Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Medi-Cal Moves Closer To Expanding Coverage To Undocumented Kids; Okla. Considers PTSD In Veteran Sentencing
The Sacramento Bee: Medi-Cal Set To Expand Coverage To Undocumented Children
Home to more immigrants than any other state, California will be the largest in the nation to cover undocumented low-income children, joining Washington, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. The expansion, effective next month, was approved by Gov. Jerry Brown in the October 2015 state budget. (Caiola, 4/20)
Reuters: Oklahoma Can Consider PTSD In Sentencing Veterans Under Proposed Law
An Oklahoma bill that allows judges to take into consideration a diagnosis of PTSD for veterans unanimously passed the state Senate on Tuesday, adding to a series of U.S. laws seeking to address mental illness among military veterans. Oklahoma House Bill 2595 allows judges to take into account a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a mitigating factor when sentencing veterans who have been diagnosed with the illness. (Brandes, 4/20)
The Miami Herald: Jackson Health Reports Record Profit, Improved Patient Safety In 2015
Patients are getting fewer infections and suffering fewer injuries, though some snags remain, while the hiring of additional medical staff, technological upgrades and extensive renovations have begun to attract more insured patients to Jackson Health System, according to reports presented on Wednesday to the Public Health Trust that governs Miami-Dade's $1.8 billion-a-year public hospital network. (Chang, 4/20)
The Connecticut Mirror: State Behind On Funds To Help Troubled Health Care Professionals
When Connecticut lawmakers raised the annual licensing fee for health care professionals by $5 last year, they assigned the additional money to go to a confidential assistance program for health care practitioners whose medical, mental health or substance abuse issues could prevent them from practicing safely. (Levin Becker, 4/21)
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: 6 Illinois Deaths Tied To Elizabethkingia Anophelis
Six people have died in Illinois with infections caused by Elizabethkingiaanophelis, though the strain of the bacteria that sickened them is different from the Elizabethkingia anophelis linked to 19 deaths in Wisconsin, health officials said Wednesday. (Stephenson, 4/20)
The Denver Post: Denver Ranks 8th Most-Polluted Due To Ozone Contamination Of Air
Metro Denver ranked eighth most-polluted with ozone and Fort Collins 10th among U.S. cities in an American Lung Association report Wednesday — due to persistent emissions from cars and industry. (Finley, 4/20)
The Des Moines Register: Chiropractor Settles False-Claims Charges By Retiring
A Bettendorf chiropractor has agreed to retire to settle allegations that he exaggerated his healing abilities. The Iowa Board of Chiropractic filed administrative charges last July against James P. Woods. The licensing board said Woods “claimed to be able to ‘cure almost everything,’ including ear conditions, eye conditions, stroke, kidney stones, hernia, tremors, blindness and high blood pressure.” (Leys, 4/20)
The Associated Press: Companies Agree To Spend $78 Million In Groundwater Cleanup
Hundreds of companies have agreed to spend around $78 million on cleaning up groundwater contaminated by toxic chemicals from a Southern California Superfund site, it was announced Wednesday. (Jablon, 4/20)
The San Jose Mercury News: South Bay Physician-Owned Surgical Company Slapped With $37.4 Million Judgment
It once billed an insurance company $66,000 for a bunion repair, but a South Bay surgical company now faces another eye-popping dollar figure: a $37.4 million judgment for defrauding insurance giant Aetna. A civil jury last week found that Bay Area Surgical Management, based in Saratoga, recruited dozens of doctors to refer their patients for out-of-network procedures at inflated prices, fraudulently billing millions of dollars. (Seipel, 4/20)
The Denver Post: Lakewood Nonprofit Spearheading Alternative Therapy For Spinal Cord Injuries
On a recent Friday morning, Dawn Russell wheeled into a therapy room in a Lakewood office building, still stiff and sore from a pain-laced night. In a relaxing environment of exposed brick, soft light and soothing music amid plants and statues, massage therapist Joby Siciliano gently lifted Russell out of her wheelchair and placed her on a massage table, wedging pillows under her feet and knees. (Briggs, 4/21)
The Associated Press: Virginia To Shield Identities Of Execution Drug Suppliers
Virginia's Republican-controlled General Assembly approved a proposal backed by Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Wednesday that will allow the state to obtain execution drugs from pharmacies whose identities will remain secret. (Richer, 4/20)
