Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Days After Being Shot In Austin, ICE Detainee Has Received His First Injection Of Pain Meds, Lawmaker Says
The Texas Tribune: Austin Man Shot By ICE Officer Needs Surgery, Official Says
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, who was shot Sunday by federal immigration officers in Austin, needs surgery to remove the bullet lodged near his spine, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar said Wednesday after visiting the Venezuelan man in a detention center in Pearsall. (Leggio and Nguyen, 9/23)
Health news from Florida —
Fierce Healthcare: Florida AG Sues PBMs, Pharmas Over Rise In Insulin Prices
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is suing three drug manufacturers as well as three pharmacy benefit managers, alleging that they worked together to drive up the price of insulin and line their own pockets. In the lawsuit, filed this week in the state's 11th Judicial Circuit Court, targets Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, which Uthmeier's office said produce 90% of the world's insulin, alongside the PBM industry's "Big Three" organizations, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx. (Minemyer, 9/23)
Florida Phoenix: Donalds Might Retain Joseph Ladapo As Surgeon General — Jolly Says He'd Fire Him
Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds reiterated Tuesday that he remains open to reappointing Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo if he wins the Nov. 3 election. That marks a clear distinction with Democrat David Jolly, who has vowed to fire Ladapo on his first day in office. (Perry, 9/23)
More health news from across the U.S. —
AP: Six Flags Magic Mountain Faces New Lawsuits Over X2 Roller Coaster Injuries
Three people who went to California’s Six Flags Magic Mountain have filed lawsuits saying they were left with traumatic brain injuries from the park’s famed X2 roller coaster that is advertised as a rite of passage for the “ultimate daredevil.” The filings are the latest against the world-famous amusement park operator and S&S Worldwide, the manufacturer of the X2 roller coaster cars. Six Flags recently settled a wrongful-death lawsuit from the family of a 22-year-old man who died after riding the coaster in 2022. (Ding, 9/24)
Verite News: Low-Barrier Homeless Shelter Could Close Due To Budget Cuts
A Central Business District homeless shelter could close as the New Orleans City Council considers tightening its budget for 2027. The Low Barrier Shelter (LBS) faces a proposed $5 million budget cut following Mayor Helena Moreno’s budget presentation on Tuesday (Sept. 22), threatening New Orleans’ largest emergency shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Under a low-barrier model, the shelter is the only New Orleans shelter that boards pets and does not require sobriety tests and identification. (Perdomo, 9/23)
AP: Washington, DC Area Residents Impacted By Federal Cuts, New Survey Shows
Sam Trumbull once wrote public assistance policy to help people receiving food assistance, then needed public assistance for her family. Amanda Nataro won’t take personal effects to her new job, after being crushed by the sudden end of her last one. Nicoletta Barbera and her husband are considering leaving the area because of rising costs and lower salaries than they once had. (Fields and Sanders, 9/24)
MPR News: Cannabis Use In Minnesota Teens Declines, But Some Groups Are Still At Higher Risk
Minnesota teenagers are using cannabis at lower rates than they were a decade ago. But researchers and mental health experts say they’re still trying to understand what’s behind the change. (Ki, 9/24)
