Supreme Court preserves key part of Obamacare coverage requirements
President Donald Trump's administration defended the mandate before the court, though the Republican president has been a critic of his Democratic predecessor's law. The Justice Department said board members don't need Senate approval because they can be removed by the health and human services secretary.
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Medications and services that could have been affected include statins to lower cholesterol, lung cancer screenings, HIV-prevention drugs and medication to lower the chance of breast cancer for women.
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The case came before the Supreme Court after an appeals court struck down some preventive care coverage requirements. The US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Christian employers and Texas residents who argued they can't be forced to provide full insurance coverage for things like medication to prevent HIV and some cancer screenings.
Well-known conservative attorney Jonathan Mitchell, who represented Trump before the high court in a dispute about whether he could appear on the 2024 ballot, argued the case.
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The appeals court found that coverage requirements were unconstitutional because they came from a body — the United States Preventive Services Task Force — whose members were not nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
A 2023 analysis prepared by the nonprofit KFF found that ruling would still allow full-coverage requirements for some services, including mammography and cervical cancer screening.
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Chicago Tribune
33 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
Porter County Council grapples with realities of less funding, tighter budget
Faces were grim around the room Thursday afternoon as the five Republican members of the Porter County Council met with leaders of the Health Department in the second of four annual budget workshops. They have to figure out how they'll deal with a $2.5 million shortfall in the department's budget from 2025 to 2026. Outgoing director of the Health Department Carrie Gschwind told county officials she 'started getting really nervous in March. I got home that night, got a message: 'Halt everything. The budget's been cut.'' The department will lose $2.4 million due to changes brought about by Senate Bill 4 and another $115,000 due to losses from SB 1. That leaves the department with an anticipated $909,000 budget per year for 2026 and 2027. Led by the auditor's office for the second year in a row, the budget workshops aim to streamline the formal budget hearings that take many hours in themselves over several meetings every fall. Gscwind gave a basic lay of the new funding landscape to Council President Andy Vasquez, R-4th, Vice President Red Stone, R-1, Mike Brickner, R-At-Large, Michelle Harris, R-At-Large, and Andy Bozak, R-At-Large. Not present were Councilmen Jeremy Rivas, D-2, and Greg Simms, D-3. 'The first thing we had to do was go back to our needs assessment we did in 2023,' she said. 'Are we still supposed to have the same KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) with the $909,000?' asked Stone, referring to the department's new budget moving forward. Gschwind and Board of Health President Linda Boxum confirmed that the department is still responsible for the same KPIs with the greatly reduced budget. Core services will be the focus, particularly chronic disease prevention. Gschwind said the licensed practical nurses recently hired to serve the population at the Porter County Juvenile Detention Center will not be in the budget for 2027. Vasquez said he had spoken with Gschwind weekly over the past month and then asked Bozak, who was joining remotely, if he had any questions. 'No, I don't have any questions,' he replied. 'Living the dream.' 'More like living the nightmare,' countered Chief Deputy Auditor Dave Wichlinski. Porter Superior Court Judge Rebecca Buitendorp and the staff of the Juvenile Detention Center, while seemingly under less budgetary stress, said they'll need a $23,000 increase to their general fund budget to pay for state-mandated salary increases and would like an additional $14,000 to replace the 25-year-old furniture that is not only shabby, but light enough for residents to throw around at each other and staff. JDC Director Alison Cox said revenue has been down from fees collected from families whose children are incarcerated. 'We were generating $60,000 to $70,000 a year, but people just aren't able to pay,' she said. 'It's gone down drastically.' The county charges $110 per day for juveniles held in the JDC, which prompted Stone to suggest the same should apply to adults. 'Someone from Chicago who stays for a month should pay, not me,' he said. Rounding out the workshop was news that the county will face its once-per-decade burden of 27 pay periods instead of the normal 26, adding $1.9 million to the budget. Wichlinski said his office is researching the challenge, including how other counties are approaching it. 'Can you give them two weeks off?' Brickner asked. Harris wanted to know how it was approached last decade. Wichlinski said Porter County Auditor Karen Martin and Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs, R-North, are the only two current government officials who have dealt with the problem before. Finally, the impending ambulance contract renewal with Northwest Health was discussed, particularly the frustration that the contract does not need to be inked until Dec. 31, but the county budget must be submitted to the state by Nov. 3. The current contract runs from Jan. 1, 2022, to the end of the year. The county currently pays $450,000 per year, but Vasquez said he's heard 'something like $2.5 million has been thrown out' as an anticipated figure for a new contract. 'That's the only number that's been thrown out,' added Harris, who serves on the negotiating team for the county. The next budget workshop is Thursday, Aug. 21, at 3:30 p.m. in the basement conference room. Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon and his staff are invited to discuss their 2026 budget, which he has publicly said in months past needs to include more officers on patrol, raises and a dedicated shooting range.
