- KFF Health News Original Stories 4
- Patients Facing Death Are Opting for a Lifesaving Heart Device — But at What Risk?
- Bill of the Month: When a Quick Telehealth Visit Yields Multiple Surprises Beyond a Big Bill
- Social Security Chief Apologizes to Congress for Misleading Testimony on Overpayments
- Faces of Medi-Cal: New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ for California Mom
- Political Cartoon: 'OSHA for Reindeer?
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
Patients Facing Death Are Opting for a Lifesaving Heart Device — But at What Risk?
The HeartMate 3 is considered the safest mechanical heart pump of its kind, but a federal database contains more than 4,500 reports in which the medical device may have caused or contributed to a patient’s death. (Daniel Chang and Holly K. Hacker, 12/19)
Bill of the Month: When a Quick Telehealth Visit Yields Multiple Surprises Beyond a Big Bill
For the patient, it was a quick and inexpensive virtual appointment. Why it cost 10 times what she expected became a mystery. (Darius Tahir, 12/19)
Social Security Chief Apologizes to Congress for Misleading Testimony on Overpayments
Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi sent the letter days after KFF Health News and Cox Media Group reported that the agency has been demanding money back from more than twice as many people as she’d disclosed in October testimony. (David Hilzenrath and Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group, 12/18)
Faces of Medi-Cal: New Doula Benefit ‘Life-Changing’ for California Mom
Doulas, independent workers who act as advocates for birthing parents, have been shown to help prevent pregnancy complications and improve the health of both mothers and babies. California’s Medicaid program started covering their services this year, but some doulas say bureaucratic obstacles and inadequate pay prevent their effective use. (Molly Castle Work, 12/19)
Political Cartoon: 'OSHA for Reindeer?
KFF Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Political Cartoon: 'OSHA for Reindeer?" by Tim Cordell.
Summaries Of The News:
HHS Warns 9 States Where 'Alarming' Number Of Kids Have Lost Medicaid
Those states are responsible for 60% of children in the U.S. losing Medicaid coverage between March and September. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra sent letters urging their Republican governors to take advantage of CMS tools to make it easier for families to reenroll.
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)
Politico:
Biden Administration Pleads With States After Millions Of Kids Lose Medicaid Coverage
In letters sent Monday to the governors of Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Montana, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra urged the states to take up more of options CMS has offered to ensure coverage. The options include allowing states to use enrollee information they have to auto-renew coverage. HHS also issued new guidance for states Monday, including an option to give kids an additional 12 months to get on the rolls. That option is available through 2024, CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure told reporters. (Cirruzzo, 12/18)
Arkansas Times:
Biden Administration 'Deeply Alarmed' By Arkansas's Rush To Kick Kids Off Medicaid
When Mike Huckabee was governor, he oversaw a huge increase in the percentage of Arkansas children with health insurance thanks to the then-visionary ARKids program. His daughter, Gov. Sarah Sanders, has overseen an unprecedented shift in the opposite direction. Some 78,500 Arkansas children lost Medicaid coverage between March and September, according to a presentation shared today by federal officials — an 18% decline over a seven-month period. Almost every state is removing enrollees from Medicaid, both children and adults, because of recent changes in the safety net program. But few states have been as harsh as Arkansas, which is among the top five in terms of both percentage decline in child Medicaid coverage and change in absolute enrollment numbers. (Hardy, 12/18)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Georgia Ranked Third Worst In Nation For Kicking Kids Off Medicaid
Georgia is disenrolling children from Medicaid in greater numbers than most other states, many of whom may actually be eligible for coverage, according to information released Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The news came on the same day Georgia announced a new allocation of $54 million to bolster and repair the understaffed effort to requalify the state’s Medicaid recipients. Georgia officials made the decision one month after an Atlanta Journal-Constitution report documented a processing system so broken that enrollees are often given instructions that are impossible to follow, or information on a cell phone screen that contradicts what they see on a desktop screen for the same Medicaid account. (Hart, 12/18)
Medicaid expansion in North Carolina is going well —
The News & Observer:
Thousands Enrolled In Medicaid In NC’s First 12 Days Of Expansion. Here’s The New Data
Medicaid expansion in North Carolina is now in full effect, and initial enrollment data indicates a strong start, according to the state’s health secretary. “Out of the gate, (we’re) feeling really good about the number of folks enrolled,” said Kody Kinsley, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, in an interview. Progress in the first few days of expansion, which started on Dec. 1, is “pretty phenomenal,” he said. As of Dec. 12, 280,000 people have enrolled to receive Medicaid insurance, according to data shared by DHHS. (Guinassi, 12/19)
In other Medicaid and Social Security news —
The Boston Globe:
MassHealth To Raise Rates For Some Independent Practices
Hundreds of independent primary care organizations in Massachusetts will see sizable increases in Medicaid reimbursement next year, as state officials move to stabilize an industry facing severe financial challenges. Practices with a high percentage of patients on Medicaid, a government insurance program largely for low-income people, have been struggling with reimbursement rates that are too low to cover rising expenses. ... The increase announced this month by MassHealth may relieve some of that pressure. (Bartlett, 12/18)
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)
White House Unveils Effort To Stop 'Corporate Profiteers' In Health Care
The Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission, and Health and Human Services Department will add officials to probe price-gouging in the health care industry. Meanwhile, a new Gallup analysis shows that Americans' dissatisfaction with almost every part of the health system has grown.
