Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: In Mass., Flu Season Hitting Its Annual Peak; Maternal Death Issues Absent From Texas Legislative Agenda
WBUR: Mass. Flu Season Peaking, Dominant Strain Poses Added Risk For Elderly
Massachusetts health officials say cases of the flu appear to be hitting their annual peak right around now — and the dominant strain tends to cause severe illness that poses a particular risk for people over 65. "We're probably in the middle of the peak activity [for flu] right now," says Dr. Al DeMaria, the state epidemiologist for Massachusetts. "What we're seeing is the H3N2 strain, which tends to cause more severe disease, especially in older people and people at high risk, so that's a concern," he says. In contrast, "The H1N1 that emerged in 2009 tends to affect younger people and cause milder disease in older people. So we're seeing the bad actor strain among the influenza A viruses." (Goldberg, 2/27)
Texas Tribune: Rise In Texas Maternal Deaths Absent From Legislative Agenda
Every Texas legislator should know by now that more mothers are dying less than a year after giving birth. At least that’s what Lisa Hollier believes. Hollier is chairwoman of the state’s Task Force on Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, which reported in July that 189 Texas mothers died less than a year after their pregnancy ended between 2011 and 2012 — the culprits were mostly heart disease, drug overdoses and high blood pressure. (Evans, 2/28)
Texas Tribune: "Wrongful Births" Bill Heads To Texas Senate Floor
The Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs voted Monday to send a bill to the full Senate that would prevent parents from suing their doctor if their baby is born with a disability. Committee members approved Senate Bill 25 on an 8-0 vote after hearing several people testify for and against it. Abortion opponents say the bill protects children living with disabilities and prevents doctors from potentially encouraging abortions to avoid lawsuits. Groups that support abortion rights argue that the bill would encourage doctors to lie to patients about whether their unborn child has a disability and wouldn't allow families to make informed decisions about whether they want to move forward with their pregnancy. (Evans, 2/28)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Rogers Behavioral Health Plans New Services At Tampa Clinic
Rogers Behavioral Health System is expanding its services at its clinic in Tampa, Fla., including a program focused on treating anxiety, mood and obsessive-compulsive disorder and related problems among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. “This program will complement and support referring providers, patients and families who deal with the complexity of autism spectrum disorder,” Eric Storch, clinical director of Rogers-Tampa Bay and a professor at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, said in a statement. (Boulton, 2/27)
Georgia Health News: In A Notoriously Tough Job, Grady Chief Survives And Thrives
New clinical services were developed at Grady, which has long been the cornerstone of health care in Atlanta. Haupert, though, faced big financial challenges after his arrival. Now he [John Haupert] has passed the five-year mark — an eternity in “Grady years.” The hospital system, counting contributions from Fulton and DeKalb counties, shows a profit. And the new facilities across the campus reflect a startling series of capital improvements. (Miller, 2/27)
Columbus Dispatch: Annual Fee Will Buy You 24/7 Access To OhioHealth Doctor
As part of a traditional practice, the OhioHealth doctor has about 2,500 patients, he said — so many that it keeps him from doing just that. So he's branching out to start what he calls a "personalized" practice with 400 to 600 patients. His new practice, a partnership with OhioHealth and the MDVIP program, will open on March 31 in Upper Arlington. The MDVIP model charges an annual fee — in Seidt's case, $1,800 — and enrolls patients in a wellness program that includes an expansive physical with some items not typically covered by insurance. Patients also can get same-day or next-day appointments and can call or text [Richard] Seidt 24/7. (Viviano, 2/28)
East Bay Times: San Ramon: DEA Busts Physician's Assistant In Xanax Case
A physician’s assistant reportedly operated a business here that advertised itself as providing at-home health and wellness care, but federal investigators say the owner was illegally prescribing painkillers, such as Vicodin, and taking payments under the table. Mark Allen Flores, who ran Concierge Physician Assistants of California, was arrested and charged last week after undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agents bought prescription pills from him, according to court documents. (Gartrell, 2/27)
San Francisco Chronicle: Up In Smoke: Federal Taxes A Big Burden For Pot Shops
Tax season is rarely cause for celebration for U.S. business owners, but for medical marijuana dispensary operators like Rechif, who runs Bloom Room Cannabis Collective in San Francisco, it tends to be an especially painful period. Thanks to an arcane federal law written and passed in the fever pitch of the war on drugs, marijuana dispensaries are unable to take advantage of the vast array of deductions that other businesses rely on to lower their tax bills each year. (Fracassa, 2/27)
