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First Edition: July 1, 2022

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Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: KHN’s First Edition will not be published Monday, July 4. Look for it again in your inbox Tuesday.


KHN:
How To Get Rid Of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It In The First Place 

Lori Mangum was 32 when apple-size tumors sprouted on her head. Now — six years and 10 surgeries later — the skin cancer is gone. But her pain lives on, in the form of medical debt. Even with insurance, Mangum paid $36,000 out-of-pocket, charges that stemmed from the hospital, the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the pharmacy, and follow-up care. And she still has about $7,000 more to pay. (Noguchi, 7/1)


KHN:
Big Employers Are Offering Abortion Benefits. Will The Information Stay Safe? 

In response to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Americans’ constitutional right to abortion, large employers thought they had found a way to help workers living in states where abortions would be banned: provide benefits to support travel to other states for services. But that solution is only triggering questions. Experts warn that simply claiming the benefits may create paper trails for law enforcement officials in states criminalizing abortion. (Tahir, 7/1)


KHN:
How Much Health Insurers Pay For Almost Everything Is About To Go Public

Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in health care prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long dogged those who buy insurance: Are we getting the best deal we can? As of July 1, health insurers and self-insured employers must post on websites just about every price they’ve negotiated with providers for health care services, item by item. About the only thing excluded are the prices paid for prescription drugs, except those administered in hospitals or doctors’ offices. (Appleby, 7/1)


KHN:
LA’s First Heat Officer Says Helping Vulnerable Communities Is Key To Achieving Climate Goals 

As a child growing up in San Jose, California, Marta Segura heard horrific stories from her parents about women fainting on the factory lines and men overheating in the farm fields. They didn’t know those jobs exposed them to life-threatening conditions. Then, it hit home. “My dad, himself, got really sick one time and almost died,” said Segura, 58, the daughter of a bracero and a cannery worker. “That resonated with me as a kid.” (de Marco, 7/1)


KHN:
KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: A World Without ‘Roe’ 

It’s been less than a week since the Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion and each passing day has produced more questions than answers. Doctors, employers, lawmakers, district attorneys, and women are all confused about what is allowed and when. And things won’t be sorted out for some time, it appears. Meanwhile, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed a gun bill that’s likely to do more on the mental health front than it is to curb mass shooting incidents. But if it curbs gun suicides, that would be a big step forward for public health. (6/30)


The New York Times:
Biden Endorses Ending Filibuster To Codify Abortion Rights

President Biden on Thursday condemned what he called the “outrageous behavior” of the Supreme Court in overturning Roe v. Wade and said for the first time that he supported ending the filibuster to protect a woman’s right to an abortion and a broader constitutional right to privacy. It was a striking assertion from a president who is steeped in the traditions of the Senate and has resisted calls from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party to scrap the longstanding Senate practice of requiring a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. But in chiding the justices for a decision he called “destabilizing” for the country, the president said it was time to push Congress to act. (Shear and Tankersley, 6/30)


AP:
Biden Backs Filibuster Exception To Protect Abortion Access

Although Democrats already control the Senate by the narrowest of margins, there isn’t enough support within their caucus to change the filibuster rule, which allows any member to block legislation unless it receives 60 votes. But Biden’s statement was the latest indication that, if the party picks up a few more seats in the midterm elections in November, Democrats could seize the opportunity to pass legislation creating a nationwide right to abortion. (Megerian, 6/30)


CNN:
Judge Says Florida’s 15-Week Abortion Law Is Unconstitutional 

In a setback for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican lawmakers, a Florida judge has ruled that a new state law banning abortions at 15 weeks is unconstitutional and he intends to block it from taking effect on Friday. In a verbal ruling on Thursday, Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge John Cooper said he would be issuing a temporary statewide injunction that will go into effect once he signs the written order in the challenge brought by some Florida abortion providers. (Contorno, 6/30)


AP:
Beshear Denounces Near-Total Abortion Ban As ‘Extremist’ 

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday denounced a Kentucky law designed to impose a near-total ban on abortions as “extremist,” pointing to the lack of exceptions for rape and incest victims as he pushed back on an issue that Republicans have made a policymaking priority. (Schreiner, 6/30)


AP:
Connecticut Abortion Law, Tax Changes To Take Effect Friday

Connecticut’s first major abortion-related legislation in years, which aims to legally protect providers and patients from other states’ bans on the procedure, will take effect Friday. The legislation was passed by the Connecticut General Assembly in late April and signed into law by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont in May in response to a Texas law that authorizes lawsuits against clinics, doctors and others who perform or facilitate a banned abortion, even in another state. (Haigh, 6/30)


