Axios

Texas asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday to swiftly restore the state's controversial abortion ban.

Why it matters: A federal judge granted the Biden administration's request to block the new law this week, calling it "flagrantly unconstitutional." Texas is appealing the ruling and wants the appeals court to allow enforcement of the ban while litigation is ongoing.

Money is flowing heavily into the business of medical billing as hospitals and doctors — whose revenues were disrupted by the coronavirus — focus on maximizing every dollar they can collect from patients and insurers.

The big picture: The rise and even existence of the billing industry is the result of a fragmented system that is designed around multiple types of insurance plans and a system that has increasingly forced patients to shoulder more of the costs of their care.

Higher prices are the main reason why Medicare spending on drugs has exploded over the past decade, and the government should finally do something about it, members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission said during a meeting Thursday.

Why it matters: MedPAC has argued for Medicare drug pricing reforms for several years, and federal agencies often take their recommendations seriously. But industry opposition has been the primary roadblock to several MedPAC proposals.

A growing number of anecdotes about COVID-19 vaccines affecting a person's menstrual cycle is spurring attention and research funding.

Why it matters: Efforts to halt the pandemic are being stymied by continued vaccine hesitancy, in part due to disinformation about side effects. A CDC scientist tells Axios "there is absolutely no evidence" that the altered periods reported by some are causing infertility, a common refrain among anti-vaxxers.

Whole Woman's Health, a Texas abortion provider, announced Thursday that it has resumed providing abortions past the six-week gestation period, more than a month after Texas' controversial abortion ban took effect.

Why it matters: The announcement comes less than a day after a federal judge granted the Biden administration's request to temporarily block enforcement of the ban, allowing medical professionals to offer abortions even after about six weeks of pregnancy without fear of legal repercussions.

A "potentially severe" flu season could be on the way the CDC warned this week, as public health officials once again urge the public to get its flu shot.

Why it matters: Americans may now have reduced immunity against the flu after cases reached an all-time low last year.

YouTube decided last month to ban "harmful vaccine content" from the site, thereby cutting off a major vector of misinformation. Yet one especially high-profile and dangerous vaccine misinformation channel in Germany remains up and running.

Why it matters: When tech giants announce major policy changes, there's always a suspicion they're doing so for their domestic audience, and specifically for U.S. journalists and policymakers. Which makes it easy for them to ignore content made in Berlin.

Pfizer and BioNTech on Thursday said they submitted an official application asking the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11.

Why it matters: If approved, it would become the first coronavirus vaccine for younger children. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has full FDA approval for people 16 and older and has an EUA for those between 12 and 15.

Health care systems, schools, public-sector agencies and private businesses with COVID-19 vaccine mandates have seen vaccination rates jump 20 points — in many instances to over 90%, according to a White House analysis released ahead of President Biden's trip to Chicago on Thursday.

Why it matters: That's a lot higher than the average fully vaccinated rate for working-age adults — 63%.

More than 142,000 children in the U.S. under the age of 18 had a primary caregiver die during the coronavirus pandemic, a new study shows.

By the numbers: The study, published by the medical journal Pediatrics, found that children of color accounted for 65% of those who had lost a primary caregiver during the pandemic.

Conservative media sometimes blame the problem of the unvaccinated on people of color, but the data show vaccine resistance is mostly about red America and younger adults now.

Why it matters: The numbers show a much different story about where we still need to be focusing our vaccination efforts.

COVID-19 cases have been falling across the U.S. for weeks — and now deaths are finally on the decline, too.

Why it matters: The Delta wave may truly be behind us, and though unvaccinated people in heavily unvaccinated areas will always remain at risk, getting the virus under control would allow the country as a whole to breathe a little easier this fall.

A federal judge on Wednesday evening granted the Biden administration's request to temporarily block enforcement of Texas' controversial abortion ban.

Why it matters: The ruling means that medical professionals can offer abortions in Texas even after about six weeks of pregnancy without fear of facing a lawsuit by members of the public, at least for the moment, Bloomberg notes.

The World Health Organization said it's sending COVID-19 medical supplies to North Korea.

Why it matters: It's an indication that North Korea may be loosening one of the "world's strictest pandemic border closures to receive outside help," notes AP, which first reported the news. North Korea has never publicly confirmed a coronavirus case, though experts doubt it's been untouched by infection.

A federal judge has sentenced a Texas man to 15 months in prison for perpetrating a hoax about COVID-19 last year.

Why it matters: The sentence comes as the government navigates new challenges related to pandemic fraud, including online misinformation and falsified vaccine documentation.