State Highlights: Michigan Governor Restructures Environmental Agency In Flint Aftermath; Indiana School Sup Resigns After Helping Student Without Insurance

The Associated Press: Michigan Governor Revamps Environmental Agency After Flint
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took steps Monday to restructure and rename the state environmental agency that drew criticism for its handling of the Flint water crisis under former Gov. Rick Snyder. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will become the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. The agency will house new public advocacy offices for clean water and "environmental justice" to investigate complaints about water quality and help ensure fair consideration of low-income and minority community interests. (2/4)

The Washington Post: Elwood Superintendent Casey Smitherman Resigns After Using Son's Insurance To Help Sick Student
The superintendent of a small school district in Indiana has resigned after she took a sick student to the doctor and paid for his treatment with her son’s insurance last month, resulting in a felony insurance fraud charge, police said. Casey Smitherman was arrested in January on charges including official misconduct and identity deception, then released on bail, according to court records. At the time, she was the superintendent of Elwood Community School Corporation in Elwood, Ind., a town of about 8,500, about 45 miles north of Indianapolis. (Wang, Rosenberg and Wootson, 2/4)

The Hill: Hawaii Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Eventually Ban Cigarette Sales In State
A Hawaii state lawmaker has introduced a bill intended to effectively ban cigarette sales statewide. State House member Rep. Richard Creagan’s (D) bill would raise the minimum smoking age incrementally each year to 30 in 2020, 40 in 2021, 50 in 2022, 60 in 2023 and 100 in 2024. The current legal smoking age in Hawaii is 21. (Anapol, 2/4)

Politico Pro: Momentum Grows In Texas To Raise Smoking Age To 21
Legislators in regulation-averse Texas are weighing a public health push to raise the tobacco sales age from 18 to 21. And one of the biggest tobacco companies is backing them. A victory would put the Lone Star State on a track with progressive bastions like California, Massachusetts and New York City that have enacted similar curbs — and in sync with a nationwide push to curb youth smoking that extends to e-cigarettes. (Rayasam, 2/4)

The Oregonian: First Adult Over 30 Gets Measles In Vancouver-Area Outbreak 
The number of people with measles rose two more cases Monday to 49, according to Clark County Public Health. One person who is between 30 and 40 years old has measles -- the oldest person so far. There’s only one other adult who has been diagnosed with measles. Nine people are suspected of having measles and await test results before they’re announced. (Harbarager, 2/4)

Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Health Care CEO: 'I'm Going To Cheat. Don't Tell Anyone.'
Federal court records have revealed new details and eye-raising emails in the case of two Middle Tennessee health care CEOs who allegedly plotted to forge the signature of a dead patient and used illegal kickbacks to defraud Medicare out of millions. John Davis, 41, the former CEO of Comprehensive Pain Specialists, and Brenda Montgomery, 71, the head of CCC Medical, were indicted last April by federal prosecutors. Montgomery pleaded guilty to fraud in January and is awaiting sentencing. Davis has pleaded not guilty to all charges. (Kelman, 2/4)

The Oregonian: 24 Companies, Including Kaiser, Providence, Moda, Want Greater Share Of State Medicaid Business 
Oregon’s much-criticized system for delivering health care to the poor received a big vote of confidence from the private sector this week when 24 organizations notified the state, that they hope to get into the coordinated care organization business. Coordinated care organizations, or CCOs, oversee, coordinate and in many cases provide health care for nearly 900,000 Oregonians on the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s version of Medicaid. (Manning, 2/4)

Arizona Republic: Bill Would Add More Regulation To Facility Where Patient Was Raped
Senate Bill 1211, introduced by state Sens. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, and Kate Brophy McGee, R-Phoenix, would remove an exemption in state law that allows facilities such as Hacienda HealthCare to operate without complying with typical state licensing requirements. The federal government still has oversight of intermediate-care facilities for people with intellectual disabilities, so the facilities are not operating entirely free of regulation. (Innes, 2/4)