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)
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)
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)
In other health care industry updates —
Stat:
Humana’s Medicare Advantage Lawsuit Should Be Tossed, DOJ Says
The Department of Justice has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Humana, which alleged the government’s new audits of Medicare Advantage plans are unlawful. And if the lawsuit isn’t thrown out, the DOJ said in a new legal filing, at a minimum, it should be moved to a different federal court in Texas — away from a judge that has a track record of striking down federal health care laws. (Herman, 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:
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)
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)
Snap Closure Of Largest Nursing Home In St. Louis Forces Out Residents
Northview Village Nursing Home, the largest skilled nursing home in the city, closed abruptly after workers were told they may not be paid and walked out of the facility. About 170 residents were forced to find other care. Also in the news: California's sober living homes; AI in hospice care decisions; and more.
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)
In news from California —
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:
New Campaign Meant To Help Black Californians Take Charge Of Their Health
Navigating the health care system is not easy, and it's adding to a health gap for Black Americans. A new campaign is meant to empower Black Californians and help take charge of their health. When it comes to health care, Rhonda Smith is on a mission. "About 94% of Black Californians have health insurance, but getting access to the producers and services they need can often be a challenge," said Smith, the executive director of the California Black Health Network. (Garcia, 12/18)
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)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
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)
Bloomberg:
New Jersey Doctors Test Using AI For Hospice-Care Decisions
“When someone is actively declining, you can see it, but being able to predict before that happens is hard.” Can artificial intelligence software do a better job than humans of picking that moment? That’s the idea behind Serious Illness Care Connect, a software tool that about 150 doctors are testing in a pilot program in New Jersey’s largest health-care network, Hackensack Meridian Health. ... The tool calculates the likelihood that a patient will die within six months, a common medical benchmark for these kinds of decisions. (LaPara, 12/18)
CBS News:
State's New Law Requires Paid Sick Time For All Minnesota Workers Starting In January
Every worker, regardless of status, will be eligible for sick and safe time, and employers are required to pay for it. ... If you work 30 hours that makes you eligible for one hour of paid sick and safe time for a maximum of 48 hours a year. The new law says you can get sick or safe time if you are sick or if you are caring for a sick family member. The definition of sick includes mental illness, and the definition of a family member is broad. It includes step-relatives, grandparents, nieces and nephews, and domestic partners and foster relatives. (Murphy, 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)
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)
News Service of Florida:
FDA Could Make A Decision On Florida's Plan For Canada Drug Imports By Jan. 5
Federal officials are expected to decide by Jan. 5 whether to approve a Florida plan to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, state Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Jason Weida told a state House panel Thursday. Weida said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will approve the plan, which the state has been pursuing since 2019. (12/15)
'High' Covid Levels In US Fueled In Part By Omicron Subvariant JN.1
CDC data on infections and wastewater analysis indicate that much of the nation is already at "high" or "very high" covid levels just before the height of the holiday season. The fastest growing variant is JN.1, which could be responsible for half of cases by the end of the month.
