Nostr notes by Bich Nguyen

"But a flat resistance to any type of [Medicaid] expansion ...

2026-11-11T02:22:01Z

"But a flat resistance to any type of [Medicaid] expansion may now be a tougher position to hold onto. The minimum wage has been frozen at $7.25 for 17 years, not everyone’s employer offers health insurance and voters’ frustrations over their rising cost of living is viewed as a major driver in last week’s stunning partisan flip."

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/11/09/texas-medicaid-expansion-gina-hinojosa/

#healthcare #insurance #ACA #obamacare #medicaid #texas #txlege #midterms #elections

"After the review, the VA told him it had committed errors ...

2026-11-10T22:55:02Z

"After the review, the VA told him it had committed errors collecting medical evidence – failing its legal “duty-to-assist” veterans in preparing their claims. Leger eventually received monthly compensation for some of his rejected claims, he said.

Leger’s experience has become more common as the VA has increasingly used automation to gather veterans’ records and summarize medical evidence ahead of claims determinations."

https://apnews.com/article/veterans-affairs-automation-medical-claims-752bf78e1cb509f6771b66e577312065

#healthcare #VA #veterans #technology #HealthIT

"This country owes a debt to the thousands of local and ...

2026-11-06T19:31:21Z

"This country owes a debt to the thousands of local and national Black organizers, students, leaders, institutions, creators, journalists, and neighbors who have helped (and continue to help) bring democracy back from the brink and slow the threat of autocracy. Here are a few of the groups that must be highlighted and funded..."
https://www.thecut.com/article/2026-midterms-blue-wave-black-voters-organizations.html

#BlackMastodon #CivicEngagement #organizing #voting #midterms #elections #USpol

"Reporters have heard from more than 130 people across the ...

2026-10-28T01:22:01Z

"Reporters have heard from more than 130 people across the U.S. who are trying to afford their premiums, copayments, prescriptions, and medical bills even as housing, energy, and food costs swell. People told us they are forgoing health insurance coverage, rationing their medications, cutting back on doctor visits, and putting off health procedures."

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/priced-out-healthcare-costs-medical-debt-insurance-disability-chronic-conditions/

#healthcare #ACA #obamacare #insurance #MedicalDebt #CostsOfCare #USpol

"A powerful, free Flock surveillance-tracking platform is now ...

2026-10-25T21:55:01Z

"A powerful, free Flock surveillance-tracking platform is now hosted by Proton, the creator of Proton Mail and Proton VPN. The move provides extra technical and legal protection for the interactive mapping tool, which Flock has repeatedly attempted to shut down through legal threats."

https://www.cnet.com/news/privacy/proton-hosts-flock-surveillance-map/

#PublicSafety #surveillance #cameras #privacy

"Refugees. Sex-trafficking victims. People fleeing war. ...

2026-10-25T15:03:11Z

"Refugees. Sex-trafficking victims. People fleeing war. They’re among the hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the country legally who no longer qualify for Medicaid. The change, in effect since Oct. 1, is part of the 2025 Republican tax law, which cuts Medicaid spending by an estimated $900 billion through 2034."

https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/wamu-health-hub-medicaid-legal-immigrants-lose-coverage-gop-law/

#PublicHealth #medicaid #insurance #immigration #refugees #asylum #RuralHealth #USpol #audio

"Ending the practice of immunizing all newborns against ...

2026-10-22T01:22:01Z

"Ending the practice of immunizing all newborns against hepatitis B, as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has recommended, would sharply increase the number of chronic infections and put more than half of Americans at risk of the disease by age 20, according to a new study published on Monday."

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/19/health/hepatitis-b-vaccine-kennedy.html

Original research paywalled: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-02135

#PublicHealth #HepatitisB #vaccines #immunizations #ChildrensHealth #HHS #ACIP

"NPR's investigation finds that stores selling skincare ...

2026-10-19T18:31:05Z

"NPR's investigation finds that stores selling skincare products purchased from Mazal Group have routinely pressured shoppers, including older adults and people with disabilities, into buying expensive skincare products and services they did not want, could not afford or tried to refuse."

https://www.npr.org/2026/10/14/nx-s1-5550974/skincare-scheme-mazal-group-investigation

#skincare #beauty #investigation #aging #disabilities #scam #fraud #business

"Since assuming office in 2015, Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 ...

2026-10-12T01:22:01Z

"Since assuming office in 2015, Paxton has taken nearly 1,000 trips with a state-funded security detail, costing $3.3 million. The newsrooms’ review of Paxton’s travel records, obtained through the state’s Public Information Act, could only connect 138 of those trips and $553,000 in security costs to state business."

Why local journalism is so important!

