First Edition: Dec. 19, 2023

KFF Health News: When A Quick Telehealth Visit Yields Multiple Surprises Beyond A Big Bill 
In September 2022, Elyse Greenblatt of Queens returned home from a trip to Rwanda with a rather unwelcome-back gift: persistent congestion. She felt a pain in her sinuses and sought a quick resolution. Covid-19 couldn’t be ruled out, so rather than risk passing on an unknown infection to others in a waiting room, the New Yorker booked a telehealth visit through her usual health system, Mount Sinai — a perennial on best-hospitals lists. (Tahir, 12/19)

KFF Health News: Patients Facing Death Are Opting For A Lifesaving Heart Device — But At What Risk? 
Too old and too sick for a heart transplant, Arvid Herrman was given a choice: Have a mechanical pump implanted in his heart, potentially keeping him alive for several years, or do nothing and almost certainly die within a year. The 68-year-old Wisconsin farmer chose the pump, called a HeartMate 3 — currently the only FDA-approved device of its kind in use. Instead of extending his life, though, the device led to his death, according to a lawsuit filed in December 2020 by his daughter Jamie Edwards. (Chang and Hacker, 12/19)

KFF Health News: New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ For California Mom 
When Mia Bloomer found out she was pregnant with her fourth child, she wanted a different birth experience. She wanted to feel empowered, informed, and heard — elements she found lacking during her earlier births. Somewhat by accident, Bloomer, 26, found Priya Kalyan-Masih six months into her pregnancy. Kalyan-Masih is a doula, a professional childbirth companion who provides emotional support, physical comfort, and education to women before, during, and after pregnancy. Bloomer hadn’t realized Medi-Cal would cover the service until she visited an informational fair near her home in the High Desert region of Southern California. (Castle Work, 12/19)

KFF Health News: Social Security Chief Apologizes To Congress For Misleading Testimony On Overpayments 
The head of the Social Security Administration has sent a letter of apology to members of Congress about testimony in which she understated the extent of the agency’s overpayments to beneficiaries. “I want to apologize for any confusion or misunderstanding during the October hearing,” acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi wrote in a letter dated Dec. 11. (Hilzenrath and Fleischer, 12/19)

Axios: Most Kids Losing Medicaid Come From Just Nine States
Sixty percent of kids who have lost Medicaid coverage this year came from just nine states, all of which are Republican-led, according to new data from the Biden administration. And the 10 states refusing the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults have disenrolled more kids than all of the expansion states combined, the administration also reported. (Goldman, 12/19)

AP: Largest Nursing Home In St. Louis Closes Suddenly, Forcing Out 170 Residents
The largest skilled nursing facility in St. Louis has closed suddenly, forcing about 170 residents to be bused to other care centers. Many left with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. The abrupt shutdown of Northview Village Nursing Home on Friday came after workers learned they might not be paid and walked out, confusing residents and their relatives. Many family members gathered through the day Saturday outside the facility on the city’s north side. Some didn’t immediately know where their loved ones were taken. (Salter and Hollingsworth, 12/18)

Stat: FTC, DOJ, HHS's New Health Counsels To Take On Price-Gouging
Three major government agencies are adding new officials to investigate price-gouging in health care — positions experts say will help the three agencies better coordinate across the government. The new jobs are part of the Biden White House’s new efforts to scrutinize what it calls “corporate greed” in health care. (Trang, 12/19)

Axios: Americans Less Satisfied With Almost Every Part Of The Health System
Americans' satisfaction with almost every major part of the health care system has dropped since 2010, according to a new Gallup analysis. Drugmakers took the biggest reputational hit, and ratings for physicians fell sharply, too. (Goldman, 12/19)

The Hill: Harris To Travel The Country In Early 2024 Highlighting Fight For Abortion Rights 
Vice President Harris is planning to launch a nationwide tour in early 2024 focused on the fight over abortion access as it is set to become a pivotal issue in next year’s general election. The “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour will begin in Wisconsin on Jan. 22, 2024, which marks the 51st anniversary since the original Roe v. Wade decision guaranteeing abortion access. (Samuels, 12/19)

AP: Attorneys For Kentucky Woman Seeking Abortion Withdraw Lawsuit 
Attorneys for a Kentucky woman who sued demanding the right to an abortion withdrew the lawsuit after the woman learned her embryo no longer has cardiac activity. In a court filing Sunday, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky told a judge the attorneys will “voluntarily dismiss” the lawsuit that was filed Dec. 8. Lawyers for the woman pointed to a Kentucky Supreme Court decision that said abortion providers cannot sue on behalf of their patients, limiting the legal actions to individuals seeking an abortion. The lawsuit had sought class-action status. (Lovan, 12/18)

