Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Redlands Daily Facts: Two-Thirds Of Appointments At Loma Linda VA Outpatient Clinics Canceled Due To Staff Shortages, Audit Finds
An audit has found that ineffective oversight by the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System and staffing shortages at five of its outpatient clinics operating under contract contributed to the cancellation of more than two-thirds of patient appointments over a two‑year period. (Nelson, 1/11)
The Fresno Bee: Fresno-Area Hospital Fined For 'Avoidable Death' Of Mom Six Days After Childbirth
Two hospitals that are part of the Central Valley’s largest healthcare provider were forced to pay nearly $200,000 in 2025 for penalties related to patient harm and death. (Montalvo, 1/12)
The Fresno Bee: Visalia's Kaweah Health Hit With Multiple Safety Penalties
According to enforcement data with the California Department of Public Health, the medical center had four separate “immediate jeopardy” violations totaling $265,125. (Montalvo, 1/11)
The Fresno Bee: Hospital Group 'Negotiating' End To Freeze On Fresno Unified Retiree's Insurance
The region’s largest hospital system said it remained at an impasse with Fresno Unified’s for-profit health insurer on reimbursement rates amid negotiations to restore the health care services district retirees abruptly lost on New Year’s Day. (Zhong, 1/13)
The Union: Dignity Health Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital Marks Five Years Of Zero Central Line Infections
Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital announced a significant milestone in patient safety: five consecutive years without a single Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection. (1/10)
VC Star: Stakeholders Weigh Top Skills For County Health System's Next Leader
Dr. Theresa Cho is stepping down as leader of the county health system. Stakeholders weigh in on what the system's next leader must be able to do. (Kisken, 1/30)
The Desert Sun: Desert Healthcare District Appoints New Board Member
The new Zone 5 director occupies the seat vacated by Arthur Shorr, who resigned on Nov. 30. (Sasic, 1/11)
Imperial Valley Press: Community Health Plan Leaders Chart Future Of Localized Care And Growth
What began as a vision for local health care autonomy more than a decade ago has reached a major milestone as the Community Health Plan expands its reach into the Medicare field. (Bojorquez, 1/10)
The Modesto Bee: Golden Valley Health Centers Reopens Empire Dental Clinic
After closing last year, the Empire Dental Clinic reopened Monday, restoring access to care for families, according to a press release from Golden Valley Health Centers. (Bisharyan, 1/13)
The Coast News Group: Study Finds Pharmacists 21% More Likely To Commit Suicide
Pharmacists and female pharmacy technicians are significantly more likely than the general population to take their own lives, according to a study led by researchers from UC San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, published this week. (1/9)
San Francisco Examiner: SF-Backed Bill Would Let Courts Order Involuntary Medication Treatment
California courts might soon have the authority to order involuntary medication treatment for those struggling with severe behavioral-health issues if a new state bill announced Monday comes to fruition. (Gurevich, 1/13)
Imperial Valley Press: Imperial County Board To Consider $22 Million Behavioral Health Expansion And Lithium Valley Outreach
The Imperial County Board of Supervisors will convene Tuesday to consider a major overhaul of local mental health infrastructure and finalize community outreach plans for the developing Lithium Valley project. (1/13)
The Bakersfield Californian: Public Comment Opens On County Mental Health Services
Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services will host community forums in the Westchester Training Room at 2001 28th St. from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14 in English and on Jan. 21 in Spanish. (1/13)
San Francisco Chronicle: Mackenzie Scott Makes $45 Million Gift To California Nonprofit, It's Largest Ever
MacKenzie Scott's $45 million donation to the Trevor Project, the LGBTQ+ youth crisis hotline, is the largest the organization has ever received. (Vaziri, 1/12)
Voice of San Diego: Newsom Tells Counties ‘No More’ On Homelessness Funding
San Diego lawmakers also get ahead on more funding for the sewage crisis as the Legislature reconvenes. (Lathan, 1/9)
San Francisco Chronicle: SF Keeps Offering Homeless Residents A Free One-Way Ticket Out. Many Don't Want It
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie pledged to revitalize homeless initiative on the campaign trail, but participation has dipped during his first year in office. (Hodgman, 1/12)
Press Enterprise: Riverside Considers Accepting $20 Million State Grant For Homeless Housing
The Quality Inn on University Avenue would be transformed if the city approves the grant money. (Hart, 1/12)
Times-Standard: Humboldt County Homeless Services Funding Appears Safe For Now
Humboldt County social services staff told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that federal moves to slash funds for housing services would not immediately affect some 70 households that rely on them, due to a preliminary injunction that ordered a federal agency to preserve the status quo. (Alexander, 1/13)
