Colorado Aims At Cutting Health Care Costs 15% With New Reforms

Bloomberg: Colorado Legislature Passes Health Care Plan Cutting Costs 15%
The Colorado legislature passed health reform legislation that requires private insurers to offer a state-regulated plan reducing costs by 15%, the Colorado Sun reported Tuesday. The legislature also approved a measure establishing a fee for single-use products, such as plastic and paper grocery bags, and banning Styrofoam in restaurants, the Sun reported. Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, is expected to sign both bills. Democrats hold majorities in the Colorado House and Senate. (Del Giudice, 6/8)

Modern Healthcare: Colorado Group Would Negotiate Healthcare Costs Directly With Hospitals
Public and private employers and two purchasing coalitions are joining forces in Colorado with the aim of cutting local healthcare costs. Larimer County and 10 other local employers—including the state of Colorado—have joined The Colorado Purchasing Alliance and Purchaser Business Group on Health to launch a regional network of excellence, with the aim of negotiating directly with health systems to set prices for common procedures. Larimer, located about an hour from Denver in northern Colorado, hopes the partnership will drop its $25 million annual healthcare costs by another 10 percentage points. (Tepper, 6/8)

In other news from Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas and California —

Fox News: 'Philly Naked Bike Ride' Participants Required To Wear Only One Item — A Face Mask
Naked bikers are set to hit the Philadelphia streets in a couple of months for an event that won't require clothing except for one specific item – a face mask. The annual Philly Naked Bike Ride is officially scheduled for Aug. 28, organizers say. The free-spirited ride – which encourages nakedness and has been labeled as a "bare as you dare" event – will require masks based on the city's earlier coronavirus restrictions. This year's event is being called: "The Mask Edition," according to promotions posted on social media. (Aaro, 6/8)

WMFE: Blue-Green Algae Bloom Prompts Health Alert For Orlando's Lake Rowena 
Toxins from blue-green algae have prompted the Orange County Health Department to issue a health alert for Lake Rowena in Orlando. State officials drew the water sample last week at the northeast corner. But the algae bloom was present throughout the lake. The public was advised not to drink the water or go swimming or boating in it. And don’t let animals near the water. (Byrnes, 6/8)

Houston Chronicle: West Nile Virus Confirmed In Harris County Mosquito Sample
The first West Nile Virus mosquito sample of the year has been discovered in Harris County, health officials said Tuesday. Harris County Public Health’s mosquito and vector control division planned to treat the affected area in northwest Harris County where the sample was identified and collected, according to the agency. While mosquitoes are around all year, their peak activity occurs from June through October. Only a “handful” of the 56 species of mosquitoes found in Harris County transmit diseases like Saint Louis Encephalitis, Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika, according to health officials. (Serrano, 6/8)

AP: California Worker Board To Again Reconsider Mask Standards
California’s workplace regulators are set to again reconsider controversial masking rules designed to protect employees against the coronavirus. A “special meeting” of the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board was hastily scheduled for Wednesday after State Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón sent a letter to the panel reiterating that the state plans to do away with virtually all masking and social distancing requirements for vaccinated people starting Tuesday. (Thompson, 6/9)

And high temperatures cause health concerns in Maine and Massachusetts —

Bangor Daily News: Schools Send Kids Home For ‘Heat Days’ Using Remote Learning Developed During Pandemic
While an early heat wave caused a number of eastern Maine schools to let out students early on Monday and Tuesday, others used an approach they’ve become familiar with during the COVID-19 pandemic to let the school day go on: remote learning. The decision by three Bangor-area school districts to have students learn remotely could be a precursor for how administrators deal with extreme weather days even after the pandemic is over. Remote learning is now a viable option for district leaders faced with deciding whether to close school buildings, multiple superintendents said. (Marino Jr., 6/9)

The Boston Globe: Cooling Centers Were Open But Few Came. Are They The Best Way To Deal With Scorchers?
It was a blistering hot day, the third in a late spring heat wave. But some of the community cooling centers the city offers its residents were all but empty. A community cooling center in the North End had no takers around noon Monday, as the thermometer hovered around 93 degrees. In Roxbury, another center had just two patrons enjoying its air-conditioned rooms. As the number of 90-degree days has steadily climbed in the area, the sparse use of the city-funded cooling centers illustrated the challenges for cities trying to help people withstand the heat — a serious health threat, particularly for the elderly. (Lusignan and Caldera, 6/8)

The Boston Globe: Boston Teachers Union Denounces Classroom Temperatures Amid Heat Wave, Calls For Improvements To School HVAC Systems
Amid a dayslong heat wave in Massachusetts, the Boston Teachers Union said Monday temperatures reached above 80 degrees in classrooms and called for improvements to air conditioning in schools. The union on Monday posted 22 photos to a Facebook album that appeared to show temperatures of upwards of 80 degrees that were recorded inside. It wasn’t clear in which schools the photos were taken. Boston Public Schools said in a statement that officials are communicating with schools to ensure those without air conditioning systems have “two fans operating in each classroom and learning space.” (Kaufman, 6/8)