Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Kan. Mental Health Centers Send 'Distress Signal' Over Budget Cuts; Ind. Faces Lawsuit Over Ultrasound Mandate
Kansas Health Institute: Budget Cuts ‘Devastating’ Kansas Mental Health System, Providers Say
Kansas community mental health centers are sending a distress signal to state policymakers. The association that represents the state’s 26 community mental health centers issued a statement Wednesday expressing “strong concerns” about the $30 million in funding cuts that it says its members have suffered in the past 12 months. (McLean, 7/7)
The Associated Press: Indiana Sued Over Ultrasound 18 Hours Before Abortion Rule
A new Indiana mandate that women undergo an ultrasound at least 18 hours before they have an abortion is unconstitutional and will prevent some women from getting abortions, a federal lawsuit filed Thursday contends. The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana and Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky argue in the suit filed in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis that the provision which took effect July 1 as part of a new law places "an undue burden" on women's constitutional right to seek an abortion. (7/7)
Modern Healthcare: Doctor Alleges University Of Kansas Hospital Misled Patient After Unnecessary Organ Removal
A Kansas doctor has filed a lawsuit against the University of Kansas Hospital Authority, saying a patient was misdiagnosed with cancer, wrongly had an “essential” organ removed and was never told about the mistakes. University of Kansas Hospital Authority pathologist Dr. Lowell Tilzer accused the head of pathology at the University of Kansas Medical Center/University of Kansas Hospital of misdiagnosing a patient with cancer in the lawsuit (PDF) filed in state court last week. ... Tilzer then, in September 2015, urged hospital administrators to conduct a “root cause analysis” to investigate the underlying cause of the mistake. The hospital, however, did not investigate, Tilzer said in the complaint. (Schencker, 7/6)
The Associated Press: US House Probes Response To Toxic Chemical In Drinking Water
A congressional committee is asking state officials and federal environmental regulators for information about their responses to drinking water contaminated with the toxic chemical PFOA in an upstate New York village. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform said in letters Wednesday to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy it is concerned about the time it took New York officials to take action on the findings in Hoosick Falls and a possible communication breakdown at EPA. (7/7)
Georgia Health News: Atlanta Childbirth Prices Low By National Standards, Study Says
Prices for a regular baby delivery in the Atlanta area range from $5,831 to $10,700, with an average price of $8,497, a report says. That average figure for vaginal deliveries places Atlanta 18th among 30 U.S. cities studied in the Castlight Health report, released last week. For routine Cesarean deliveries, Atlanta’s average price is $9,424, ranking the city 26th. (Miller, 7/7)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Report: Pa. Hospital Mixups Meant Babies Got Wrong Breast Milk, Treatments
A new study by the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority found 1,234 misidentification "events" involving babies born at hospitals and birthing centers in the state in 2014 and 2015, averaging about two a day. In almost all cases, there was no harm to the baby, generally because providers caught the mistake before it led to any incorrect treatment. But in five cases, a newborn experienced harm, according to the study by the state agency. (Avril, 7/8)
Macon Telegraph: Macon-Bibb Exploring New Ways To Curb Teen Pregnancy
Melinda Robinson-Moffett noticed the teens’ expressions change drastically as she shared her story. The teens were all smiles when talking about their favorite pastimes, but morphed into somber faces considering how their fun would be curtailed if they were raising babies. Robinson-Moffett imagined the Mentors Project students thinking, “That is not the life I want,” when she recently counseled them on the pitfalls of teen pregnancy. (Fabian, 7/6)
The Columbus Dispatch: Home News Trade Organization To Serve As Voice For Marijuana Entrepreneurs Amid Regulatory Uncertainty
With medical marijuana slated to become legal in Ohio on Sept. 8, potential cannabis entrepreneurs are faced with two major challenges: growing an entire pot industry from the ground up, and avoiding being choked out by state bureaucrats. Those challenges comprised the major theme of the Ohio Cannabis Association's public forum Wednesday night. The group serves as the first marijuana trade association in the state. (Perkins, 7/8)
Miami Herald: Cannabis Catalyst: Medical Marijuana May Boost Businesses In Florida
By 2018, medical marijuana users will spend nearly $200 million in Florida, according to estimates by New Frontier, a financial analyst that focuses entirely on cannabis. It says that by 2020 the state will make up 14 percent of the nation’s legal marijuana use. (Auslen, 7/8)
