Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Texas Stalls Maternal Death Data, Sneak Peek Shows High Risk For Blacks
The Texas Tribune: More Texas Data On Pregnancy And Childbirth Complications Needed
Significant health issues related to pregnancy or childbirth have increased in Texas in recent years, with Black women continuing to outpace all other groups, according to data obtained by state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. This data offers a preliminary snapshot of the state of maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas, two months after the state failed to publish a statutorily required report on the subject. (Klibanoff, 11/1)
Houston Chronicle: Data Shows Rising Risk For Black Mothers As State Delays Study
The rate of life-threatening hemorrhaging among Black women during childbirth in Texas increased through 2020, as the rate for all other demographic groups dropped, according to data obtained by a Democratic lawmaker. (Blackman and Gill, 11/1)
Dallas Morning News: Advocates Demand Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Release Overdue Maternal Mortality Report
Gov. Greg Abbott must quickly release an overdue report on maternal mortality to prevent more pregnancy-related deaths, Democratic lawmakers and health advocates urged on Tuesday. By law, the report was supposed to come out by Sept. 1. But the Texas Department of State Health Services pushed off publication until next year, saying more time was needed to review the maternal deaths. (Morris, 11/1)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
North Carolina Health News: NC's Low-Performing Nursing Homes To Get More Federal Scrutiny
Too often, frail and mostly older people in poor-performing skilled nursing facilities end up in unnecessary pain or distress. The White House recently announced that federal regulators will be taking a harder line in dealing with the country’s poorest performing nursing homes.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: No ‘Magic’ Mushrooms For Missouri’s Troubled Vets, Legislative Panel Says
A special legislative panel has rejected calls to legalize the use of psychedelic drugs to address a suicide crisis among military veterans in Missouri. Following two hearings this summer, the eight-member House Interim Committee on Veterans Mental Health and Suicide did not recommend making plant-based drugs like psilocybin mushrooms available to certain people facing mental health crises. (Erickson, 11/1)
The Boston Globe: Grassroots Organizations Are Crucial To Closing Health Literacy Gaps In Immigrant Communities, Report Finds
When COVID-19 vaccinations began to roll out in early 2021, it finally seemed as if there were a light at the end of the tunnel. But many immigrant communities in Boston and across the state remained in the dark as they faced misinformation and language barriers to the resources they needed to stay healthy during the pandemic. (Mogg, 11/1)
KHN: Cash For Colonoscopies: Colorado Tries To Lower Health Costs Through Incentives
State employees in Colorado are being asked to be better consumers when shopping for health care services. And if they choose lower-cost and higher-quality providers, they could get a check in the mail for a portion of the savings. It’s part of an initiative known as the Colorado Purchasing Alliance, through which employers in the state are banding together to negotiate lower prices for health care services. The state government is one of 12 employers that have agreed to join the alliance and will be the first to use the newly negotiated rates and consumer incentives. (Hawryluk, 11/2)
KHN: Hurricane Ian’s Deadly Impact On Florida Seniors Exposes Need For New Preparation Strategies
All kinds of natural disasters — hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, dangerous heat waves — pose substantial risks to older adults. Yet, not enough seniors prepare for these events in advance, and efforts to encourage them to do so have been largely unsuccessful. The most recent horrific example was Hurricane Ian, the massive storm that in September smashed into Florida’s southwestern coast — a haven for retirees — with winds up to 150 mph and storm surges exceeding 12 feet in some areas. At least 120 people died, most of them in Florida. Of those who perished, two-thirds were 60 or older. Many reportedly drowned and were found in their homes. (Graham, 11/2)