CNN:
Coronavirus Subvariant JN.1 Growing Fast In US, Already Dominant In The Northeast
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus. It’s already dominant in the Northeast, where it is estimated to cause about a third of new infections. JN.1 is descended from BA.2.86, or Pirola, a subvariant that came to the world’s attention over the summer because of the large number of changes to its spike proteins: more than 30. (Goodman, 12/19)
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)
Time:
What To Know About The JN.1 Variant Of SARS-CoV-2
JN.1 was first detected in the U.S. in September but spread slowly at first. In recent weeks, however, it has accounted for a growing percentage of test samples sequenced by labs affiliated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), surpassing 20% during the two-week period ending Dec. 9. By some projections, it will be responsible for at least half of new infections in the U.S. before December ends. (Ducharme, 12/18)
WDSU:
Louisiana Leads Nation In Flu Activity Ahead Of Holiday Gatherings
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Louisiana is one of two states leading the nation in flu activity. South Carolina is the other. Additionally, information released by the Louisiana Department of Health indicates that the New Orleans Metro area has some of the highest flu activity in the state. In fact, LDH found that over the first week of December, 54 new patients were admitted to area hospitals with the flu. (Lentes, 12/18)
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)
In related pandemic news —
USA Today:
Schools Used COVID Aid To House Homeless Students. Soon, That Option Won't Exist
Hotel stays have become a crucial tool schools use to address student homelessness and chronic absenteeism. The rules and money allowing it end soon. (Belsha, 12/18)
Vice President To Go On National Tour In 2024 To Support Abortion Rights
Vice President Kamala Harris' "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour will begin in Wisconsin on the 51st anniversary date of the original Roe v. Wade legal decision. Meanwhile, in Kentucky a woman who was suing for her abortion rights withdrew the case after learning her embryo no longer had cardiac activity.
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)
Greenville News:
To Be A Woman: SC Abortion Ban Renews Focus On Representation
When the state trained its energies on abortion rights, the lack of women in public office became apparent, especially to the women themselves. (Chhetri, 12/19)
Also —
Ohio Capital Journal:
Fear And Confusion Over Abortion Access Persists As SCOTUS Takes Its First Post-Dobbs Case
For providers who spoke with States Newsroom on Wednesday, it’s not just about what restrictions will or won’t stand after a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, but the fact that the case got this far in the first place. Dr. Erin Berry, an OB-GYN in Seattle who works at 15 Planned Parenthood clinics around the West, said it’s hard to sit with the idea that nine judges are making a decision about the medical science and safety of a drug. “That’s just unprecedented, they are not to be the experts in that, and them getting to have a say on that, that’s a big deal to me,” Berry said. “And it has implications on all of our lives.” (Moseley-Morris and Resnick, 12/19)
Slate:
Amanda Zurawski Explains What It’s Really Like To Challenge Texas’ Abortion Laws.
Last summer, Amanda Zurawski and a number of plaintiffs sued to have Texas clarify its inscrutable and malleable “exception” rule, that, as it currently stands, does not seem to allow many exceptions at all, and instead threatens all abortion providers with losing their licenses, paying extortionate fines, and going to prison for 99 years if they help their clients access such care. ... "One of the reasons they said we don’t have standing is because, for example in my case, I am unlikely to be able to get pregnant again. And so this law won’t affect me because I probably can’t get pregnant again. And what they fail to realize is that the reason I probably can’t get pregnant again is because of what happened to me, because of the laws that they have enacted," she said. (Lithwick, 12/18)
Apple Stops Selling Some Smartwatches In Health Sensor Patent Fight
News outlets cover the surprising news that Apple's latest smartwatches, launched only in September, will be withdrawn from sale temporarily. The tech giant is embroiled in a legal battle with a smaller company that patented pulse oximeter tech it says Apple is using in the watches.
