First Edition: June 26, 2024

KFF Health News: Closing Of Rural Hospitals Leaves Towns With Unhealthy Real Estate
In March 2021, this town of about 2,000 residents in the hills of east Tennessee lost its hospital, a 54-bed acute care facility. Campbell County, where Jellico is located, ranks 90th of Tennessee’s 95 counties in health outcomes and has a poverty rate almost double the national average, so losing its health care cornerstone sent ripple effects through the region. (Sisk, 6/26)

KFF Health News: Los Angeles County Approves Medical Debt Relief For Residents
Los Angeles County supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to buy up and forgive millions of dollars in medical debt as part of a comprehensive plan to tackle a $2.9 billion burden that weighs on almost 800,000 residents. The measure, authored by supervisors Janice Hahn and Holly Mitchell, allows the county to enter into a pilot program with Undue Medical Debt, previously known as RIP Medical Debt, a national organization that relieves patients of what they owe by purchasing their medical debt for pennies on the dollar then retiring it. (Castle Work, 6/25)

KFF Health News: California’s $25 Health Care Hourly Wage Relies On Federal Boost, State Worker Exemption
California’s nation-leading $25 minimum wage for health workers will rely on a significant boost in federal funding and exempt thousands of state employees under an agreement that is expected to be approved in the coming days. The minimum wage hike for more than 400,000 health workers, which will be phased in over several years, was to start June 1, but will now begin no earlier than Oct. 15 and no later than Jan. 1 under a budget deal announced June 22. (Thompson, 6/26)

KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week. (6/25)

The Wall Street Journal: Biden To Pardon Military Service Members Dismissed For Their Sexual Orientation
President Biden will move Wednesday to pardon LGBTQ military service members who were discharged or prosecuted because of their sexual orientation, providing a path for them to clear their records and apply for veterans benefits. Administration officials said Tuesday evening that they didn’t know exactly how many former service members would be affected by the order, which creates a process for veterans to apply for a pardon, but they estimate the number is in the thousands. (Linskey, 6/26)

The New York Times: Biden Officials Pressed Trans Medical Group To Change Guidelines For Minors, Court Filings Show
Health officials in the Biden administration pressed an international group of medical experts to remove age limits for adolescent surgeries from guidelines for care of transgender minors, according to newly unsealed court documents. Age minimums, officials feared, could fuel growing political opposition to such treatments. (Ghorayshi, 6/25)

Politico: Trump's Immunity, Jan. 6, Abortion: The Supreme Court's Most Controversial Decisions Are About To Drop 
As the Supreme Court rushes to deliver the final decisions of its current term, the justices face a pile-up of cases that are sure to shape the presidential campaign — and could upend the legal landscape in areas from abortion to air pollution to free speech on the internet. The court is scheduled to issue opinions Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. By far the biggest pending decision is Donald Trump’s bid to be declared immune from federal criminal charges for trying to overturn the 2020 election. (Gerstein and Latson, 6/26)

Military.com: Democrats Push Pentagon On Birth Control For Service Members As Defense Bill Looks To Ease Access 
As studies show service members continue to struggle to access birth control, a group of Senate Democrats is pushing the Defense Department to do more to expand contraception services and counseling. In a letter Tuesday to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a dozen Democrats on the Senate Armed Services Committee pushed for details on any "barriers preventing the department from implementing provisions mandated by Congress to protect and expand service members' access to contraception and contraceptive counseling." (Kheel, 6/25)

CNN: CDC Warns A Surge In Global Dengue Cases Is Raising Risk In US
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning to doctors on Tuesday to be on the look out for cases of dengue. A surge in dengue cases globally is raising the risk that people could catch the disease in the US. (Christensen, 6/25)

CIDRAP: Surveillance Data Show Rise In US Powassan Virus Cases 
From 2004 through 2013, 64 cases of human Powassan virus were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but that number jumped to 270 cases from 2014 to 2023. (Soucheray, 6/25)

CIDRAP: Scientists Expand H5N1 Testing In Dairy Products, Launch Human Serology Study 
Don Prater, DVM, acting director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Nutrition, said the FDA last week launched a second round of testing in retail products to fill remaining gaps in knowledge about the status of products from different geographic areas and about a wider variety of products, which will include aged raw-milk cheese, cream cheese, butter, and ice cream. In an update on its website, the FDA said it will test 155 dairy products collected from retail outlets for H5N1. (Schnirring, 6/25)

Stat: Michigan Launches First Effort Of Its Kind To Detect Silent Bird Flu Infections In Workers
Michigan has led the nation in making inroads with its farmers as it has worked to contain spread of H5N1 bird flu infections in dairy cows. Now the state’s health authorities are trying to do the same in looking for undetected infections among farmworkers. (Branswell, 6/25)

