Congress may require the Department of Defense to review the reinstatement of former U.S. troops discharged for refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a draft of the annual defense bill released earlier this week.
Why it matters: The mandate, if passed in the final version of the bill, could see thousands of troops return to the armed services.
The Biden administration on Thursdaylaid out instances in which the federal government could break the patents of costly drugs developed with taxpayer funding in order to lower their prices.
Why it matters: Progressives have long advocated for so-called march-in rights, and President Biden's embrace of this authority plays into campaign messaging about taking on big pharma.
More than twice as many people crossed state lines for abortion care in the first half of 2023 compared with a similar period in 2020 when abortion was legal nationwide, according to a new analysis.
Why it matters: The Guttmacher Institute data demonstrates how state bans that took effect since Roe v. Wade was overturned have forced patients to travel longer distances to obtain an abortion.
The largest expansion of federally funded medical residency slots in over two decades was supposed to be a major lifeline for rural hospitals struggling with provider shortages. But very few rural hospitals have received the coveted slots so far.
Democrats and reproductive rights organizations are putting renewed pressure on the Biden administration to ensure that health insurers fully cover contraception, citing fresh evidence that companies are failing to meet the Affordable Care Act requirement.
Why it matters: Advocates have long complained that some insurers are improperly charging women or denying coverage of some birth control methods, and the issue has received heightened attention from the Biden administration in the aftermath of the Supreme Court overturning the federal right to abortion.
A coalition of powerful companies and nonprofits is trying to turn the first Tuesday in December into "Wellbeing at Work Day," a new initiative aimed at changing the culture around mental wellness in the workplace.
Why it matters: America's mental health crisis — particularly salient among young people — is not only a priority for U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, but also for business leaders, as the economic cost of employee anxiety and depression comes into focus.
CVS Health's new plan to make the way it prices prescription drugs more predictable is the latest shift by pharmacy giants to overhaul their business models amid increasing pressure from policymakers and industry upstarts.
Why it matters: More transparent pricing that's more closely tied to the base cost of a drug could drive down how much consumers and insurers pay for some medicines.
