Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
State Highlights: Patients Suffer Some Of Worst Heart Transplant Outcomes At Renowned Houston Center; Report Criticizes Hepatitis A Crisis Response In San Diego
ProPublica: At St. Luke’s In Houston, Patients Suffer As A Renowned Heart Transplant Program Loses Its Luster
The anonymous letter reached Judy Kveton in March 2017. Nearly two months earlier, her husband’s failed heart transplant at Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center had led to a week of follow-up surgeries, a pair of devastating strokes and then, his death. The donor heart that doctors had implanted in David Kveton was “just not acting right,” Judy remembers the surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Morgan, telling her hours before she decided to remove her husband from life support. (Ornstein and Hixenbaugh, 5/16)
The Associated Press: Report Faults Response To San Diego's Hepatitis A Outbreak
A grand jury report following the worst outbreak of Hepatitis A in the United States in 20 years faulted the response of San Diego city and county officials on Thursday and recommended improving communications to prepare for future health emergencies. The outbreak killed 20 and sickened 577 people between November 2016 and October 2017. (5/17)
Dallas Morning News: Richardson Man Dies In U.S. Marshals' Custody, Hours After Conviction In Multimillion-Dollar Fraud Case
A 50-year-old Richardson man died this week in the custody of the U.S. Marshals, hours after a federal jury convicted him of taking part in an elaborate, multimillion-dollar fraud scheme that involved selling bogus MRI equipment to a North Texas hospital. Suresh Mitta, who also went by Suresh Reddy and Mitta Suresh, had been found guilty Tuesday in Missouri of a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a case that victimized Dallas Medical Center, a Farmers Branch community hospital. (Robinson-Jacobs, 5/17)
The Star Tribune: Future Looks Bright For Startup Insurer Bright Health
The growth story continues at Minneapolis-based Bright Health, as the startup health insurer saw enrollment double during the first quarter and is showing signs of a possible expansion into three more states. Launched in 2016, Bright Health last year started selling health insurance policies that comply with the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) to individual buyers in Colorado. (Snowbeck, 5/17)
Tampa Bay Times: All Children’s Hospital Now Under Federal Review
The federal government has opened an investigation of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, days after a state agency cited the hospital for not reporting two serious medical errors. The federal review, by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, could be more wide-reaching than the state’s, which focused on the hospital’s procedures for minimizing risk and handling mistakes. (McGrory and Bedi, 5/17)
Arizona Republic: Ducey Signs Bill Allowing 'Dental Therapists' To Practice In Arizona
'Gov. Doug Ducey signed a bill into law Wednesday that creates a new class of dental care provider in a move intended to increase access in underserved areas of the state, including tribal lands. Ducey signed House Bill 2235, which licenses dental therapists to work in certain circumstances under a collaborative agreement or the direct supervision of a dentist. (Mo, 5/17)
Texas Tribune: Will Texas Have To Push Back The Expiration Dates On Its Lethal Injection Drugs?
When Texas officials put one man to death and announced the upcoming executions of two more men Wednesday, a prison spokesman said the department was in possession of enough lethal injection drugs to carry out the remaining eight executions scheduled through October. ...Unless the state were to push back the expiration dates of its current supply or track down more of the hard-to-find drugs, at least three of the condemned men would be set to die after available drugs expire. (McCullough, 5/17)
New Hampshire Public Radio: ‘One-Pot’ Labs On The Rise In N.H. As Meth Cases Double Annually
Drug enforcement officers are seeing a rise in small-scale methamphetamine production. So-called 'one-pot' meth labs may produce less than larger operations, but they still carry the danger of fire and explosion. (Garrova, 5/17)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Dozens Of New Doctors Can Recommend Weed For Their Patients In Ohio
The State Medical Board of Ohio this month awarded certificates to recommend medical marijuana to 53 physicians across the state, including nine from Cincinnati. Previously, five Cincinnati-area doctors were among 36 physicians across the state who were awarded certificates to recommend in April. (Tucker, 5/17)
