Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: La. Budget Woes Endanger Doctor Training Programs; Kansas Passes Major Health Laws
The Associated Press: Already Hurting For Doctors, Louisiana Could Lose Even More
Bahnsen Miller understands the challenges — and the damages — of Louisiana's budget woes firsthand. You can't ignore them if you've been in one of the state's doctor training programs, constantly at risk of calamity. The 31-year-old internal medicine doctor ran into questions about financial stability and watched Louisiana lose top talent to its neighbors as he recruited people to train at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in the state's capital. The general surgery program lost applicants who went out of state because of the uncertainty, he said. (Deslatte, 5/31)
Kansas Health Institute: Analysis: Hawkins Quietly Spearheaded Major Health Legislation
Kansas lawmakers will reconvene Wednesday at the Statehouse to officially end the 2016 session with the traditional “sine die” ceremony. Since the dust settled on the frantic few days of the veto session in early May, it’s easier to appreciate the job done by Rep. Dan Hawkins, the Wichita Republican who serves as chairman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. (Marso, 5/31)
Denver Post: Poll: Most Colorado Voters Not Aware Of Health Insurance Mergers
Nearly eight in 10 Coloradans were unaware of moves by major national health insurers to merge, according to a poll done by a group that contends the mergers would harm health care statewide. The state Division of Insurance, along with the U.S. Department of Justice, must review the transactions for anti-trust violations. Colorado regulators approved a $37 billion move by Aetna to buy out Humana without a public hearing, which it has said was not required because of limited overlap in their business. (5/31)
Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Health Care Task Force Finalizing Work
After holding six meetings throughout the state that have focused on creating a pilot program that would provide increased access to health care coverage to uninsured Tennesseans, a House task force is hoping to zero in on its plan, which has yet to be formulated, in advance of a meeting with federal authorities before the end of June. (Ebert, 5/31)
Miami Herald: Inspection Finds Failures At Hialeah Cosmetic Surgery Clinic
The Hialeah clinic where a 29-year-old West Virginia woman suffered fatal complications from a fat transfer procedure failed to properly monitor patients under general anesthesia and in some instances neglected to perform preoperative medical screenings in violation of state safety standards, according to Florida Department of Health records from an inspection conducted in January. State inspection records list numerous failures at Encore Plastic Surgery at 1738 W. 49th St. in Hialeah, including shoddy record keeping and substandard equipment, in the months prior to the death of Heather Meadows, a mother of two who traveled to South Florida from West Virginia for an undisclosed surgical procedure that led to her death on May 12. (Chang, 5/31)
The Hill: Bills To Eliminate 'Tampon Tax' Pass In Illinois, New York
Illinois state lawmakers Tuesday approved a bill that would exempt feminine hygiene products from the state's sales tax, the Associated Press reported. The measure now awaits the signature of Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. A similar bill passed in New York last week. (Jagoda, 5/31)
The Dallas Morning News: HCA Agrees To Buy Forest Park Hospital In Dallas For $135 Million
The flagship Dallas hospital of bankrupt Forest Park Medical Center has been sold to HCA North Texas for $135 million. Irving-based HCA announced the purchase this morning of the high-profile 190,000-square-foot hospital with 84 beds from FPMC Realty Partners III and BT Forest Park Realty Partners. (Ellen Meyers, 5/31)
Health News Florida: Meet The 11 Health Care Startups Incubating In Medical City
Lake Nona Medical City’s first class of health care tech startups is underway. The Health Box Studio program will help grow 11 companies through the end of June, when they will make a pitch for investor money. Products range from software to artificial intelligence to a smart pill box. (Aboraya, 5/31)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Water Contamination In N.H. Addressing PFOA
With new guidance from EPA on how much of the chemical is too much, and a lawsuit against the plastics plant that is its source, many Granite Staters are glad to see more action around the contamination. But others are still worried: both that the damage is already done, and that there's not enough assurance that it won't happen again. (5/31)
Houston Chronicle: Gunman Appeared In Midst Of A 'Mental Health Crisis'
His father told KPRC that [Dionisio] Garza III may have suffered from PTSD. A 2008 study by the RAND Corporation, a national think tank with headquarters in California, found that nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of PTSD or major depression. Only slightly more than half sought treatment. (Kriel and Axford, 5/31)
