Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NY Accuses Nursing Home Operator Of Neglect, Stealing Government Funds
Reuters: Nursing Home Owners Stole $83 Million While Neglecting Residents, New York Lawsuit Says
New York's attorney general on Wednesday accused nursing home operator Centers Health Care and its owners of stealing $83 million in government funds while understaffing its facilities, resulting in widespread neglect, illness and death among residents. (Pierson, 6/28)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
9news.Com: Plague Case Reported In Person In Southwest Colorado
An adult in southwestern Colorado has tested positive for the plague, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said on Tuesday. CDPHE said it's working closely with Montezuma County Public Health on monitoring plague activity and investigating how the person became infected. The person was likely exposed to the disease on private property, CDPHE said in a news release. (Whitehead, 6/27)
Axios: Virginia Syphilis Cases Are Increasing, And Now There's A Treatment Shortage
An increase in syphilis cases continues to vex state health officials. What's happening: A surge in cases in Virginia and nationwide is causing a shortage of a key treatment for the disease, Bicillin, a long-acting form of penicillin. (Oliver, 6/28)
The New York Times: A Record 100,000 People In New York Homeless Shelters
New York City passed a woeful milestone this week, spurred by an influx of migrants from the nation’s southern border: For the first time, there are now over 100,000 people in homeless shelters here, city officials said on Wednesday. Days earlier, the city said that the number of migrants in shelters had passed 50,000 and that, for the first time, they made up the majority of people in homeless shelters in the city. (Newman, 6/28)
Oklahoman: Vaping Among Oklahoma Youth Drops, Remains Higher Than National Data
As e-cigarette sales have been increasing across the United States, the number of Oklahoma high school students using e-cigarettes has been going down — but state numbers are still higher than that of high school students nationally. In 2022, 14.1% of high school students across the nation used e-cigarettes. In Oklahoma, 21.7% of high school students vaped in 2021, a decrease from 27.8% in 2019, said Thomas Larson, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust's director of public information and outreach. (Aston, 6/28)
Health News Florida, WGCU: Florida Attorney General Seeks To Snuff Out Recreational Marijuana Proposal
Attorney General Ashley Moody filed a brief urging the Florida Supreme Court to reject a proposed amendment, arguing the ballot summary would be “misleading to voters in several key respects.” Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging the Florida Supreme Court to reject a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow recreational use of marijuana by people 21 and older, arguing a ballot summary would be “misleading to voters in several key respects.” (Kam, 6/28)
AP: Belgium-Based Solvay To Pay $393M To Clean Up And Compensate For PFAS Contamination In New Jersey
A Belgium-based chemical company will spend nearly $393 million under a settlement announced Wednesday to clean up contamination from its so-called forever chemicals in New Jersey’s drinking water and soil and to compensate for the environmental damage they caused. Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC reached a legal settlement with New Jersey’s Attorney General’s Office and Department of Environmental Protection on contamination at and near its West Deptford plant in southwestern New Jersey near Philadelphia. (Parry, 6/28)
KFF Health News: More States Drop Sales Tax On Disposable Diapers To Boost Affordability
Shirley Bloxom can’t forget the pride-swallowing shame she felt asking friends and church members for financial help. After surgery left her husband partially paralyzed, he needed to use disposable underwear at least three times a day, said Bloxom, 72. Living on a fixed income, the couple couldn’t afford them. Bloxom’s husband is among the estimated 2.5 million older Floridians who use incontinence products, like pads and adult diapers, daily. But with over a tenth of the Sunshine State’s seniors living in poverty, many struggle to pay for the supplies they need. (Critchfield, 6/29)