CIDRAP: Study Shows Persistence Of H5N1 In Unpasteurized Milk And On Milking Unit Surfaces
The H5N1 cattle virus remained infectious in unpasteurized milk on stainless steel and rubber inflation lining after 1 hour, and the H5N1 cattle virus had a similar decay rate to the human H5 virus. (Soucheray, 6/25)

Stat: Three Months Into Bird Flu Outbreak, Deep Problems In The Response
Three months since an outbreak of avian influenza in U.S. dairy cattle was declared, the country is failing to take the necessary steps to get in front of the virus and possibly contain its spread among cows, according to interviews with more than a dozen experts and current and former government officials. (Joseph, Zhang, Branswell and Molteni, 6/26)

CBS News: "No Evidence" New COVID Variant LB.1 Causes More Severe Disease, CDC Says
There are no signs so far that the new LB.1 variant is causing more severe disease in COVID-19 patients, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, as infections have begun to accelerate in this summer's wave around the country. The LB.1 variant currently makes up 17.5% of new COVID cases, the CDC projected Friday, and could be on track to overtake its sibling, the KP.3 variant, which has also been growing in recent weeks. (Tin, 6/25)

North Carolina Health News: Mask Bill Questions Swirl As N.C. Lawmakers Weigh Veto Override
Rep. John Torbett, a Republican from the small Gaston County town of Stanley, lingered with reporters after a June 11 legislative meeting to talk about a law that would govern when and where people can wear face masks in North Carolina. Republicans in the state Senate had overhauled one of his bills earlier in the session to ban face coverings in public, even for public health purposes. (Blythe, 6/26)

The Washington Post: Federal Covid Spending Helped Students Recover From Educational Losses 
When Congress sent tens of billions of dollars to schools — an unprecedented sum — to battle the pandemic, it seemed like reopening campuses was going to be the toughest thing. Or maybe keeping teachers and students covid-free. But it turns out the hardest thing was helping students recover from severe academic losses sustained during the depths of the pandemic. Schools reopened. Students and teachers were, for the most part, kept safe from covid. But what about academic recovery? Did the money help kids get back on track? Two new reports offer the same answer: Yes. (Meckler, 6/26)

Reuters: Philippines Seeking U.S. Clarification On Anti-Vax Propaganda Operation
The Philippines is still seeking clarification from the Pentagon about a secret U.S. propaganda operation that aimed to cast doubt among Filipinos about Chinese vaccines at the height of the COVID pandemic, a foreign ministry official said on Tuesday. A Reuters investigation on June 14 detailed how the Pentagon ran a clandestine influence campaign in 2020 and 2021 to denigrate the Sinovac vaccine and other pandemic aid from China across the developing world. (6/25)

Military.com: After Crippling Ransomware Attack, VA Is Still Dealing With Fallout, Trying To Pay Providers 
Four months after a crippling cyberattack on a company that manages prescription processing and community provider payments for the Department of Veterans Affairs, the VA continues to address the fallout, with officials saying Tuesday they are taking steps to clear a backlog of payments to pharmacies and medical providers. A Feb. 21 ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group that serves as a clearinghouse for insurance payments and pharmacy prescriptions, disrupted operations at hospitals and clinics nationwide, including the Defense Department and VA. (Kime, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Saint Peter's Signs Definitive Agreement To Join Atlantic Health
Saint Peter's Healthcare System has signed a definitive agreement to join Atlantic Health System. If the deal is approved by regulators and the Catholic Church, Morristown, New Jersey-headquartered Atlantic would become Saint Peter's "sole corporate member," according to a Tuesday news release. (Hudson, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: UAB Health To Acquire Ascension St. Vincent’s For $450M
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System Authority signed an agreement to acquire Ascension St. Vincent's for $450 million, the nonprofit systems announced Tuesday. UAB Health would acquire St. Vincent's five hospitals, a specialty care and rehabilitation center, a freestanding emergency department, imaging centers and clinics that are part of Ascension Medical Group under the proposed deal, according to a news release. (Hudson, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Vizient To Acquire Kaufman Hall
Vizient plans to take full ownership of Kaufman Hall, the organizations said Tuesday. Vizient in 2021 made a minority investment in Kaufman Hall, which offers healthcare consulting and analytics including a monthly report on hospital financial data. The group purchasing and consulting organization exercised its option to acquire the remaining interest in Kaufman Hall from private equity firm and majority owner Madison Dearborn Partners. (Kacik, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Hackensack Meridian, Medically Home Partner To Expand Hospital-At-Home
Hackensack Meridian Health is going big on hospital-at-home care, with plans to roll out the service in its 18 hospitals within six months. The health system is partnering with Boston-based Medically Home, which will provide a command center, technology and logistics support. Health system employees will be trained on hospital-at-home protocols, CEO Robert Garrett said Tuesday. (Eastabrook, 6/25)

