$20K Bonuses Among Latest Moves To Improve California’s Prison Mental Health System

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After decades of unsuccessful efforts to improve California prison conditions ruled unconstitutional and blamed for record-high suicides, advocates and a federal judge are betting that bonuses and better work accommodations will finally be enough to attract and keep the mental health providers needed to treat prisoners. The funds come from nearly $200…

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Journalists Recap State of NIH Cancer Research and Abortion Law’s Effect on Clinical Decisions

KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner discussed Trump administration cuts to the National Institutes of Health on WNYC’s “The Brian Lehrer Show” on June 3. Click here to hear Rovner on “The Brian Lehrer Show.” KFF Health News Southern correspondent Sam Whitehead discussed Georgia’s abortion laws on WUGA’s “The Georgia Health Report” on May…

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In Axing mRNA Contract, Trump Delivers Another Blow to US Biosecurity, Former Officials Say

The Trump administration’s cancellation of $766 million in contracts to develop mRNA vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses is the latest blow to national defense, former health security officials said. They warned that the U.S. could be at the mercy of other countries in the next pandemic. “The administration’s actions are gutting our deterrence from…

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Consequences of Tariffs on Pharmaceutical Products

That is the topic of a JMCP Viewpoint by Sean Sullivan, Jens Grueger, Aidan Sullivan, and Scott Ramsey. Some excerpts: The Budget Lab at Yale University projected that a 25% ad valorem tariff would increase medication costs by an “average of around $600 per year per household in the United States.”3 Tariffs can also create supply…

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KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ Lands in Senate. Our 400th Episode!

The Host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner @julierovner.bsky.social Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A…

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