What We’re Reading: Child RSV Shot Disparities; Hospital Transparency Compliance; Abortion Pill Bans

RSV Shot Technicality Could Disproportionately Affect Low-Income Children]

A glitch in congressional language could make it difficult for children of low-income and minority families to get the immunization shot for respiratory syndical virus (RSV), according to Kaiser Health News. Since 1994, free, routine vaccination has been a childhood entitlement under the Vaccines for Children Program. However, the 1993 law that created this program did not specifically include antibody shots, leaving the CDC to assess whether nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody neutralizer under review with the FDA, qualifies under the Vaccines for Children Program.

Only a Quarter of Hospitals in Full Transparency Compliance, Study Finds

Out of a total of 2000 hospitals, only a quarter (24.5%) of hospitals were in full compliance with transparency rules, according to AXIOS. Just over half of the hospitals clearly posted negotiated prices with payers and plans, while the rest failed to meet the study’s compliance standards due to missing or incomplete data. Patient Rights Advocate, who led this study, has sent Congress and Biden’s administration team letters, offering suggestions for improvement and enforcement.

Conservative Lawsuit Aims to Ban Abortion Pills, Nationwide

Texas conservative groups push to ban the abortion pill, mifepristone, across the entire country through a lawsuit, according to The Washington Post. Although this lawsuit has been widely criticized as being rooted in baseless arguments, abortion rights activists and some members of the Biden administration are concerned that this case is likely to be decided entirely by conservative judges, who may try to restrict abortion access, especially in states where abortion is still legal. The Justice Department has warned that banning abortion pills nationwide would be catastrophic to the US health care system.