6 hours ago
The national suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth went dead. States are scrambling to help
This is a KFF Health News story. On July 17, the option went dead for LGBTQ+ youth to access specialized mental health support from the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration said a month earlier that it would no longer "silo" services and would instead "focus on serving all help seekers." That meant the elimination of the "Press 3" option, the dedicated line answered by staff specifically trained to handle LGBTQ+ youth facing mental health issues ranging from anxiety to thoughts of suicide. Now, states such as California, Colorado, Illinois and Nevada are scrambling to backfill LGBTQ+ crisis support through training, fees and other initiatives in response to what advocates say is the Trump administration's hostile stance toward this group. In his first day back in the White House, President Donald Trump issued an executive order recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and while campaigning, he condemned gender ideology as "toxic poison." And the administration omitted "T" for transgender and "Q" for queer or questioning in announcing the elimination of the 988 Press 3 option. "Since the election, we've seen a clear increase in young people feeling devalued, erased, uncertain about their future, and seeing resources taken away," said Becca Nordeen, senior vice president of crisis intervention at The Trevor Project, a national suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit for LGBTQ+ youth. Nordeen and other advocates for at-risk kids who helped staff the dedicated line said it has never been more critical for what The Trevor Project estimates are 5.2 million LGBTQ+ people ages 13-24 across the U.S. About 39% of LGBTQ+ young people seriously consider attempting suicide each year, including roughly half of transgender and nonbinary young people, according to a 2023 survey, reflecting a disproportionately high rate of risk. The use of the dedicated line for LGBTQ+ youth had steadily increased, according to data from the federal substance abuse agency, with nearly 1.6 million calls, texts or online chats since its rollout in October 2022, out of approximately 16.7 million contacts to the general line. The Press 3 option reached record monthly highs in May and June. In 2024, contacts to the line peaked in November, the month of the election. Call-takers on the general 988 line do not necessarily have the specialized training that the staff on the Press 3 line had, causing fear among LGBTQ+ advocates that they don't have the right context or language to support youth experiencing crises related to sexuality and gender. If a counselor doesn't know what the concept of coming out is, or being outed, or the increased likelihood of family rejection and how those bring stressors and anxiety, it can inadvertently prevent the trust from being immediately built," said Mark Henson, The Trevor Project's interim vice president of advocacy and government affairs, adding that creating that trust at the beginning of calls was a critical "bridge for a youth in crisis to go forward." The White House's Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to questions about why the Press 3 option was shut down, but spokesperson Rachel Cauley told NBC News that the department's budget would not "grant taxpayer money to a chat service where children are encouraged to embrace radical gender ideology by 'counselors' without consent or knowledge of their parents." Emily Hilliard, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, said in a statement: "Continued funding of the Press 3 option threatened to put the entire 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in danger of massive reductions in service." When someone calls 988, they are routed to a local crisis center if they are calling from a cellphone carrier that uses "georouting" -- a process that routes calls based on approximate areas -- unless they select one of the specialized services offered through the national network. While the Press 3 option is officially no longer part of that menu of options, which includes Spanish-language and veterans' services, states can step in to increase training for their local crisis centers or establish their own options for specialized services. California is among the states attempting to fill the new service gap, with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's office announcing a partnership with The Trevor Project to provide training on LGBTQ+ youth issues for the crisis counselors in the state who answer calls to the general 988 crisis line. The state signed a $700,000 contract with the organization for the training program. The Trevor Project's Henson said the details still need to be figured out, including evaluating the training needs of California's current 988 counselors. The partnership comes as the organization's own 24/7 crisis line for LGBTQ+ youth faces a crisis of its own: The Trevor Project was one of several providers paid by the federal government to staff the Press 3 option, and the elimination of the service cut the organization's capacity significantly, according to Henson. Gordon Coombes, director of Colorado's 988 hotline, said staff there are increasing outreach to let the public know that the general 988 service hasn't gone away, even with the loss of the Press 3 option, and that its call-takers welcome calls from the LGBTQ+ population. Staff are promoting services at concerts, community events, and Rockies baseball games. Coombes said the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration contracts with Solari Crisis & Human Services to answer 988 calls, and that the training had already been equipping call-takers on the general line to support LGBTQ+ young people. The state supports the 988 services via a 7-cent annual