State Highlights: Hospitals Still Reeling From Devastation In Puerto Rico; Conn. Senate Votes To Fix Hospital Tax Flaw

NPR: Hurricane Damage To Manufacturers In Puerto Rico Affects Mainland Hospitals, Too
At MedStar Washington Hospital Center, doctors and nurses are moving as many patients as they can from intravenous medications to the same drugs in pill form. If the patients are getting common antibiotics like ampicillin, and they can swallow, they're likely to be switched to pills, says Bonnie Levin, assistant vice president of pharmacy services for MedStar Health, which includes 10 hospitals in the Washington, D.C. area. (Kodjak, 11/15)

The CT Mirror: Senate Passes Hospital Tax Fix
The Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to fix a series of technical issues in the new state budget, including a flaw with the new hospital provider tax increase. ... “I think it’s good that the (Malloy administration) and the hospitals were able to come to terms” on the hospital tax, Senate Republican leader Len Fasano of North Haven said, adding he is confident this legislation — which the House is scheduled to consider Wednesday — would solve the disagreement between those two groups. (Phaneuf, 11/14)

Texas Tribune: Texas' Homeless Youth Slip Through Cracks Of Disjointed Support System, New Report Says
Homeless youth in Texas like [Gage] Kemp are inadequately supported due to a spotty system of programs and resources, according to a new report released Wednesday by Texas Appleseed and Texas Network of Youth Services. The report concluded that while a network of advocacy organizations serves many homeless youth across different parts of Texas, a lack of central authority or single definition of homelessness means a youth can cycle through the child welfare system, education system and juvenile justice system — jumping between being labeled a victim or an offender, eligible for resources in one system but not in another. (Arriaga, 11/15)

NPR: For Some Native Americans, Uranium Contamination Feels Like Discrimination
Helen Nez had 10 children. Now she only has three. Seven of her children died of a disorder called Navajo neuropathy, which is linked to uranium contamination. "Many people died and some have liver disease, kidney disease and some suffer from cancer as a result," Nez said through a translator. (Morales, 11/14)

Columbus Dispatch: Bill To Ban Down Syndrome Abortions In Ohio Headed To Full Senate
A bill that would further chip away at abortion in the state is now on its way to a vote by the full Senate after winning initial approval Tuesday in the Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee in an 8-4 vote. Sen. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard, strayed from her party and voted no. Senate Bill 164, sponsored by Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Hudson, would prohibit a person from performing or attempting to perform or induce an abortion on a woman whose unborn child has or might have Down syndrome. Violators would face a fourth-degree felony, and the state medical board would be required to take away a convicted physician’s license to practice medicine in Ohio. An identical bill passed in the Ohio House earlier this month, and this is Ohio’s Right to Life’s top legislative priority this year. (Henry, 11/14)

Los Angeles Times: In California, An Unexplained Increase In Valley Fever This Year
This year is shaping up to be the worst on record in California for people infected with valley fever, a lung infection caused by a fungus found in soil. State health officials announced earlier that 2016 broke the record for the most valley fever cases reported since the state started keeping count in 1995. Now, 2017 is on pace to have even more infections. (Karlamangla, 11/14)

California Healthline: Valley Fever Surging Again In California This Year
Valley Fever is shaping up to be worse this year than in 2016, when the number of cases hit a record high. Suspected cases of the fungal disease in the first 10 months of 2017 surged by more than one-third from the same period last year to 5,121, officials at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) said Monday. That puts this year on track to surpass the number of cases recorded in 2016. (Bartolone, 11/14)

St. Louis Public Radio: Universal Design Improves Quality Of Life For People With Disabilities
Universal design involves designing buildings, products and services that meet the accessibility needs of everyone. It can help people with disabilities, but it’s intended for everyone. On Monday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh talked about how the use of universal design can help people with disabilities and can improve the overall safety and quality of life of all people when used during disasters. (Hamdan, 11/13)

Arizona Republic: Behavioral-Health Facility Makes Third Attempt To Build In Gilbert
A behavioral-health center twice rejected in Gilbert is trying again. Kentucky-based Springstone proposes to open Copper Springs East near other medical facilities, including Mercy Gilbert Hospital. In 2013, residents twice defeated the proposed facility, saying it would be too close to neighborhoods and an elementary school. (Mo, 11/14)