Daily Edition for Wednesday, September 14, 2022
Wednesday’s roundup covers MPX, abortion access, HIV, covid infections, air safety, flu, hospital costs, ACA plans, and more.
Southern States’ Lackluster Monkeypox Efforts Leave LGBTQ+ Groups Going It Alone
By Daniel Chang and Colleen DeGuzman
The gay community is disproportionally affected by the monkeypox outbreak, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says public health efforts should prioritize gay and bisexual men. But in the South, some LGBTQ+ advocates fear that this is not happening consistently. They say they are having to take matters into their own hands in the absence of a coordinated response from state governments.
Newborns Get Routine Heel Blood Tests, but Should States Keep Those Samples?
By Michelle Andrews
Shortly after birth, babies are pricked in the heel so their blood can be tested for life-threatening conditions. States generally save leftover blood from those samples, and parents and privacy experts are concerned that information could be used without consent years later.
A los recién nacidos se les extrae sangre para analizarla, ¿deben los estados conservar esas muestras?
By Michelle Andrews
Algunos estados permiten que se utilicen en estudios de investigación, a veces por parte de terceros a cambio de una cuota, o que se proporcionen al personal policial que investiga un delito.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Tuesday’s roundup covers MPX, covid superspreaders, booster shots, unhealthy air, diet pills, dialysis, housing, and more.
California and New York Aim to Curb Diet Pill Sales to Minors
By Laurie Udesky
California and New York would be the first states to require anyone under 18 to obtain prescriptions to purchase over-the-counter weight loss products, which some research has linked to eating disorders.
Daily Edition for Monday, September 12, 2022
Monday’s roundup covers dangerous heat, abortion access, lung cancer, covid, transgender health, MPX, and more.
Did the US Jump the Gun With the New Omicron-Targeted Vaccines?
By Céline Gounder and Elisabeth Rosenthal
With fears of a winter surge looming, government agencies have authorized and encouraged vaccination with a newly formulated booster. But the science to support that decision remains inconclusive.
Medical Coding Creates Barriers to Care for Transgender Patients
By Helen Santoro
The codes used by U.S. medical providers to bill insurers haven’t caught up to the needs of trans patients or even international standards. Consequently, doctors are forced to get creative with what codes they use, or patients spend hours fighting big out-of-pocket bills.
While Inflation Takes a Toll on Seniors, Billions of Dollars in Benefits Go Unused
By Judith Graham
With prices of necessities rising dramatically, many older Americans are having trouble making ends meet. They often don’t know that help is available from a variety of programs, and some sources of financial assistance are underused.