Houston Chronicle: Baylor Surgeon Continues To Treat Patients Despite Whistleblower Suit
One of three Houston heart surgeons accused of improperly performing overlapping surgeries continues to treat patients in his leadership role at Baylor College of Medicine, which maintained on Tuesday that the doctor “did nothing wrong.”  Dr. Joseph Coselli, a 71-year-old Houston native, was first appointed to a leadership post at Baylor in 2004 and now serves as executive vice chair in the surgery department. Having trained under legendary surgeons Drs. Michael DeBakey and Denton Cooley, he is recognized by peers as a pioneer in the field. (Gill, 6/25)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital Mergers Could Raise Prices, Lower Tax Revenue: Study
Hospital mergers can mean rising prices for individual patients, but there also may be implications for the larger economy, including higher unemployment costs and reduced tax revenue, according to a study published Monday by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The study on the effects of hospital mergers, compiled by researchers from four universities including Yale and Harvard as well as the Treasury Department, concluded that resulting price increases hurt employers and workers outside the healthcare industry. (Hudson, 6/25)

Reuters: Lilly Partners With OpenAI To Develop Medicines For Drug-Resistant Bacteria 
Eli Lilly said on Tuesday it will collaborate with OpenAI to leverage its generative AI to develop antimicrobials that can be used to treat drug-resistant bacteria. (6/25)

Stat: Vaping Studies Corrected To List Authors' Undisclosed Ties To Juul
A journal published by the American Medical Association has corrected four articles from two of the nation’s top tobacco researchers, Ray Niaura and David Abrams, after STAT uncovered undisclosed ties the New York University professors had with the e-cigarette company Juul. (Florko, 6/25)

The New York Times: Some States Say They Can’t Afford Ozempic And Other Weight Loss Drugs
Joanna Bailey, a family physician and obesity specialist, doesn’t want to tell her patients that they can’t take Wegovy, but she has gotten used to it. Around a quarter of the people she sees in her small clinic in Wyoming County would benefit from the weight-loss medications, which also include Ozempic, Zepbound and Mounjaro, she says. The drugs have helped some of them lose 15 to 20 percent of their weight. But most people in the area she serves don’t have insurance that covers the cost, and virtually no one can afford sticker prices of $1,000 to $1,400 a month. (Whang, 6/25)

Bloomberg: Ozempic Weight Loss Leads To Plastic Surgery Boom To Shed Extra Skin
Jennifer Witherspoon can’t stop sharing photos of her new body. After losing more than 100 pounds on a weight-loss drug, the 47-year-old in Austin got a tummy tuck and breast lift to get rid of the loose, sagging skin she was left with. Now, she’s flaunting washboard abs in a bikini for the first time in 20 years. “I am literally living my best life,” she said. (Muller, Furlong, and Kresge, 6/25)

Reuters: Nestle Launches Website For Individuals On Weight Loss Drugs
Nestle's health unit on Tuesday launched a web platform to provide nutritional support for individuals on weight loss programs, including those using GLP-1 medications. Nestle Health Science said the website will address specific needs such as preserving lean muscle mass, supporting gut health, and offering personalized diet assistance. (6/25)

Los Angeles Times: Pandemic Preparedness, Children's Health Measures Pulled From November Ballot
California leaders scratched two voter initiatives from the November ballot on Tuesday, reaching deals with proponents to pull their measures in exchange for legislative changes. Gov. Gavin Newsom said that backers had agreed to withdraw a pandemic preparedness measure that had been backed by disgraced former crypto executive Sam Bankman-Fried, as well as a measure sponsored by children’s hospitals that would have expanded state funding for healthcare for seriously ill children. (Nelson, 6/25)

The 19th: California Bill Aims To Include Menstrual Health In School Sex Education
Sriya Srinivasan stopped menstruating for nearly three years and had no idea why. She went online for answers, and the search results frightened her so much that she stayed silent about the problem instead of asking relatives or teachers for help. (Nittle, 6/25)

Los Angeles Times: State Recalls West Coast Cure Vape Months After Contamination Reported
California cannabis regulators on Tuesday issued the state’s first recall of a pesticide-tainted weed product following a Los Angeles Times investigation disclosing dangerous contamination in the state’s legal cannabis supplies. The product ordered pulled from sale is an “Orange Cookies”-flavored West Coast Cure vape cartridge produced in September. The state recall said the vape exceeded safety limits for a single chemical, the insecticide chlorfenapyr. (St. John, 6/25)

