Health Care: Biden Signs Bill Expanding Veterans Health Benefits

The kids will probably be high-quality. A Little League batter hit within the head by a pitch walked to the mound to consolation the opposing pitcher, who was clearly struggling after the terrifying second.

President Biden on Wednesday signed laws increasing well being care eligibility for veterans uncovered to toxins, and the invoice has that means that intently impacts the president.

Welcome to Night time Medical Care, the place we comply with the most recent developments in insurance policies and information that have an effect on your well being. For The Hill, we’re Peter Sullivan, Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi. Did somebody ahead this article to you? Enroll right here.

Biden indicators poisonous publicity invoice for veterans into regulation

President Biden signed a invoice into regulation Wednesday to increase advantages for thousands and thousands of veterans who have been uncovered to toxins throughout service and change into in poor health because of this.

Sgt. 1st Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Tackle Complete Toxics (PACT) Act additionally expands service connection presumptions for a wide range of situations associated to poisonous publicity, that means veterans shouldn’t have to show their sickness was service associated.

  • “That is an important regulation our nation has ever handed to assist thousands and thousands of veterans who’re uncovered to poisonous substances throughout navy service,” Biden mentioned in remarks from the East Room.
  • “You already know, Secretary McDonough can let you know that he was going to do that in opposition to all odds,” the president continued, referring to Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough.

Biden’s signing comes after a months-long legislative journey that culminated within the invoice gaining bipartisan assist.

A Private Connection: Biden beforehand mentioned he believes his late son Beau Biden’s mind most cancers was associated to publicity to poisonous burn pits.

The PACT Act expands Division of Veterans Affairs (VA) well being care eligibility to veterans who served within the post-9/11 period and creates a framework for establishing presumptions of service connections associated to poisonous exposures.

The higher home initially permitted the invoice in June by a vote of 84-14, and the Home later permitted it by a vote of 342-88 in July, sending it again to the Senate attributable to technical adjustments.

However in late July, the higher home fell 5 votes wanting the 60 votes wanted to advance the invoice, and 25 Republicans who voted to cross the invoice earlier modified their vote. The Senate subsequently handed the measure 86-11 on August 2, with all the “no” votes coming from Republicans who raised issues in regards to the invoice’s value.

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Walgreens discovered liable in opioid lawsuit

Walgreens helped gas San Francisco’s opioid epidemic by allotting lots of of hundreds of prescriptions with out performing correct due diligence, a federal decide dominated Wednesday.

US District Decide Charles Breyer discovered that, over a 15-year interval, Walgreens pharmacists did not cease or flag suspicious orders, together with tens of hundreds of docs with suspicious prescribing patterns.

“Walgreens pharmacies most definitely disbursed massive volumes of medically illegitimate prescriptions for opioids that have been diverted for illicit makes use of and contributed considerably to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco,” inflicting public outcry, Breyer wrote.

Town sued dozens of defendants related to the opioid epidemic in San Francisco, together with pharmacies, drug firms and distributors. Walgreens was the one one not settling when the lawsuit closed in July.

Walgreens response: “The info and the regulation don’t assist the court docket’s determination. As we’ve got mentioned all through this course of, we by no means manufacture or market opioids, or distribute them to the ‘tablet mills’ and Web pharmacies that fueled this disaster. We stand behind the professionalism and integrity of our pharmacists, devoted healthcare professionals who stay within the communities they serve.”

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FEWER AMERICANS SAY COVID-19 SITUATION IMPROVING: GALLUP

Fewer Individuals consider the COVID-19 state of affairs within the nation is bettering, in accordance with a brand new Gallup ballot.

The ballot, launched Wednesday, discovered that 41 p.c of respondents mentioned the COVID-19 state of affairs is bettering within the US, down 22 factors from an analogous ballot launched in April and Might.

Thirty p.c of these surveyed mentioned the COVID-19 state of affairs within the nation is getting worse, whereas 29 p.c of these surveyed mentioned it’s staying the identical, in accordance with the survey.

partisan division: The change was notably noticeable amongst Democratic respondents.

In April and Might Gallup polls, 56 p.c of Democrats mentioned they thought issues have been getting higher, in contrast with simply 29 p.c within the new ballot. Whereas practically 1 / 4 thought the state of affairs was getting worse within the spring ballot, now 44 p.c suppose it’s getting worse.

Fifty-eight p.c of Republican respondents consider the nation’s state of affairs with COVID-19 has improved, whereas 41 p.c of unbiased respondents consider the identical, in accordance with the ballot.

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MONTANA SUPREME COURT BLOCKS RESTRICTIONS ON ABORTION

The Montana Supreme Court docket upheld a decrease court docket’s ruling quickly blocking additional restrictions on abortion.

Deliberate Parenthood in an announcement Tuesday introduced that the Montana Supreme Court docket has blocked the enactment of three separate legal guidelines that have been enacted throughout the state’s legislative session final yr.

One of many legal guidelines would have prohibited abortion after 20 weeks of being pregnant, whereas one other would have created quite a few limitations to medical abortion, and a 3rd would have applied a compulsory provide of ultrasound and a documentation requirement for these looking for an abortion.

In September, a district court docket blocked the three legal guidelines from going into impact. The Montana chapter of Deliberate Parenthood filed the preliminary lawsuit to problem them.

“We’re happy that the Montana Supreme Court docket dominated at present to uphold the preliminary injunction issued by the District Court docket within the fall. Which means that three anti-abortion legal guidelines stay unenforceable, together with a 20-week ban,” Martha Stahl, president and CEO of the Montana chapter of Deliberate Parenthood, mentioned in an announcement.

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Warren launches investigation into state abortion bans

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) launched an investigation into how state abortion bans have affected girls’s entry to being pregnant, reproductive and non-reproductive care.

In her announcement, Warren mentioned her investigation was prompted by studies of “stunning tales from girls in states which have enacted sweeping abortion bans and criminalized well being care.”

Warren, who’s on the Senate Well being Care Subcommittee, mentioned she has contacted medical organizations to collect extra info, together with the American Medical Affiliation, Physicians for Reproductive Well being, Nationwide Nurses United, the American Pharmacists Affiliation and the American Hospital Affiliation.

  • “These preliminary studies are a harbinger of the threats thousands and thousands of ladies face underneath state-imposed abortion bans and by their suppliers who’ve sworn to ‘do no hurt.’ And as extra states limit abortion entry, they’ll solely multiply,” the Massachusetts senator mentioned.

She highlighted particular circumstances from states like Wisconsin and Texas, the place girls have been denied reproductive or associated well being care as a result of well being care suppliers feared authorized repercussions from the state authorities.

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WHAT WE ARE READING

STATE BY STATE

  • Nebraska lady accused of serving to her daughter have an abortion (Related Press)
  • New York doctor teams merge, feds cautious of potential value will increase for sufferers (the day by day information)
  • Louisiana well being officers have been instructed to take away LGBTQ Delight content material from the online (louisiana illuminator)

That is all for at present, thanks for studying. Check out The Hill’s Well being care web page for the most recent information and protection. See you tomorrow.

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