Health
Beshear vetoes anti-trans, ‘parents rights’ bill
Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday vetoed a bill that would, among other things, ban gender-affirming care for Kentucky’s transgender minors. The legislation, Senate Bill 150, was passed by the Kentucky legislature in mid-March. Beshear’s veto was not surprising – in 2020 he became the first sitting Kentucky governor to attend an LGBTQ+ fairness rally. […]
Kentucky legislature scraps new Medicaid benefits for dental, vision, hearing care
In October, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced the expansion of dental, vision and hearing benefits for 900,000 Kentucky adults on Medicaid. On March 16, the Republican-controlled General Assembly took a final vote to take those benefits away, calling the regulation that created them deficient. Beshear said Thursday that he will find a way to keep […]
Kentucky governor signs biomarker testing for cancer patients into law
Starting Jan. 1, Kentucky health plans will have to cover biomarker testing, which advocates have said can improve the state’s cancer statistics. The General Assembly passed — and Gov. Andy Beshear on Thursday signed into law — House Bill 180, which received bipartisan support during this legislative session. Beshear called the legislation “another step forward […]
Beshear signs bill to address shortage of health care workers in Kentucky
Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday signed a bill aimed at addressing Kentucky’s health care workforce shortage. House Bill 200, which received bipartisan support from legislators, will create a health care workforce fund with private-public partnership administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). “This broad-reaching initiative helps nurses, nurses aides, mental health counselors, dental hygienist, […]
Transgender teen: Anti-LGBTQ bills mean Kentucky doesn’t want me here
This story discusses suicide and anti-LGBTQ attacks. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. The Trevor Project, which aims to end suicide among LGBTQ+ youth, also has trained counselors available around the clock. Reach them at 1-866-488-7386, via chat at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/, or […]
Ending a pregnancy in 14 states leaves few options. Some are looking to Europe and India for help.
The pills came in a dark salmon-colored envelope sealed with a plastic covering that traveled more than 7,000 miles, over a dozen time zones from Nagpur, India, in almost exactly one week. They were placed partially under the doormat of a home in a state with one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the […]
U.S. remains a grim leader in preterm births. Why? And can we fix it?
Tamara Etienne’s second pregnancy was freighted with risk and worry from its earliest days — exacerbated by a first pregnancy that had ended in miscarriage. A third-grade teacher at an overcrowded Miami-Dade County public school, she spent harried days on her feet. Financial worries weighed heavy, even with health insurance and some paid time off […]
Medical cannabis overcomes big obstacle in Kentucky as state Senate votes for legalization
FRANKFORT — A bill to legalize medical marijuana for some Kentuckians who suffer from chronic illnesses overcame a major hurdle Thursday evening, winning a seal of approval from the state Senate. Legislation similar to Senate Bill 47 has died in the Senate in previous sessions. However, senators voted 26-11 in favor of the measures with […]
Postpartum depression bill has now cleared both Kentucky chambers
This story mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. FRANKFORT — A bill aimed at providing education and resources for new parents who may face postpartum depression has now cleared both Kentucky chambers. Senate Bill 135, sponsored by Sen. Shelley […]
Advanced practice nurses in Kentucky will have more prescribing authority under new law
For years, Beth Partin has practiced medicine in rural Kentucky through a collaborative agreement with a physician. Because her husband is a physician, Partin – who has a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree – said she hasn’t had an issue getting a provider to sign an agreement with her in compliance with a state law […]
Republican senator proposes rewrite of anti-trans legislation, other floor amendments filed
FRANKFORT — A Republican senator proposed striking much of anti-trans House Bill 470 after Senate Republicans caucused behind closed doors for three hours Tuesday. A floor amendment filed around 8 p.m. Tuesday narrows the prohibitions in HB 470 and would give parents more leeway than the original bill to make health care decisions for their […]
Medical marijuana bill advances for first time in Kentucky Senate as this session wanes
A bill legalizing medical marijuana access for some Kentuckians with chronic illness received a Senate committee’s approval Tuesday as this year’s legislative session enters its final days. Senate Bill 47, sponsored by Sen. Stephen West, R-Paris, is the latest bill to be filed by the Republican to try to legalize medicinal use of marijuana that […]