Los Angeles Times: $3 Billion Is Needed To Address California's Doctor Shortage, Task Force Says
California lawmakers will need to grant nurse practitioners across the state more autonomy, increase opportunities to study medicine and expand doctor training programs in order to avoid a looming healthcare crisis, according to a report released Monday by the California Future Health Workforce Commission. The report outlines a $3-billion plan for ensuring the state has enough doctors, nurses and home care workers to meet the needs of Californians at a time when Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to dramatically expand healthcare access for lower-income and immigrant communities. The commission, created by healthcare, education and business leaders and co-chaired by UC President Janet Napolitano, plans to pitch the proposal to Newsom and legislative leaders in the coming weeks. (Gutierrez, 2/5)

Boston Globe: With CEO’s Exit, Partners HealthCare Faces Crucial Decisions
Dr. David Torchiana, as chief executive of Partners, grappled with this complex dynamic while leading an effort to better integrate the hospital system. Now, with Torchiana’s abrupt announcement last week that he soon plans to retire, Partners and its flagship hospitals find themselves at another crossroads as they consider how aggressively to push further integration. (Dayal McCluskey and Kowalczyk, 2/5)

The CT Mirror: Hospital Tax Poses Huge Challenge For First Lamont Budget
One of the more difficult items on Gov. Ned Lamont’s initial to-do list is to craft a new taxing arrangement with Connecticut’s hospitals — and the stakes are huge. Lamont must contend with an industry that insists it was misled, overtaxed and otherwise abused by his predecessor. (Phaneuf, 2/4)

California Healthline: Task Force Outlines Strategy To Address California’s Shortfall Of Health Workers
Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed bold steps to ensure more Californians have health coverage, but a new report underscores that his success may depend in part on large-scale investments to expand the state’s health care workforce. A coalition of health, labor and education leaders, in a report released Monday, cited a dearth of health care workers in many regions of the state and recommended spending up to $3 billion over 10 years to address the shortfall. It’s not clear where that money would come from, though the report cited several possible sources. (Gorman, 2/4)

San Francisco Chronicle: She Struggled For Years To Help Her Mentally Ill Son. Was Criminal Court The Only Option?
In the past five years, the number of people in California who were deemed incompetent to stand trial and referred by a judge to state hospitals for treatment increased by 60 percent, state figures show. Such referrals happen when doctors determine that defendants are unable to understand legal proceedings or cooperate with their attorneys. Often this leaves people who need mental health treatment stuck in county jails, waiting to be transferred to a state hospital. (Wiener, 2/4)

The Baltimore Sun: Employee On Life Support After Being Shot At University Of Maryland Hospital In Baltimore; Suspect In Custody
A 24-year-old employee of the University of Maryland School of Medicine is in critical but stable condition after he was shot outside the university’s downtown Baltimore hospital Monday morning, police and hospital officials said. The shooting at the University of Maryland Medical Center roiled Baltimore’s medical community, a tight-knit group in which some doctors already have called for measures to abate gun violence in Baltimore and beyond. (Meehan and Cohn, 2/4)

The Associated Press: Wildfire Victims Living In RVs Ordered To Leave Properties
Hundreds of Northern California wildfire victims desperate for housing and living in recreational vehicles on their burned-out lots were ordered off their properties Monday after federal authorities threatened to cut off funding for the state's biggest natural disaster cleanup. The Paradise Town Council unanimously rescinded a two-month-old law allowing residents to live in temporary shelters on their burned out properties before the lots are cleared and certified safe for habitation. The unanimous vote Monday occurred after an emotional and tense meeting that was the first in Paradise city hall since the Nov. 8 fire destroyed most of the city of 27,000 people. (2/4)

Miami Herald: Repeal Of Medical Marijuana Smoking Ban Barely Passes
St. Petersburg Sen. Jeff Brandes’ closely watched bill that would repeal a ban on smoking medical marijuana nearly died in a Florida Senate committee hearing on Monday. But after the vote tied and was then reconsidered, it cleared its first hurdle Monday with a tight 6-4 vote. (Gross, 2/4)