Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Massachusetts Lawmakers Start To Press For Reform Of Troubled Foster Care Agency; New York Businesses Caught Up In Confusing CBD Health Product Regulations
Boston Globe: A Fix For The State’s Broken Foster Care System? Lawmakers Pledge Action
One lawmaker immediately called the state’s child advocate. Another may refile legislation requiring an independent review any time a child is bounced around in foster care. (Lazar, 4/9)
Reuters: In New York, Confusion Reigns In The Emerging CBD Edibles Business
New York state officials told food growers and processors in mid-December that they had the state's blessing to produce and sell tea and chocolates laced with CBD, the cannabis derivative reputed to ease anxiety and other ills without marijuana's high. But since then, New York City health inspectors have seized thousands of dollars worth of CBD-infused food and drinks at the Fat Cat Kitchen and other local cafes and restaurants, and warned owners to stop selling them or face penalties. The crackdown came just weeks after federal law explicitly made CBD legal across the country. (4/9)
The Washington Post: Pediatric Medical Center Supported By United Arab Emirates To Open At Former Walter Reed Site
A pediatric medical research facility funded by a financial gift from the United Arab Emirates will open next year at the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center site in the District, officials announced Tuesday. The facility, which will be affiliated with Children’s National Health System, will open in 2020 on about 12 acres in Northwest Washington. The new Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus will research rare childhood illnesses and host an outpatient clinic. (Moyer, 4/9)
KCUR: Allegations Of Fraud, Stolen Records Swirl In Legal Fight Over Hillsboro, Kansas, Hospital
Allegations of financial fraud and stolen hospital records have surfaced in an increasingly nasty legal battle over the fate of Hillsboro Community Hospital in Hillsboro, Kansas. The critical access hospital, which is partly owned by a company controlled by Florida resident Jorge Perez, is resisting efforts by Perez to move its Chapter 11 bankruptcy case to North Carolina. (Margolies, 4/9)
Modern Healthcare: Urgent Need For New Revenue Streams Will Shape Health Systems' Strategy
Building alternative revenue sources will play a bigger role in healthcare providers' strategies, according to a new study. Ninety percent of hospital and health system executives surveyed indicated that new revenue streams were an urgent priority expected to yield a return in the next three years, a new study from Boston-based Partners HealthCare and healthcare private equity firm Fitzroy Health found. Every participant acknowledged the need to diversify revenue. (Kacik, 4/9)
Georgia Health News: Two Outbreaks: Georgia Dealing With Hepatitis A And E. Coli Infections
A large outbreak of hepatitis A infections continues to concern state public health officials. Since June of last year, 214 cases have been reported in the state, including 64 last month alone, said Cherie Drenzek, the state epidemiologist, at a Tuesday board meeting of the Georgia Department of Public Health. (Miller, 4/9)
The CT Mirror: Three Key Appointments, Including Public Health Chief, Clear Legislative Committee
Three critical gubernatorial appointments – for head of the state’s department of motor vehicles, commissioner of public health and leader of the agriculture department – easily cleared the legislature’s joint committee on executive and legislative nominations Tuesday. Lawmakers approved the nominations of Sibongile “Bongi” Magubane, Renée Coleman-Mitchell and Bryan Hurlburt, saying they were impressed with the candidates’ resumes and optimistic about the direction of each department. (Carlesso, 4/9)
Pioneer Press: Report Shines Light On Elder Neglect As MN Lawmakers Seek Reform
Cases of elder abuse and neglect in Minnesota are disturbing, widespread and mostly preventable, according to a new report detailed Tuesday at the Capitol by advocacy groups pushing for stronger protections for older and vulnerable adults. Elder Voice Family Advocates reviewed a sample of 128 cases of neglect at assisted living and senior housing facilities substantiated over the past five years by the state Health Department’s Office of Health Facility Complaints. The report highlights 41 cases of maltreatment, including 28 deaths in which neglect was a direct or contributing factor. (Burn, 4/9)
Modern Healthcare: Suburban Chicago Hospital Suddenly Suspends Service
