First Edition: Jan. 26, 2024
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KFF Health News:
Senate Probes The Cost Of Assisted Living And Its Burden On American Families
A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday launched an examination of assisted living, holding its first hearing in two decades on the industry as leaders of both parties expressed concern about the high cost and mixed quality of the long-term care facilities. The federal government has minimal oversight of assisted living, which is regulated by states, unlike skilled nursing homes. Both the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate Special Committee on Aging said their inquiry aimed to detail the financial practices and quality levels in the industry so that consumers would be better able to choose facilities. Lawmakers expressed little appetite for Congress to take a more direct role in regulating the sector, such as by setting federal standards for staffing levels and how workers are trained. (Rau, 1/25)
KFF Health News:
Ouch. That ‘Free’ Annual Checkup Might Cost You. Here’s Why
When Kristy Uddin, 49, went in for her annual mammogram in Washington state last year, she assumed she would not incur a bill because the test is one of the many preventive measures guaranteed to be free to patients under the 2010 Affordable Care Act. The ACA’s provision made medical and economic sense, encouraging Americans to use screening tools that could nip medical problems in the bud and keep patients healthy. So when a bill for $236 arrived, Uddin — an occupational therapist familiar with the health care industry’s workings — complained to her insurer and the hospital. She even requested an independent review. (Rosenthal, 1/26)
KFF Health News:
Prescribing Love: Send Us Your Health Policy Valentines
There may be a bitter chill in the air, but we’re glad we have our loyal readers to warm our hearts. We want your sweetest “Health Policy Valentines.” Submissions will be judged by an esteemed panel of experts. We’ll share favorites on our social media channels, and tenderhearted members of our staff will pick the winners, announced on Wednesday, Feb. 14. (1/26)
KFF Health News:
A Record Number Of Californians Are Visiting Emergency Rooms For Dog Bites
Those pandemic puppies are growing up to be a public health concern. The latest California data shows increased rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from dog bites, with new records set after covid lockdowns. In 2022, there were 48,596 ER visits for dog bites in California, or 125 visits per 100,000 residents, a 70% increase in the rate of visits from 2005, according to the state Department of Health Care Access and Information. (Reese, 1/26)
KFF Health News' 'What The Health?' Podcast:
Health Enters The Presidential Race
Based on the results of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, it appears more likely than ever before that the 2024 presidential election will be a rerun of 2020: Joe Biden versus Donald Trump. And health is shaping up to be a key issue. Trump is vowing — again — to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which is even more popular than it was when Republicans failed to muster the congressional votes to kill it in 2017. Biden is doubling down on support for contraception and abortion rights. (1/25)
Modern Healthcare:
Healthcare Bankruptcies In 2023 Hit Highest Level In 5 Years
Healthcare company bankruptcies soared in 2023 to their highest level in the last five years, according to a report released Thursday by Gibbins Advisors. The advisory firm's report, which looked at Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filings from 2019 to 2023, found 79 healthcare companies with more than $10 million in liabilities filed for bankruptcy protection last year. Pharmaceutical and senior care companies made up nearly half of the list. The next-highest year for bankruptcies was 2019, when 51 companies filed for protection. (Hudson, 1/25)
Modern Healthcare:
Humana Plans Multiyear Cuts Amid Medicare Advantage Changes
Humana plans to trim $700 million in administrative expenses after recording a disappointing fourth quarter and 2023, the company announced Thursday. The health insurer warned investors last week that medical costs exceeded expectations in 2023. On Thursday, the company disclosed that expenses were $3 billion more than anticipated. Quarterly and annual earnings didn't meet projections amid rising costs and disadvantageous Medicare Advantage policies. (Tepper, 1/25)
CBS News:
Steward Health Care Owes Landlord, Vendors Millions As Hospital Closure Rumors Swirl
At least six active lawsuits claim Steward Health Care has not paid vendors for supplies and services in months, totaling over $7.5 million. Plus, the group's landlord, Medical Properties Trust, claims it's owed $50 million. In a news release, it said, "Steward is pursuing several strategic transactions, including the potential sale or re-tenanting of certain hospital operations as well as the divestiture of non-core operations." When WBZ reached out to Steward about hospitals closing, it denied any such closure plans. (Rex, 1/25)
The Boston Globe:
Steward’s Medical Devices Were Repossessed. Weeks Later, A New Mother Died.
