First Edition: Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024

KFF Health News: Public Voices Often Ignored In States’ Opioid Settlement Money Decisions
The conversation wasn’t sounding good for Kensington residents on June 20. The Philadelphia neighborhood is a critical center of the nation’s opioid crisis, and the city had decided to spend $7.5 million in opioid settlement money to improve the quality of life there. But on that day, a Pennsylvania oversight board was about to vote on whether to reject the city’s decision. (Pattani, Larweh and Mahon, 8/27)

KFF Health News: With Only Gloves To Protect Them, Farmworkers Say They Tend Sick Cows Amid Bird Flu
In early August, farmworkers gathered under a pavilion at a park here for a picnic to celebrate Farmworker Appreciation Day. One sign that this year was different from the others was the menu: Beef fajitas, tortillas, pico de gallo, chips, beans — but no chicken. Farms in Colorado had culled millions of chickens in recent months to stem the transmission of bird flu. Organizers filled out the spread with hot dogs. (Bichell, 8/27)

KFF Health News: Feds Killed Plan To Curb Medicare Advantage Overbilling After Industry Opposition
A decade ago, federal officials drafted a plan to discourage Medicare Advantage health insurers from overcharging the government by billions of dollars — only to abruptly back off amid an “uproar” from the industry, newly released court filings show. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published the draft regulation in January 2014. The rule would have required health plans, when examining patient’s medical records, to identify overpayments by CMS and refund them to the government. (Schulte, 8/27)

KFF Health News' 'An Arm and a Leg' Podcast: Don’t Get ‘Bullied’ Into Paying What You Don’t Owe
In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” host Dan Weissmann speaks with Caitlyn Mai, a woman in Oklahoma who received a six-figure bill for a surgery her insurance promised to cover. This episode is an extended version of the “Bill of the Month” series, produced in partnership with NPR. (Weissmann, 8/27)

Modern Healthcare: Insurance Navigators To Receive $100M Ahead Of Open Enrollment
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will grant $100 million to 44 organizations tasked with helping people sign up for insurance coverage during open enrollment on the exchanges. The agency plans to distribute up to $500 million over the next five years. (Early, 8/26)

AP: Judge Orders Pause On Biden Program That Offers Legal Status To Spouses Of US Citizens
A federal judge in Texas on Monday paused a Biden administration policy that would give spouses of U.S. citizens legal status without having to first leave the country, dealing at least a temporary setback to one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years. ... One of the states leading the challenge is Texas, which in the lawsuit claimed the state has had to pay tens of millions of dollars annually from health care to law enforcement because of immigrants living in the state without legal status. (Gonzalez, 8/26)

NBC News: The Democratic Convention's Surprise Guest: Covid
Fresh off of a jam-packed week of Democratic National Convention events, reports of attendees’ testing positive for Covid are rolling in. They include members of Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign staff, who are now contending with sickness from Covid, according to two sources close to the campaign with knowledge of the cases. There is at least some concern the developments could affect staffing at events this week, they added. (Korecki and Perlmutter-Gumbiner, 8/26)

The New York Times: On The Covid ‘Off-Ramp’: No Tests, Isolation Or Masks 
For many, Covid is increasingly regarded like the common cold. A scratchy throat and canceled plans bring a bewildering new critique from friends: You shouldn’t have tested. (Baumgaertner, 8/27)

Reuters: Zuckerberg Says Biden Administration Pressured Meta To Censor COVID-19 Content 
Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg said senior officials in the Biden administration had pressured his social media company to censor COVID-19 content during the pandemic, adding that he would push back if this were to happen again. In a letter dated Aug. 26, Zuckerberg told the judiciary committee of the U.S. House of Representatives that he regretted not speaking up about this pressure earlier, as well as some decisions the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp had made around removing certain content. (8/27)

Reuters: Google Defeats RFK Jr's Appeal To Restore Anti-Vaccine Videos, For Now 
Former U.S. presidential hopeful and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr on Monday lost his bid in a U.S. court to force Google’s YouTube to restore two videos the platform removed for allegedly violating its policies on medical misinformation. In a brief order, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said a lower court judge properly denied Kennedy’s request for a court order compelling the Alphabet unit to restore the videos it removed in 2023. (Scarcella, 8/26)

Axios: Vaccine Hesitancy Eats Into Back-To-School Shots
A recent measles outbreak in Oregon is refocusing attention on declining childhood vaccination rates as kids head back to school. Lingering vaccine hesitancy from the pandemic is evident in pediatricians' offices as more parents opt out of the shots for measles, chicken pox, and whooping cough, among others, using non-medical religious exemptions. (Reed, 8/27)

