Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'Seniors Always Seem To Bear A Big Brunt Of The Storms': Nursing Homes Scramble To Protect Vulnerable Population
The Washington Post: Nursing Homes Rush To Move Elderly And Ill From Path Of Hurricane Florence
With less than 48 hours before Hurricane Florence was forecast to reach shore, officials in the Carolinas were still pleading for residents to evacuate communities in the storm’s path. But at the Eagle Crest senior living community near the shore here Wednesday, the windows had long been boarded up and a sign was already hung on the front door announcing that nobody was there. Preparations to evacuate the facility’s residents had begun late last week, days before South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) issued mandatory evacuation orders. (Phillips and Sullivan, 9/12)
Kaiser Health News: Trying To Protect Seniors, The Most Vulnerable, From Formidable Foe Florence
Perhaps no other population is as vulnerable during a hurricane as frail, older adults, especially those who are homebound or living in nursing homes. With Hurricane Florence predicted to slam the North Carolina coast Friday, health officials are already scrambling to keep older residents safe. Seniors “are not only the most likely to die in hurricanes, but in wildfires and other disasters,” said Dr. Karen DeSalvo, a New Orleans native who served as health commissioner in that city after Hurricane Katrina and went on to be named acting assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services for the Obama administration. “The seniors always seem to bear a big brunt of the storms.” (Szabo, Aleccia and Pardue, 9/12)
Meanwhile, the government's handling of Puerto Rico's storm devastation is still under scrutiny —
The Washington Post: Residents See A Failure At All Levels Of Government
Puerto Ricans sharply rebuke President Trump, along with the federal and local governments, for last year’s response to Hurricane Maria, a devastating storm that created an enduring humanitarian crisis affecting nearly all aspects of life on the island territory, according to a new Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll. (Clement, Zezima and Guskin, 9/12)
Politico: Trump Tries To Rewrite History On Maria As Hurricane Florence Approaches
Facing renewed criticism of his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria, President Donald Trump lashed out again on Wednesday, grousing about his administration’s “unappreciated great job” on the Puerto Rico recovery – despite the remoteness of the island, poor access to electricity and the “totally incompetent Mayor of San Juan.” “We are ready for the big one that is coming!” an exuberant Trump concluded, as a new storm spun toward the East Coast. (Cadelago and Restuccia, 9/12)
The Hill: Trump Questions Puerto Rico Hurricane Death Toll: '3000 People Did Not Die'
President Trump on Thursday appeared to cast doubt on studies that found roughly 3,000 people died in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria. "3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths," Trump tweeted. (Samuels, 9/18)