Sungida Rashid gave birth at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in October, and barely a day later she was bleeding to death. The 39-year-old’s heart had already stopped once. Medical teams revived her, but the clock was ticking. Doctors soon identified the problem: a bleed deep within her liver. In the operating room, caregivers had a plan to quickly treat it, but the staff there soon discovered something alarming — the embolism coil doctors could have used to stop the bleeding wasn’t available. Weeks prior, the hospital’s inventory of the devices had been repossessed, according to hospital staff. A company rep from the manufacturer, Penumbra, explained to staff that Steward Health Care, the parent company for St. Elizabeth’s, hadn’t paid the bill. (Bartlett, 1/25)
Stat:
FTC Sues Over Novant Health Acquisition Of Two N.C. Hospitals
The federal government is suing to block a proposed hospital deal in North Carolina, alleging it would hand control of over 65% of the inpatient market in the region to a single provider. (Bannow, 1/25)
The Hill:
Assisted Living Facilities Fall Short When Caring For Aging US Population, Witnesses Tell Senators
The American population is aging — by 2060, nearly one in four Americans will be 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Assisted living facilities are already inadequately prepared for the aging population, witnesses told a Senate panel during a Thursday hearing. Patricia Vessenmeyer, who testified at the hearing, assisted her husband, John Whitney, during his journey living with dementia after he was diagnosed in 2013. Doctors diagnosed Whitney with dementia with Lewy bodies, causing him to act t violently during dreams. (Vickers, 1/25)
Houston Chronicle:
Abbott's Vow To 'Eliminate Rape' Draws Fresh Scrutiny After New Study
Gov. Greg Abbott’s vow that Texas would work to “eliminate rape” has drawn renewed attention after a newly published study estimated more than 26,000 rape-related pregnancies in Texas in the 16 months since the state outlawed abortion. The governor’s comments came days after a 2021 Texas law took effect banning abortion starting around six weeks of pregnancy, when many people do not yet know they are pregnant. Asked about the bill’s lack of exceptions for rape, Abbott said Texas “will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets,” stating that “goal No. 1 in the state of Texas is to eliminate rape.” (Scherer, Harris, and Goldenstein, 1/25)
Houston Chronicle:
How Researchers Estimated Rape-Related Pregnancies In Texas Post-Roe
Law enforcement databases are notoriously unreliable when it comes to capturing the true number of sexual assaults in the U.S. That’s why researchers relied primarily on public health estimates for a new study that roughly calculated the number of rapes and rape-related pregnancies in Texas and 13 other states that banned virtually all abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. The study found that Texas, which does not have an exception for rape in its abortion laws, had an estimated 26,313 rape-related pregnancies during the 16 months after its ban was in effect. (Gill, 1/25)
Iowa Public Radio:
Iowa Bill Says Medical Providers Could Refuse To Provide Any Services That Violate Their Beliefs
Medical providers could refuse to perform any health service that violates the provider’s ethical, moral or religious beliefs under a bill that advanced Wednesday in the Iowa Senate. Federal and state regulations already say doctors cannot be required to provide abortions. The Republican-backed bill in the Iowa Senate would let providers, pharmacists, hospitals and insurance companies opt out of participating in, referring patients to, or paying for any health care services they find objectionable. (Sostaric, 1/25)
Missouri Independent:
Missouri Republicans Push Bill To Defund Planned Parenthood
After years of court losses and legislative stalemates, Republicans and anti-abortion advocates in Missouri are once again trying to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money through Medicaid. A Senate committee debated legislation Wednesday that would change Missouri law to make Planned Parenthood ineligible to receive reimbursements from MO HealthNet, the state’s Medicaid program. (Spoerre, 1/26)
AP:
New Jersey Already Protects Abortion Rights. Now Democrats Want To Cover Out-Of-Pocket Costs, Too
Dawn Ericksen was struggling with an opioid addiction a dozen years ago when she got pregnant and realized she couldn’t keep herself safe, much less a baby. Working part-time, she couldn’t afford the hundreds of dollars she would need for an abortion and had to turn to a trusted friend to help cover the costs. Ericksen, a 43-year-old attorney from southern New Jersey who has been sober for 10 years, is now speaking out about her experience because she thinks women’s voices need to be heard. (Catalini, 1/25)
The Washington Post:
What Biden’s Latest Actions On Reproductive Health Mean
Some patients and providers say they continue to encounter barriers to care since the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2022 to strike down Roe and overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Here’s what the administration’s steps would mean for consumers. Most employer and individual health plans must cover contraceptives approved or cleared by the Food and Drug Administration without asking patients to pay out-of-pocket costs. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra sent a letter to health insurers reminding them to provide contraceptives at no cost. (Malhi and Diamond, 1/25)
