Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Iowa Lawmakers May Be Getting A Deal On State-Provided Health Insurance; Flu Hits Hard In Kan., Mo.
Des Moines Register: Iowa Lawmakers May Pay Too Little For State-Provided Health Insurance
More than 100 Iowa lawmakers appear to be paying hundreds of dollars less than they should for their state-provided health insurance — a potential violation of state law, a Des Moines Register investigation shows. Data analyzed by the Register shows that 92 of 149 Iowa legislators pay as little as $20 a month in health insurance premiums, rather than the $142 to $334 a month that those plans call for. Another 39 lawmakers pay up to $344 a month for coverage plans, rather than as much as $446 called for by their plan. (Clayworth, 2/1)
Kansas City Star: Flu Season Soars In Kansas And Missouri; Hospitals See Influx Of Patients Across Kansas City Area
The flu season hitting the Kansas City area right now is on pace to be “very bad,” according to health officials tracking the spread of the disease over the past two weeks. Kansas and Missouri are among at least 10 states reporting widespread flu outbreaks. Even as the flu season appears to be reaching a crescendo at the beginning of February, doctors say that it isn’t too late to get vaccinated and that everyone should do so if they can. (Cummings, 2/1)
Sacramento Bee: CA Nursing Board Demands Records
Tens of thousands of California nurses are scrambling to prove that they have to up-to-date credentials after a state licensing board suddenly demanded them. The Board of Vocational Nurses and Psychiatric Technicians in December mailed letters to more than 52,000 medical professionals simultaneously requesting confirmation that they’ve taken mandatory classes. (Ashton, 2/1)
Los Angeles Times: At Least Three L.A. County Patients Infected After Heart Surgeries
Los Angeles County health officials said Wednesday that at least three heart surgery patients at a hospital have been sickened by a dangerous bacteria linked to an operating room device. Officials are now investigating a fourth patient infection at another hospital that may also be linked to the device, said Benjamin Schwartz, acting director of the county’s acute communicable disease control program. (Petersen, 2/1)
Des Moines Register: Le Mars Nursing Home Shuttered Amid Allegations Of 'Grossly Substandard Care'
Leaders of a northwest Iowa nursing home that was ordered closed this week have agreed to repay the federal government $100,000 for “worthless care.” Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that leaders of the Abbey nursing home in Le Mars had agreed to repay the money to the Medicaid program. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the repayment was for “when care provided to nursing facility residents was so grossly substandard that the care was worthless and effectively without value.” (Leys, 2/1)
Arizona Republic: Arizona Lawmakers Consider Raising The Age Limit For Tobacco To 21
Teenagers no longer could buy tobacco products or e-cigarettes under a proposal at the Arizona Legislature to raise the legal age for such purchases to 21 from 18. Rep. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, said it could have big health benefits by potentially delaying the age at which young people start smoking, or even preventing them from starting. (Pitzi, 2/1)
Austin Statesman: Austin Couple Donating $25 Million To San Antonio Medical School
Austin philanthropists Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long are donating $25 million to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, whose medical school is being named for them in recognition of a long history of donations. The latest gift — of which $15 million has already been paid, with the balance pledged by the end of the year — brings the Longs’ giving to the health science center to $51 million. When other campuses in the UT System are counted, their donations total more than $70 million, including $10 million for UT-Austin’s Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies, officials said. (Haurwitz, 2/1)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Report On Former Patient's Suicide Advises Changes At State Hospital
Prompted by the suicide of a former patient last summer, an independent committee has wrapped up an investigation into care at New Hampshire Hospital. Last July, 63-year-old Joy Silva jumped from her third-floor apartment in Nashua shortly after being discharged from the state psychiatric hospital. The obvious question that followed was: Could New Hampshire Hospital have done more to prevent Silva's suicide? (Rodolico, 2/1)
Orlando Sentinel: Lakeland Regional Health Could Become Part Of Orlando Health
Orlando Health is planning to expand its reach beyond Central Florida by taking a new hospital under its wing in Polk County. The heath system announced today that Lakeland Regional Health could be joining Orlando Health’s cadre of hospitals later this year by forming an affiliation. (Miller, 2/1)
Orlando Sentinel: Florida Hospital Closing Small, Unique Hospice
