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First Edition: January 15, 2020
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
No Shield From X-Rays: How Science Is Rethinking Lead Aprons
A number of radiology organizations are trying to end the decades-old practice of shielding patients from radiation with lead aprons. They say it provides no benefit and might even inadvertently expose people to higher radiation levels. But the policy about-face is moving slowly.
Warren and Klobuchar Say They Can Lower Drug Prices Without Congress’ Help
Democratic presidential candidates also returned to now-familiar themes in debating the differences between “Medicare for All” and more incremental reforms.
Sanders Targets Health Industry Profits. Are His Figures Right?
Calculations are complicated, but correct.
Media outlets report on news from Virginia, Oregon, Maryland, Kansas, Ohio, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Florida, Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Connecticut and Wisconsin.
Opinion writers tackle these and other health issues.
Federal Funds To Help LA’s Homeless Crisis Come Bundled Up In Strings
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson has been working with Mayor Eric Garcetti to address the city’s homeless crisis despite public tension over the issue. But the administration says that if Los Angeles accepts federal help, it will need to change the way it handles the problem. Carson’s hints were somewhat vague, but they included a directive to move toward “empowering and utilizing local law enforcement.” Meanwhile, voters might get a chance to legally demand cities reduce homeless population.
Currently, Livongo gets blood sugar data from its members with diabetes only a handful of times a day, and even the most disciplined patients prick their fingers at inconsistent and irregular times. One goal of integrating Dexcom’s device is to standardize the data flowing into Livongo.
“In a given individual, some systems age faster or slower than others,” said biologist Michael Snyder, who led the study. “One person is a cardio-ager, another is a metabolic ager, another is an immune ager.” In other public health news: 9/11 responders and cancer, the spread of China’s pneumonia-like virus, dry January, genetic testing and more.
Some scientists argue that dealing with air pollutants like heavy dust even before the advent of manufacturing and cars could have shaped how humans evolved to be immune or susceptible to its negatives health effects. Other environmental health news looks at drinking water, temperatures and injuries, and lead.
Once A Luxury, Concierge Primary Care Is Becoming More Affordable As Practice Grows In Popularity
Lower-priced models are emerging on the scene as both doctors and patients look to cut out complications of the health system. In other health care cost and industry news: a site-neutral payment lawsuit, value-based care, the health costs of eviction, and more.
Oklahoma Attorney General Amps Up Legal War Over Opioid Crisis With New Suit Against 3 Distributors
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter last year won a court verdict against opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and has now filed suit Monday against three mammoth drug distributors, accusing them of contributing to the drug crisis by indiscriminately sending billions of painkillers across the country. It’s just the latest lawsuit that the distributors have to contend with as states and counties take their efforts against the crisis into the courts.
The judges seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s arguments that Congress implicitly gave HHS authority to require list price disclosure to ensure the “efficient administration” of Medicaid and Medicare. In other pharmaceutical news: drugmakers are testing new ways to pay for pricey treatments, the high cost of medicine is making patients forgo care, and more.
Broad Bill To Eliminate Religious Exemptions For School Vaccines Unravels In New Jersey
Only medical exemptions would have been permitted at most schools and day care centers. While similar bills have passed in four states, the New Jersey lawmakers couldn’t gather enough support after tweaking the bill and raising concerns.
First Edition: January 14, 2020
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
The company’s internal database logged nearly 1.3 million general complaints from both adults and youth from June 1, 2015, when Juul launched its product, to Sept. 26, 2018. In other vaping news: Democrats criticize the Trump administration’s menthol exception in its flavor ban, New Jersey lawmakers pass their own ban, and a judge strikes down New York’s.
The Trump administration’s request came after a three-judge appeals panel last week kept in place a nationwide injunction entered by a federal district judge in New York. Two similar injunctions were lifted last month. Meanwhile, a federal judge in California issues a ruling reaffirming immigration officials’ discretion when it comes to separating children from their parents at the border.
Adding Work Requirements To SNAP Benefits Drives People To Food Pantries Not Toward Jobs
West Virginia has already adopted work requirements for its food stamp program and can act as a bellwether of what to expect as the Trump administration implements the policy nationwide. Like with other safety net programs, however, it’s very rarely a lack of will that stops people from working while on benefits, but rather the reality of being poor in America. So the requirements do little other than force people to find charity programs to help.