AP:
Alabama Execution Using Nitrogen Gas, The First Ever, Again Puts US At Front Of Death Penalty Debate
A man who was paid $1,000 to kill an Alabama woman more than 30 years ago was put to death with pure nitrogen gas, a first-of-its-kind execution that again placed the U.S. at the forefront of the debate over capital punishment. Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, appeared to shake and convulse at the start before being pronounced dead at 8:25 p.m. Thursday at an Alabama prison after breathing the gas through a face mask to cause oxygen deprivation. It marked the first time a new execution method was used in the United States since 1982, when lethal injection was introduced and later became the most common method. Smith appeared conscious for several minutes into the procedure. For at least two minutes, Smith made seizure-like movements on the gurney that sometimes had him pulling against the restraints. That was followed by several minutes of labored breathing. He was pronounced dead after 22 minutes. (Chandler, 1/26)
The New York Times:
What To Know About The Execution Of Kenneth Smith In Alabama
The method, known as nitrogen hypoxia, has been used in assisted suicides in Europe. Mr. Smith was fitted with a mask and administered a flow of nitrogen gas, effectively depriving him of oxygen until he dies. Lawyers for the state argued that death by nitrogen hypoxia is painless, with unconsciousness occurring in a matter of seconds, followed by stoppage of the heart. They also noted that Mr. Smith and his lawyers themselves identified the method as preferable to the troubled practice of lethal injection in the state. (Betts and Bogel-Burroughs, 1/25)
Politico:
First Tech Platform Breaks Ranks To Support Kids Online Safety Bill
The owner of Snapchat is backing a bill meant to bolster online protections for children on social media, the first company to publicly split from its trade shop days before the company’s CEO prepares to testify on Capitol Hill. A Snap spokesperson told POLITICO about the company’s support of Kids Online Safety Act. The popular messaging service’s position breaks ranks with its trade group NetChoice, which has opposed KOSA. The bill directs platforms to prevent the recommendation of harmful content to children, like posts on eating disorders or suicide. (Kern, 1/25)
CNN:
Teen Suicide: Study Identifies Behavioral Risk Factor
If your teen’s opting out of the school football game or shopping with friends, chalking it up to teen angst can be easy. But you should pay more attention since social withdrawal could signal something deeper is going on, a new study has found. Being socially withdrawn and experiencing physical discomforts as a preteen is associated with a higher risk of having suicidal thoughts at age 16, according to the study published Thursday in the journal JAMA Network Open. (Rogers, 1/25)
AP:
Michigan School Shooter's Mom Is At Fault For Deaths, Prosecutor Says
A school shooting that killed four students in Michigan could have been prevented if the mother of the armed teen had removed him after seeing his violent drawings that same day, a prosecutor told jurors Thursday in an uncommon trial about parental responsibility. Jennifer Crumbley is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the Nov. 30, 2021, attack at Oxford High School. Prosecutors say she and husband James Crumbley were grossly negligent and that their son’s actions were foreseeable. Jennifer Crumbley was aware of Ethan Crumbley’s deteriorating mental health and social isolation and knew that a gun drawn on a math assignment resembled the one that he had used with her at a shooting range, assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said. (White, 1/25)
CIDRAP:
CDC Alerts Healthcare Providers About Measles Cases
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today urged healthcare providers to be alert for patients who have fever and rashes and have traveled abroad, following reports of 23 measles cases since December 1, 2023. "The increased number of measles importations seen in recent weeks is reflective of a rise in global measles cases and a growing global threat from the disease," the CDC said in an email. (Schnirring, 1/25)
NBC News:
As Measles Spreads In England, Health Authorities Warn The Outbreak Could Snowball
The U.K. Health Security Agency said Friday that since October, there have been 216 confirmed cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands region, an urban part of England centered on the city of Birmingham, where around 80% of the cases were recorded. That’s higher than last year’s total of 209 measles cases and the 2022 tally of 53. Last year, the government warned that a measles outbreak in London could lead to between 40,000 and 160,000 cases there if the vaccination rate did not improve. (Smith and Bendix, 1/25)
Stateline.org:
Wastewater Tests Show COVID Infections Surging
Although it’s spotty and inconsistent in many places, wastewater testing is pointing to a new wave of COVID-19 infections, with as many as one-third of Americans expected to contract the disease by late February. (Henderson, 1/25)
NBC News:
Covid In Pregnancy Can Cause Health Issues In Babies, Studies Suggest
