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(AP) — One day after Mississippi health officials told residents in the state’s capital that dangerous bacteria could be in their tap water, the state health department said Friday that city water was safe to consume. Mississippi health officials lifted their health advisory after a new round of test results did not find E. coli in Jackson's supply. The move came hours after Ted Henifin, Jackson’s interim water manager, said repeat samples taken from the city’s water system tested negative for E. coli. In a statement Friday, the health department stood by the initial test results and dismissed the idea that its lab had been contaminated. At news conferences on Thursday and Friday, Henifin said state officials refused to validate the lab results before issuing the boil-water notice.

Persons: JACKSON, Jackson, Ted Henifin, Henifin, ”, Dan Edney, Greg Flynn, Flynn, “, Flowood, ___ Michael Goldberg Organizations: Mississippi Department, Mississippi Department of Health, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: Miss, Mississippi, Flowood, Jackson, @mikergoldberg

☆ Your tax dollars are getting spent on weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, and the total is adding up
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementConnecticut was quick to experience the impact of weight loss drugs on its economy last year. Politico reported in November that the state's employee health plan was set to spend $30 million on drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Comptroller Sean Scanlon told BI that that was up from $8 million in 2020. Connecticut began testing out a method to offer those seeking weight loss drugs access to a program with online tools for weight management. In North Carolina, the State Health Plan has put a moratorium on new users of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.

Persons: Sean Scanlon, Scanlon, it's, Dale Folwell, Folwell, Shelby Livingston, Eli Lilly, that'll, Nik Modi Organizations: Service, Business, Bloomberg, Medicaid, Politico, BI, State, North, State Health, Novo Nordisk, Wall Street, University of Texas System, UT, RBC Capital Markets Locations: Connecticut, Wegovy, . Connecticut, North Carolina, Novo, Netherlands, United States

☆ Stephanie Armour — Senior Special Writer, Healthcare Policy at The Wall Street Journal
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Stephanie Armour | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Stephanie ArmourStephanie Armour is a senior special writer for health policy at The Wall Street Journal, where she covers such topics as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare, congressional health legislation, the opioid epidemic, and state health initiatives. A reporter for more than two decades, she has produced award-winning investigative projects on subjects including food safety, body brokering, and human trafficking. Stephanie also has written for Bloomberg and Bloomberg Businessweek, USA Today, The Des Moines Register, and The Daily Tribune in Ames, Iowa. Her journalism awards include a First Place Headliner Award from the Press Club of Atlantic City, a First Place Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and a First Place in Consumer Journalism Award from the National Press Club. She lives in Washington D.C. and has a degree in English from the University of Minnesota.

Persons: Stephanie Armour Stephanie Armour, Stephanie Organizations: Wall Street, Affordable, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Businessweek, USA, Des Moines Register, The Daily Tribune, Press, Sigma Delta Chi, Society of Professional Journalists, Consumer, National Press, Washington D.C, University of Minnesota Locations: Ames , Iowa, Atlantic City, Washington

A federal appeals court has paused enforcement of a federal government regulation that allows abortion providers to receive federal family planning money — but only in Ohio, where state health officials said the policy took money away from them. Since 1981, federal policy has changed several times regarding whether programs receiving family planning funds can provide abortions or refer patients to such services. Circuit Court of Appeals overruled that in a decision Thursday — but only as it applies to how the federal government distributes the grants in Ohio. And when that happened, the award to the state's health department decreased by $1.8 million. But a court blocked enforcement, and voters last month adopted an amendment to the state constitution enshrining the right to abortion.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, — Joan Larsen, Amul Thapar, Donald Trump —, Dave Yost, Karen Nelson Moore, Bill Clinton, Roe, Wade Organizations: Circuit, Republican, Ohio, Democratic, U.S, Supreme Locations: Ohio, U.S, Cincinnati

More than 8,000 people, mostly Native Hawaiians, perished at Kalaupapa, including Damien, who eventually contracted leprosy, later called Hansen’s disease. Damien’s love for Kalaupapa’s people was unconditional, said Barbara Jean Wajda of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. “They keep me like this, make me strong.”She enjoys when people visit and when the church brings pilgrims, she said. The walls of the sisters' house, Kalaupapa’s largest dwelling, are filled with photos of the sisters who worked on the settlement after Marianne. “And we both feel connected to the patients, to the land, to the saints who were here, declared and undeclared,” Wajda said.