AP:
NY Faces Calls To Enshrine Abortion Rights In Constitution 

New York Democrats are considering enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, possibly as part of a broader amendment that would also prohibit discrimination based on gender expression. Lawmakers held a special legislative session Thursday that Gov. Kathy Hochul called primarily to pass an emergency overhaul of the state’s gun permitting rules after they were struck down by a Supreme Court ruling. (Villeneuve, 7/1)


Axios:
Indigenous Tribes Push Back On Calls To Open Abortion Clinics On Federal Lands

Representatives for some Indigenous tribes tell Axios they have no plans to set up abortion clinics on their lands and would take offense at any non-Native Americans, including progressives, telling them what to do. The Biden administration has made clear it has no plans to pursue such moves, telling progressives who leaned on them to set up abortion clinics on federal land in red states that they’re underestimating the legal risks and other complications. (Cai and Chen, 6/30)


The Washington Post:
Planned Parenthood Suspends Marketing Trackers On Abortion Search Pages 

Planned Parenthood said it will remove the marketing trackers on its search pages related to abortions and that no protected health information has been breached thus far. The comments came after The Washington Post reported Wednesday findings from Lockdown Privacy, the maker of an app that blocks online trackers, showing that when visitors used the website’s search function to find an abortion provider and begin to schedule an appointment, Planned Parenthood shared data on those actions with third-party tracking companies including Google, Facebook and TikTok. (Hunger, 6/30)


Modern Healthcare:
HHS Issues HIPAA Guidance After Abortion Ruling

Providers shouldn’t cite the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act as a reason to disclose a patient’s abortion plan to law enforcement, the Health and Human Services Department said Wednesday. Under HIPAA, healthcare providers are allowed to disclose—including to law enforcement— a patient’s medical information if they believe it’s needed to prevent or lessen a “serious and imminent threat” to health or safety. (Kim Cohen, 6/30)


NBC News:
Post-Roe, ‘Camping’ Has Become Code For Abortions. Activists Say It May Put People At Risk.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, social media has been flooded by posts from people offering to take people “camping” — coded language for assisting people seeking abortions out of state. … A code isn’t a code “if you tell everybody what the code is,” said Kari Nixon, an assistant professor of English at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, who studies medical humanities. “There seems to be this sense of not taking this truly seriously enough.” (Sung and Goggin, 6/30)


The Hill:
Capitol Police Arrest 181 Abortion Rights Protesters Outside Senate Office Building

The U.S. Capitol Police on Thursday arrested 181 abortion rights demonstrators who protested outside of a Senate office building less than a week after the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. In a Twitter thread on Thursday, Capitol Police sent out a travel advisory, warning that activists were blocking the intersection of First Street and Constitution Avenue. Authorities said they gave activists a second and third warning before arrests began. (Oshin, 6/30)


NBC News:
Congresswoman Who Wrote Abortion Rights Bill Arrested At Rally Near Supreme Court

The House Democrat who introduced a bill last year to enshrine abortion rights into federal law was among more than 180 protesters who were arrested Thursday at a pro-abortion rights rally near the Supreme Court. Rep. Judy Chu of California was participating in a civil disobedience rally on Capitol grounds, “where she was subsequently arrested alongside other activists,” her office said in a news release. (Richards, 6/30)


The Washington Post:
Men Are Rushing To Get Vasectomies After Supreme Court Overturns Roe V. Wade 

Philip Werthman, a Los Angeles urologist, also reported a “300 to 400 percent” increase in the number of vasectomy consultations he has performed. Esgar Guarín, an Iowa-based urologist who trained under Stein and specializes in vasectomies, said he has seen a “200 to 250 percent” increase in traffic on his website offering information specifically about vasectomies.(Venkataramanan, 6/29)


Stat:
After Abortion Ruling, Biotechs Developing Contraceptives Redouble Their Efforts

From San Diego to New Jersey, biotechs developing new forms of birth control say they’re doubling down on those efforts after Roe v. Wade was overturned — even as the Supreme Court’s ruling clouded the future of contraception. Companies are scrambling to accelerate research timelines, pressing insurers to cover approved products, and forging ahead to develop and deliver everything from on-demand, hormone-free female contraception to male birth control. (Wosen, 7/1)


The Washington Post:
Supreme Court Lets Vaccine Mandate Stand Without Religious Exemption 

Over the objection of three justices, the Supreme Court on Thursday left in place New York’s coronavirus vaccine requirement for health-care workers that drew a challenge over its lack of a religious exemption. The court’s order came on the final day of its term, as the justices also announced their final decisions and what additional cases they will review when the court reconvenes in October. (Marimow and Barnes, 6/30)


The New York Times:
About 10 Percent Of National Guard Members Will Be In Violation Of A Federal Vaccine Mandate On Friday.

