Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Children Wait For Care, Lawsuit Delays Florida's KidCare Expansion
Central Florida Public Media: Two Years After Health Care Expansion Passes, Florida Kids Are Still Waiting To Get Access
Lawmakers approved an expansion of KidCare meant to help thousands of children with complex medical needs. But an ongoing lawsuit with federal regulators has kept the new eligibility rules on hold. Families say the delay is costing kids critical therapies and care. (Pedersen, 12/19)
AP: Minnesota Jury Awards $65.5M To Woman With Cancer In Johnson & Johnson Talc Case
A Minnesota jury awarded $65.5 million on Friday to a mother of three who claimed talcum products made by Johnson & Johnson exposed her to asbestos and contributed to her developing cancer in the lining of her lungs. Jurors determined that plaintiff Anna Jean Houghton Carley, 37, should be compensated by Johnson & Johnson after using its baby powder throughout her childhood and later developing mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer caused primarily by exposure to the carcinogen asbestos. Johnson & Johnson said it would appeal the verdict. (12/20)
Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota Recycling Center Receives Infectious Medical Waste
Officials at the Ramsey-Washington Recycling and Energy Center in Newport say several medical facilities have been improperly disposing of infectious waste, including blood-soaked bandages, vials containing bodily fluids, and even body parts, at their facility, putting the health and safety of waste workers at serious risk. (Zurek, 12/19)
KFF Health News: Baltimore Drove Down Gun Deaths. Now Trump Has Slashed Funding For That Work
David Fitzgerald knows how tough it is to prevent gun violence. In 15 years working in some of Baltimore’s deadliest neighborhoods for a program called Safe Streets, he said, he’s defused hundreds of fights that could have led to a shooting. The effort, part of Baltimore’s more than $100 million gun violence prevention plan, relies on staffers like Fitzgerald to build trust with people at risk of such violence and offer them resources like housing or food. Researchers believe these programs reduce gun deaths. (Rayasam, 12/22)
News from Colorado, California, and Louisiana —
The Colorado Sun: Federal Judge Blocks Colorado Law Requiring That Consumers Be Warned Of Air Quality Effects Of Gas Stoves
A federal judge in Denver on Friday indefinitely blocked Colorado from enforcing a new state law requiring that retails post air quality warnings on gas stoves sold in stores or online. (Paul, 12/19)
The Colorado Sun: Meet The Traveling Oncologists Helping Patients In The Eastern Plains
Dr. Robert Hoyer doesn’t bother buying groceries or using the kitchenette in the little room at the Holiday Inn Express where he lives for four days every month. By the time he and his staff finish 12-hour days at the clinic, they usually head for enchiladas at La Mission Villanueva or steaks at Tavern 1301. (Brown, 12/21)
San Francisco Chronicle: Choosing A Hospital? See California Health Facilities That Violated The Law
If you are interested in deficiency reports for a specific health care facility, simply search for it to view all available information. You can also explore all facilities in a category and region by using the search filters and map. For example, you can filter your search to just hospices in Alameda County. The search results page provides information on the size of the facility, the number of regulatory violation citations given across all available facility reports, and whether that number is high or low for its size and type. It also indicates whether an AI prompt identified potential serious patient harm incidents in the facility reports. (Stiefel, Kranking, Dizikes and Palomino, 12/21)
The Guardian: Louisiana Nursing Student Speaks Out During Her Six-Month ICE Detention
A recent graduate of the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing has been held in an ICE processing center in Basile, Louisiana, for the past six months following her arrest by immigration agents over the summer. Vilma Palacios had just recently accepted a position at Touro Infirmary when ICE agents arrested her and transferred her to the processing center in Basile. Her detention comes amid a broader immigration crackdown under the Trump administration, including cases involving individuals with no criminal records who are seeking legal residency. (Dunbar, 12/21)