News Service of Florida: Florida Appellate Panel Upholds Blocking A Minor's Abortion Under Consent Law
A state appeals court Friday upheld a Calhoun County circuit judge’s ruling that blocked a minor from having an abortion without notification and consent of a parent or guardian. The unanimous decision by a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal did not detail the circumstances of the case, including the age of the minor, who was identified by the pseudonym Jane Doe. (Saunders, 12/18)

Axios: COVID Levels Reach Highs Ahead Of Holiday Travel Season
Wastewater analysis sites nationwide are showing high levels of COVID-19 as we head into the holiday travel season, per the latest CDC data. Almost every state reporting such data is showing at least "high" levels compared to baseline trends, with many reporting "very high" levels, as defined by the CDC. (Fitzpatrick and Feng, 12/19)

CBS News: Detroit Medical Center Announces New Visitor Restrictions Amid Flu Uptick In Michigan
"Flu cases have been increasing across the United States," said Dr. Teena Chopra, MPH, Corporate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology and Antibiotic Stewardship for Detroit Medical Center, and professor of infectious diseases at Wayne State University, in a statement. "According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan influenza activity is also now increasing rapidly. In this period of increased influenza activity in the community, we made these changes for the safety and care of our patients."  (Buczek, 12/18)

Reuters: AbbVie Lawsuit Says Rival Adcentrx Stole Anti-Cancer Secrets 
Pharmaceutical company AbbVie has sued startup Adcentrx Therapeutics in California federal court, accusing it of stealing trade secrets to develop competing cancer-fighting antibodies by hiring away an AbbVie scientist. (Brittain, 12/18)

Bloomberg: Ozempic May Reduce Heart Disease Risks By Targeting Brain, Study Finds
Brain signals in patients taking weight-loss drugs such as Novo Nordisk A/S’s Ozempic may contribute to lowering heart disease and deaths, researchers said. Ozempic, Novo’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound work in part by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone that moderates appetite and fights obesity, a known risk factor for heart disease. The drugs also activate anti-inflammatory pathways in the brain with far-reaching effects that may independently keep the heart healthy, according to a study. (Muller, 12/18)

Axios: Weight-Loss Drugs Now Being Paired With Bariatric Surgery
The new highly effective class of anti-obesity drugs has often been talked about as an alternative to bariatric surgery — but medications like Wegovy are increasingly being paired with the procedure. While surgeons say the drugs can especially help people with severe obesity maintain weight loss after surgery, the combination presents a pricey scenario for insurers already grappling with the cost of the drugs alone. (Reed, 12/19)

Modern Healthcare: Humana Medicare Advantage Case Should Be Dismissed, DOJ Says
The Justice Department filed a motion to transfer or dismiss Humana's lawsuit over Medicare Advantage audits. The insurance company in September filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas' Fort Worth division, alleging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services did not go through the appropriate regulatory processes and lacked legal standing when finalizing the risk-adjustment data validation rule earlier in the year. (Tepper, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: Molina Reduces Bright Health Medicare Advantage Sale
Molina Healthcare will cut to $425 million its payment for Bright Health Group's California Medicare Advantage plans. Molina did not specify in a news release Monday why it reduced the agreed-upon purchase price of $510 million by 16.7%. Molina will seek regulatory approval to consolidate the two plans, Brand New Day and Central Health Plan, as part of the acquisition, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Bright Health submitted Monday. (Tepper, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: FTC Ends Lawsuit As John Muir-Tenet Hospital Deal Falls Through
The Federal Trade Commission said Monday it is dropping its lawsuit to block John Muir Health’s proposed acquisition of San Ramon Regional Medical Center, following the health system's decision to scrap the deal. ... For-profit Tenet, a 61-hospital system, holds a 51% stake in San Ramon Regional. John Muir, which holds a 49% non-operating stake, planned to acquire Tenet's interest. (Hudson, 12/18)

Modern Healthcare: Blue Shield Of CA CEO Predicts 'Reckoning' Over Healthcare Costs
Ballooning medical costs will feed into existing disillusionment with the healthcare industry, said Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich. “There's going to be a reckoning about what to do about healthcare and it's going to happen in the face of most, if not all the players, in the healthcare value chain being deeply unpopular,” he said. To retain its 4.5 million members, the nonprofit insurer says it is prioritizing affordability. (Tepper, 12/18)

Health News Florida: Tampa General Hospital Renames Children's Hospital After 'Largest Gift Ever' 
Tampa General Hospital will rename its children’s hospital Muma Children’s Hospital at TGH after a major donation from longtime supporters Pam and Les Muma. The size of the gift was not specified, but in a news release, the Tampa General Hospital Foundation reported that “this marks the most significant contribution to TGH and the largest gift ever to any children’s hospital in our region.” (12/18)