At midnight on Thursday, tens of thousands of National Guard troops who have yet to prove they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus will be in violation of a direct order mandating their compliance. As a result, they will no longer be able to drill with their units until they provide proof that they have been vaccinated or have received an exemption approved by military leaders. (Ismay, Medina and Kannapell, 7/1)


AP:
Guard Could Lose 600 Minnesotans After Vaccine Deadline 

The Minnesota National Guard could lose hundreds of soldiers if they don’t get vaccinated against COVID-19 immediately. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the U.S. Department of Defense’s deadline for getting shots is Thursday. More than 95% of the Minnesota National Guard’s 13,000 members have been vaccinated but according to the percentages military officials provided that leaves more than 600 members who could face dismissal. (6/30)


The Washington Post:
Omicron-Based Covid Booster Shots Will Roll Out This Fall 

This fall, vaccine makers will begin rolling out coronavirus booster vaccines better tailored to fight the current phase of the pandemic. Two days after outside experts voted in favor of a new vaccine adapted to protect against omicron, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the fall shots would include a component from BA.4 and BA.5, the omicron subvariants gaining ground in the United States. (Johnson, 6/30)


AP:
Tweaked COVID Boosters In US Must Target Newer Omicron Types 

U.S. regulators told COVID-19 vaccine makers Thursday that any booster shots tweaked for the fall will have to add protection against the newest omicron relatives. The Food and Drug Administration said the original vaccines would be used for anyone still getting their first series of shots. But with immunity waning and the super-contagious omicron family of variants getting better at dodging protection, the FDA decided boosters intended for fall needed an update. (Neergaard and Perrone, 6/30)


CIDRAP:
Study Shows Long-Distance Spread Of COVID-19 In Some Indoor Settings

A new systematic review of 18 studies finds evidence suggesting that long-distance airborne transmission (more than 2 meters away) of SARS-CoV-2 might occur in indoor settings such as restaurants, workplaces, and venues for choirs. The study is published in The BMJ today. … The authors found long-distance airborne transmission was likely in 16 of the 18 studies. In 13 of the 18 studies, the index patient was asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic. The most convincing evidence of long-distance transmission came from eight events where singing occurred, the authors said. (6/30)


The New York Times:
These TikTok Creators Are Fighting Health Myths 

A growing cohort of scientists, physicians, health care professionals and academics [are debunking] health misinformation on TikTok by “stitching” videos, which involves clipping existing videos into new ones and then offering one’s own input. While social media platforms including TikTok have developed systems to flag vaccine misinformation, an ocean of other dubious health claims often go unscrutinized — except when individual users like him, who have actual medical knowledge, push back. (Raphael, 6/29)


Roll Call:
Senate Drafts Last-Ditch Drug Pricing Plan Ahead Of Midterms

Senate Democrats are scraping together a last-minute plan to let Medicare negotiate prices directly with manufacturers for some prescription drugs ahead of the midterm elections, according to a summary of the plan obtained by CQ Roll Call. The effort attempts to revive a key piece of Democrats’ sweeping social spending and climate bill after intra-party divisions killed the original legislation. (Clason, 6/30)


Stat:
Democrats Tweak Their Drug Pricing Plan In Last-Ditch Effort To Pass Reforms

Senate Democrats are vetting a new, tweaked version of a drug pricing package as they hurtle toward a September deadline to pass any major reforms. It’s by no means certain that Congress will pass prescription drug pricing reform as part of a broader domestic policy package being hammered out between Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and moderate Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.), but this week, the chances are looking better than ever. (Cohrs, 6/30)


AP:
Some Medical Debt Is Being Removed From US Credit Reports 

Help is coming for many people with medical debt on their credit reports. Starting Friday, the three major U.S. credit reporting companies will stop counting paid medical debt on the reports that banks, potential landlords and others use to judge creditworthiness. The companies also will start giving people a year to resolve delinquent medical debt that has been sent to collections before reporting it — up from six months previously. (Murphy, 6/30)


NPR:
DOJ Fails To Report On Making Federal Websites Accessible To Disabled People

About a quarter of Americans live with a disability, but nearly a third of the most popular federal websites are difficult for disabled people to access. It has been 10 years since the Department of Justice filed a biennial report on the federal government’s compliance with accessibility standards for information technology, a bipartisan group of concerned senators say. The reports are required by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. (Rajkumar, 6/30)


AP:
California First To Cover Health Care For All Immigrants 

California on Thursday became the first state to guarantee free health care for all low-income immigrants living in the country illegally, a move that will provide coverage for an additional 764,000 people at an eventual cost of about $2.7 billion a year. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $307.9 billion operating budget that pledges to make all low-income adults eligible for the state’s Medicaid program by 2024 regardless of their immigration status. (Beam and Thompson, 7/1)


