Brooklyn voters have picked Julia Salazar for the New York state Senate making her the latest Democratic socialist to oust an incumbent.
Why it matters: Salazar’s victory is stunning considering she was plagued by negative news and attacks from the right about everything from her past relationships to her progressive politics. But her win shows this group's growing movement in 2018.
In response to an small uptick in confirmed Ebola cases in the busy urban hub of Butembo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNICEF announced Friday it's bolstering its efforts there.
What's new: UNICEF is sending a team of specialists in community communication, education, psycho-social assistance and hygiene to help contain the disease and avoid any further spread of the epidemic, which has become the 8th largest outbreak on record.
Patient advocacy groups have filed a new lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s expansion of bare-bones “short-term” health plans, saying the new rules will undermine Congress’ goals for the Affordable Care Act.
The big picture: Almost every piece of the Trump administration’s health care agenda has been challenged in court. Some lawsuits will fare better than others, but together they have the power to stop or slow at least some of the administration’s priorities — and short-term plans are a particularly important part of that agenda.
Blue states are already defending the Affordable Care Act in court against red states’ latest legal challenge. Now Maryland has taken it a step further, filing what amounts to a competing lawsuit.
The details: Texas, the leader of the red states’ lawsuit, says the ACA’s individual mandate has become unconstitutional, and that the whole law should fall as a result. He asked a federal court to issue an injunction that would prevent the entire law from being enforced as a result.
Every American who gets private health insurance — most of whom get it through their jobs— is at risk of getting a surprise bill from hospitals, doctors, air and ground ambulances, and other providers.
The big picture: Employers would need to be part of any solution, and they say they want this problem fixed. But they don't support some prominent proposals to rein in surprise billing, including tinkering with their own regulations or giving governments more power over doctors and hospitals.
In her campaign for governor of New York, actor and activist Cynthia Nixon has taken on a progressive agenda with issues like Medicare For All, legalizing marijuana and reforming the public school system.
The backdrop: Nixon is looking to unseat two-term Governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary tonight. Every major poll has her trailing Cuomo by anywhere from 30 to 41 points, per the NYT, but she's disputed them saying polls aren't reaching her voters.
What's new: Scientists announced Wednesday they have successfully developed three key advances toward a possible pandemic flu vaccine — and it's one that could eventually be delivered to your doorstep via the mail, and be self-administered.
Why it matters: One of public health officials' greatest fears is another flu pandemic that could kill millions. It's not a question of if another one occurs, but rather when. Pandemics can kill large amounts of people worldwide. The largest influenza pandemic, known as the Spanish flu, occurred 100 years ago. It killed at least 50 million people.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), one of the co-chairs of the House's Medicare for All caucus, is starting a PAC to raise money for congressional candidates who support the issue, per Huffington Post.
Why it matters: Single-payer health care is no longer a far-fetched fantasy of the left. It's now part of the Democratic Party's identity in the Trump era.
Voters say pretty much everyone in Washington is dropping the ball on prescription drug prices, according to a new survey from the nonpartisan West Health Institute and NORC at the University of Chicago.
By the numbers: 50% of those surveyed said they disapprove of the way congressional Republicans are handling drug prices, compared with 46% disapproval for Trump and 43% for congressional Democrats.
