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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

WV: Health

Federal data show millions of people live in counties lacking adequate air monitoring, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. (Adobe Stock)<br />
WV bill threatens community air monitoring efforts

After West Virginia House lawmakers advanced a bill to ban residents from using citizen air monitoring data in lawsuits, community groups said they …

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In 2023, more than 3 million children nationwide lost their Medicaid health coverage, according to data from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. (Adobe Stock)
Concern grows over WV kids losing Medicaid coverage

The federal government has warned nine states about an alarming number of children losing Medicaid health coverage, and West Virginia officials say …

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According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, more than 400,000 people nationwide received methadone as part of their addiction treatment in 2019. (Adobe Stock)
Methadone prescription bill could ease restrictions for West Virginians

Senate lawmakers are soon expected to vote on the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, legislation introduced this year by Republican Sen…

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According to the group West Virginians for Affordable Healthcare, around 30% of  West Virginia residents have medical debt in collections. (Adobe Stock)<br />
WV could lose hundreds of millions in Medicaid funding

Since West Virginia's Medicaid eligibility review began this spring, around 100,000 residents have been kicked off the rolls. Experts have said many …

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Exposure to videos and photos on social media can lead to eating disorders among teen and adolescent girls, as well as serious mental health issues, including suicidal behavior, according to researchers at Havard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (Adobe Stock)
Federal legislation aims to protect kids from social media harms

Pressure is mounting on lawmakers to hold social media companies accountable for algorithms and other practices linked to eating disorders, …

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As of March 2023, 65,748,297 people are enrolled in Medicare nationwide, according to the Center for Medicare Advocacy. (Adobe Stock)<br />
WV residents can get help navigating Medicare open enrollment

With just a few weeks left until the end of Medicare open enrollment, experts in West Virginia say now is the time to compare current coverage to …

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Private insurance companies deny more than 248 million claims or pre-authorization requests from their policyholders annually. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Concern mounts over denied claims by health insurers, impact on West Virginians

Congressional Democrats are investigating Medicaid prior authorization practices and denied claims by private health insurers. According to a …

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Declining college enrollment, increased burnout, an aging workforce with fewer people entering health care fields overall, and the pandemic have all contributed to serious hospital staffing shortages nationwide. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Rural regions bear brunt of nation’s nurse workforce crisis

In rural communities, severe staffing shortages have increased hospital wait times and worsened quality of care. According to the latest report by …

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A national coalition of more than 130 organizations recently released a roadmap for lawmakers and public health officials for distribution of more than $50 billion in opioid settlement funds.(Adobe Stock)<br />
WV Communities Map Path for Opioid Settlement Funds

This week, Gov. Jim Justice announced five new appointments to the West Virginia First Foundation, the private foundation responsible for the …

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In 2021, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 69.9 deaths per 100,000 live births, 2.6 times the rate for non-Hispanic white women, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />
WV Sees 'Alarming' Black Infant, Maternal Mortality Rates

In West Virginia, babies of Black mothers are dying at higher rates in childbirth compared to white infants - and experts say the lack of access to …

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With millions of Americans expected to lose Medicaid coverage as states undertake reviews of benefit eligibility following the end of COVID-19 pandemic-related protections. (Adobe Stock)
WV's Medicaid Renewal Rate Near 60%

Advocacy groups in West Virginia are working to raise awareness about the end of COVID-19 pandemic-related protections that have triggered a new revie…

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A new study reveals extent of the public health harms of U.S. oil and gas production, including more than $77 billion in human health damages nationwide. (Adobe Stock)
WV Among Top States for Public Health Harms from Fossil Fuels

Ozone, fine particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide from the oil and gas sector in 2016 caused more than $77 billion in human health damages …

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