Category: The Health Law

A Plan to Cut Montana’s Medicaid Waiting List Was Met With Bipartisan Cheers. Then a Veto.

Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto disappointed and bewildered those seeking to address low-income residents’ long wait for assisted living or in-home care.

As Nonprofit Hospitals Reap Big Tax Breaks, States Scrutinize Their Required Charity Spending

Nonprofit hospitals avoid paying taxes if they provide community benefits such as charity care. More states are examining that trade-off, scrutinizing the extent of hospitals’ spending on their communities.

Idaho Drops Panel Investigating Pregnancy-Related Deaths as US Maternal Mortality Surges

Amid a years-long rise in maternal mortality rates in the United States, Idaho lawmakers decided to disband a committee created to investigate pregnancy-related deaths.

Malpractice Lawsuits Over Denied Abortion Care May Be on the Horizon

Physicians and attorneys say it’s a question of when — not if — a pregnant person dies from lack of care in a state with an abortion ban, potentially setting the stage for a malpractice lawsuit that could pressure providers to reconsider delaying or denying care.

California Says New Cigarettes Appear to Violate State’s Flavored Tobacco Ban

The attorney general is warning two tobacco companies, R.J. Reynolds and ITG Brands LLC, that their reformulated cigarettes appear to violate the state’s ban on flavored tobacco products, based on marketing materials. R.J. Reynolds said Thursday that its cigarettes comply with the law.

Tension Builds in Transgender Policy Debate in Montana

Two transgender lawmakers are trying to lay the groundwork for LGBTQ-friendly policies in a conservative state, but tensions are running high as the legislative session nears its end.

Gov. Newsom Wanted California to Cut Ties With Walgreens. Then Federal Law Got in the Way.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared that California would cut ties with Walgreens after the company said it would not distribute abortion pills in some states. But federal rules make it difficult for the state to unwind its Medicaid prescription drug agreement, which paid Walgreens $1.5 billion last year.

Judge’s Decision Would Make Some No-Cost Cancer Screenings a Thing of the Past

A U.S. District Court ruling overturned the section of the Affordable Care Act that makes preventive health services — from colonoscopies to diabetes screenings and more — available at no cost to consumers.

Banning Noncompete Contracts for Medical Staff Riles Hospitals

It’s about the money — on both sides — as arguments swirl about patient safety, rising prices, and paying back on-the-job training.

Temp Nurses Cost Hospitals Big During Pandemic. Lawmakers Are Now Mulling Limits.

Missouri is considering making it a felony to jack up temporary health care staffing prices during a statewide or national emergency. It’s one of at least 14 states looking to reel in travel nurse costs, after many hospitals struggled to pay for needed staffers earlier in the covid pandemic.