Persons: Saint Damien of Molokai, Kalaupapa’s, Damien’s, ”, Lance Toyofuku, ” Kalaupapa, Father Damien, Mother Marianne —, Alicia Damien Lau, Damien, Joseph De Veuster, Saint Marianne, Patrick Killilea, “ Fr, Paddy, “ It’s, Philomena, Barbara Jean Wajda, Francis, Lau, ” Marianne Cope, Marianne, Tonata Lolesio, ” Lolesio, “, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva’s, Silva, didn’t, that’s, Wajda, Francis Church, she’s, Watanuki, ” Bishop Silva, ” Keani Rawlins, Fernandez, Mother Marianne, Marianne . Lau, Alicia, ” Wajda, ” They’ve Organizations: Toyota, National Park Service, St, Neumann, Sacred Hearts School, Honolulu Bishop, “, Associated Press, Maui County Council, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: KALAUPAPA, Hawaii, Kalaupapa, Molokai, Belgian, Hawaii’s, Honolulu, Belgium, Germany, Maui, Lahaina, American Samoa, Maui County

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia coalition that helps support a network of anti-abortion pregnancy centers in the state is receiving $1 million in taxpayer dollars to distribute to organizations committed to encouraging people not to end their pregnancies. The West Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition has been selected to manage the new West Virginia Mothers and Babies Support Program, the state department of health and human resources announced this week. Jim Justice earlier this year, officials said the program is intended to help support pregnant women and families following the passage of the state's near-total abortion ban in September 2022. As the West Virginia program's management agency, the West Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition will be required by law to establish qualification requirements for organizations to receive funding, advertise the program and contract with organizations for services. The West Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition will need to establish reporting requirements and an auditing procedure.

Persons: Jim Justice, Jenny Entsminger, ”, Matthew Christiansen Organizations: West Virginia, Virginia Pregnancy Center Coalition, GOP, Republican Gov, Pregnancy Center Coalition, Democratic, West Locations: CHARLESTON, W.Va, Virginia, West Virginia

☆ Fan dies at Taylor Swift show in sweltering Rio de Janeiro
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - A young Brazilian fan of U.S. singer Taylor Swift died in Rio de Janeiro on Friday night after falling ill inside the superstar's sweltering concert venue amid a record-breaking heatwave across large swathes of Brazil, prompting the government to mandate the provision of water during the tour. Swift said Benevides died "before my show" but Benevides' friends told local media that she became ill after the concert began. Swift is scheduled to perform in Rio on Saturday and Sunday followed by three shows in São Paulo between November 24 and 26. On Thursday, Rio's Christ the Redeemer statue welcomed Swift to town ahead of her first set of concerts. The more serious version is heat-stroke, when the body's core temperature goes above 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 degrees Celsius).

Persons: Taylor Swift, Ana Clara Benevides, Nilton Santos, T4F, Salgado, Swift, Benevides, I'm, Flavio Dino, Wadih Damous, Rio's, Marcela Ayres, Gabriel Stargardter, Jason Neely, Diane Craft Organizations: RIO DE, Nilton, Hospital, Justice, Twitter, National Consumer, Thomson Locations: RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazilian, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Rio, São Paulo

A sign is pictured outside an Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. Incretins are peptide-based drugs such as Mounjaro that mimic gut hormones to suppress appetite and stimulate insulin secretion. Lilly said it had announced investments of more than $11 billion in global manufacturing in the past three years. Major production sites that Lilly runs outside of its U.S. home market are in Ireland, France, Spain, Italy and China. The new Alzey site will employ up to 1,000 highly skilled workers such as engineers, technicians and scientists, said Lilly.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Lilly, Karl Lauterbach, Lauterbach, generics, Patrick Wingrove, Matthias Williams, Jason Neely, David Evans Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S ., Novo Nordisk, European Union, pharma, The U.S ., Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, Germany, Alzey, U.S, United States, Danish, Berlin, Fegersheim, France, European, Indiana , North Carolina, Limerick, Ireland, Spain, Italy, China, The U.S

