Category: Public Health

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: SCOTUS Rejects Abortion Pill Challenge — For Now 

The Supreme Court has dismissed a challenge to the FDA’s 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 KFF Health News, and Emmarie Huetteman of KFF Health News join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF president and CEO Drew Altman about KFF’s new “Health Policy 101” primer.

Funding Instability Plagues Program That Brings Docs to Underserved Areas

A medical residency program designed to train future primary care physicians in outpatient rather than hospital settings has proved an effective means to bring doctors to rural and underserved areas. But it hinges on unpredictable congressional funding.

National Academies propose new long COVID definition

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has proposed a more precise definition of long COVID-19.

Costly GLP-1 Drugs are Rarely Covered for Weight Loss by Marketplace Plans

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans rarely cover GLP-1 drugs approved solely for obesity treatment, according to a new KFF analysis of 2024 federal plan data. Wegovy, a drug that is approved for weight loss, is covered by just 1% of Marketplace…

Insurer Strategies to Control Costs Associated with Weight Loss Drugs

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace plans rarely cover GLP-1 drugs approved solely for obesity treatment, according to a an analysis of 2024 federal plan data. Wegovy, a drug that is approved for weight loss, is covered by just 1% of Marketplace pres…

Many Young Adults Who Began Vaping as Teens Can’t Shake the Habit

New data on substance use among young adults suggests that many former teen e-cigarette users are continuing the habit.

Biden Plan to Save Medicare Patients Money on Drugs Risks Empty Shelves, Pharmacists Say

President Joe Biden is campaigning for reelection on his efforts to cut costs for Medicare patients at the pharmacy counter. But independent pharmacists say one strategy makes it unaffordable for them to keep some brand-name medicines in stock.

Biden Plan to Save Medicare Patients Money on Drugs Risks Empty Shelves, Pharmacists Say

President Joe Biden is campaigning for reelection on his efforts to cut costs for Medicare patients at the pharmacy counter. But independent pharmacists say one strategy makes it unaffordable for them to keep some brand-name medicines in stock.

Bird Flu Tests Are Hard To Get. So How Will We Know When To Sound the Pandemic Alarm?

If widely used, flu tests could be helpful now. In the meantime, the government needs to clear a path for H5N1 tests, researchers warn, to avoid the early missteps of the covid pandemic.

Bird Flu Tests Are Hard To Get. So How Will We Know When To Sound the Pandemic Alarm?

If widely used, flu tests could be helpful now. In the meantime, the government needs to clear a path for H5N1 tests, researchers warn, to avoid the early missteps of the covid pandemic.