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Biden aiming to scrub medical debt from people's credit scores, which could up ratings for millions

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward removing medical bills from people's credit scores, which could improve ratings for millions of people.

Harris said that would make it easier for them to obtain an auto loan or a home mortgage. Roughly one in five people report having medical debt. The vice president said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beginning the rulemaking process to make the change.

The agency said in a statement that including medical debt in credit scores is... Read More

Booking a COVID-19 vaccine? Some are reporting canceled appointments or insurance issues

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Some people seeking the newest COVID-19 vaccine are running into high demand, insurance headaches and supply delays coast to coast.

Millions of the newly formulated vaccines have shipped out since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on them last week for ages 6 months and up. Cases started rising again in late summer, and experts hope that the new shots will help protect people during the upcoming fall respiratory virus season.

But some people have had to cancel appointments because their insurance hasn’t updated the billing Ot... Read More

Appeals court takes up transgender health coverage case likely headed to Supreme Court

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court is considering cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia that could have significant implications on whether individual states are required to cover health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance.

The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in cases Thursday involving the coverage of gender-affirming care by North Carolina’s state employee health plan and the coverage of gender-affirming surgery by West Virginia Medicaid.

During the proceedings, at least two... Read More

Revolving door redux: The DEA's recently departed No. 2 returns to a Big Pharma consulting firm

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington’s revolving door kept spinning this week as the Drug Enforcement Administration’s recently departed second-in-command returned for a new stint with the high-powered consulting firm where he previously advised Purdue Pharma and a drug distributor fighting sanctions over a deluge of suspicious painkiller shipments.

Louis Milione retired from the DEA a second time this summer amid reporting by The Associated Press on potential conflicts caused by his prior consulting for the pharmaceutical industry. Less than three months later, Milione again landed... Read More

Biden administration announces $600M to produce COVID tests and will reopen website to order them

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household — aiming to prevent possible shortages during a rise in coronavirus cases that has typically come during colder months.

The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25, and that no-cost tests will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service.

Twelve... Read More

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Psychedelic drug MDMA eases PTSD symptoms in a study that paves the way for possible US approval