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/10/09/ken-paxton-travel-costs/

#texas #elections #USpol #ethics #fraud #waste #misuse #journalism #investigation

"Loss of life in the weeks following an infection is just one ...

2026-10-09T18:31:02Z

"Loss of life in the weeks following an infection is just one of the devastating outcomes of measles. But even a relatively mild case of measles can result in long-term health consequences that are painful and devastating. These include acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), immune amnesia, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)."

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/measles-can-cast-long-shadow-even-after-apparent-full-recovery

#PublicHealth #vaccines #immunizations #ChildrensHealth #disabilities

"The U.S. measles outbreak continues to grow, with 3,887 ...

2026-10-08T18:31:01Z

"The U.S. measles outbreak continues to grow, with 3,887 cases reported nationwide in 2026, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2026/10/06/us-measles-outbreak-grows-track-cases/92057874007/

#PublicHealth #measles #vaccines #immunizations #outbreak #CDC

"Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has frequently ...

2026-10-01T15:04:33Z

"Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has frequently advised Americans not to trust medical experts, said on Tuesday that artificial intelligence can offer patients 'a second opinion that is much better informed than any doctor in the country' and has the power to 'free us from medical tyranny.'"

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/29/health/maha-summit-kennedy-vance.html

#PublicHealth #HHS #USpol #MAHA #AI #technology #FDA #business #ethics

"President Trump’s rush to deport as many immigrants as ...

2026-09-30T16:55:01Z

"President Trump’s rush to deport as many immigrants as possible is creating a new family-separation crisis. Whereas his first administration took children from their parents at the border to deter illegal crossings, the second is separating families living in the United States as part of a purge."

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/11/trump-ice-family-separation/688695/

#PublicHealth #immigration #detention #deportation #ChildrensHealth #MentalHealth #trauma #longread

"A group of Senate Democrats questioned whether Health and ...

2026-09-29T15:03:09Z

"A group of Senate Democrats questioned whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. potentially concealed an agreement to collect money from a settlement with a vaccine manufacturer despite pledging to divest from the lawsuit."

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6112311-kennedy-hhs-vaccine-lawsuit-democrats-doubt/

#PublicHealth #vaccines #immunizations #HHS #ethics

"President Trump’s surgeon general nominee reported ...

2026-09-12T16:55:01Z

"President Trump’s surgeon general nominee reported investments in the tobacco company Philip Morris International as well as beverage companies Monster Beverage Corp., Coca Cola Co. and Pepsi Co., according to financial disclosures released Thursday."
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6083278-trump-surgeon-general-nominee-tobacco-drug-investments/

#PublicHealth #SurgeonGeneral #ethics #COI #USpol

"Anthropic says it has blocked multiple accounts that used ...

2026-09-12T01:22:01Z

"Anthropic says it has blocked multiple accounts that used the company’s artificial intelligence models in ways that could support the development of biological weapons."

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/10/health/anthropic-bioweapons-report

#PublicHealth #AI #technology #bioterrorism #PublicSafety #research #ethics

"Experts have serious doubts about the study’s findings and ...

2026-09-09T01:22:01Z

"Experts have serious doubts about the study’s findings and major ethical objections to its methodology. They say that it builds on previous pseudoscience about trans people and, ultimately, they are concerned about how the Trump administration plans to use it."

https://19thnews.org/2026/09/hhs-study-trump-transgender-political-violence/

#PublicHealth #HHS #lgbtq #transgender #research #ethics #pseudoscience #misinformation #disinformation

"On Aug. 31, the Trump administration moved to make it easier ...

2026-09-08T18:31:02Z

"On Aug. 31, the Trump administration moved to make it easier for states to place disabled and elderly people in institutions. To appease a lawsuit from several Republican-led states, government lawyers told a federal judge they were willing to erase a 50-year-old provision requiring federal funds be used to care for people in their homes, whenever possible."

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/investigations/2026/09/07/disability-rights-undermined-by-trump-doj-as-georgia-man-seeks-freedom-under-olmstead/91584075007/

#PublicHealth #healthcare #disabilities #medicaid #medicare #SSI #housing #courts #SCOTUS

"Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, reported ...

2026-09-06T18:31:01Z

"Paxton, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, reported owning seven homes but said he earned no income from any. Yet all but one was listed for rent during the reporting periods, and some current residents and neighbors at those addresses confirmed that the properties were rented, the news organizations found. Receiving income and not reporting it is a violation of federal disclosure law, three ethics experts said."

https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/04/texas-ken-paxton-personal-financial-disclosures-ethics-law-us-senate-race/

#USpol #texas #USsenate #elections #ethics

"In a strategic retreat in the fight against climate change, ...

2026-09-04T18:31:01Z

"In a strategic retreat in the fight against climate change, the United Nations has acknowledged that Earth has lost its chance to prevent some of the worst of global warming's harms. So now the world must figure out how to get temperatures below the danger zone and back to safety, officials say."