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. The company declined to comment on the plans but news conferences are planned in Alzey, where sources say the plant will be built, and Berlin on Friday. Other people familiar with the plans told Reuters that at least 1,000 jobs would be created. Eli Lilly said it would unveil "far-reaching investment plans" at Friday's news conference, which will be attended by Germany's economy and health ministers. Mounjaro's success helped Lilly post a 37% gain in third-quarter revenues to $9.5 billion, topping Wall Street estimates.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, TSMC, Lilly's, Lilly, Rene Wagner, Klaus Lauer, Andreas Rinke, Ludwig Burger, Thomas Escritt, Madeline Chambers, Miranda Murray, Christina Fincher Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Basf, Reuters, BASF, U.S ., U.S, Intel, European Union, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, BERLIN, Germany, Alzey, Berlin, U.S, Ukraine, European, Indianapolis, Danish, Eisai

An Eli Lilly and Company pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is pictured at 50 ImClone Drive in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBERLIN, Nov 15 (Reuters) - U.S. pharma company Eli Lilly (LLY.N) plans an investment in the single-digit billion dollar range in a new plant in western Germany, people familiar with the matter told Reuters after the company called a news conference for Friday. Eli Lilly said it would unveil "far-reaching investment plans" at Friday's news conference, which will be attended by Germany's economy and health ministers. Mounjaro's success helped Lilly post a 37% gain in third-quarter revenues to $9.5 billion, topping Wall Street estimates. The group's market value has ballooned to around $580 billion, up more than 65% so far this year.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Mounjaro, TSMC, Lilly's, Lilly, Rene Wagner, Klaus Lauer, Ludwig Burger, Thomas Escritt, Chizu Nomiyama, Jane Merriman Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Rights, . pharma, Reuters, U.S ., U.S, Intel, European Union, Novo Nordisk, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, Germany, Rhineland, Palatinate, U.S, Ukraine, European, Indianapolis, Danish, Eisai

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York is requiring state health officials to develop an outreach program to educate parents and doctors about the harmful impacts of medically unnecessary treatments performed on young children born intersex. Advocates for the statewide legislation say the medically unnecessary operations on infants and young children born intersex come with a slew of potential negative impacts that parents and doctors must be aware of. Various health and human rights organizations, including the Physicians for Human Rights, a U.S.-based nonprofit that advocates against human rights violations around the world, in the past have called for an end to the medical treatments. A majority of advocacy groups estimate that there are about 5.6 million people in the United States who were born intersex, according to The Associated Press. In California, a majority of state lawmakers rejected a bill in 2020 that would have banned some medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children until they are old enough to participate in the decision.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Rebecca Seawright Organizations: —, New, Council, Physicians for Human Rights, Physicians, Human, Associated Press, American Locations: ALBANY, N.Y, — New York, New York, U.S, United States, California

More than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022 — 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. The 2022 count was the most in more than 30 years, CDC officials said, and in more than half of the congenital syphilis cases, the mothers tested positive during pregnancy but did not get properly treated. The rise in congenital syphilis comes despite repeated warnings by public health agencies and it’s tied to the surge in primary and secondary cases of syphilis in adults, CDC officials said. It’s also been increasingly difficult for medical providers to get benzathine penicillin injections — the main medical weapon against congenital syphilis — because of supply shortages. Nearly 40% of last year’s congenital syphilis cases involved mothers who didn't have prenatal care, the CDC said.

Persons: it’s, It’s, Laura Bachmann, “, Mike Saag, ”, Nina Ragunanthan, ___ Hunter, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Federal, Associated, University of Alabama, OB, Delta Health Center, Pfizer, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Illinois, Birmingham, Mound Bayou , Mississippi, Atlanta

Federal health officials are expanding an investigation into potentially lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon fruit puree marketed for children amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls. WanaBana of Coral Gables, Florida, previously recalled of all lots and expiration dates of its apple cinnamon fruit puree. State health officials analyzed multiple lots of the product and detected “extremely high” concentrations of lead. The FDA's Coordinated Outbreak Response and Evaluation Network is leading the investigation in cooperation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health officials. Most children have no obvious symptoms, so it’s important that kids who are exposed get tested to check levels of lead in their blood.

