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Google Agrees to Help Fund Journalism in CA California lawmakers reached a deal with Google that will provide about $250 million in public and private funding for newsrooms across the state over the...
MA Expands Access to Maternal Health Care Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy (D) signed legislation ( HB 4999 ) expanding access to maternal health services in the state. Among other things, the measure...
When the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law prohibiting state-authorized sports betting in May 2018 , it wasn’t just state legislatures that sprang into action. The fantasy sports behemoths...
AI Doomsday Bill Moves Closer to Passage in CA The California Assembly’s Appropriations Committee advanced a first-of-its kind bill ( SB 1047 ) aimed at preventing mass human casualties or property...
Bill Regulating PBMs Nearing Passage in CA California lawmakers are on track to pass a bill ( SB 966 ) in the coming weeks regulating pharmacy benefit managers. The measure would prohibit PBM practices...
The Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice are currently reviewing public comments on draft guidelines for cross-market mergers, including those in the healthcare sector, such as the planned merger by the end of this year of Saint Luke’s, the second-largest health system in Kansas City, Missouri, and BJC HealthCare, the largest health system in St. Louis.
Over half of the hospital mergers and acquisitions during the past decade have been cross-market deals, and 60% of health systems now operate hospitals in more than one geographic market. Such deals can increase patient costs. Researchers have found that cross-market merged hospitals in the same state raised prices 7-10% more than other hospitals.
In Missouri state officials could still intervene. Attorney General Andrew Bailey (R) is reviewing the merger and must approve it in order for it to close. (KFF HEALTH NEWS)
A bill (HB 5806) introduced in the U.S. House would prohibit chemical abortions. The measure, with 18 Republican sponsors as of late Thursday (10/5), comes on the 23rd anniversary of the abortion drug mifepristone—now the most common form of abortion nationwide—receiving FDA approval. (POLITICO, STATE NET)
Over 75,000 Kaiser Permanente support staff, lab technicians and other workers began a three-day strike last week after failing to reach a new contract agreement with the health system, which serves over 13 million people in eight states. Union leaders said it might be the largest healthcare worker strike in recent U.S. history. It also marks a shift in the health system’s relatively trouble-free relationship with its workers. (NEW YORK TIMES)
—Compiled by SNCJ Managing Editor KOREY CLARK
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