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/global-warming-will-exceed-1-5-degree-limit-un-says-in-report-that-maps-path-back-below-danger-zone

#PublicHealth #climate #weather #environment

"Students are spending a lot of time learning to be thieves ...

2026-08-30T16:55:02Z

"Students are spending a lot of time learning to be thieves nowadays, and once they receive their dubious diplomas, they will enter the 'real world' with all the qualities of a criminal syndicate: a knack for cutting corners, a disdain for community rules, and an assumption that a spirit of integrity, and the sacrifices it assumes, is the reserve of suckers and wimps. We will be a society of cheats."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/08/ai-use-college-cheat/688451/

#PublicHeath #education #AI #ethics #morals #integrity #corruption

"The proportion of women never screened for cervical cancer ...

2026-08-29T18:31:01Z

"The proportion of women never screened for cervical cancer increased by more than 5% per year from 2005 to 2023, a cross-sectional study showed...Of note, rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among women ages 21 to 29 ranged from 5.7% in 2008 to 54% in 2019.

Taken together, these results highlight 'substantial missed opportunities for both primary and secondary prevention,' Sonawane and team noted."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/obgyn/cervicalcancer/122796

#healthcare #PrimaryCare #prevention #cancer #screening

"The new Amendment 3 on the November ballot shows how ...

2026-08-22T16:55:01Z

"The new Amendment 3 on the November ballot shows how Republicans, using misleading language, a carefully chosen distraction and even a recycled name, are trying to undo one of those defeats. In 2024, a yes vote on Amendment 3 protected abortion rights. In November, voters will again be asked to vote yes on Amendment 3 — this time to take them away."

https://www.propublica.org/article/missouri-abortion-gender-transition-minors-amendment-3 via ProPublica (npub1qmg…s6k5)

#healthcare #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #abortion #lgbtq #transgender #elections #missouri

"While the executive order released Aug. 10 does not directly ...

2026-08-18T01:22:02Z

"While the executive order released Aug. 10 does not directly mention autism, Trump’s demand to limit vaccine recommendations has puzzled leading medical groups, doctors, and political analysts alike. The directive landed less than 90 days before midterm elections, which Trump’s own pollsters have warned could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine rhetoric."

https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/autism-vaccines-rfk-trump-childhood-schedule-changes-debunked-link/

#PublicHealth #vaccines #immunizations #ChildrensHealth #misinformation #autism #HHS #USpol

"His experience in and out of the hospice system revealed ...

2026-08-15T21:55:02Z

"His experience in and out of the hospice system revealed surprising lessons about how families can manage care. And getting removed from hospice revealed a little-known process that can represent a welcome respite for families like ours — but can be devastating for patients with serious chronic illnesses."

https://kffhealthnews.org/aging/hospice-eligibility-rebound-guide-discharge-appeals/

#healthcare #insurance #aging #hospice #LongTermCare

I had not heard that from civil engineers. Now I'm going to ...

2026-08-14T22:47:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…6ent
_________________________

I had not heard that from civil engineers. Now I'm going to have to think about it!

This week local schools went back into session and the traffic was crazy. Even outbound, no accidents...I did not understand why.

"Cycling advocates worry regulations might be too broad — ...

2026-08-14T21:55:01Z

"Cycling advocates worry regulations might be too broad — demonizing low-powered e-bikes instead of speedier motos — while some parents question whether localized, piecemeal strategies are enough."

https://apnews.com/article/ebikes-children-safety-laws-injuries-accidents-51e6f9bc6c5a6a6b532ab98bac02da9d

#PublicHealth #ebikes #ChildrensHealth #PublicSafety

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s plan to give ...

2026-08-14T15:03:10Z

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s plan to give officers gloves that deliver painful electric shocks faced criticism Wednesday from Democratic elected officials and civil rights advocates, who called it unnecessary and cruel."

https://apnews.com/article/ice-electric-shock-gloves-016e15e31c5dac5cc253d32b4734dd2a

#PublicHealth #immigration #ICE #violence

Imagine how much further we'd be in containing this if we ...

2026-08-11T22:57:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…qspj
_________________________

Imagine how much further we'd be in containing this if we were still supporting international public health programs like USAID, CDC surveillance, and the WHO.

"The kind of care [midwife] Gramby offers is important ...

2026-08-11T21:55:01Z

"The kind of care [midwife] Gramby offers is important because more than 52% of counties in the U.S. do not have hospital-based labor and delivery services, according to the latest March of Dimes 'Nowhere to Go' report on maternity care deserts, out Tuesday."

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/11/nx-s1-5678523/maternity-desert-birth-midwife-black-moms-babies

#healthcare #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #midwives #hospitals #BlackMastodon #disparities

"At least 2,000 people have died in Congo’s Ebola outbreak, ...

