Nationwide access to abortion pills is again in legal limbo, almost two years after the Supreme Court threw out a case challenging mail-order prescribing of the widely used drug mifepristone.
Why it matters: A circuit court ruling on Friday that dramatically dialed back access to the drug has caused confusion for pharmacies, telehealth companies and other clinicians, even in states where abortion is legal.
The Supreme Court temporarily restored mail-order prescribing of the widely used abortion drug mifepristone Monday, pausing an appeals court decision that dramatically limited access to the pills.
Why it matters: The stay of at least one week issued by Justice Samuel Alito doesn't settle an underlying legal challenge to rules for dispensing the drug that could make abortion access a top-tier issue heading into the midterms.
Rising liability insurance costs are prompting doctors to call on states to impose more limits on the damages patients can collect in malpractice cases.
Why it matters: More than half of the states have enacted malpractice payout limits, in an effort to make insurance premiums more predictable.