Stat:
Apple Pauses Sales Of Latest Apple Watch After Import Ban
Apple is temporarily pulling certain Apple Watches from the U.S. market to comply with an import ban issued by the International Trade Commission in October. The ITC declared two months ago that Apple infringed on the patents of pulse oximeter company Masimo. President Biden has until Dec. 25 to approve or veto the import ban, but Apple has decided to preemptively comply with the order. (Lawrence, 12/18)
Bloomberg:
Apple Watch Ban Prompts High-Stakes Engineering Changes
Engineers at the company are racing to make changes to algorithms on the device that measure a user’s blood oxygen level — a feature that Masimo Corp. has argued infringes its patents. They’re adjusting how the technology determines oxygen saturation and presents the data to customers, according to people familiar with the work. (Gurman, 12/18)
In related news about health data —
Stat:
Health Care Providers Are Fighting Efforts To Limit Health Data Tracking
Wherever you go on the internet, trackers follow. These ubiquitous bits of code, invisibly embedded in most websites, are powerful tools that can reveal the pages you visit, the buttons you click, and the forms you fill to help advertisers tail and target you across the web. (Palmer, 12/19)
Other companies are embroiled in controversy —
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)
Axios:
Tennessee Company In Battle With European Regulators Over Weight-Loss Drug
Years before Ozempic became all the weight loss rage, two private equity firms bought a commercialized anti-obesity drug out of bankruptcy and formed a new company around it called Currax Pharmaceuticals. Tennessee-based Currax now is locked in an unusual fight with European regulators, and alleging a possible conflict of interest that's tied to Ozempic. (Primack, 12/18)
Stat:
Prime Medicine, Myeloid Therapeutics Clash Over Genome-Editing Deal
The closely watched gene-editing startup Prime Medicine is embroiled in a multimillion-dollar dispute with another biotech it partnered with to develop a potentially powerful new form of genome editing. (Mast and DeAngelis, 12/18)
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)
Study: It's Official — More US Kids Are Obese
A new study defeats some earlier hopes that kids in government food programs were bucking a trend in obesity rates. The data says no: severe obesity is actually becoming more common in U.S. children. Meanwhile, other research underlines the brain's role in obesity.
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)
Medscape:
What Causes Obesity? More Science Points To The Brain
Throughout the day, the machine that is our brain is constantly humming in the background, taking in subtle signals from our gut, hormones, and environment to determine when we're hungry, how food makes us feel, and whether we are taking in enough energy, or expending too much, to survive. Mounting evidence suggests that in people with obesity, something in the machine is broken. (Marshall, 12/18)
On diabetes —
News-Medical.net:
Shattering Myths: Study Reveals New Insights On Type 1 Diabetes And Obesity Link
Unlike previously thought, overweight and obesity are significantly positively associated with Type 1 diabetes. Research has revealed that in adolescents between the ages of 16 and 19, every incremental standard deviation (SD) from mean body mass index (BMI) was associated with a 25% increased risk of developing T1D (de Souza, 12/18)
Stat:
Diabetes Study Shows Structure GLP-1 Pill Cuts Blood Sugar, Weight
Structure Therapeutics said Monday that its experimental GLP-1 pill demonstrated a 1% lowering of blood glucose and slightly more than 3% weight loss relative to a placebo in a 12-week study involving participants with type 2 diabetes — results that are preliminary but don’t quite match a competing oral drug under development by Eli Lilly. (Feuerstein, 12/18)
On weight-loss drugs —
Stat:
Wegovy May Help Fight Inflammation Via The Brain, Study Finds
As more data emerges that obesity drugs like Wegovy can reduce complications from heart and kidney problems as well, scientists have been wondering whether these benefits are driven by weight loss alone or also by other mechanisms. (Chen, 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)
NPR:
Why Oprah And WeightWatchers Are Backing Drugs Like Ozempic And Wegovy
"I'm absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself," Winfrey told the magazine. Winfrey is giving voice to what countless people have felt since embracing a class of drugs that were originally approved for diabetes, but are now being widely used for weight loss. WeightWatchers, the long-running weight loss and weight management program, is also embracing the drugs, which are known as GLP1s. It's a massive shift for a company that has spent 60 years advising people to count their calories – or their points – and use will power. (Summers, Marquez Janse, Ermyas, 12/18)
Another Person Has Died In Cantaloupe Salmonella Outbreak, CDC Warns
The outbreak of over 300 cases of salmonella has been linked to tainted cantaloupe, with four fatalities. Meanwhile, food inspectors looking into applesauce pouches linked to child poisonings found contaminated cinnamon had lead levels 2,000 times higher than proposed limits.
