First Edition: March 22, 2024
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
KFF Health News:
California’s Expanded Health Coverage For Immigrants Collides With Medicaid Reviews
Medi-Cal health coverage kicked in for Antonio Abundis just when the custodian needed it most. Shortly after Abundis transitioned from limited to full-scope coverage in 2022 under California’s expansion of Medi-Cal to older residents without legal immigration status, he was diagnosed with leukemia, a cancer affecting the blood cells. The soft-spoken father of three took the news in stride as his doctor said his blood test suggested his cancer wasn’t advanced. (Aguilera, 3/22)
KFF Health News:
Move To Protect California’s Indoor Workers From Heat Upended By Cost Questions
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration unexpectedly yanked its support from a sweeping proposal that would have protected millions of California’s indoor workers from dangerous heat, saying it can’t endorse it without knowing the projected costs to the state. But the board that oversees worker safety immediately defied the administration Thursday by unanimously approving new standards intended to protect people who work in poorly ventilated warehouses, steamy restaurant kitchens, and other indoor job sites. (Young, 3/21)
KFF Health News:
Social Security Chief Testifies In Senate About Plans To Stop ‘Clawback Cruelty’
The new chief of the Social Security Administration outlined for senators Wednesday a plan to tackle overpayments and clawbacks, which affect millions of beneficiaries and, he said, have caused “grave injustices” and left people “in dire financial straits.” ... The agency has harmed people it is supposed to help by reducing or halting benefit checks to recoup billions of dollars in payments it sent them but later said they should never have received. (Hilzenrath and Fleischer, 3/21)
KFF Health News:
KFF Health News' 'What The Health?': The ACA Turns 14
Saturday marks the 14th anniversary of the still somewhat embattled Affordable Care Act. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra joins host Julie Rovner to discuss the accomplishments of the health law — and the challenges it still faces. Also this week, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Mary Agnes Carey of KFF Health News join Rovner to discuss what should be the final funding bill for HHS for fiscal 2024, next week’s Supreme Court oral arguments in a case challenging abortion medication, and more. (3/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Congress Unveils $1.2T Spending Bill With HHS Budget
Community health centers and a slew of healthcare programs would receive funding increases under a sweeping bipartisan government appropriations bill congressional leaders introduced Thursday. The $1.2 trillion fiscal 2024 spending package covers about 70% of the federal government, from defense to labor, and includes $117 billion for Health and Human Services Department operations. The measure must be enacted by midnight Friday — an uncertain outcome — to prevent a partial government shutdown. (McAuliff, 3/21)
The Hill:
Congress Sprints To Funding Finish Line Despite Conservative Outrage
Congress is racing the clock to approve a $1.2 trillion funding bill ahead of Friday’s night’s shutdown deadline, aiming to pass the sprawling legislation quickly despite intense outrage from conservatives on both sides of the Capitol. The House and Senate have less than 30 hours to pass the six-bill package — which will keep a slew of departments and agencies funded past Friday at midnight — as lawmakers look to avert a partial government shutdown and avoid a weekend full of votes. The six-bill package lays out funding for roughly three-quarters of the federal government, including the departments of Homeland Security (DHS), Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and State. (Schnell and Weaver, 3/21)
The Washington Post:
Democrats Seize On A GOP Budget Proposal That Would Raise Social Security Retirement Age
In a deeply polarized election year, President Biden and fellow Democrats wasted little time lambasting a budget proposal from a large group of House Republicans that would, among other things, raise the retirement age for Social Security and endorse a bill that would codify that life begins at conception. The fiscal 2025 budget proposal was released Wednesday by the Republican Study Committee — a bloc that includes 80 percent of Republicans in the House, including every member of House leadership. RSC’s proposed budget was released weeks after House Republicans advanced the conference’s official budget plan out of committee. (Vazquez, 3/21)
The Hill:
White House Calls Out House’s Conservative Caucus Budget For ‘Extreme’ Abortion Proposals