Persons: Louis Organizations: U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Schnucks, St, Weis Markets, FDA, Eatwell Markets, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, Sunbury , Pennsylvania, Coral Gables , Florida, Schnucks, North Carolina

☆ California healthcare provider's move shows pitfalls of Medicare Advantage
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Mark Miller | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

But Part D prescription drug or Medicare Advantage coverage should be reviewed. Medicare Advantage enrollment has grown quickly over the past decade, partly due to its all-in-one features and lower upfront costs. Medicare Advantage plans can drop healthcare providers from their networks - and that happens when providers and insurers cannot agree on contract terms. The Scripps decision marks a new twist: healthcare systems deciding to drop out of Medicare Advantage. During the annual enrollment period, it is possible to drop Medicare Advantage in favor of traditional, fee-for-service Medicare.

Persons: Scripps, Chris Van Gorder, ”, “, Sophie Exdell, Medigap, Exdell, Mark Miller, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Scripps Health, Diego, Medicare, Scripps, Health Insurance, Program, Reuters, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, Southern California, San Diego, Connecticut, Maine , Massachusetts, New York, In California

Doctors across the country say it’s rare that migrants receive medical screenings or anything beyond care for medical emergencies when they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border, and there’s no overarching national system to track the care, either. You have these little islands of shelter,” said Deliana Garcia, of the nonprofit Migrant Clinicians Network, which supported more than 1,000 migrants in need of medical care in the first 10 months of this year. The challenges of careMigrants face a lack of access to steady medical care in the U.S., as well as healthy food and stable housing. Some avoid asking for help entirely out of fear of a large bill or longstanding distrust of the medical system. The shelter system in Massachusetts is so full that the governor brought in the National Guard in August to assist.

Persons: Julio Figuera, he’d, Figuera, ”, Deliana Garcia, “, anyone’s, Craig Williams, Cook, we’ve, Steve Federico, they’re, Federico, ” Federico, Jon Ewing, Ewing, Doctors, they’ve, Garcia, Ted Long, Stephanie Lee, who'd, Lee, ” Lee, Fiona Danaher, Danaher, Brigham, Sophia Tareen, Jesse Bedayn, Shastri, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: International, Network, Border Patrol, Associated Press, Denver, New York City Health, Denver Health, New York, Penn State, National Institutes of Health, National Guard, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: Cook County, Chicago, Venezuela, United States, U.S, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, New York City, Denver, Massachusetts, Milwaukee

For more than a year, the Environmental Protection Agency investigated whether Louisiana officials discriminated against Black residents by putting them at increased cancer risk. As attorney general, Landry fought the EPA’s investigation. Health officials, for example, wanted the unilateral power to decide if and when they had to do the EPA-proposed analysis. The AP reviewed a draft agreement edited by state health officials and sent to EPA in May, reflecting negotiations at the time. It has not reviewed any draft agreement that would show what Louisiana's environmental agency might have been willing to accept.

Persons: Biden, Eric Schaeffer, it’s, Schaeffer, Republican Jeff Landry, Landry, Deena Tumeh, Tumeh, “, ”, ” Tumeh, Kevin Litten, VI, Sharon, Lavigne, James, Michael Regan, It's, Stacey Sublett Halliday, Beveridge, Diamond, ” Sublett Halliday Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, The Associated Press, EPA’s, Civil, Louisiana, Republican, EPA, Louisiana Department of Environmental, Louisiana Department of Health, Health, AP, Cancer, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation Locations: Louisiana, chloroprene, St

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning parents and caregivers not to buy or serve certain pureed fruit pouches marketed to toddlers and young children because the food might contain dangerous levels of lead. Children who have eaten WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit puree pouches should be tested for possible lead poisoning, the agency said. Four children in North Carolina were found to have high levels of lead in their blood linked to the puree products, health officials said. Lead exposure can seriously harm children's health, causing damage to the brain and nervous system and slowed growth and development. There is no known safe level of lead exposure, the AAP said.

