Latest 蘑菇影院 Health News Stories
California Lawmakers Preserve Aid to Older, Disabled Immigrants
Lawmakers passed a budget that rejected Gov. Gavin Newsom鈥檚 proposal to save nearly $95 million by eliminating in-home support services for qualifying older, blind, and disabled immigrants lacking legal residency. Advocates say Newsom鈥檚 plan would have cost more in the long run. Newsom has not indicated whether he鈥檒l veto.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': SCOTUS Rejects Abortion Pill Challenge 鈥 For Now聽
The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the FDA鈥檚 approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, ruling unanimously that the anti-abortion doctor group that filed the suit lacked standing. But abortion opponents are expected to pursue other strategies to ban or restrict the medication. Meanwhile, the Biden administration moves to stop the inclusion of medical debt on individual credit reports, and former President Donald Trump tries to claim credit for $35 insulin. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Rachana Pradhan of 蘑菇影院 Health News, and Emmarie Huetteman of 蘑菇影院 Health News join 蘑菇影院 Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 蘑菇影院 president and CEO Drew Altman about 蘑菇影院鈥檚 new 鈥淗ealth Policy 101鈥 primer.
鈥業 Try To Stay Strong鈥: Mom Struggles To Get Diagnosis for Son鈥檚 Developmental Problems
An Alameda County mother has spent 10 months seeking help for her 4-year-old son鈥檚 speech and behavior issues from his school district and her Medicaid health insurer. She still doesn鈥檛 have an answer.
An Arm and a Leg: Medicaid Recipients Struggle To Stay Enrolled
In this episode of 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg,鈥 the show takes its first look at Medicaid. The program has dropped more than 22 million people since spring 2023, when covid-era protections ended.
Safety-Net Health Clinics Cut Services and Staff Amid Medicaid 鈥楿nwinding鈥
One of Montana鈥檚 largest safety-net health centers announced it will lay off nearly 10% of its workforce because of revenue losses it attributes to vast Medicaid disenrollments. Such cuts are happening elsewhere too.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Anti-Abortion Hard-Liners Speak Up
While Republican candidates in many states downplay their opposition to abortion, the most vehement wing of the movement, which helped overturn Roe v. Wade 鈥 those who advocate prosecuting patients, outlawing contraception, and banning IVF 鈥 are increasingly outspoken. Meanwhile, some state legislatures continue to advance new restrictions, like a proposal moving in Louisiana to include abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol on the list of the most dangerous drugs. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins schools of public health and nursing and Politico Magazine join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Shefali Luthra of The 19th about her new book on abortion in post-Roe America, 鈥淯ndue Burden.鈥
California Pays Meth Users To Get Sober
California鈥檚 Medicaid program is testing a novel approach for people addicted to methamphetamine, cocaine, and other stimulants. For every clean urine test, they can earn money 鈥 up to $599 a year.
Medicaid Unwinding Deals Blow to Tenuous System of Care for Native Americans
Although Native American and Alaska Native adults are enrolled in Medicaid at higher rates than their white counterparts, many tribal leaders feel they鈥檝e been left in the dark as states roll through the tumultuous Medicaid unwinding that started last year.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Bird Flu Lands as the Next Public Health Challenge
Public health authorities are closely watching an unusual strain of bird flu that has infected dairy cows in nine states and at least one dairy worker. Meanwhile, another major health system suffered a cyberattack, and Congress is moving to extend the availability of telehealth services. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Atul Grover of the Association of American Medical Colleges about its recent analysis showing that graduating medical students are avoiding training in states with abortion bans and major restrictions.
California鈥檚 $12 Billion Medicaid Makeover Banks on Nonprofits鈥 Buy-In
California鈥檚 Medicaid program is relying heavily on community groups to deliver new social services to vulnerable patients, such as security deposits for homeless people and air purifiers for asthma patients. But many of these nonprofits face staffing and billing challenges and haven鈥檛 been able to deliver services effectively.
Addiction Treatment Homes Say Montana鈥檚 Funding Fixes Don鈥檛 Go Far Enough
Montana has created a voucher program to help cover room and board costs at low-intensity residential programs for people with addiction. Those running the homes say bridging that care is urgent but that the program鈥檚 funding falls far below the need.
Why Medicaid鈥檚 鈥楿ndercount鈥 Problem Counts
Millions of people were surprised to find themselves booted from Medicaid over the past year after pandemic-era protections expired that had prevented states from terminating their coverage. Turns out, millions of them were also unaware they had been covered by the government program. Nearly 1 in 3 people enrolled in Medicaid in 2022 鈥 or […]
Medicaid 鈥楿nwinding鈥 Decried as Biased Against Disabled People
People with disabilities say they are abruptly losing their Medicaid home health benefits and are being advised incorrectly when they call state offices for more information. 鈥淓very day the anxiety builds,鈥 one beneficiary told 蘑菇影院 Health News.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Newly Minted Doctors Are Avoiding Abortion Ban States
For the second year in a row, medical school graduates across specialties are shying away from applying for residency training in states with abortion bans or significant restrictions, according to a new study. Meanwhile, Medicare鈥檚 trustees report that the program will be able to pay its bills longer than expected 鈥 which could discourage Congress from acting to address the program鈥檚 long-term financial woes. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University schools of nursing and public health and Politico Magazine, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
Journalists Delve Into Climate Change, Medicaid ‘Unwinding,’ and the Gap in Mortality Rates
蘑菇影院 Health News and California Healthline staffers made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
In Oregon, Medicaid Is Buying People Air Conditioners
Oregon has started providing air conditioners, air purifiers and power banks to help some of its Medicaid recipients cope with soaring heat, smoky skies and other dangers of climate change. It鈥檚 a first-in-the-nation experiment that expands a Biden administration strategy to take Medicaid beyond traditional medical care and into the realm of social services. 鈥淐limate change is […]
AC, Power Banks, Mini Fridges: Oregon Equips Medicaid Patients for Climate Change
Oregon is giving Medicaid patients air conditioners and other equipment to help them cope with soaring heat, smoky skies, and other dangers of climate change. Oregon health officials hope to show other states and the federal government that they can save lives and money.
Millions Were Booted From Medicaid. The Insurers That Run It Gained Medicaid Revenue Anyway.
Big health insurers that have contracts with state Medicaid programs find themselves making more money even as enrollment in Medicaid programs has dropped. Here鈥檚 why.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Abortion 鈥 Again 鈥 At the Supreme Court
For the second time in as many months, the Supreme Court heard arguments in an abortion case. This time, the justices are being asked to decide whether a federal law that requires emergency care in hospitals can trump Idaho鈥檚 near-total abortion ban. Meanwhile, the federal government, for the first time, will require minimum staffing standards for nursing homes. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too.
Unsheltered People Are Losing Medicaid in Redetermination Mix-Ups
Some of the nearly 130,000 Montanans who have lost Medicaid coverage as the state reevaluates eligibility are homeless. That鈥檚 in part because Montana kicked more than 80,000 people off the program for technical reasons rather than income ineligibility. For unhoused people who were disenrolled, getting back on Medicaid can be extraordinarily difficult.