Los Angeles Times: L.A. County Man Convicted Of Selling Deadly Fentanyl Dose On OfferUp
A Hawaiian Gardens man was convicted of using the popular online marketplace OfferUp to sell a tar-like substance containing fentanyl to a teenager who later died of an overdose. Gregory Hevener, 47, was found guilty in federal court Monday of one count each of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute heroin, according to a statement by the U.S. attorney’s office. (Sheets and Blakinger, 6/25)

Connecticut Public: Qualified Nursing School Applicants Can’t Get Into CT Programs
Connecticut colleges and universities are expanding their capacity to admit students into nursing degree programs. Albertus Magnus College and Eastern Connecticut State University are set to launch bachelor’s degrees in nursing in the fall of 2024. And UConn School of Nursing will open an expanded space in 2026 to accommodate more students. Still, it’s a drop in the bucket. (Srinivasan, 6/25)

CBS News: Researchers In Pittsburgh Design Pocket-Sized Lab That Could Transform Diagnostic Care
Researchers in Pittsburgh are proposing a diagnostic tool that could change the game for health professionals and patients. The hope is that the small but mighty device dreamed up by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC could someday detect diseases more efficiently. Pitt engineering assistant professor Amir Alavi said the portable pocket-sized lab doesn't even need batteries. It only needs a drop of blood to generate electricity and measure its conductivity. (Guay, 6/25)

CBS News: New Hampshire Sues TikTok, Saying Platform Hurts Kids' Mental Health 
New Hampshire is the latest state to sue TikTok, saying that the social media platform is intentionally designed to get kids addicted, which seriously harms their mental health. In fact, the state's complaint claims that as TikTok grew in popularity, so did instances of mental health issues among children. (6/25)

The Washington Post: Burn-Off Of Toxics In Ohio Derailment Was Unnecessary, NTSB Says
Norfolk Southern and its contractors overestimated the risk that five train cars could explode after the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment last year, leading to the unnecessary release and burn of chemicals, the National Transportation Safety Board found Tuesday at its final meeting on the incident. The railway’s failure to quickly provide information to emergency responders after the derailment also unnecessarily exposed the public to hazards, the board found. In addition, chemical shippers’ use of a vulnerable model of train car that was punctured and spilled chemicals after derailing led to the fire that dramatically escalated the situation. (McDaniel, 6/25)

Reuters: Connecticut Firefighters Sue DuPont, 3M, Honeywell Over Allegedly Contaminated Gear 
DuPont, 3M, Honeywell and 16 other defendants were sued on Tuesday by Connecticut firefighters who said their protective gear was contaminated by toxic "forever chemicals" linked to cancer. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said they believed the proposed class action filed in the New Haven, Connecticut federal court is the first to exclusively target firefighter gear containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. (Stempel, 6/25)

Reuters: Lawsuits Claim Popular Baby Bottle Brands Leach Microplastics
Two makers of plastic baby bottles were hit with proposed class actions in California federal court on Tuesday over claims that they failed to warn parents that the bottles leached dangerous microplastics when heated. The lawsuits against Philips North America and Handi-Craft Company, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, say the companies knew their popular bottles would be heated as part of regular use. (Jones, 6/25)

The Washington Post: Hershey’s, Friendly’s Ice Cream Among Brands Recalled Over Listeria Risk
A few of your favorite ice cream products might no longer be in the freezer this summer after a prominent supplier to brands such as Hershey’s and Friendly’s issued a recall notice over a potential listeria contamination. Maryland-based Totally Cool recalled products from 13 brands distributed nationwide in retail locations and through direct delivery after sampling by the Food and Drug Administration discovered the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeria infections, the agency said Monday. (Masih, 6/26)

AP: FDA Warns Maker Of Sara Lee, Entenmann's Not To Claim Foods Contain Allergens When They Don't 
Federal food safety regulators said Tuesday that they have warned a top U.S. bakery to stop using labels that say its products contain potentially dangerous allergens when they don’t. U.S. Food and Drug Administration inspectors found that Bimbo Bakeries USA — which includes brands such as Sara Lee, Oroweat, Thomas’, Entenmann’s and Ball Park buns and rolls — listed ingredients such as sesame or tree nuts on labels even when they weren’t in the foods. (Aleccia, 6/25)

The Washington Post: Turmeric Supplements May Harm The Liver In Some People
In recent years, turmeric has been implicated in a growing number of cases of acute liver injury, some of which have led to liver transplant or even death. (Kim, 6/25)