Organizations: . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Sam's, Amazon, American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: North Carolina, Coral Gables , Florida

☆ Fruit Purée Pouches May Contain Lead, F.D.A. Warns Parents
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Rebecca Carballo | More About Rebecca Carballo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Federal health officials are warning parents and caregivers not to buy WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit purée pouches or feed them to their children because the product may contain elevated levels of lead. Children who have had the fruit pouches should be taken to a health care provider to get a blood test, the Food and Drug Administration said on Saturday. North Carolina health officials analyzed multiple samples of the fruit purée and detected “extremely high concentrations of lead,” the agency added. reviewed the findings and said that those lead levels “could result in acute toxicity.”The fruit purée pouches are sold nationally and are available through multiple retailers including Sam’s Club, Amazon and Dollar Tree. WanaBana, based in Coral Gables, Fla., agreed to voluntarily recall all WanaBana apple cinnamon fruit purée pouches, regardless of the expiration date.

Organizations: Food and Drug Administration, Sam’s Locations: North Carolina, . North Carolina, Coral Gables, Fla

The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a statewide vote in August 2022 decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. Jayaram concluded that the restrictions now on hold violate a patient's right to bodily autonomy. A law that took effect July 1 required abortion providers to tell their patients that a medication abortion can be stopped using a regimen touted by anti-abortion groups. Abortion opponents argued repeatedly before the August 2022 vote that without a change in the state constitution, all existing abortion restrictions could be at risk. The state Supreme Court is reviewing a 2015 law banning the most common second-trimester procedure and a 2011 law imposing tougher health and safety requirements only for abortion providers.

Persons: Judge K, Christopher Jayaram's, ” Jayaram, ”, Emily Wales, Jackson, Caleb Dalton, Jayaram, “, Alice Wang, Roe, Wade, Danielle Underwood, John Hanna Organizations: Judge, U.S, Constitution, Utah Supreme, Alliance Defending, Republican, GOP, Kansas, Center for Reproductive Rights, Alliance Locations: TOPEKA, Kan, Kansas, Johnson County, Kansas City, U.S ., Dobbs v, Texas, Utah, ” Kansas

A fishing boat sails past the Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess cruise ship as it docks in Manila Bay during the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Cavite city, Philippines, May 7, 2020. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Carnival Corp's (CCL.N) Australian unit has been ordered to pay the medical expenses of a woman who contracted COVID-19, with a judge ruling that the cruise ship operator misled passengers about safety risks in a landmark class action ruling. The decision from Australia's Federal Court is the first class action win against a cruise ship operator in the world, according to Shine Lawyers, who represent about 1,000 Australian plaintiffs in the suit. Legal filings show the operator denied it knew before the voyage that the risk of contracting COVID was higher on a cruise ship than in the community. The number of plaintiffs could also grow should Australia's High Court rule that some 700 U.S. passengers can be included in the class action.

Persons: Eloisa Lopez, COVID, Angus Stewart, Susan Karpik, Henry, Henry Karpik's, Vicky Antzoulatos, Karpik's, Karpik didn’t, Antzoulatos, Lewis Jackson, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Princess Cruises, REUTERS, Rights, Federal, Shine Lawyers, Carnival, Carnival Australia, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Manila Bay, Cavite city, Philippines, Carnival Australia, Sydney, New Zealand, New South Wales

“Partial-birth abortion” is a non-medical term for a procedure known as dilation and extraction, or D&X, which is already federally prohibited. “It would allow a partial-birth abortion,” Ohio Gov. “If the federal law prohibits a particular technique, then that’s going to prevail over a state law that might be inconsistent,” he said. DeWine was serving in the U.S. Senate when the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act was passed in 2003. “‘Partial-birth abortion’ is a made-up term that only serves to create confusion and stigmatize abortion later in pregnancy,” she said.

Persons: hasn't, ”, Mike DeWine, we’ve, —, Dan Kobil, Jonathan Entin, DeWine, George W, Bush, Dan Tierney, Kobil, it’s “, Dave Yost, “, he’s, Kelsey Pritchard, Susan B, Anthony Pro, Amy Natoce, ” Mae Winchester, “ ‘, ’, “ It’s, it’s, Martin Haskell, Haskell, Mike Gonidakis, ” Haskell, Kellie Copeland, ” Ohio hasn’t, Pritchard, Christine Fernando Organizations: Republicans, ”, ” Ohio Gov, Capital University, Constitution, Case Western State University, “, Supreme, U.S . Senate, U.S, Republican, The Ohio, America, Biden Administration, Protect Women, Ohio, Ohioans United, Reproductive Rights, Health Department, Associated Press Locations: COLUMBUS , Ohio, Ohio, U.S, ” Ohio, Columbus, U.S ., The, Protect Women Ohio, Cleveland, Chicago

