Biden Said State of the Union Is Strong and Made Clear His Campaign Is Off and Running
By KFF Health News and PolitiFact staffs
President Joe Biden used his roughly 68-minute address to Congress to counter lackluster public approval ratings and draw clear contrasts between his administration’s policies and those of Donald Trump and some congressional Republicans. Abortion and health care were in the spotlight.
Daily Edition for Friday, March 8, 2024
Prop. 1, the State of the Union speech, maternity care, industry layoffs, cyber hacks, RSV, anti-camping laws, and more are in the news.
Newsom’s $6.4 Billion Homelessness Gambit Hangs by a Thread
By Angela Hart
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ambitious attempt to combat the mental health and addiction epidemic in his state is leading by a razor-thin margin, calling into question whether voters trust him to confront the state’s growing homelessness crisis. Newsom asked voters on Tuesday to approve his $6.4 billion bond measure, dubbed “Treatment not Tents” — the […]
Biden Team, UnitedHealth Struggle to Restore Paralyzed Billing Systems After Cyberattack
By Darius Tahir and Bernard J. Wolfson and Daniel Chang
The cyberattack on a unit of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division is the worst on the health care industry in U.S. history, hospitals say. Providers struggling to get paid for care say the response by the insurer and the Biden administration has been inadequate.
VIP Health System for Top US Officials Risked Jeopardizing Care for Soldiers
By David Hilzenrath
The historically troubled White House Medical Unit is just one part of a government health system that gives VIP care to top officials, military officers, military retirees, and families. Pentagon investigators say some were prioritized over rank-and-file soldiers.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': The State of the Union Is … Busy
At last, Congress is getting half of its annual spending bills across the finish line, albeit five months after the start of the fiscal year. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden delivers his annual State of the Union address, an over-the-counter birth control pill is (finally) available, and controversy erupts over new public health guidelines for covid-19 isolation. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Neera Tanden, the White House domestic policy adviser, about Biden’s health agenda. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.
Daily Edition for Thursday, March 7, 2024
The latest on Prop. 1, cyberattacks, hospital safety, long covid, drug costs, prison suicide prevention, ketamine, and more are in the news.
When It Comes to Ketamine, Meta’s Posting Policy Is No Party to Decipher
By Darius Tahir
Despite growing awareness that the party drug is dangerous, the social media company is open to promotion of the drug in treating mental health.
California May Face More Than $40M in Fines for Lapses in Prison Suicide Prevention
By Don Thompson
A court expert reported that California prisons continue to lag on 14 of 15 suicide prevention measures, and even regressed in some areas. The state could face more than $40 million in fines after a federal judge warned more than a year ago that she would impose penalties for each violation.
Operating in the Red: Half of Rural Hospitals Lose Money, as Many Cut Services
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
A recent report finds half of America’s rural hospitals are losing money, and many are struggling to stay open. Researchers and advocates worry the hospitals’ financial spiral will have immediate and long-term health effects on their communities.
