Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Complaints Over Illinois Company Throw Diabetic Testing Supplies 'Gray Market' Into Spotlight; Baltimore May Be On Hook For $1M In Legal Fees For Abortion Case
Chicago Sun Times: In Hazy Market For Reselling Diabetic Test Strips, Chicago Company Is Under Fire
A Chicago business that buys and resells diabetic testing supplies has drawn attention to a hazy “gray market” of online buyers and sellers. Surplus Diabetic Supplies LLC, which operates online as CashNowOffer.com, is the subject of 355 complaints to the Better Business Bureau of Chicago, most of them in the past few months. Consumers say they were never paid for their testing strips and couldn’t get answers when they complained. (Zimmerman, 9/11)
The Associated Press: Law Department: Baltimore Should Pay Fees In Abortion Case
A finance panel will consider a recommendation that Baltimore pay more than $1 million in attorney's fees to a Christian-based health organization that successfully challenged an ordinance requiring pregnancy centers to notify patients if they don't offer abortion or birth control services. The Daily Record reports the city's Board of Estimates will consider the Baltimore Law Department's recommendation Wednesday. (9/11)
The Associated Press: Lawsuit Challenges Maryland State Retirees’ Health Plan Move
A lawsuit is challenging the state of Maryland’s decision to move Medicare eligible retirees to Medicare Part D. Lawmakers say Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh notified them this week about the lawsuit. It was filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court by attorneys for former state employees. Lawmakers had planned a briefing on the transition Thursday, but that has been pulled from the schedule. (9/11)
Detroit Free Press: Ann Arbor Native Richard Davis Named CEO At Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital has a new CEO. Richard "Chip" Davis, Ph.D., an Ann Arbor native who has spent 25 years in leadership roles at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Maryland, will replace Dr. John Popovich Jr., who retired earlier this year, Henry Ford Health System announced Monday in a news release. Davis will be responsible for strategic leadership and will direct "the entire clinical and financial operations" including "new clinical, academic and commercial partnerships," the news release said. (Burton, 9/11)
MPR: UCare Offering Discounts On Healthy Foods To Some Members
UCare is now offering its 30,000 non-group health plan members access to hundreds of dollars of healthy food discounts. The insurer said the Healthy Savings program will help its members save up to $200 a month on healthy foods such as lean meats, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables. (Zdechlik, 9/11)
The Associated Press: Woman's Death Raises Concern About Minneapolis Homeless Camp
The death of a woman living at a Minneapolis homeless camp is raising fresh concerns about the health of the rapidly growing number of people staying there. Alissa Rose Skipintheday, 26, was found unconscious and not breathing last week near the camp, which is known by locals as the Wall of Forgotten Natives because it is close to a highway sound wall and is made up primarily of Native Americans. Skipintheday died Saturday at Hennepin County Medical Center, the Star Tribune reported. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's office said Tuesday that her death remains under investigation. (9/11)
Nashville Tennessean: Pop-Up Clinics Offer Free Dental And Medical Services
With an estimated 100 million Americans not going to the dentist because they can't afford it, I'm happy to report on some popup dental clinics that are offering free services this month. Some of these clinics offer an array of medical services in addition to the dental options, and most are are set up where patients can just show up and be treated on a first-come, first-served basis. (Hance, 9/11)
Los Angeles Times: UCLA Scientist Shares 2018 Lasker Prize For Figuring Out How Genes Turn On And Off
Michael Grunstein, a longtime professor of biological chemistry at UCLA who uncovered the key role that DNA’s “packing material” plays in turning genes on and off, has won the Albert Lasker award for basic medical research. He shares the prize with Rockefeller University biochemist C. David Allis, who extended Grunstein’s findings on how certain proteins modify gene expression and identified how one such route can lead to childhood cancers. (Healy, 9/11)
The CT Mirror: CT Files Lawsuit After Losing Nearly $11M In 'Kickback Pyramid Scheme'
Connecticut is suing a Florida-based compounding pharmacy and more than a dozen former and current state employees for their alleged involvement in a kickback pyramid scheme that cost the state nearly $11 million, state Attorney General George Jepsen announced Tuesday. ...The state alleges that Assured Rx paid the Mauluccis kickbacks for their own compound drug prescriptions and those of other Pharmacy Benefit Plan members they recruited into the scheme. (Rigg, 9/11)
Los Angeles Times: Suspect Arrested After Gunshots Reported At Kaiser Permanente In Downey
A suspect is in custody after police responded to reports of an active shooter at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Downey, authorities said Tuesday. Downey police received a call about 11:34 a.m. reporting a disturbance at the medical center at 9333 Imperial Highway. As officers were en route, the report was updated to shots fired, according to police Chief Carl Charles. (Mejia, Fry and Reyes-Velarde, 9/11)
San Francisco Chronicle: Should School Start Later? Sleepy Kids, Logistics At Odds As Gov. Brown Weighs Legislation
Middle and high school students do better when they get an extra hour or so of sleep, according to research and, many parents would say, common sense. But many school districts resist a mandate on start times because it can inconvenience working parents and disrupt bus schedules. (McBride, 9/11)
The Press Democrat: Broken
Loyalty and devotion held a homeless couple together for nine years, but the relentless struggle for survival on the streets has left them with an uncertain future. (McConahey, 9/10)
Columbus Dispatch: Pharmacist Who Stole And Resold More Than $1 Million Worth Of Drugs Gets 2 Years In Prison
A Columbus pharmacist convicted of stealing and reselling more than $1 million worth of prescription drugs was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to two years in prison. Maria Mascio, 62, also will have to repay $1.1 million from a decade of fraudulent activity under the sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson. (Kovac, 9/11)