San Francisco Chronicle: Louisiana Wants To Extradite A Bay Area Doctor Over Abortion Pills
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced that she indicted the Bay Area doctor for allegedly mailing abortion medication to the antiabortion state. (Hosseini, 1/13)
SF Gate: 'Super Flu' Confirmed In Calif. As Hospitalizations Hit Season High
Officials at the California Department of Public Health confirmed on Tuesday that a mutated influenza strain dubbed the “super flu” is spreading in California. (Mohney, 1/13)
The Fresno Bee: First Flu Death In Fresno County As Cases Rise Statewide
As of Jan. 3, there have been 13 influenza-associated deaths among individuals 18 to 64-years old in California this flu season. Additionally, two pediatric influenza-associated deaths, ages infant to 17, have been confirmed. (Fannin, 1/12)
Bay Area News Group: 2 Measles Cases Test If Bay Area Can Keep Virus From Spreading
More than 2,140 measles cases were confirmed nationwide last year — the highest total in decades. California accounted for just 25 of those cases, according to early data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Stringer, 1/12)
KVPR: Valley Children’s Says It Will Follow Pre-RFK, Jr. Childhood Vaccine Recommendations
The hospital will continue to recommend 17 vaccines for all children, rather than the 11 now universally recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under new guidelines. (Klein, 1/9)
Los Angeles Times: FEMA To Pay For Lead Testing At 100 Homes Destroyed In Eaton Fire, After Months Of Saying It Was Unnecessary
For months, federal officials have said post-cleanup soil testing for fire-stricken homes in L.A. was unnecessary. Now, they plan to test 100 homes destroyed in the Eaton fire. (Briscoe and Haggerty, 1/12)
The Desert Sun: Parents Of Children With Disabilities Protest CVUSD Over Mold Issue
Parents of children with disabilities and their attorney recently announced plans to pursue multiple lawsuits against Coachella Valley Unified School District, alleging years of unsafe conditions tied to mold exposure at John Kelley Elementary School and accusing the district of failing to adequately protect vulnerable students. (Cortez, 1/13)
San Francisco Chronicle: California Medi-Cal Halts GLP-1 Obesity Drug Coverage
California ended Medi-Cal coverage of GLP-1 drugs for adult obesity, citing costs, while retaining coverage for diabetes and other conditions. (Thompson, 1/12)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Illumina Unveils Massive Cell Atlas To Speed Up Drug Discovery
Illumina on Tuesday unveiled what it calls the world’s largest functional cell dictionary that, when paired with artificial intelligence, will help accelerate drug discovery. (Harff, 1/13)
Palo Alto Daily Post: Half-Million-Square-Foot Biosciences Campus Proposed
Plans are in the works to build a 594,000-square-foot research and development campus in the eastern part of Redwood City. (1/6)
The Coast News Group: Personalized Cancer Treatments Show Major Benefit Over 'One-Size-Fits-All'
By using a patient’s DNA to tailor personalized drug treatments, doctors can increase efficacy and improve outcomes in cancer treatment, according to a UC San Diego School of Medicine-led study released this week. (1/9)
EdSource: Newsom’s Last Budget As Governor Would Give Schools And Community Colleges An Unexpected $22 Billion
Per student state funding for TK-12 will rise to a record $20,427 in 2026-27, bringing the total student funding, including federal funds, to $27,418. (Fensterwald, Gallegos, Stavely, Lambert, and Xie, 1/9)
Victorville Daily Press: Students Protest Addiction Treatment Facility Near Schools In Victorville
Students from Silverado High and Larrea Middle schools protested the expansion of a drug and alcohol treatment facility near schools in Victorville. (De La Cruz, 1/13)
BakersfieldNow: Congressmen Host Roundtable With Dr. Oz To Discuss Healthcare In Central Valley
Congressman Vince Fong (CA-20) and Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) hosted a roundtable with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz in Bakersfield over the weekend. (1/12)
Politico: Judge Blocks Trump’s $10B Welfare Fund Freeze
Earlier in the week, California, Colorado, Illinois, New York and Minnesota received letters from the federal Department of Health and Human Services notifying them of the cuts. California is in line to receive about half of the $10 billion in targeted funding. (Bluth,1/9)
KQED: New San Bruno Home Offers Independence For Adults With Developmental Disabilities
Community leaders gathered Monday to celebrate the opening of a new affordable housing project in San Bruno designed specifically for adults with developmental disabilities — a population facing a severe shortage of stable living options in San Mateo County. (Ali-Ahmad, 1/13)
The New York Times: Scott Adams, Creator Of The Satirical ‘Dilbert’ Comic Strip, Dies At 68
Scott Adams died on Tuesday at his home in Pleasanton, Calif. ... In November, he wrote on the social media platform X that his health was “declining fast,” and that his insurer had not scheduled a time to administer a cancer drug, Pluvicto, which it had approved. He asked for help from President Trump. “On it!” the president responded on his social media outlet, Truth Social. Mr. Adams later confirmed on social media that he would be getting the drug but that its use had to be postponed because of scheduled radiation treatment. (Sandomir, 1/13)
