State Highlights: Ohio Lawmaker Offers Price Transparency Bill; Workers Fired Over Refusal To Get Flu Shot

The Columbus Dispatch: Doctors Back New Ohio Health-Care Price Transparency Bill
As Ohio’s health-care price transparency law remains tied up in court by Ohio hospitals and others, one of the legislature’s few doctors has introduced a replacement proposal backed by the medical community. Rep. Stephen Huffman, R-Tipp City, a physician and chairman of the House Health Committee, said the new transparency bill would give patients information upfront about out-of-pocket and covered costs of procedures with prior authorization. It also would require disclosure of costs for a number of other procedures, such as MRIs or childbirth, if the patient requests it seven days in advance. (Siegel, 11/22)

The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune: Essentia Fires About 50 Workers Over Refusal To Get Flu Shots
Essentia Health has fired roughly 50 employees who refused to get flu vaccinations under a new policy that pits personal choice against public health interests. Hundreds of workers got their shots last week after being warned that they would otherwise lose their jobs, the Duluth-based health system said Tuesday. (Olson, 11/21)

Health News Florida: Controversial Bill Regulating Fla. Pregnancy Support Services Heads To House Floor
With only one committee hearing, a bill seeking to regulate Florida’s pregnancy crisis centers is now heading to the House floor. But, pro-choice advocates are not happy about a provision that directs the state to only contract with providers that “promote and support childbirth.” (Cordner, 11/20)

Houston Chronicle: Chronicle’s 'Blindside' Article On Surprise Medical Billing Foments Outrage In Austin
A Texas lawmaker, angry that patients are being used as leverage when doctors and insurers fight over money, said Tuesday he wants a new law to get consumers out of the middle. "There's no genuine need for them to be involved," said John Smithee, R-Amarillo, a longtime legislator who is the former head of the House insurance committee and has been on a champion of patient protection against excessively high surprise medical bills. (Deam, 11/21)

Dallas Morning News: See How Health Care Costs Have Climbed For D-FW Employers
In D-FW, employers are increasingly moving to high-deductible plans, and costs have continued to rise for both employer and employee. Nearly 2,500 U.S. companies recently took part in a survey conducted annually by the compensation and benefits consulting firm Mercer. The survey, which included 47 public and private businesses in D-FW that offer coverage to more than 505,000 North Texans, revealed some notable trends in the region. (Rice and Joseph, 11/21)

The Associated Press: Victims Of Cancer Doctor Could Receive $4.1M In Repayment
An expert is recommending approval of $4.1 million in claims, including $2 million in funeral costs, filed by victims of a Detroit-area doctor who committed fraud by putting hundreds of patients through needless cancer treatments. Randi Roth gave an update Tuesday to a judge who is overseeing the case of Dr. Farid Fata. She said 81 percent of 741 claims are fully or partly eligible for restitution. (11/21)

Richmond Times-Dispatch: "I Really Think It's Made Me A Better Person": How The People Around Carole Johnson Have Helped Her Deal With Cancer
Carole Johnson realized a few months after her breast cancer diagnosis that she doesn’t need 12 sets of sheets for one bed. She’s been going through her closets and her drawers, surprised at how unnecessary so many of her belongings seem. Clothes she bought years ago and never wore and really anything that’s been crowding the house, she’s tossed. “You wouldn’t believe how liberating it is,” she said. (O'Connor, 11/21)

The Wall Street Journal: More Than A Third Of Outcome Health’s Employees Take Buyouts
More than a third of Outcome Health’s employees elected to take buyouts this week, according to people familiar with the company’s operations. The Chicago advertising startup, which raised nearly $500 million in venture funding earlier this year, offered the voluntary buyouts to employees on Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported. Of the company’s 535 employees as of Monday, about 200 took the buyout and will be leaving by Dec. 8, these people said. (Winkler, 11/21)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. May Try To Block Reopening Of Oil Drilling Site Blamed For Health Problems
Los Angeles City Councilman Gil Cedillo is pursuing an unusual plan that could thwart the reopening of a South L.A. oil drilling site that suspended operations after a public outcry over nosebleeds and other health problems reported by neighbors. Cedillo, who represents the area near the Allenco Energy Inc. site, wants the city to use a rarely exercised power under its municipal code to cancel "oil drilling districts" where drilling is allowed. (Reyes, 11/21)

San Francisco Chronicle: Mayor Lee Wants To Pull 1,000 Homeless People Off SF Streets This Winter
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee has set his sights on the ambitious goal of pulling 1,000 homeless people off the streets this winter and, to kick-start that effort, he wants to open two new homeless Navigation Centers. Getting that many people housed will take the combined labor of several city agencies, including the police, Public Health Department and Homelessness and Supportive Housing Department. But Lee told The Chronicle on Tuesday that he wants to “make a big move while it’s raining and cold.” (Fagan, 11/21)

Richmond Times-Dispatch: State Health Committee Endorses Medical Cannabis Oils
Doctors should be able to prescribe a pair of cannabis compounds and agencies around the state should better share statistics to track the heroin epidemic, according to recommendations made Tuesday by Virginia’s Joint Commission on Health Care. Staff for the committee, which is made up of legislators from the state Senate and House of Delegates, received more than 750 comments from the public — both individuals and organizations — regarding its presentation on the therapeutic and detrimental effects of THC-A and CBD oils, both cannabis compounds that don’t produce the high associated with marijuana. A staff report stated that there is limited research to support the use of THC-A or CBD to treat a wide variety of medical conditions, though there is strong evidence that it helps with symptoms of multiple sclerosis. (O'Connor, 11/21)

San Francisco Chronicle: Last Stop For Cannabis Advertising On Muni Buses, Trains, Stations And Stops
As the cannabis industry takes shape in California, one place it won’t be able to advertise is on San Francisco’s public transportation. The Municipal Transportation Agency’s Board of Directors on Tuesday banned ads for cannabis businesses from the transit system’s buses, trains, cable cars, stations and bus stops. The ban was a response to concerns that such ads are inappropriate for young Muni riders and might promote marijuana use among children. (Cabanatuan, 11/21)