fee on cellphone lines. Coombes said the department requested an increase in the fee to bolster its services. While the additional funds would benefit all 988 operations, the request was made in part because of the elimination of the Press 3 option, he said. Nevada plans to ensure that all 988 crisis counselors get training on working with LGBTQ+ callers, according to state health department spokesperson Daniel Vezmar. Vezmar said Nevada's $50 million investment in a new call center last November would help increase call capacity, and that the state's Division of Public and Behavioral Health would monitor the impact of the closure of the Press 3 option and make changes as needed. The Illinois Department of Human Services announced after the Press 3 option's termination that it was working to train existing call center counselors on supporting LGBTQ+ youth and promoting related affirming messages and imagery in its outreach about the 988 line. A July increase in a state telecommunications tax will help fund expanded efforts, and the agency is exploring additional financial options to fill in the new gap. Kelly Crosbie, director of North Carolina's Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, said the division has recently invested in partnerships with community organizations to increase mental health support for marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ populations, through the state's 988 call center and other programs. "We've wanted to make sure we were beefing up the services," Crosbie said, noting that North Carolina's Republican legislature continues to restrict health care for transgender youth. Hannah Wesolowski, chief advocacy officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said Congress could put the funding for the LGBTQ+ line in any final appropriations bill it passes. She also said states could individually codify permanent funding for an LGBTQ+ option, the way Washington state has created and funded a "Press 4" option for its Native American population to reach crisis counselors who are tribal members or descendants trained in cultural practices. The state created the option by carving out some of its 988 funding. No state has publicly announced a plan to make such an investment for LGBTQ+ populations. Federal lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have spoken out against the closure of the LGBTQ+ 988 option and urged that it be reinstated. At a July press conference alongside Democratic colleagues, Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican who represents part of New York's Hudson Valley, said he and Republican Rep. Young Kim of Orange County, California, wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging him to reverse course and keep the LGBTQ+ line. "What we must agree on is that when a child is in crisis -- when they are alone, when they are afraid, when they are unsure of where to turn to, when they are contemplating suicide — they need access to help right away," Lawler said. "Regardless of where you stand on these issues, as Americans, as people, we must all agree there is purpose and worth to each and every life." If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide -- free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.
CNBC
7 hours ago
- CNBC
Novo Nordisk offers diabetes drug Ozempic for less than half the price for cash-paying U.S. patients
Novo Nordisk on Monday said it now offers cash-paying U.S. patients its blockbuster diabetes treatment Ozempic for less than half its monthly list price, as drugmakers face mounting political pressure to lower prices in the country. Patients can pay $499 in cash per month for three dose sizes of Ozempic. They can get the price through platforms including the drug's official website, Novo Nordisk's patient assistance program and the company's recently launched direct-to-consumer online pharmacy, the latter of which also ships the injection directly to patients' homes. Drug savings company GoodRx will also offer Ozempic and its weight loss counterpart Wegovy for $499 per month, making the discounts available at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, according to a Novo Nordisk release. Novo Nordisk's cash-pay offering will expand access to eligible Type 2 diabetes patients who don't have insurance coverage for the weekly injection. In March, the company began to offer Wegovy for half its list price to cash-paying Americans. Ozempic's list price before insurance and other rebates is almost $1,350 per month, and has been a frequent target of political and public blowback in recent years. The new offer comes after President Donald Trump in July sent separate letters to Novo Nordisk and 16 other drugmakers, calling on them to take steps to lower medication prices in the U.S. Among other suggested actions, he urged them to adopt models that sell medicines directly to consumers or businesses. The efforts aim to make Ozempic and Wegovy available to more people, while also ensuring that patients use the branded medication instead of cheaper compounded copycats. Those drugs exploded in popularity during a now-resolved U.S. shortage of Novo Nordisk's semaglutide, the active ingredient in both drugs. While Ozempic "is well covered in the US, let's not forget that there are some patients who pay out-of-pocket for this vital medicine," Dave Moore, executive vice president of U.S. operations and global business development at Novo Nordisk, said in the release. "We believe that if even a single patient feels the need to turn to potentially unsafe and unapproved knockoff alternatives, that's one too many." Eli Lilly has similarly moved to slash the price of its popular obesity and diabetes drugs for cash-paying patients. The two companies are fighting to dominate the market for so-called GLP-1s, which mimic certain gut hormones to suppress appetite and regulate blood sugar.
