Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Death In Colorado Linked To The Plague
CIDRAP: Colorado Reports Fatal Plague Infection
Health officials in Colorado this week announced a fatal plague infection in a resident of Archuleta County, located in the southwest corner of the state. San Juan Basin Public Health (SJBPH) said an investigation is underway. It said it monitors prairie dog die-offs to track potential plague threats, and it urged area residents to report the sudden disappearance of active prairie dog colonies. "Residents should not eradicate or kill prairie dogs on their property as this increases the risk of exposure to plague-infested fleas," SJBPH said. (Schnirring, 9/27)
Kansas City Star: Death In Colorado Linked To Case Of Plague: Health Agency
A death in Colorado has been linked to a case of the plague, health officials said. Laboratory tests confirmed the death of an Archuleta County resident was associated with the plague, according to a Sept. 25 news release from the San Juan Basin Public Health. The health department said the “disease is very rare” but the public should be informed on what precautions to take in regards to people’s interactions with animals. (Chavez, 9/26)
In news from New York —
The New York Times: ‘Ghost’ Guns Found At East Harlem Day Care Site, Officials Say
An East Harlem apartment functioning as a state-licensed day care site was being used by the son of the site’s operator to produce 3-D-printed “ghost” guns and parts for them, officials said on Wednesday. It was the second time this month that a lethal hazard had been found at a home-based day care in New York City. On Sept. 15, a 1-year-old boy died of suspected fentanyl poisoning at a Bronx apartment where the potent drug was discovered near nap mats and under the floor. (Shanahan and Otterman, 9/27)
The Wall Street Journal: Fight To Save A New York Birth Center Tests State Law
When a medical system submitted a plan in June to close Samaritan Hospital’s maternity ward here—just two days before a state law requiring an independent assessment of such closures went into effect—a group of women who call themselves the “Burdett moms” went to work. (Qi, 9/27)
In other health news from across the country —
The Texas Tribune: 900,000 Texans Have Lost Medicaid
Almost 900,000 Texans have lost Medicaid since April and a backlog of applications has piled up, overwhelming the system and setting off a ripple effect that advocates worry is delaying families’ access to SNAP food benefits. (Bohra, 9/28)
CBS News: Rise Of Health Insurance Costs Has Raised Anxiety Among Some In South Florida
First it was home insurance. Then it was auto insurance. And now some South Floridians could see a dramatic rise in their health insurance costs. Industry analysts are predicting a big rise in health insurance costs in 2024. Open enrollment for health plans will open shortly and the true costs will become apparent. For private health insurance offered by many companies, worker premiums could go up anywhere from 5 to 20 percent, according to health insurance experts. (Murray, 9/27)
The Boston Globe: Jason And Keely Krantz Make Big Cancer Research Donation To MGH
Massachusetts General Hospital has received the largest gift for cancer research in its history, officials said Wednesday. In a statement, the hospital said the gift is from Jason and Keely Krantz and the hospital’s Center for Cancer Research will be known as the Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research. The hospital didn’t disclose the amount of the donation but said it includes annual funding for collaborative research projects, advanced technologies for lab research, and “an endowment to ensure sustainability.” (Andersen, 9/27)
Tampa Bay Times: 6 People Died By Suicide In The Aftermath Of Hurricane Ian. Experts Fear More
In the aftermath of disaster, beyond the toppled buildings, twisted street signs and billions of dollars in repairs, communities have to reckon with another, insidious harm: the burden on mental health. Research has found that up to half of people who live through a disaster struggle with anxiety and depression, substance use or posttraumatic stress disorder, said Jennifer Horney, an epidemiology professor at the University of Delaware who studies the effects of catastrophe on health. The result is often an increase in suicides. (Peace, 9/27)
Politico: Reference-Based Health Pricing Pilot Vote For Public Workers Delayed To October
A committee of state and labor officials on Wednesday delayed a vote to implement a reference-based pricing pilot program on the state’s public worker health insurance. Members of the State Health Benefits Plan Design Committee, which oversees components of the health plan for public-sector employees, voted to instead address the matter at its meeting scheduled for Oct. 27. (Han, 9/27)
CBS News: New Simulation Center At Regions Hospital Uses AI To Train Thousands Of Health Care Workers
A new 7,000-square-foot HealthPartners Institute Clinical Simulation Center at Regions Hospital is now open and finding high-tech ways to train their employees. ... Made possible in part by donors, the $5 million project is aimed at enhancing training for health care workers across Minnesota and Wisconsin using AI. The goal is to train employees to deal with complex medical scenarios by using tools like virtual headsets, three-dimensional printing and high-fidelity mannequins. (9/27)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Mayor Jim Kenney Vetoes Bill That Prohibits Supervised Injection Sites In Most Of The City
Mayor Jim Kenney plans to veto legislation that prohibits supervised drug consumption sites across most of Philadelphia, writing in a letter to City Council that the bill is “troublingly anti-science and misleading.” Kenney’s move will send the bill back to Council, which passed the legislation earlier this month, 13-1. Overriding a mayoral veto requires a two-thirds vote, so Council is poised to make the legislation law during its scheduled meeting Thursday. (Whelan and Orso, 9/27)
Axios: No Link Between Decriminalizing Drugs And Overdose Deaths, Study Finds
When Washington and Oregon lowered criminal penalties for drug crimes two years ago, it didn't lead to a sudden rise in overdose deaths in either state, a new study finds. Critics have tied the states' more lenient approaches to drug crimes to recent rises in overdose deaths. But the researchers found no apparent connection. (Santos, 9/27)
WUSF Public Media: New Clinic Expands Access To Opioid Addiction Treatment In Citrus County
Previously, Citrus residents had to travel to other counties in the region to access drugs like methadone, which can reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms in patients. (Colombini, 9/27)
The 19th: Sandy Hook Parents Focus On Gun Control Education, School Safety Training
Mark Barden describes his then-7-year-old son Daniel as having had a “profound sense of compassion. He literally looked out for everybody. He wanted to make sure everyone was okay.” When the family would take walks together, Daniel would pick up worms he saw on the sidewalk and move them to safety, tucking them between the blades of grass to try to keep them out of harm’s way. It was actions like these that earned him his family nickname, “The Caretaker of All Living Things.” (Gerson, 9/27)
Axios Richmond: Average Emergency Room Wait Time Is Getting Longer In Virginia
The median time Virginians spent in emergency rooms was 2 hours, 52 minutes last year — the longest in a steady increase from pre-pandemic times, according to the latest Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data. Time spent in the ER is a key metric for tracking hospital performance. (Fitzpatrick, 9/27)