AP:
California Advances Bid To Create Legal Drug Injection Sites

The California Assembly on Thursday approved a controversial bill allowing Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco to set up places where opioid users could legally inject drugs in supervised settings. The move follows more than a year of legislative consideration, with proponents saying it would save lives and detractors saying it would enable drug addiction. (Thompson, 6/30)


Bay Area News Group:
Mosquitos With West Nile Virus Found In Milpitas

Insecticide spraying will occur in parts of Milpitas on Thursday night after public health officials discovered mosquitos with West Nile virus. The affected areas include the central and western regions of Milpitas, according to a map provided by the health department. (Greschler, 6/30)


The New York Times:
One Dead And 22 Have Been Hospitalized In Listeria Outbreak Tied To Florida 

One person has died and 22 people have been hospitalized in a listeria outbreak, with most of the infected people having been in Florida about a month before they became sick, the federal authorities said Thursday. A food source has not been identified as the cause of the outbreak, which has sickened people across 10 states from January 2021 through June 12, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement. (Patel, 6/30)


AP:
Navy Report: Multiple Errors Poisoned Pearl Harbor Water

A Navy investigation released Thursday revealed that shoddy management and human error caused fuel to leak into Pearl Harbor’s tap water last year, poisoning thousands of people and forcing military families to evacuate their homes for hotels. (McAvoy, 7/1)


Cincinnati Enquirer:
Breast Cancer Bill Passes In Ohio, Will Rest Of Country Follow?

Dense breast tissue affects about 1 in 10 women, according to the Mayo Clinic. Just over 40% of women aged 40 and over have dense breast tissue show up on mammograms making it harder to detect cancer. And in Ohio, many additional screenings outside of a mammogram, including magnetic resonance imaging, weren’t covered by insurance. That changed last week. (Sutherland, 6/30)


AP:
Appeals Court Won’t Block New Health Facilities For Jail 

A federal appeals court Thursday upheld an order that the city of New Orleans build new facilities for people jailed with mental health and medical needs. … The jail, known as the Orleans Justice Center, is under court oversight as it works to implement improvements under an agreement, approved in 2013, to settle a 2012 lawsuit over dangerous conditions. (6/30)


CIDRAP:
CDC Reports More Unexplained Hepatitis Cases In Kids

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) yesterday said the number of pediatric unexplained hepatitis cases in the United States has risen to 320, up from the 296 it reported earlier this week in an interim finding report. The number of affected states or jurisdictions remained at 42. (6/30)


The Hill:
Uber Report Details Thousands Of Sexual Assault Claims On Platform Amid Pandemic 

Uber received 3,824 sexual assault reports from its U.S. rides in 2019-20, a decline of 38 percent from the previous two years, according to a safety report the company released Thursday. The company said the decline could be in part related to the impacts of the pandemic, citing a drop from 2.3 billion rides in 2017-18 to 2.1 billion rides in 2019-20, but also hailed its recent safety investments and strengthened background check requirements. (Schonfeld, 6/30)


Stat:
A Celldex Treatment Induces Symptom Relief In Patients With Chronic Hives

An experimental drug from Celldex Therapeutics induced complete symptom relief in half of patients with chronic and severe hives — study results that are still preliminary but suggest a new way to tamp down immune reactions that can trigger the debilitating skin condition. The new data also validate Celldex’s strategic decision, taken two years ago, to pivot to treatments for autoimmune disease, following multiple setbacks with cancer therapies. (Feuerstein, 6/30)


The New York Times:
North Korea Suggests ‘Alien Things’ From The South Brought Covid 

North Korea suggested on Friday that the coronavirus had entered the country on foreign objects from South Korea, saying that its first reported outbreak had begun in villages near the countries’ border after people there touched “alien things.” North Korea did not directly blame the outbreak on the South. But its State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters warned its people to “vigilantly deal with alien things” brought across the border by “balloons,” wind or “other climate phenomena.” (Sang-Hun, 7/1)


CIDRAP:
Monkeypox Soars In Europe, With More Than 4,000 Cases

New data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the World Health Organization European regional office shows the monkeypox outbreak in Europe has grown to 4,177 cases in less than 2 months, with the United Kingdom producing 25% of those cases. Germany has surpassed Spain and Portugal with a national total reaching 838 cases, compared to 736 cases in Spain and 365 in Portugal. France has 350 cases. (Soucheray, 6/30)


The Wall Street Journal:
Monkeypox’s Unusual Spread In Democratic Republic Of Congo Puzzles Researchers

Monkeypox, which has put the global health community on high alert since emerging recently in dozens of countries world-wide, is also confounding researchers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that has contended with the virus for decades. Researchers in the DRC say that the virus, which has been reported in the Central African nation since 1970, is being found in provinces where it had never before been seen. So far, they don’t know why. (Roland, 6/30)


This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.



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