Orange County Register: California Sober Living Homes Were 'Little More Than Drug Dens,’ Lawsuit Says
Last month, Aetna filed a lawsuit against a slew of rehabs and their operators in Orange, Los Angeles and Riverside counties, claiming fraud. ... “The various schemes perpetrated by Defendants here are particularly disturbing,” the Aetna suit says. “Since at least 2021, Defendants have targeted vulnerable Aetna members who suffer from alcohol and/or substance dependency issues as part of a concerted effort to profit at their expense. Defendants used the patients for health benefit payments under the lie of helping them, while doing the exact opposite." (Sforza, 12/18)

CBS News: Emails Show Pittsburgh Has Failed To Comply With Regulations For Needle Exchanges
Discarded used syringes are a public health hazard, but a KDKA investigation has found that for the past two years, the city failed to comply with health department regulations. ... In nearly two dozen emails obtained through a right-to-know request, KDKA Investigates found that despite repeated pleas from the Allegheny County Health Department, the city failed to develop a policy or comply with regulations requiring the accounting and disposal of the needles, nor has it made available required sharps disposal containers to ensure the public's health and safety. (Sheehan, 12/18)

Reuters: Monsanto Hit With $857 Mln Verdict Over PCBs In Washington State School
A Washington state jury on Monday ordered Bayer's Monsanto to pay $857 million to seven former students and parent volunteers of a school northeast of Seattle who claimed that chemicals known as PCBs made by the company leaked from light fixtures and made them sick, according to court documents. The jury in Seattle found the company liable for selling polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) used in the Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington that were not safe and did not contain adequate warnings. The verdict included $73 million in compensatory damages, and $784 million in punitive damages. (Mindock, 12/18)

The Boston Globe: New $1 Million Tuition Reimbursement Program For First Responders
A new program will provide tuition reimbursement for New Hampshire first responders, according to officials who announced the program’s launch Monday. The New Hampshire Department of Safety is working with the Community College System of New Hampshire to offer the program, as well as the Police Standards and Training Council. Law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians are eligible to receive reimbursement for one course per semester through the program. (Gokee, 12/18)

Minnesota Public Radio: Two Minnesota Teens Create New App To Address Youth Mental Health Crisis
By now, you’re probably well aware that teenagers in the U.S. are facing a full-fledged mental health crisis. The American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association have declared a “national state of emergency” for children’s mental health. Two Minnesota teens had an idea to get ahead of mental health crises by helping other young people become more aware of their feelings. (Wurzer and Finn, 12/18)

CIDRAP: CDC Warns Of Growing, Deadly Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Cantaloupe
With 72 new cases, the US Salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupe has now topped 300 cases, and another person has died, bringing the death total to 4. So far, half of patients interviewed were hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an update late last week. "CDC is concerned about this outbreak because the illnesses are severe and people in long-term care facilities and childcare centers have gotten sick. Do not eat pre-cut cantaloupes if you don’t know whether Malichita or Rudy brand cantaloupes were used," the CDC warned. (Soucheray, 12/18)

AP: FDA Finds 'Extremely High' Lead Levels In Cinnamon At Ecuador Plant That Made Tainted Fruit Pouches 
U.S. food inspectors found “extremely high” levels of lead in cinnamon at a plant in Ecuador that made applesauce pouches tainted with the metal, the Food and Drug Administration said Monday. The recalled pouches have been linked to dozens of illnesses in U.S. kids. Cinnamon tested from the plant had lead levels more than 2,000 times higher than a maximum level proposed by the FDA, officials said. (Aleccia, 12/18)

AP: A New Study Bolsters Evidence That Severe Obesity Is Increasing In Young Kids In The US 
A new study adds to evidence that severe obesity is becoming more common in young U.S. children. There was some hope that children in a government food program might be bucking a trend in obesity rates — earlier research found rates were dropping a little about a decade ago for those kids. But an update released Monday in the journal Pediatrics shows the rate bounced back up a bit by 2020.The increase echoes other national data, which suggests around 2.5% of all preschool-aged children were severely obese during the same period. (Stobbe, 12/18)

AP: Elf Bar And Other Chinese E-Cigarette Makers Dodged US Customs And Taxes
The makers of Elf Bar and other Chinese e-cigarettes have imported products worth hundreds of millions of dollars while repeatedly dodging customs and avoiding taxes and import fees, according to public records and court documents reviewed by The Associated Press. (Perrone, 12/19)