Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Mo. Senators Seek Special Session To Consider In-Home Health Benefits For Some Residents; In Ill., Cook County Hospitals May Face More Budget Cuts
St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Senators Still Want Special Session For In-Home Health Care — But Time Is Running Out
The Missouri Senate is waiting to go into special session on securing in-home health care benefits for more than 8,000 state residents. ...It involves reducing the number of elderly homeowners and renters who qualify for a housing tax break known as the “circuit breaker.” (Griffin, 11/7)
Chicago Sun-Times: County Hospitals, Health Systems May Face More Budget Cuts
Board members of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System came up with about $12.4 million in proposed reductions to the FY2018 executive budget recommendation in October — the target was $27 million. Over the course of the presenation, commissioners asked Dr. Jay Shannon, CEO of the health and hospitals system, and other board members what else could be cut from the system during the department’s presentation. (Hinton, 11/7)
New Hampshire Union Leader: Doctor Relieved Of Duties At Manchester VA Returns To New Hampshire
The Veterans Affairs physician relieved of his duties the day that the Boston Globe reported about problems with the Manchester VA Medical Center is back in New Hampshire, working at a VA clinic in the Lakes Region, officials said. Dr. James Schlosser, former medical director at the Manchester VA, was temporarily assigned as a staff physician at the Tilton Community Based Outpatient Clinic beginning Oct. 2, said Manchester VA spokesman Kristin Pressly. (Hayward, 11/7)
Sacramento Bee: Sutter Health HMO Expanding Its care Options In Bay Area
Sutter Health announced Tuesday that it is expanding its Sacramento-based HMO, Sutter Health Plus, into a 15th Northern California county, Santa Cruz, starting Jan. 1 as it bolsters its network in the San Francisco Bay Area. ...In Santa Cruz County, the Sutter Health Plus Network will include medical staff at Palo Alto Medical Foundation and its care centers, Sutter Maternity & Surgery Center and Watsonville Community Hospital. (Anderson, 11/7)
East Oregonian: Management Problems Endemic At OHA
While technical failures are to blame for recent issues at the Oregon Health Authority, observers say mismanagement is likely at the root of its problems. Last week’s news that OHA overpaid Medicaid providers by $74 million over three years was merely the latest in a steady stream of negative news about the agency, which has thousands of employees and a budget of roughly $10 billion per year. (Withycombe, 11/7)
Georgia Health News: Health IT Experts Say Data Revolution Still Has A Ways To Go
The digital revolution has swept over health care, as wearable devices, electronic medical records and other computerized innovations have become pervasive. Yet some frustrating connection problems and other technical hiccups have often thwarted the potential payoff of these breakthroughs, with improvements in the quality of care not always as dramatic as one would hope. (Miller, 11/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Investors Sue Ad Startup Outcome Health For Alleged Fraud
Investors in Outcome Health on Tuesday sued the prominent Chicago advertising startup and its two founders, claiming fraud and breach of contract some eight months after investing nearly $500 million in the company. Funds managed by an investment unit of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Google parent Alphabet Inc., and other firms alleged the company and its founders, Rishi Shah and Shradha Agarwal, misled them by knowingly providing false data and financial reports before the firms invested $487.5 million beginning in March. (Wrinkler, 11/8)