Houston Chronicle: Mosquito-Transmitted Disease Found In Houston County, Texas
Texas' first reported cases of the deadly mosquito-borne virus known as eastern equine encephalitis were confirmed Monday in Houston County, which is more than 100 miles north of the city of Houston. Neither Harris County nor the city of Houston had reported cases as of Monday. (Johnson, 8/26)

CIDRAP: Massachusetts To Start Spraying For Eastern Equine Encephalitis
Massachusetts officials over the weekend announced plans to start spraying for mosquitoes in two counties to reduce the risk from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). Officials from the Massachusetts Department of Health (DPH) and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources said they will conduct aerial spraying in parts of Plymouth County and truck-mounted spraying in parts of Worcester County to target mosquitoes carrying the virus. (Dall, 8/26)

The Baltimore Sun: First 2024 Maryland Case Of West Nile Virus Recorded
An adult in the Baltimore region is the first Marylander to test positive for West Nile virus in 2024. The patient has recovered, the state health department said in a news release Monday. (Mullan, 8/26)

CIDRAP: Avian Flu Virus Confirmed In Michigan Dairy Herd 
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been confirmed in a dairy herd in Van Buren County, Michigan — the nation's first detection for almost 2 weeks. The last detection in Michigan was on July 26, also in Van Buren County. (Soucheray, 8/26)

Reuters: Germany To Donate 100,000 Mpox Vaccine Doses To Combat Outbreak In Africa 
Germany will donate 100,000 mpox vaccine doses from its military stocks to help contain the outbreak on the African continent in the short term as well as provide help to the affected countries, said a government spokesperson on Monday. (8/26)

Reuters: DR Congo No Longer Expects To Receive Mpox Vaccines This Week
Democratic Republic of Congo no longer expects to receive its first delivery of mpox vaccines this week, the head of its response team said on Monday, as Congo battles a new variant of the virus that has spread beyond its borders. On Aug. 19, Congo's health minister said the Central African country hoped to receive its first doses of a vaccine by this week, following promises from the United States and Japan to help it fight its outbreak. But asked whether Congo would begin receiving the doses this week, Cris Kacita, the head of Congo's response team, told Reuters: "No. There are still several processes to follow." (Rolley, 8/26)

Reuters: Suspected Mpox Case At Brazilian Airport Likely Chickenpox, Hospital Says
A suspected case of mpox in a passenger at Brazil's main international airport is likely chickenpox, a Sao Paulo hospital said on Monday, as health officials remain on alert for a new mpox variant that has caused global concern. (8/26)

Wyoming Public Radio: Abortion Advocates Worry About Future Of Telehealth In The West
Abortion advocates in the west worry that telehealth services could come under threat with a second Trump administration. According to a report released earlier this month, about 1 in 5 abortions [20%] are now done through telehealth in the U.S. That’s up from just 4% before Roe v. Wade was overturned. (Merzbach, 8/26)

Reuters: Cigna To Remove AbbVie's Humira From Some Drug Reimbursement Lists Next Year
Cigna said on Monday it will remove AbbVie’s blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira from some of its lists of preferred drugs for reimbursement in 2025, and recommend less pricey biosimilar versions of the medicine instead. Cigna said Boehringer Ingelheim's Cyltezo, Simlandi from Teva and Alvotech and an unbranded version of Hyrimoz from Sandoz will be covered on some lists that are managed by its pharmacy benefits unit Express Scripts. (Wingrove, 8/26)

Stat: Continuous Glucose Monitoring For The Masses Is Here. Are We Ready?
Glucose tracking is the future, Dexcom executives gushed at a glitzy launch event for their new, over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor on Wednesday evening. Surrounded by champagne, new celebrity ambassador and “Parks and Rec” actress Retta, and a mini-pickleball court, CEO Kevin Sayer declared victory. (Palmer and Lawrence, 8/26)

Newsweek: Ozempic Works Differently Than Previously Thought
Weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro seem to directly impact metabolism, not just appetite, according to a new study. It was previously thought these drugs — collectively called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogs — worked by making people feel fuller so they eat less. But the results of a recent clinical trial suggest it's not as simple as that. People who took GLP-1 daily for 24 weeks experienced both weight loss and an increased metabolism. (Willmoth, 8/23)

The Washington Post: How Stem Cell Therapy Freed A Woman From Diabetes 
Scientists are making progress replacing the critical insulin-producing cells that are destroyed by the disease. (Johnson, 8/26)