The White House on Friday called out the Republican Study Committee’s (RSC) budget proposal for backing legislation that would put strict restrictions on abortion access. The group, which comprises nearly 80 percent of all House Republicans, proposed a budget that endorses the Life at Conception Act, which would implement protections for unborn humans. Democrats argue that the legislation would threaten access to in vitro fertilization (IVF). (Gangitano, 3/22)
The New York Times:
Surgeons Transplant Pig Kidney Into A Patient, A Medical Milestone
Surgeons in Boston have transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into an ailing 62-year-old man, the first procedure of its kind. If successful, the breakthrough offers hope to hundreds of thousands of Americans whose kidneys have failed. So far, the signs are promising. (Rabin, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
New Blood Thinners Will Prevent Blood Clots Without Causing Bleeding
A new class of anticoagulant drugs on the horizon is taking fresh aim at one of cardiology’s toughest challenges: how to prevent blood clots that cause heart attacks and strokes, without leaving patients at risk of bleeding. At least a half-dozen experimental blood thinners are in development that inhibit a protein called factor XI, one of several blood factors that regulate how the body forms clots. (Winslow, 3/21)
NBC News:
Medicare Will Cover Wegovy To Reduce Heart Disease Risk
Medicare will provide coverage for Wegovy for patients with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other serious cardiovascular problems, an agency spokesperson said Thursday. The decision, experts say, could grant millions of patients access to the popular yet expensive weight loss medication. Medicare, which currently provides health insurance to more than 65 million people in the U.S., has long been barred from paying for weight loss drugs. (Lovelace Jr., 3/21)
Stat:
Testing GLP-1 Drugs Like Wegovy To Treat Addiction Has 'Exciting' Data
Early data regarding the use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy to treat addiction is “very, very, exciting,” Nora Volkow, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said Thursday. (Facher, 3/21)
Stat:
Ibogaine Psychedelic Therapy For Opioid Addiction Unlikely, Official Says
The psychedelic ibogaine is unlikely to ever receive approval as a treatment for opioid addiction, the federal government’s top addiction researcher said Thursday. The remarks from Nora Volkow, the longtime director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, serve as a cautionary note amid widespread enthusiasm about ibogaine, a naturally occurring substance that drug companies and researchers have increasingly cast as a potential paradigm-shifting addiction treatment. (Facher, 3/21)
AP:
Drug Overdoses Reach Another Record In 2022, CDC Says
Nearly 108,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2022, according to final federal figures released Thursday. Over the last two decades, the number of U.S. overdose deaths has risen almost every year and continued to break annual records — making it the worst overdose epidemic in American history. (Stobbe, 3/21)
AP:
Requiring Ugly Images Of Smoking's Harm On Cigarettes Won't Breach First Amendment, Court Says
A federal requirement that cigarette packs and advertising include graphic images demonstrating the effects of smoking — including pictures of smoke-damaged lungs and feet blackened by diminished blood flow — does not violate the First Amendment, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals was a partial victory for federal regulators seeking to toughen warning labels. But the court kept alive a tobacco industry challenge of the rule, saying a lower court should review whether it was adopted in accordance with the federal Administrative Procedure Act, which governs the development of regulations. (McGill, 3/21)
CNN:
Smoking Actually Increases Dangerous Belly Fat, New Study Finds
Mark another point against smoking: It may cause an increase in a type of body fat linked to serious disease, according to a new study. Both starting smoking and spending a lifetime smoking cigarettes was associated with an increase in abdominal fat, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Addiction. (Holcombe, 3/21)
CBS News:
Washtenaw County Health Officials Report Second Measles Case Of 2024
The Washtenaw County Health Department is reporting a second confirmed case of measles in the county. Health officials say the case is in an adult who does not have prior immunity to measles and was exposed to a previous Washtenaw County case reported on March 3. Four measles cases have been reported in Michigan in 2024, with two cases in Washtenaw County and one in Oakland and Wayne counties. Two of the four reported cases were associated with international travel. (Buczek, 3/21)
The Boston Globe:
Emmanuel College Student Infected With Meningitis