ATLANTA (AP) — The state of Georgia will start paying for gender-affirming health care for state employees, public school teachers and former employees covered by a state health insurance plan, settling another in a string of lawsuits against Georgia agencies aiming to force them to pay for gender-confirmation surgery and other procedures. The December lawsuit argued the insurance plan illegally discriminated by refusing to pay for gender-affirming care. But Brown said Thursday's settlement requires the health plan to pay for care deemed medically necessary for spouses and dependents as well as employees. That means the health plan could be required to pay for care for minors outside the state even though it's prohibited in Georgia. “The plan can’t treat the care any differently from other care that’s not available in the state,” Brown said.

Persons: “, ” David Brown, Micha Rich, Benjamin Johnson, Brown, it's, ” Brown, John Doe, ” Rich, Jeff Amy Organizations: ATLANTA, State, of Community Health, Civil, University, Georgia, University of Georgia, Department of Community Health, Circuit, Appeals, Georgia Department, School District, Family, Children Services, U.S, Opportunity Commission Locations: Georgia, Atlanta, Clayton County, Houston, Houston County, U.S, Bibb, Macon ., Paulding County, North Carolina, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Iowa, Florida, Arizona

Andreswd | E+ | Getty ImagesMedicare beneficiaries have until Dec. 7 to change their Medicare health and prescription drug coverage for the coming year through open annual enrollment. Starting in 2024, people who face high prescription drug costs will not have to pay anything out of pocket once they hit the catastrophic phase of their benefits, she noted, thanks to new prescription drug legislation. Notably, Medicare beneficiaries who take insulin currently do not have to pay more than $35 per month for covered prescriptions. There are other reasons why Medicare beneficiaries should pay attention to the annual enrollment period this year. Medicare open enrollment is when beneficiaries can shop around for health plans or prescription drug coverage that better meet their needs.

Persons: Meena Seshamani, Seshamani, Darren Hotton, Hotton, that's, Catherine, There's Organizations: Getty, Center, Medicare, Centers, Services, National Council, Aging, Insurance, State Health Insurance Locations: Catherine Falls, Medicare.gov, ShipHelp.org, Utah

The North Carolina lawsuit closely follows the playbook of other successful court challenges to gender-affirming care bans that have swept Republican-controlled states this year. Other plaintiffs include a North Carolina family physician who serves transgender patients and several local and national LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations. Jean Fischer Brinkley, a spokesperson for the North Carolina Medical Board, declined a request for comment. North Carolina law also prohibits using state funds to support the provision of gender-affirming care. “When I say that gender-affirming care can be lifesaving, that is not hyperbole.

Persons: Omar Gonzalez, Republican supermajorities, ”, Alex Sheldon, Jean Fischer Brinkley, Thomas Mansfield, Dr, Riley Smith, Smith, ” Smith, “ Organizations: North, Republican, Lambda, Democratic, Lambda Legal, National Health, GLMA, Health, Republican General Assembly, North Carolina Medical Board, North Carolina, Health Plan, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, Endocrine Society Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, North Carolina, Arkansas, . North Carolina

The U.S. government in May ended the COVID public health emergency declaration during which it bought the shots and provided them to all Americans for free. In the current privatized system, health insurance plans by law must cover the shots at no cost. McKesson (MCK.N), one of the largest U.S. wholesalers, said it has distributed over 3.8 million shots so far. "Health insurance providers continue to educate Americans about where and how to get their COVID vaccines within their plan’s coverage," David Allen, a spokesperson for insurance lobby group AHIP said. Now that the government is no longer footing the bill for their vaccine supply, pharmacy owners need to pay for the shots.

Persons: Kate MacDowell, MacDowell, Kaiser, David Allen, AHIP, David Kohll, James Daily, he's, Suzanne Berman, Michael Erman, Ahmed Aboulenein, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Pfizer, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, Kaiser Permanente, COVID, Moderna, CVS, Walmart, Walgreens, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Cardinal Health, Reuters, Kohll's Pharmacy, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Portland , Oregon, Oregon, California, Nebraska, Readington , New Jersey, Crossville , Tennessee, New York, Washington

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