The possible consequences for health care if the United States breaches the debt ceiling; skepticism follows proposal for over-the-counter birth control pill; North Carolina governor calls potential abortion ban harmful.
The Impact to Health Care if the US Government Defaults on Debt
If the US federal government breaches the debt ceiling, it could have disastrous consequences for health care, potentially affecting Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, according to Axios. If the government were to default, providers' bottom lines could suffer, which would ultimately result in patients facing more difficulties in receiving care. Despite these possibly alarming consequences, experts remain optimistic and expect that action will be taken before the deadline.
OTC Birth Control Pill Met With FDA Skepticism
In a document briefing, the FDA expressed skepticism about the possibility of switching a birth control pill from prescription to over-the-counter (OTC), according to NBC News. The assessment came ahead of a meeting scheduled for next week, where the agency's advisers will vote on whether to recommend selling a birth control pill called Opill over-the-counter. However, FDA staff is concerned about whether women can take the medication correctly, with missing doses being common, and whether the pill maker has provided sufficient data on the drug's effectiveness.
North Carolina Governor Vows to Veto Proposed 12-Week Abortion Ban
Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, has vowed to veto a proposed 12-week abortion ban in North Carolina, which he says would effectively put an end to most abortions in the state, according to Politico. The legislation, passed by the Republican-controlled General Assembly, would restrict abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy in addition to other restrictions. Cooper characterized the measure as harmful to women's health and hopes that at least 1 Republican would join him in preventing the measure from becoming law.
Study Highlights Significant Increases in Utilization, Spending on DMD Drugs in Medicaid
May 17th 2024The findings add to recent research on the growing utilization, expenditure, and prices of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) therapies in the current landscape, an area health care policy could potentially address.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Perioperative Nivolumab Boosts NSCLC Survival: CheckMate 77T Trial
May 16th 2024This interim analysis of the CheckMate 77T trial, outcomes were compared between adult patients receiving neoadjuvant nivolumab plus chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus placebo for resectable non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
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