Morgan Watkins
Health reporter with Louisville Public Media-
A new Kentucky law will limit which nicotine vapes businesses can sell. But a lawsuit claims it’s unconstitutional because it will restrict hemp-derived and cannabis vapes, too.
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Republicans scrapped a contentious change to the otherwise broadly supported “momnibus” bill on Monday. That cleared its path to becoming law.
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Carrying naloxone can be a literal lifesaver for someone experiencing an opioid overdose. Kentucky’s state government set up a website to help people find local providers.
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Kentucky Senate GOP backtracks after citing retracted COVID paper to support ban on vaccine mandatesResearch shows COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. But Kentucky Senate Republicans falsely suggested they aren’t while promoting a ban on vaccine mandates this week.
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House Bill 367 got the Kentucky House of Representatives’ approval last month but still needs the Senate’s OK. The bill would tighten eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
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The bill’s lead sponsor, Republican Rep. John Hodgson of Fisherville, indicated his goal is to protect the privacy of public servants.
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The group Kentucky Physicians for Reproductive Freedom includes over 280 health care providers, and its members say the state’s abortion bans are preventing them from protecting their patients’ well-being.
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The 340B Drug Pricing Program has been around since 1992. It requires pharmaceutical manufacturers that participate in Medicaid to charge “covered entities” — which include an array of hospitals that serve a lot of low-income patients — much cheaper prices than usual for outpatient medications.
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Here’s one significant state policy change the bill proposes: It would ensure pregnancy is designated a “qualifying life event” under various health insurance plans. That gives patients the option to enroll in coverage if they become pregnant.
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The bills would repeal basically all abortion restrictions implemented in Kentucky since 2015, formalize protections for people who seek abortion out-of-state, and give resources to families about maternal and postpartum depression.