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)
USA Today:
Recall For TGI Fridays Boneless Chicken Bites After Plastic Found
The Food and Safety Inspection Service with the USDA issued a food recall for about 26,550 pounds of chicken bites manufactured on Oct. 3 after receiving complaints from consumers that discovered plastic under the breading of the bites. The restaurant chain’s supplier, Simmons Prepared Foods Incorporated voluntarily recalled the product as it is believed the bites were “contaminated with extraneous materials, specifically pieces of clear, hard plastic.” (Encinas, 12/18)
In other health and wellness news —
Military.com:
VA Makes Pitch For More Money To Counter 7.4% Rise In Homeless Veterans Living On The Streets Or In Shelters
The Department of Veterans Affairs has plans for major funding increases to counter a sharp and unexpected 7.4% rise in veteran homelessness, plans that are dependent on how much money a divided Congress will approve for next year's VA budget. In a release last Friday, the VA announced its intention to devote "hundreds of millions" to assist veterans sleeping in shelters or living on the streets and other places "not fit for human habitation." (Sisk, 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)
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)
The Washington Post:
Why Are Americans Getting Shorter?
You already know we’re getting heavier. Rising obesity rates are as American as apple pie — a cliché that seems freshly relevant in this context. But did you know we’re also getting shorter? We didn’t! At least, not until we tried to use the National Health Interview Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to figure out which professions boast the tallest workers. (Van Dam, 12/15)
Viewpoints: This Is Why People Are Skipping Covid Boosters; Soldiers' Own Weapons Are Hurting Them
Editorial writers tackle covid boosters, brain injury in soldiers, sickle cell, and more.
Bloomberg:
Wanted: A Covid Booster That Actually Works
The public’s waning concern over Covid is main reason cited for plunging stock prices and impending layoffs at Pfizer. The company bet big that people would sign up for annual Covid-19 mRNA boosters the way they do for flu shots. But people aren’t: On Friday, Dec. 15, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that only 18% of adults had gotten the latest Covid shot, compared with 42% who’d gotten a flu shot. (F.D. Flam, 12/19)
Chicago Tribune:
US Soldiers At Risk Of Brain Injuries From Their Own Weapons
The military is currently experiencing a mental health crisis, with suicide now the second leading cause of death for service members. Brain injuries suffered by service members are a big part of this crisis, and new information has revealed the risk that service members face even if they don’t deploy. (Daniel Johnson, 12/18)
Scientific American:
People With Sickle Cell Deserve More Respect From Health Care Providers
More than 50 years ago my parents took a big chance. They fell in love, got married and had three daughters, not knowing that they both carried the genetic trait for sickle cell disease. (Janice Blanchard, 12/18)
The Washington Post:
Democrats’ 2024 Advantage: Abortion Ballot Measures In Key States
A big reason widespread predictions of a 2022 midterm election “red wave” for Republicans got it wrong was the failure of polling to pick up the power of abortion rights to motivate voters. The 2024 election could see a similar dynamic, with major benefits for Democrats. Consider the results six weeks ago in Ohio — a state that twice voted for Donald Trump — when amending the state constitution to establish a right to abortion was on the ballot. It passed easily. (Jennifer Rubin, 12/18)
USA Today:
Women, Girls Have Right To Sexual, Reproductive Health
We are abandoning women and girls caught in crises. They are in a meat grinder of war and the calamity of natural disaster. We have left them to anguished suffering and even death. I’m saying this with propulsive sorrow because once again the world is failing to pay for half of the sexual and reproductive health care needed in humanitarian settings, care that's so intrinsic to human life. (Ashley Judd, 12/18)
Stat:
The Census Category ‘Some Other Race’ Is Hurting Public Health
According to the 2020 Census, the second most common race in America, after white, is “Some other race,” an option chosen by an astonishing one out of seven people. The nationwide failure to accurately measure the variety of races and ethnicities that make up the U.S. population makes underrepresented groups invisible in public health data, resulting in policies informed by inadequate or misleading information. (Juan Carlos Gonzalez Jr., 12/19)