Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Congress To Close Loophole That Left Vets With Disabilities Working At FAA With No Paid Sick Leave
McClatchy: 15,500 FAA Disabled Veterans Could Get Paid Sick Leave Including In Washington
Newly-hired veterans working for the Federal Aviation Administration could soon qualify for paid sick leave, if their disability rating exceeds 30 percent. The House voted Tuesday to approve a bill aimed at closing a loophole in the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act of 2015 that prevents those veterans from getting additional benefits. They would receive up to 104 hours of paid leave, under a bill sponsored by Democratic Rick Larsen of Washington state and Republican Rep. Frank LoBiondo of New Jersey. (Hotakainen, 9/21)
Denver Post: Air Force Academy Medical Clinic Patients Notified Of Potential Health Risks
More than 250 patients of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s GI Clinic are being notified of potential health risks associated with recent procedures. Gastrointestinal endoscopy patients, treated between June and September, are being warned of a “very low” health risk after “discovery of a diversion from standard pre-cleaning protocols for a scope used in endoscopy procedures,” according to an Air Force Academy news release Wednesday. The precautionary notification is to service members, retirees, veterans and family members. (Nicholson, 9/21)
The Associated Press: Colorado Medical Pot Law Poised To Add PTSD As Qualifier
Marijuana pioneer Colorado is poised to add post-traumatic stress disorder to its medical marijuana program, joining 18 other states that consider PTSD a condition treatable by pot. A panel of state lawmakers voted 5-0 Wednesday to endorse the addition of PTSD to Colorado’s 2000 medical pot law. The vote doesn’t have legal effect; it’s just a recommendation to the full Legislature, which resumes work in January. But the vote indicates a dramatic shift for a state that has allowed medical pot for more than a decade but hasn’t endorsed its use for PTSD. (Wyatt, 9/21)
