Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Over 2,000 Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Workers To Strike Today
San Francisco Chronicle: Kaiser Mental Health Workers Set To Strike Monday In Northern California
The union said it was moving ahead with the strike Monday morning because Kaiser officials in negotiations Saturday shot down its members’ proposal to increase staffing and “end dangerously long waits for mental health therapy appointments.” (Flores, 8/14)
San Francisco Chronicle: Kaiser Canceling Mental Health Appointments Ahead Of Strikes, Union Says
The health care union organizing an upcoming strike of more than 2,000 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers said Thursday that the health care giant was illegally canceling appointments ahead of the planned labor action. (Echeverria, 8/12)
In other news about health care personnel —
Modern Healthcare: Physician Assistant Role Sees Record Growth
Nearly 11,000 physician assistants earned their certification in 2021, a new record for a profession that has grown by nearly 30% in the past five years. The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants said the number of newly certified professionals rose 10.4% in 2021. Altogether, there were 158,470 certified physician assistants in the U.S. last year. (Devereaux, 8/12)
Oregon Public Broadcasting: Central Oregon Hospital Overpaid Employees By $2 Million. Now, It Wants That Money Back
St. Charles Health System accidentally overpaid thousands of employees a total of $2 million across a few months and is now demanding employees pay that money back, according to a hospital spokesperson. Employees were notified Thursday of the total amounts they allegedly owed. Scott Palmer of the Oregon Nurses Association said the amounts range from less than $100 to as much as $3,000 for some employees. (8/12)
USA Today: Missouri Hospitals Failed To Provide Staff With Health Insurance
As the hospitals collapsed, Lovell and the facilities’ doctors, nurses, and patients saw evidence that the new owners were skimping on services — failing to pay for and stock surgical supplies and drugs. For example, in Callaway County, Missouri, state inspectors deemed conditions in the hospital to be endangering patients. What was less apparent, former workers said, was that Noble had also stopped paying for employee health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits. They were unknowingly uninsured. (Jane Tribble, 8/15)
Modern Healthcare: Signify Health Cutting Nearly 500 Employees
Signify Health is laying off nearly 500 employees, beginning Oct. 1. The value-based care technology company notified the Connecticut Department of Labor it planned to cut 489 employees, including 147 who work in one of the company’s five offices and 342 who work remotely. (Perna, 8/12)
Wyoming Public Radio: First Ever First Responder Mental Health And Wellness Conference Hopes To Increase Awareness Of Need
The state legislature allocated $25,000 of the budget to address high rates of suicides among first responders in the state. This money was taken by the Wyoming Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) and utilized to create the first ever First Responders Health and Wellness Conference that will take place August 22-24 in Casper. (Kudelska, 8/12)