CBS News: McLaren Health Care Says It's Fully Operational After Cyberattack
McLaren Health Care announced on Monday that it is fully operational after experiencing a cyberattack earlier this month. In an update, the health system said its information technology platforms have been restored, and all temporary procedures that were enacted have been lifted. Officials said patient health records that were manually charted during the cyberattack will be put in the electronic system, which is expected to take several weeks. (Booth-Singleton, 8/26)

Modern Healthcare: NAHC-NHPCO Alliance Names Dr. Steven Lander As CEO
Dr. Steven Landers will become the first CEO of the NAHC-NHPCO Alliance, a newly formed trade group representing the home health, hospice and palliative care industries. Landers will assume the role early next month, an alliance spokesperson said Monday. (Eastabrook, 8/26)

Crain's New York Business: NYC Health + Hospitals To Cut Primary Care Appointment Times
New York City Health + Hospitals is cutting new adult and pediatric primary care appointment times in half to move more patients through the door as wait times pile up. Doctors say the change will be untenable and could harm patient health. Beginning in September, the public hospital system plans to bring the time allotted for primary care intake appointments from 40 minutes to 20 minutes, according to doctors who have been briefed on the changes and internal documents reviewed by Crain’s. (Geringer-Sameth, 8/26)

Lakeville Journal: Northwell Health Commits To Five Years Of L&D At Sharon Hospital
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced Monday that an agreement was reached with Northwell Health to maintain labor and delivery services at Sharon Hospital for the next five years. (Klein, 8/26)

Modern Healthcare: McKesson Corp To Aquire Controlling Stake In Core Ventures
McKesson said Monday it signed a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Community Oncology Revitalization Enterprise Ventures LLC, or Core Ventures, for $2.5 billion in cash. The transaction is subject to regulatory review. McKesson did not say when the deal is expected to close. (Hudson, 8/26)

Border Belt Independent: Rural North Carolina Hospitals Say Recruiting Surgeons Is Key To Long-Term Success 
Rural hospitals across the country often struggle to recruit doctors. Recruiting surgeons is even tougher. In southeastern North Carolina, the hospitals in Scotland and Robeson counties are investing in surgical programs that health care experts say are vital to the survival of rural hospitals. (Baldauf, 8/27)

Military.com: In The Past Decade, VA Has Recouped $2.4 Billion In Separation Pay, Bonuses From Disabled Vets 
In the past decade, the Department of Veterans Affairs has recouped more than $2 billion from veterans who received separation pay from the Defense Department and later filed for disability compensation, an effort that has resulted in financial hardship for some former service members. According to data provided by the VA, the department has collected $2.44 billion from 112,834 veterans since 2013 under a law that department officials say prohibits it from paying disability compensation to those who received voluntary or involuntary separation pay or bonuses until the money has been recouped. (Kime, 8/26)

Modern Healthcare: Where Medicare, Medicaid DSH Payment Lawsuits Stand
Hospitals and the federal government have been engaged in years of back-and-forth legal battles over billions of dollars in Medicare and Medicaid payments meant to support providers that treat large numbers of low-income patients. These disputes about Medicare and Medicaid disproportionate share hospital, or DSH, payments have found their way to the Supreme Court before and will again as different judges reach different conclusions. (Early, 8/26)

NPR: People Die Waiting For A Kidney Transplant. Should Donors Be Compensated?
More than 90,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a kidney transplant. But an ongoing kidney shortage means a thousand people a month are removed from the waitlist, either because they die while waiting for a kidney or become too sick for a transplant. Elaine Perlman wants to change that. “Enough is enough,” she says. “The kidney shortage is a solvable problem.” Perlman is executive director of Waitlist Zero, a coalition supporting newly proposed federal legislation that would create a 10-year pilot program called the End Kidney Deaths Act. (O'Neill, 8/26)

AP: US Appeals Court Clears Way For Florida Ban On Transgender Care For Minors 
A federal appeals court Monday cleared the way for Florida to enforce a ban on gender-affirming care for minors, blocking a lower court order against the ban while the matter is appealed. The 2-1 decision was issued by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. The law revived by the ruling prohibits transgender minors from being prescribed puberty blockers and hormonal treatments, even with their parents’ permission. It also required that transgender adults only receive treatment from a doctor and not from a registered nurse or other qualified medical practitioner. Adults who want the treatment must be in the room with the physician when signing the consent form. (8/26)