Pipeline Health is suspending services at Westlake Hospital, the Melrose Park, Ill., facility it planned to close later this year, primarily due to declining staff rates posing patient safety risks. The move didn't surprise Melrose Park officials, who filed an injunction yesterday to prevent such a move. The process to suspend services at 230-bed Westlake will begin immediately, Dennis Culloton, spokesman for Pipeline, said today. (Goldberg, 4/9)
Sacramento Bee: Thousands Strike At UC Hospitals, Alleging Unfair Labor Practices
Unions representing roughly 39,000 UC workers will picket the UC’s five academic hospitals from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, and their marches may occasionally delay traffic near UC Davis Medical Center, 2315 Stockton Blvd., in Sacramento. UCD leaders say they expect minimal impact, so patients should keep their appointments for surgeries and other procedures. The hospital will serve bag or box lunches to patients. (Anderson, 4/10)
The Star Tribune: Hacker Breached Minnesota State Agency E-Mail, Placing Data Of 11,000 At Risk
A data breach last year at the state agency that oversees Minnesota’s health and welfare programs may have exposed the personal information of approximately 11,000 individuals. The state Department of Human Services (DHS) notified lawmakers Tuesday that an employee’s e-mail account was compromised as a result of a cyberattack on or about March 26, 2018. A hacker unlawfully logged into a state e-mail account of a DHS employee and used it to send two e-mails to one of the employee’s co-workers, asking that co-worker to pay an “invoice” by wiring money. (Serres, 4/9)
Texas Tribune: Texas Legal Age For Tobacco Could Go From 18 To 21 Under Senate Proposal
The age of Texans who can legally buy tobacco products could soon raise from 18 to 21 years old — except for active military members. The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 21 in a 20-11 vote after state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, amended her own legislation to include the military exemption. State Sen. John Whitmire of Houston was the only Democrat who voted against the bill. (Byrne, 4/9)
Boston Globe: US Reps. Katherine Clark, Ayanna Pressley Introduce Bill To Expand Protections Against Workplace #MeToo Cases
Massachusetts congresswomen on Tuesday introduced a bill that represents the first sweeping federal effort to address the systemic legal and workplace inequities exposed by the viral #MeToo movement — including an ambitious effort to phase out the tipped minimum wage, which advocates say makes women especially vulnerable to sexual harassment. (Ebbert, 4/9)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Cuyahoga County Approves $42M Deal With MetroHealth For Jail Health Care
Cuyahoga County Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a three-year, $42 million deal with MetroHealth to oversee all health care in the county jails. Under the deal, MetroHealth must fully staff operations at the county’s three jails – the downtown Justice Center and satellite jails in Bedford Heights and Euclid -- by Oct. 31. (Astolfi, 4/9)
Kansas City Star: Missouri Medical Marijuana Licenses: No Affirmative Action
Missouri’s health department does not plan to give minority-owned businesses a boost when deciding who gets licenses to grow and sell medical marijuana — a measure some black Kansas City residents believe would help ensure equal opportunity. Officials with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said this week the license applications will be stripped of all identifying information about the owners, including their race, during the selection process. (Marso, 4/9)
Texas Tribune: Texas Marijuana Decriminalization Is Up For Debate. Here's Some Context.
Lawmakers of all political stripes were chomping at the bit this session to file — or sign onto — bills that would decriminalize or lessen the criminal penalties for Texans found with small amounts of marijuana. Getting such a measure across the finish line seemed feasible with newfound support from Republican leaders that have long controlled the Texas Legislature. (Samuels, 4/10)
Boston Globe: Bill Aims To Crack Down On Black Market Marijuana
Two state lawmakers from Worcester want to create a task force of law enforcement, public health leaders, and regulators to crack down on unlicensed marijuana sellers. Senator Michael Moore, a Democrat, and state Representative Hannah Kane, a Republican, will hold a news conference Wednesday at the State House about their joint bill, filed Monday, which aims to maximize tax revenues and reduce youth pot access. (Martin, 4/9)
