Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Finds Significant Racial Disparities In Elective Pediatric Surgery Rates
USA Today: Pediatric Surgery Is Less Common For Children Of Color, Study Finds
Latino, Black and Asian children are less likely to undergo elective surgeries compared to white children, according to a recent study. The study, published in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery, analyzed data on more than 200,000 children from a national health survey of parents. Roughly 10,000 of those children reportedly underwent surgery. (Hassanein, 12/2)
In other health care industry news —
The Hill: HHS Allows Those Living With Hep B, HIV To Join Public Service
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Thursday announced it will be expanding eligibility for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps to include people who have chronic hepatitis B and HIV. (Choi and Weixel, 12/1)
AP: Minnesota Nurses Authorize Second Strike, Starting Dec. 11
Nurses at 16 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth areas have authorized workers to go on a second strike, which union leaders said Thursday will begin on Dec. 11 if a contract deal is not reached in coming days. The Minnesota Nurses Association said the walkouts will last until Dec. 31 at most hospitals; nurses at St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth and Two Harbors will stay on strike until a deal is reached. Leaders of the association hope the vote will motivate hospital leadership to improve offers on pay, workplace violence prevention and staffing levels. (12/1)
Stat: As More Birth Centers Open, Viability Hinges On Nearby Hospitals
It was fitting, one activist said, that the sky was storming on the night before the North Shore Birth Center closed, as patients, midwives, and community members gathered to commemorate its 42-year run. Over 30 people stood in a circle on the small hill by the cottage-like facility as rain whipped around them and the last of the daylight faded. (Gaffney, 12/2)
Stateline: Funeral Aid Is Available — But Untapped — In Many States
Many states offer payments to families to help them cover the cost of funerals, and some of the amounts are on the rise. The funds are only available to people with low incomes, and sometimes the amount isn’t enough to cover the full cost of funerals. But the money can be a help — if families know about it. Too often, they don’t. (Povich, 12/1)
Modern Healthcare: MyChart Messaging Bills Pose Questions For Hospitals, Payers
Cleveland Clinic of Ohio began charging patients for some MyChart messaging with providers this month, such as replies that require “medical expertise ... typically taking five or more minutes for your provider to answer.” That includes conversations regarding medication changes, new symptoms or checkups on chronic conditions. (Hudson and Tepper, 12/1)
Becker's Hospital Review: 30% Of Providers Unsatisfied With Patient Payment Platforms
Most healthcare providers have implemented a new patient payment platform in the past five years, but only 58 percent said they were highly satisfied with their current system, according to a survey from Bank of America. In addition, 30 percent said their patient payment platform integration was unsuccessful. (Cass, 12/1)
KHN: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Medicaid Machinations
The lame-duck Congress is back in Washington with a long list of bills it would like to pass and a short time to do it before Republicans take over the House majority in January. How many health-related items can be accomplished depends largely on how much money Congress agrees to spend overall, as it hashes out the annual federal spending bills. Meanwhile, some of the remaining states that have not yet expanded the Medicaid program may be warming up to the idea, particularly North Carolina and Kansas, which have Democratic governors and Republican legislatures. (12/1)
KHN: The Disability Tax: Medical Bills Remain Inaccessible For Many Blind Americans
A Missouri man who is deaf and blind said a medical bill he didn’t know existed was sent to debt collections, triggering an 11% rise in his home insurance premiums. An insurer has suspended a blind woman’s coverage every year since 2010 after mailing printed “verification of benefits” forms to her California home that she cannot read, she said. The issues continued even after she got a lawyer involved. (Weber and Recht, 12/2)
