Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republican Gubernatorial Candidates' Abortion Rights Credentials Challenged
Abortion isn鈥檛 normally a central issue in statewide elections in New England, home to some of the most pro-choice voters in the nation. But just days from the election, it is surfacing as an unlikely front-burner topic in gubernatorial races in New Hampshire and Vermont, where Democratic and abortion-rights groups launched an advertising blitz essentially questioning whether two candidates running as pro-choice Republicans are pro-choice enough. (Levitz, 11/6)
Both New Hampshire Republican candidate Chris Sununu and Vermont Republican candidate Phil Scott say they favor abortion rights. However, in both states, Planned Parenthood and abortion rights groups have argued the GOP candidate鈥檚 support isn鈥檛 sufficiently strong. (Pindell, 11/5)
In other 2016 election news聽鈥�
But Rob Moir can鈥檛 remember anything Trump鈥檚 been saying. And last week Rob needed his wife to remind him which down-ballot candidates he prefers, and to stand beside him at the voting booth guiding him gently while he bubbled in his early ballot. Rob is one of millions of Americans with dementia. And like many of them, he鈥檚 had to navigate the voting process alongside a caregiver this election season. For people like Rob in the earlier stages of the disease, voting can be at once empowering and challenging. And it can grow increasingly fraught as the disease advances. (Robbins, 11/7)
Ballot measures in the states this year will test voter attitudes on many controversial issues that are playing out on a national level 鈥� whether it be drug pricing, universal health coverage or legalizing marijuana. The pharmaceutical industry faces a make-or-break fight in California over a controversial measure capping prices paid through state health programs. In Colorado, voters will decide whether they want to move beyond Obamacare to establish a single-payer system. (Pradhan and Cancryn, 11/6)
Are those memes about Hillary Clinton鈥檚 emails and Donald Trump鈥檚 tax returns making you rub your temples, clench your teeth or lose sleep? If so, mental health experts say, it might be time to take a social-media break. This presidential election season is seriously stressing us out. (Viviano, 11/5)