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Abortion providers in Texas, eager to restore access to the procedure there, asked a federal appeals court on Wednesday to immediately return their case to a district judge in Austin who previously blocked the nation’s most restrictive abortion law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit is weighing whether to transfer the case instead temporarily to the Texas Supreme Court, a step requested by state officials that could delay resolution for months. (Marimow, 12/22)

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed a ‘born alive’ abortion bill that could close the last clinics in Dayton and Cincinnati, abortion opponents announced Wednesday afternoon. Pictures of DeWine’s signing the bill into law were captured and posted to Twitter by Ohio Right to Life, the Ohio Republican Party and the Center for Christian Virtue. The two organizations published the photos before the governor’s office made its official announcement. DeWine’s announcement didn’t include any personal quotes or feelings on the bill. However, DeWine has long supported restricting abortion rights. (Hancock, 12/23)

Come April 2022, more than a quarter million retired New York City government workers and their dependents are expected to transition from traditional Medicare to privatized health insurance. The city's move to insure retirees under a Medicare Advantage plan represents a trend among self-insured customers that has accelerated nationwide over the past decade. In December, 5 million MA members came from group plans sponsored by unions or employers, up 6% year-over-year and 132% from the 2.1 million enrollees a decade ago, according to the latest federal data. While enrollment through group plans represents a small portion of the 27.2 million total MA enrollees, these plans are growing in popularity as companies look to attract and retain talent during the Great Resignation and governments look to cut healthcare costs and offer additional benefits, said Brad Ellis, senior director of insurance at Fitch Ratings. (Tepper, 12/23)

Louisiana’s population shrank by more than 27,000 in the year ended July 1, the fifth biggest decline among U.S. states, as deaths rose and births dwindled due to the coronavirus pandemic and tens of thousands of more residents left the state than moved in, according to new Census Bureau estimates. The decline marks the fourth time in five years the state has lost residents and is the largest one-year decline since nearly 275,000 people were forced out of the state during Hurricane Katrina. (Adelson, 12/22)

Seven members of an immigrant family from Honduras whose bodies were found inside a Minnesota home last weekend died of apparently accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said Wednesday. ... Police Chief Shannon Monroe said the carbon monoxide came from either the home’s furnace or a van in the garage. Technicians couldn’t find a defect in the furnace that would have sent carbon monoxide into the home. (Kolpack, 12/23)

Theodore Kaczynski — who came to be known as the “Unabomber” for killing three people and injuring many more in a series of mail bombings over 17 years — has been transferred to a federal prison medical facility known for treating inmates with significant health problems, a Federal Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman said Wednesday. (Zapotosky, 12/22)