Just over four years since Covid emerged, it has become increasingly clear that infections in pregnant mothers can lead to serious health risks in infants. The latest finding: Babies born to mothers who had Covid during pregnancy had "unusually high rates" of respiratory distress at birth or shortly thereafter, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature Communications. (Bendix, 1/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Why High-Risk Patients Aren't Getting Anti-COVID Drugs
As the toll from the COVID-19 pandemic continued to mount, antiviral medications such as Paxlovid were hailed by health officials as an important way to reduce the risk of severe illness or death. Yet the drugs have remained underused, studies have found. In Boston, a group of researchers wanted to know why — and what could be done about it. Their new findings, published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suggest that some vulnerable patients were not offered the prescription medicines at all, and that doctors need more education to make sure the drugs get to patients who could benefit. (Alpert Reyes, 1/25)
CIDRAP:
Closing Toilet Lid Before Flushing Doesn't Keep Viral Spray Inside, Study Suggests
Contrary to previous study findings, closing the toilet lid before flushing doesn't stop aerosolized viruses from contaminating bathroom surfaces, scientists from the University of Arizona and Reckitt Benckiser LLC, the company that makes the disinfectant used in the study, report in the American Journal of Infection Control. The researchers added a bacteriophage (virus that targets and kills bacteria) to household and public toilet bowls as a proxy for human intestinal viruses. After they flushed the toilets (with the lid open or closed in case of the household toilets), they measured viral contamination of the toilet and bathroom floor and walls. (Van Beusekom, 1/25)
Stat:
Key Senate Panel Considers Medicare Bonuses For Hospitals That Prevent Drug Shortages
A key Senate committee is proposing that Medicare pay bonuses to hospitals that take measures to prevent drug shortages. It also wants to change the way doctors are paid to administer drugs in outpatient settings. (Wilkerson, 1/25)
Modern Healthcare:
Medicare Advantage Data Transparency Sought By CMS
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services wants public input to guide possible future regulations to mandate greater transparency from Medicare Advantage plans, according to a request for information issued Thursday. The agency has sought to shed more light on Medicare Advantage operations and finances in recent years and required insurers to reveal information in areas such as medical loss ratio calculations, prior authorization processes, supplemental benefits and health equity. (Bennett, 1/25)
The Boston Globe:
Panel Calls For Review Of Dana-Farber/Beth Israel Partnership
The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission on Thursday called for additional review of a planned partnership between the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Beth Israel Lahey Health, keeping the affiliation and a proposed 300-bed hospital on ice for now. By a unanimous voice vote, the panel chose to proceed with a cost and market impact review for the planned Dana-Farber/Beth Israel collaboration and the cancer institute’s split with its longtime partner in clinical care, Brigham & Women’s Hospital. (Fox, 1/25)
Stat:
Cardiologists Urge Adding Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity To Health Records
There are more openly LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. than ever, but little is known about the unique health challenges they may face. That’s why some researchers are urging health systems to build the acronym SOGIE — for patients’ sexual orientation and gender identity and expression — into their data collection. (Gaffney, 1/26)
Reuters:
Lilly's Mounjaro Dose In Limited Availability In US Through Next Month
A dose of Eli Lilly's diabetes drug Mounjaro has limited availability through February 2024, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's website, due to an increase in demand. The health regulator's website showed the 12.5 milligram dose of the injection will be available in limited amounts, while other doses of Mounjaro are available. (1/25)
CIDRAP:
Antibiotics And Reflux Drugs, When Combined, Linked To Increased C Diff Risk
A population-based study in Sweden found that recent use of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)—drugs often used to relieve acid reflux—was associated with increased risk of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), particularly when used in combination, researchers reported yesterday in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. (Dall, 1/25)
NBC News:
The U.S. Just Sold Its Helium Stockpile. Here’s Why The Medical World Is Worried
On Thursday, the U.S. government sold the Federal Helium Reserve, a massive underground stockpile based in Amarillo, Texas, that supplies up to 30% of the country’s helium. Once the deal is finalized, the buyer — which will likely be the highest bidder, the industrial gas company Messer — will claim some 425 miles of pipelines spanning Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma, plus about 1 billion cubic feet of the only element on Earth cold enough to make an MRI machine work. ... Hospital supply chain experts worry the sale could have serious consequences for health care down the road. (Hopkins, 1/25)
CBS News:
Syphilis Cases Up 244% In Minnesota In Last Decade, Health Department Says
