Health Policy
Cat declawing ban reintroduced in Legislature
A ban on declawing cats in Michigan has again been introduced in the Legislature. For the past few legislative sessions, lawmakers have introduced bans on onychectomies, or any other surgical procedure that removes or interferes with the normal functioning of the claws of a cat. The bills have not advanced out of committee. Currently only […]
Three-judge panel in U.S. appeals court hears arguments in abortion pill case
NEW ORLEANS — A federal appeals court panel quizzed lawyers during oral arguments Wednesday over a Texas judge’s decision that could end access to the abortion pill nationwide. Observers see the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals as a legal way station for the case, in which anti-abortion groups sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, […]
Dingell joins Jayapal and Sanders in reintroducing Medicare for All
U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) gathered Wednesday with Democratic colleagues and advocates from across the country for a Washington, D.C., rally following the reintroduction of Medicare for All bills in Congress. According to a statement from Dingell’s office, the reintroduction of Medicare for All […]
As the COVID public health emergency ends, prepping for a new pandemic is next
WASHINGTON — After more than three years and 1.1 million deaths, the United States on Thursday will end the public health emergency for COVID-19 — and Congress is attempting to better prepare for a possible resurgence of that virus or another. The expiration of the designation, originally put in place in January 2020, means alterations to how […]
As 1M Michiganders face losing Medicaid, Dems vow to fight for health care coverage
Health care for Michiganders and people across the country is under attack by congressional Republicans who are supporting legislation that could end Medicaid coverage for as many as 1 million Michigan residents, Protect Our Care founder and Chair Leslie Dach said during a press call Thursday morning. The Republican-led U.S. House passed the Limit, Save, […]
Long COVID is hurting business, workplace accommodations could help
Three years after the start of the pandemic, millions of working age people still suffer from long COVID-19 and some lawmakers and advocates, including people with long COVID, say not enough is being done to protect their well-being and ensure they can continue to be employed. Proposed federal legislation, better workplace accommodations, and more federal […]
Eight Michigan lawmakers sign SCOTUS brief opposing Texas abortion pill ruling
Eight Democratic members of Michigan’s congressional delegation have signed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to try and reverse a controversial ruling concerning the use of mifepristone. Access to the drug, considered the most common form of abortion care and a key component in miscarriage management, was called into question by a Texas […]
Column: As budget negotiations continue, here are top health and human services issues
The legislative action taken in the first quarter of 2023 has felt like a combination of a sprint and a marathon. Full disclosure: I’m not a runner, so it’s possible this analogy doesn’t hold up, but I think we can all agree that the pace of legislation passed in these last few months has been […]
Infant formula crisis could recur, former FDA official tells Congress
WASHINGTON — U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday debated if enough has changed to prevent a repeat of the infant formula shortage, more than a year after a nationwide crisis began. The U.S. House Oversight and Accountability Committee’s Subcommittee on Health Care and Financial Services heard from two experts that while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration […]
Public comment reopened on Romulus facility that accepted waste from Ohio train derailment
After receiving toxic debris last month from an Ohio train derailment, the public comment period for a license renewal request by the operators of a hazardous waste facility in Romulus will be reopened. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) this month announced the extended public comment period, which was confirmed by the Michigan Department of […]
Pentagon to halt use of firefighting foam that contains PFAS as cleanup costs mount
WASHINGTON — Battered by years of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and environmental advocates, the Department of Defense will stop purchasing PFAS-containing firefighting foam later this year and phase it out entirely in 2024. The replacement for Aqueous Film Forming Foam has yet to be determined, and advocates are frustrated it’s taken so long to halt […]
‘I don’t know how I survived’: Reflections on three years of the pandemic
Three years ago, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, then Michigan’s chief medical executive, made an announcement: The first two cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the state. “We’re Michiganders; we’re tough; we will get through this,” Whitmer said on March 10, 2020, when she declared a state of emergency. Three years later, […]