Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
California Pledges $46 Million To Decontaminate Tijuana River
AP: California Governor Announces $46 Million In Funding To Help Fix Tijuana River Contamination
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Thursday he is deploying $46 million in voter-approved funding to help clean up the chronically contaminated Tijuana River at the California-Mexico border. ... The United States and Mexico signed an agreement last year to clean up the longstanding problem by upgrading wastewater plants to keep up with Tijuana’s population growth and industrial waste from factories, many owned by U.S. companies. (Pineda, 6/11)
KFF Health News: 1 In 4 Covered California Enrollees Could Get State Aid Under Newsom Proposal
When Congress allowed covid-era subsidies for health insurance to expire, California used its own funds to offset the hike in Obamacare premium costs for residents with low incomes. But the reach has been limited. As Gov. Gavin Newsom negotiates his last budget with the legislature, the Democrat wants to offer financial help to more than 1 in 4 enrollees in Covered California, the nation’s largest state-run health insurance marketplace. Democratic lawmakers, who hold a supermajority, are still debating the plan. (Mai-Duc and Fortiér, 6/12)
San Francisco Chronicle: TikTok Influencer Killed For His Chain In Oakland, Family Says
Lartey Solomon spent his workdays caring for patients and his free time explaining health issues online, where followers knew him as “Nurse Solomon.” Now, the 33-year-old registered nurse, father and health content creator is being remembered by relatives and supporters after he was fatally shot May 31 in downtown Oakland. (Vaziri, 6/11)
News from Louisiana, Georgia, Illinois, and Florida —
Verite News: Tulane Report Urges Healthcare Investment To Boost Economy
A new report argues that Louisiana’s future population and economic growth depends on increasing investments in healthcare services and passing policies that address health disparities. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the state’s population has largely declined since 2020 as more people leave the state. ... Researchers from Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute say these changes are happening alongside “persistent health burdens” — including high maternal mortality and premature death rates — that hurt well-being and economic opportunity. (Parker, 6/11)
The Current: Emory Gets $15M To Research Superfund Sites’ Health Effects
After decades of pollution, Brunswick residents have a new resource for researching the link between area Superfund sites and their health. A five-year, $15 million grant from the National Institutes of Environmental Health (NIH) has been awarded to Emory University to examine how environmental contaminants affect human health, following a 2023 pilot study involving approximately 100 Glynn County residents, according to the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health. (Gibbs, 6/11)
Chicago Tribune: Northwestern Hospital Makes The Case For New Cancer Complex
Northwestern Memorial Hospital officials met with Streeterville residents Wednesday night and said they have worked to address concerns about the hospital’s proposal to build a 1.2 million-square-foot tower on a vacant lot. (Rogal, 6/11)
Chicago Tribune: Illinois Medical-Aid-In-Dying Law Challenged
A federal lawsuit filed Thursday challenges a new Illinois law set to go into effect in September that would allow doctors to prescribe medication to terminally ill people to end their own lives. (Gorner, 6/11)
The Baltimore Sun: Gooooal! Safe Sex Billboards With Soccer Ball Condoms Greet FIFA World Cup Crowds
Drivers navigating Miami’s busy streets are doing a double-take this week, courtesy of a massive public health blitz timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup. Capitalizing on the large crowds flooding Miami to watch soccer, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has rolled out safe-sex billboards with giant soccer-themed condoms. (Goodman, 6/11)