The Minnesota Department of Health says 29 babies were born with congenital syphilis last year — the highest number in more than 40 years. Overall cases of syphilis are up 244% in Minnesota in the last decade. Among women, early syphilis cases have increased by over 1,800%, according to MDH. Syphilis is usually spread through sexual contact. Congenital syphilis occurs when someone passes their infection on to their fetus during pregnancy, which can cause severe complications such as miscarriages, stillbirths, premature birth and brain or nerve problems. (Moser, 1/25)
CBS News:
Bill That Would Legalize Medically Assisted Suicide Debated At Minnesota Capitol
A bill that would legalize assisted suicide in Minnesota may have the momentum to pass this upcoming session. The bill was heard and debated on Thursday by the health committee, and it would make the assisted suicide option available only for patients 18 and over who are terminally ill with a prognosis of six months to live or less. The patient must also be mentally fit. The bill's sponsor, Democratic Rep. Mike Freiberg, said he's confident the bill has the votes to pass from the DFL-led legislature. (Kaplan, 1/25)
Stat:
Illinois Sued By Generic Group Over A Price-Gouging Law
The trade group for generic drug companies in the U.S. has filed a lawsuit alleging a new Illinois law that is designed to prevent price gouging is unconstitutional, the latest effort to push back against states attempting to lower the cost of medicines. (Silverman, 1/25)
Reuters:
West Virginia County, City Push To Revive Opioid Claims Against Distributors
A West Virginia city and county urged a federal appeals court on Thursday to revive their $2.5 billion lawsuit accusing the nation's three largest drug distributors of causing an opioid epidemic by flooding them with pills. David Frederick, a lawyer for Huntington and Cabell County, the county the city is located in, told a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that a federal judge misunderstood the law when he rejected the lawsuit in 2022, following a non-jury trial. (Pierson, 1/25)
The Washington Post:
D.C. Paramedics To Begin Blood Transfusions
Trauma victims will soon be able to receive blood transfusions from D.C. paramedics before they reach the hospital, which officials estimate could help as many as 400 patients a year, including those suffering from gunshot and stab wounds. As the American Red Cross faces an emergency blood shortage and a 20-year low in donors, pressure is on D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services leaders to strategically deploy blood to ensure zero waste. (Portnoy, 1/25)
AP:
Walgreens To Pay $275,000 To Settle Allegations In Vermont About Pandemic Service
Walgreens has agreed to pay a $275,000 fine to settle allegations that some of its Vermont stores temporarily closed without notice, had untenable working conditions for pharmacists and made medication and vaccination errors during the coronavirus pandemic, the secretary of state announced. The Vermont Board of Pharmacy approved the fine as part of the settlement between the state Office of Professional Regulation and the national pharmacy chain, Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said Wednesday, calling it a “big win for Vermont consumers.” (1/25)
Boston Globe:
Pancreatic Cancer Early Detection Could Be Helped By AI
Limor Appelbaum has seen too many patients whose first sign of a fatal illness came too late. Often it’s yellowed eyes from jaundice, caused by a cancerous tumor on the pancreas that has grown so large it presses against the bile duct system. By this point, little can be done. “All we can really offer them is something that can prolong life by a few months,” and comfort care, said Appelbaum, a staff scientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. (Freyer, 1/25)
Stat:
HPV Vaccine, Cervical Cancer Study Delivers Historic Results
A historic new study out of Scotland shows the real-world impact of vaccines against the human papillomavirus: The country has detected no cases of cervical cancer in women born between 1988-1996 who were fully vaccinated against HPV between the ages of 12 and 13. (Merelli, 1/25)
CNN:
People Who Mostly Sit At Work Have A 16% Higher Risk Of Mortality, Study Says
Tired of sitting at that desk all day long? Turns out it’s not good for your health, either, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. People who predominantly sit at work have a 16% higher risk of mortality from all causes, and a 34% higher risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease. To counteract the increased risk, individuals who sit a lot at work would have to engage in an additional 15 to 30 minutes of physical activity per day to reduce their risk to that of individuals who do not predominantly sit, researchers estimated. (Hetter, 1/25)
AP:
Report Finds 93 US Deaths After Cosmetic Surgery In Dominican Republic Since 2009
U.S. health officials say 93 Americans have died after cosmetic surgery in the Dominican Republic since 2009, with many of the recent deaths involving a procedure known as a Brazilian butt lift. The operation has grown in popularity recently and has led to deaths in other countries as well, including the U.S. A report issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could not say how common these deaths are or whether they are more common in the Dominican Republic. The report suggests steps that medical tourists should consider before traveling to get work done. (Stobbe, 1/25)