2026-08-11T15:03:54Z

"At least 2,000 people have died in Congo’s Ebola outbreak, the fastest-growing on record, according to the latest data, as health authorities struggle to get help to remote localities due to rebel conflict, bad roads and work stoppages over payment issues."

https://apnews.com/article/congo-ebola-outbreak-2316ac0838e4383ea443584adc267136

#PublicHealth #ebola #outbreak #GlobalHealth #congo #WHO

"My advice to someone that is new to the blind, low-vision ...

2026-08-10T01:22:01Z

"My advice to someone that is new to the blind, low-vision community is to seek help and seek community. Find your local organization that will give you the necessary skills to feel independent and empowered. And after that, you find the nearest blind sports program to invest in your body, your mind, and your spirit," Glanton says.

https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/blind-baseball-player-bronze-medalist-49481413

#sports #athletes #blind #LowVision #disabilities

Is this...a joke? They don't seem to have a sense of humor so ...

2026-08-09T13:58:18Z

In reply to nevent1q…pdm0
_________________________

Is this...a joke? They don't seem to have a sense of humor so me thinks not....

"NIOSH researchers found that working veteran underground ...

2026-08-06T15:02:47Z

"NIOSH researchers found that working veteran underground coal miners in central Appalachia are suffering from the incurable and fatal lung disease at the highest rates in nearly 50 years."

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/05/nx-s1-5894884/appalachia-black-lung-coal-miners-silica-dust

#PublicHealth #environment #coal #miners #BlackLung #NIOSH #workers

"As his confirmation to lead the Justice Department hung by a ...

2026-08-04T21:55:01Z

"As his confirmation to lead the Justice Department hung by a thread last week, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche told faith leaders on a private call that he was preparing to take action to roll back abortion access nationwide."

As if the Ghislaine Maxwell / Jeffrey Epstein of it all wasn't enough, here are more reasons not to confirm Todd Blanche.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/03/blanche-pledged-abortion-pill-crackdown-private-call-01023304

#healthcare #ReproHealth #ReproJustice #pregnancy #abortion #AttorneyGeneral #DOJ #USpol

"Hospitals that convert to the emergency model get a 5% boost ...

2026-08-04T15:02:30Z

"Hospitals that convert to the emergency model get a 5% boost in Medicare payments plus an extra monthly facility payment, totaling about $3.6 million a year, according to the Rural Health Redesign Center. In return, the hospitals must offer emergency services and give up their inpatient beds. They can continue offering outpatient services."

https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/rural-hospital-closures-emergency-conversion-model-congress-michigan/

#healthcare #RuralHealth #hospitals #EmergencyMed #medicaid #medicare #USpol

"In a letter dated July 28, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren ...

2026-07-31T18:31:01Z

"In a letter dated July 28, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Angela Alsobrooks (Md.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Andy Kim (N.J.) wrote, 'We are seeking clarity on whether this settlement may have resulted in a significant financial award to one of your sons, raising fresh concerns about conflicts of interest you may possess' as HHS Secretary."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/122404

#PublicHealth #HPV #vaccines #immunizations #ethics #ConflictOfInterest #courts #settlement #HHS

"Four out of five toddler food products sold at grocery ...

2026-07-30T16:55:01Z

"Four out of five toddler food products sold at grocery stores are ultra-processed, a new study finds, while nearly half fail to meet at least one nutrition standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO)."

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5994543-ultra-processed-childrens-food/

#PublicHealth #food #nutrition #lifestyle #ChildrensHealth #FDA #WHO

"But on Tuesday afternoon, as the heat index neared 110 ...

2026-07-30T01:22:01Z

"But on Tuesday afternoon, as the heat index neared 110 degrees in the city, a number of those sites were closed. According to a recent announcement from the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORD), eight of the city’s 13 recreation centers — which double as cooling centers during the summer — are offline for 'post summer maintenance.'"

https://veritenews.org/2026/07/28/many-of-citys-cooling-centers-closed-amid-dangerous-heat/

#PublicHealth #heat #climate #CoolingCenters #NewOrleans

"The British Medical Association council deputy chair, Dr ...

2026-07-29T01:22:02Z

"The British Medical Association council deputy chair, Dr Emma Runswick, flagged the risks posed by AI accounts that 'peddle medical myths and promote so-called miracle cures.'

'Platforms like TikTok must do more to stop the rise of dangerous fake medical advice … otherwise, it is the public who could be paying the price with their health and perhaps even their lives,' she added."

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jul/27/misleading-ai-generated-doctors-public-safety-danger-tiktok

#PublicHealth #AI #technology #SocialMedia #misinformation #disinformation