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Democrats have set the stage for a convention this week packed with boasts about some of their most popular health care policy wins and future moonshot goals. The four-day event in Chicago will kick off as former President Trump increases attacks on rising inflation, economic hardship, and border control policies under the Biden administration. The Republican candidate has not dwelled much on health care in his campaign rhetoric. But Democrats see topics from reproductive rights to lower drug prices as winning issues with voters. (Owermohle, 8/18)

Â鶹ŮÓÅ Health News: Harris-Walz Ticket Sharpens Contrast With Trump-Vance On Health Care 

Vice President Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate is making health care a front-burner issue in the final sprint to the November presidential election. Walz, a 60-year-old former high school teacher and football coach, has a record of supporting left-leaning health care initiatives during his two terms as governor and while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2007 to 2019. (Armour, 8/19)

Democrats on Monday evening will spotlight the stories of women placed in medical peril because of state abortion bans, part of an effort by the party to capitalize on the lasting anger over the Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to overturn Roe v. Wade. All three women who are scheduled to speak on the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago have become prominent surrogates for the party’s ticket on the campaign trail, offering their deeply personal testimonials in campaign ads, White House meetings and political events. (Lerer, 8/19)

Planned Parenthood is offering more than a free T-shirt or sticker at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) this coming week — the organization will offer free vasectomies, medication abortion, and emergency contraception. Planned Parenthood Great Rivers of St. Louis announced in a X post that a bus is headed to the DNC in Chicago on Aug. 19-20 to offer free services. (Rumpf-Whitten, 8/17)

Democrats are holding their nominating convention this week in Illinois, a state that’s become a critical access point for patients seeking abortion since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade just over two years ago. Hope Clinic is in western Illinois — near the border with Missouri, where most or all abortions are now illegal. The situation is similar for most of Illinois’ neighboring states. In recent years, Hope and other clinics across Illinois have increased hours and staffing to accommodate an influx of patients from outside the state. (McCammon, 8/19)

A crowd of hundreds called for abortion and LGBTQ+ rights Sunday evening in downtown Chicago, getting a head start on a week of protests before the Democratic National Convention kickoff Monday. ... The rally and march took place a week after the coalition Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws — endorsed by more than 30 local and national organizations — won a permit for a route on Michigan Avenue following a long legal battle with the city. (Perez, 8/18)