Trump administration looks to roll back health care protections

The Trump administration proposed rules late last week that would roll back Obama-era health care protections for certain vulnerable populations, including transgender individuals, immigrants, and women who have previously had an abortion. If the rules are finalized, physicians and other health care professionals could refuse to treat people because of conscientious objections. The rules will likely face legal challenges. Already, several medical groups have spoken out against them: The American Psychological Association, for instance, said that discrimination can exacerbate mental health problems and is a factor in chronic stress-related health disparities.

In other health policy news, Missouri’s governor signed into a law a ban on abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy, while Mississippi’s ban on abortions after six weeks was blocked by a federal judge. Finally, Colorado became the first state to pass a law capping insulin prices: Insured patients will have to pay no more than $100 a month for the drug.