Politico: Group Of Florida Doctors Says Leading Medicaid Operator Slow To Pay 
Hundreds of Florida’s most vulnerable children are stuck in the middle of a long-running financial dispute between doctors and the state’s largest Medicaid operator. A group of physicians affiliated with Privia Medical Group, a Virginia-based network of health care providers that has a branch in Florida serving doctors’ offices statewide, says it is owed $781,000 from Sunshine State Health Plan, a Medicaid managed care plan that oversees the most patients in the state. (Sarkissian, 8/27)

The Washington Post: DeSantis In Middle Of Feud Between Marijuana And Hemp In Florida 
Though marijuana and hemp are both varieties of the cannabis plant, Florida officials police each differently. Marijuana is allowed only for medicinal purposes, while hemp is widely permitted. The result is a booming market for intoxicating hemp products, some of which public health experts warn can be dangerous. (Rozsa and Ovalle, 8/25)

The New York Times: Why California Is Considering Banning Food Dyes In Schools
For decades, researchers have been trying to answer a hotly contested question: Do the synthetic dyes used to add vibrant colors to foods like certain breakfast cereals, candies, snacks and baked goods cause behavioral issues in children? A bill before the California Senate, which is expected to come to a vote this week, has reignited the debate. If passed, it would prohibit K-12 public schools in California from offering foods containing six dyes — Blue No. 1, Blue No. 2, Green No. 3, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6 and Red No. 40. (Callahan, 8/26)

The Hill: Lawmakers Press USDA Head On ‘Food Shortage Crisis’ Facing Tribes Nationwide
Congressional funding chiefs on Monday pressed U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for more information on what they’re describing as a “food shortage crisis” facing tribes nationwide. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) led the letter requesting the information, along with the ranking members on each committee and subcommittee heads on both sides. (Folley, 8/26)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin DNR Proposes Stronger Standards For PFAS In Drinking Water
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources announced Monday new standards for "forever chemicals" that align with more stringent federal rules instituted last year, a move that launches a potentially three-year process to stiffen the state's PFAS regulations. (Schulte, 8/26)

USA Today: Heat Deaths In The US Reached Record Level In 2023, Study Finds
More Americans died from heat in 2023 than any year in over two decades of records, according to the findings published Monday. Last year was also the globe's hottest year on record, the latest grim milestone in a warming trend fueled by climate change. The study, published in the American Medical Association journal JAMA, found that 2,325 people died from heat in 2023. Researchers admit that number is likely an undercount. (Cuevas and Voyles Pulver, 8/26)

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Is Giving ‘Chill Packs’ To Homeless Meth Users. Why It May Be A Promising Intervention
San Francisco is handing out antipsychotic drugs to homeless methamphetamine users who frequent psychiatric emergency services to help them cope with symptoms such as paranoia, delusions and hallucinations. The city’s top addiction researchers believe it may be the next promising intervention for a portion of people languishing in San Francisco’s streets. (Angst, 8/26)

The Atlantic: A New Way To Track Americans’ Drug Use
Not long ago, tracking the spread of a virus by sampling wastewater counted as a novelty in the United States. Today, wastewater monitoring offers one of the most comprehensive pictures anyone has of COVID-19’s summer surge. This type of surveillance has been so effective at forecasting the risks of the virus’s rise and fall that local governments are now looking for other ways to use it. That has meant turning from tracking infections to tracking illicit and high-risk drug use. (Ouyang, 8/26)

CBS News: Mental Health Team Responding To Nonviolent 911 Calls Expands Through Los Angeles
A program using mental health workers to respond to non-violent 911 calls focusing on issues with the homeless is expanding through Los Angeles, targeting areas where the need is the greatest. The Crisis and Incident Response through Community-led Engagement (CIRCLE) program, launched in 2022, dispatches mental health workers and individuals with lived experience, instead of armed police officers, to provide help and assistance for the homeless. (Sharp, 8/26)

The Hill: Colorado Lawmaker Shares Treatment For Depression To 'De-Stigmatize Mental Illness'
Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) on Monday opened up about her experience with depression, revealing she is seeking treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and wants to “de-stigmatize” mental illness. Caraveo, in a statement Monday, said she, “like many Americans, struggle with depression,” and the symptoms became “more severe” in recent months. (Nazzaro, 8/26)

AP: Philadelphia Airport Celebrates Its Brigade Of Stress-Busting Therapy Dogs 
A pack of four-legged therapists got a break of their own on Monday when they were honored at the airport where they dutifully work to ease stress and calm travelers. The event at Philadelphia International Airport marked five years since the 23 members of the Wagging Tails Brigade began greeting people and serving as therapy dogs. (Vejpongsa, 8/26)