An Emmanuel College student recently contracted meningitis and the campus is working to prevent a wider outbreak, the Boston school said Thursday. “In accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health protocols, the College is taking timely actions to ensure that no additional cases of meningitis develop on or beyond our campus,” the school said in a brief statement. “We send our best wishes for a rapid recovery to the affected student.” (Andersen, 3/21)
Los Angeles Times:
State Faults L.A. Hospital That Suffered Power Outage
A power outage that forced hundreds of patients to be evacuated at a Boyle Heights hospital last summer was the result of lapses in maintaining the facility, a “deficient practice” that could put patients at risk of not getting needed care, state investigators found. In August, Adventist Health White Memorial lost power hours after Southern California was pummeled by a storm named Hilary. (Alpert Reyes, 3/21)
Carolina Public Press:
Nurses Say Corrections At HCA's Mission Hospital Are Not Happening
HCA Healthcare, which owns Mission Hospital in Asheville, had to submit an amended plan of correction to regulators March 13, which the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved in a notice to Mission Hospital CEO Chad Patrick. That plan was made public March 20. HCA’s amended plan of correction includes an addendum on the hospital’s staffing strategic plan. But while the plan has some positive changes, Mission Hospital nurse Kerri Wilson said management isn’t following all of it. (Vitaglione, 3/22)
The Washington Post:
Idaho Prisoner Back Behind Bars After Hospital Ambush Enabled His Escape
An escaped inmate and his suspected accomplice have been captured in Idaho after 36 hours on the run, during which time authorities believe they killed two men. Skylar Meade, 31, escaped custody about 2 a.m. Wednesday during a medical transport after Meade injured himself in prison, authorities said. The transport was about to return him to prison from Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise when Nicholas Umphenour, 28, is accused of ambushing the transport and shooting two officers. A third corrections officer was shot by Boise police on arrival, police said. (Vinall, 3/22)
Modern Healthcare:
Change Outage Highlights Need For More Cybersecurity Training
Industry advisors say more cybersecurity awareness and preparation is needed in the wake of the ransomware assault on Change Healthcare, though some health systems and other organizations remain confident their training is sufficient. ... Groups including the American Hospital Association are recommending more staff education on contingency planning and social engineering attacks. (Devereaux, 3/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Petersen Health Care Files For Bankruptcy
Nursing facility operator Petersen Health Care filed for reorganization Wednesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, citing between 5,000 and 10,000 creditors in its petition. The Peoria, Illinois-based company, which operates 62 nursing homes in Illinois and Missouri, listed assets between $100 million and $500 million in its Chapter 11 filing and between $100 million and $500 million in liabilities. (3/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Digital Diabetes Tools Not Effective: Peterson Health Tech Study
Most digital diabetes management tools are not cost effective and few demonstrate clinically relevant outcomes for patients, according to a study published Thursday. The results, published by the nonprofit research firm Peterson Health Technology Institute, should only increase the headwinds facing digital health companies attempting to convince payers and providers their products lead to healthier patients and lower costs. (Turner, 3/21)
Chicago Tribune:
Breast Cancer Test May Make Bad Chemotherapy Recommendations For Black Patients, UIC Study Shows
While the rest of the world was in the throes of the pandemic, Valletta Howard was wrapping her mind around a breast cancer diagnosis. (Rockett, 3/22)
CNN:
988 Mental Health Crisis Calls May Soon Be Routed Based On Location Rather Than Area Code
The US Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward adopting a rule that would require telecommunications companies to route calls to the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline based on the caller’s physical location rather than their phone number’s area code. (Cheng, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
Gavin Newsom’s Homelessness Measure Succeeded—But Narrow Win Shows A Divided California
Proposition 1 became fresh evidence that Californians are divided over the idea of spending more money to address homelessness. Out of some 7.2 million ballots counted as of Wednesday, the “yes” side led by fewer than 30,000 votes. While Newsom got the result he wanted, the narrow margin is a blow to his political standing after he was featured prominently in a $12 million ad blitz paid for largely by labor unions and corporate donors loyal to him. The effort was also backed by the California Medical Association and the state arm of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (Mai-Duc, 3/21)