For the past six years, a quaint, 6-room home called the Robison Residence has been providing hospice care to Central Florida’s low-income and homeless patients. The one-story house is part of Florida Hospital’s Hospice of the Comforter in Altamonte Springs. It’s also one of the very few free-standing hospice residential facilities in Florida. (Miller, 2/1)
Miami Herald: UM Receives $13 Million Grant From State To Fund Zika Research
The University of Miami has received a $13 million grant from the Florida Department of Health to fund Zika-related research, including rapid testing and assessments of infants with mothers who have the virus, the university announced Wednesday. The health department distributed $25 million in grants to 10 applicants for 34 different research studies. Last fall, Gov. Rick Scott made funds available to research the mosquito-borne disease and help develop a vaccine. (Teproff, 2/1)
New Hampshire Union Leader: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Doctor's License Suspended
An anesthesiologist whose license was suspended by the state over accusations he diverted a powerful painkiller from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for his own use has agreed not to practice medicine and other restrictions. Dr. Christopher S. Manfred signed an agreement Tuesday with the State Board of Medicine, which issued an order Monday temporarily suspending Manfred’s license to practice over allegations involving the painkiller hydromorphone — an opioid that goes by the brand name Dilaudid. The suspension followed a notification to the state Board of Pharmacy reporting losses of controlled drugs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. (Alden, 2/1)
The Associated Press: Prosecutor: Pair Charged In Girl's Death Cited Faith Healing
A Pennsylvania couple who told police their faith forbids any kind of medical treatment were charged Wednesday in the pneumonia death of their 2-year-old daughter, becoming the latest members of their sect to be prosecuted for failing to take a dying child to a doctor. Jonathan and Grace Foster attributed the Nov. 8 death of their daughter, Ella Grace Foster, to "God's will," according to a police affidavit. (2/1)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Summa Health Settles Lawsuit Over Wadsworth-Rittman Medical Center
Summa Health System has settled a lawsuit over its Summa Wadsworth-Rittman Medical Center. The deal with the Wadsworth-Rittman Area Joint Township Hospital District, Wayne and Medina County, states that Summa will maintain the following services as long as it occupies the campus. (Johnston, 2/1)
Denver Post: Toxic Chemicals Tainting Colorado Groundwater Also Found In Fast-Food Packaging
Invisible toxic chemicals similar to those contaminating groundwater south of Colorado Springs also are showing up in fast-food wrappers, according to a scientific study done with help from the Environmental Protection Agency. The Environmental Working Group study, peer-reviewed and published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters, found the perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in grease-resistant wrappers -– including pizza box liners, sandwich and pastry packaging — from chains including Starbucks, Jimmy Johns, Taco Time, Chipotle and Quiznos. The chemicals can leach into food, potentially reaching consumers, the study authors said, urging companies to find safe alternative packaging. (Finley, 2/1)
KCUR: Health Advocates Take Another Crack At Tobacco Tax
Public health advocates pushing for Kansas to increase taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products are running into the same opposing arguments they did two years ago. University of Kansas Cancer Center Director Roy Jensen and others pushed for a $1.50-per-pack tax hike in 2015 and were disappointed when the Legislature ultimately settled on a 50-cent increase. Kansas has another budget crisis this year and health advocates are again urging legislators to fill some of it with a tax increase large enough to make Kansans think twice about smoking. (Marso, 2/1)
Atlanta Journal Constitution: 1,300 Patients Have Qualified For Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Registry
Public health officials on Wednesday reported more than 1,300 patients have qualified for Georgia’s medical marijuana registry, with nearly 300 doctors actively monitoring their use of the cannabis oil that is now allowed here. The update came as an effort to expand the law, House Bill 65, was heard by the newly formed House Medical Cannabis Working Group. The group will meet again next week. (Torres, 2/1)
Health News Florida: The Medical Marijuana Grey Area In Florida
There’s a lot of confusion in Florida when it comes to medical marijuana. There are existing laws, Amendment 2 that was passed by voters but still needs to go through the legislature, and somewhere in between, the Florida Department of Health is issuing rules. And meanwhile, patients and doctors are figuring it out as they go along. (Aboraya, 2/1)
