ health news.
She Paid Her Husband’s Hospital Bill. A Year After His Death, They Wanted More Money.
By Samantha Liss
A widow encountered a perplexing reality in medical billing: Providers can come after patients to collect well after a bill has been paid.
Epidemic: Speedboat Epidemiology
In Bangladesh, smallpox eradication workers went to great lengths to vaccinate even one person, sometimes traveling by speedboat, crossing rickety bamboo bridges or leech-infested paddy fields. Episode 4 of the “Eradicating Smallpox” podcast is about what it takes to bring care directly to people where they are.
Daily Edition for Monday, August 28, 2023
Covid levels, RSV vaccines, school safety, maternal health, abortion, CARE courts, excessive heat, and more are in the news.