The Boston Globe:
N.H. House Approves Proposal To Legalize Medical Aid In Dying
The New Hampshire House narrowly passed a bill that would legalize medical aid in dying in a vote of 179 to 176 Thursday. The controversial proposal outlined in House Bill 1283 is also often called physician-assisted suicide, a name some proponents have rejected as inaccurate and pejorative. (Gokee, 3/21)
The Washington Post:
Chicago Sues Glock Over Switch That Converts Pistols To Machine Guns
A small switch that can be bought for as little as $20 or even 3D printed at home can convert one of the most popular handguns in America into a weapon with machine gun-like power. And while the handgun modification uniquely affects Glock pistols, the manufacturer has done nothing to stop it, the city of Chicago alleged in a new lawsuit against Glock Inc. (Bellware, 3/21)
CBS News:
Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Bills To Train, Retain Healthcare Workers
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed a package of bills that supporters say will help improve access to health care, boost the number of doctors in Florida and address issues such as mental health treatment. "What they (state leaders) are tackling right now are some of the biggest challenges that we face in the Sunshine State, and that's access to health care in a reliable, reproducible, sustainable kind of a way," said Tampa General Hospital President and CEO John Couris, who took part in a bill-signing event in Bonita Springs. (3/21)
The 19th:
Florida’s Rule Keeping Trans People From Updating Licenses May Violate The Real ID Act
In Florida, transgender people can no longer update their driver’s license with their correct gender, according to a memo shared by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) in January. Although the rule does not apply to Floridians who have already updated their licenses, and should not affect first-time applicants, it still puts trans people at risk of discrimination in everyday interactions. (Rummler and Sosin, 3/21)
The Boston Globe:
Rhode Island Could Be The Next State To Establish A Drug Affordability Board
As prescription medication costs rise across the country, many states have introduced legislation to create prescription drug affordability boards to help regulate prices, including Rhode Island. AARP officials gave an update on the progress of these boards during a press conference Wednesday, where they said 11 states have prescription drug review boards in place. Four of those states have the ability to establish upper-payment limits, a limit on what purchasers can pay for certain drugs in the state separate from the manufacturer’s list price — and the price other states may set. (Coultoff, 3/21)
AP:
Allergy Season Arrived Early In US. Here's How To Keep Pollen From Ruining Your Spring
Allergy season is here — and it’s earlier and stronger than expected. More than 80 million Americans deal with itchy eyes, runny nose and other symptoms of seasonal allergies, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. The level of misery people will face depends on where they live and what they’re allergic to, but there are things you can do to feel better. (Shastri, 3/22)
The New York Times:
Toddlers Smell Like Flowers, Teens Smell ‘Goatlike,’ Study Finds
Few parents would describe the smells emanating from their adolescent children as redolent of sandalwood. But one of the distinct components of teenage body odor is a compound that evokes that warm, woody fragrance, according to a small new study, which compared the scents of adolescents to those of infants and toddlers. Unfortunately, that’s just about where the good news ended for teenagers (and their parents). Although there were many similarities between the chemicals wafting from teens and tots, the differences tended to favor the younger children, whose body odor samples had higher levels of a compound with a flowery fragrance. Adolescents, on the other hand, produced a compound that smelled like sweat and urine and had higher levels of substances described as smelling cheesy, musty and “goatlike.” (Anthes, 3/21)
CIDRAP:
First Case Of Person-To-Person SFTS Spread In Japan
Japan's Institute for Infectious Disease yesterday reported the country's first known case of human-to-human transmission of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a disease primarily spread by ticks but in very rare instances has spread from infected animals or people. Doctors described the findings yesterday in an online report that was translated and posted by FluTrackers, an infectious disease news message board. (Schnirring, 3/21)