Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tennessee Audit Of Express Scripts Finds It Violated State Laws
Stat: Tennessee Officials Find Express Scripts Violated Law In Pharmacy Dealings
In an unusual move, an audit of commercial health plans by Tennessee officials found that Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the United States, violated state laws in its dealings with pharmacies, according to newly released documents. (Silverman, 4/13)
Politico: DeSantis’ Hope Florida Scrutiny Deepens Amid New Revelations On $10M Payment
Part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ crusade to defeat a Florida recreational pot ballot measure received $10 million from two groups that got money from a nonprofit associated with first lady Casey DeSantis’ community-based assistance program. Hope Florida has received heightened scrutiny over whether it improperly received money intended for the state. Two organizations said to Hope Florida in letters that they did not use the money for political activity. (Sarkissian and Fineout, 4/11)
The Baltimore Sun: Pediatric Unit At Upper Chesapeake Medical Center Closing In June
The University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center’s inpatient pediatric unit has delayed its planned closing from May to June, the president and CEO of the center announced Thursday. (Foster, 4/14)
Politico: Cuomo’s Unused COVID Haul Keeping Warehouses Well Stocked
In the chaotic early weeks of the Covid pandemic, nothing consumed Andrew Cuomo’s administration like the frantic effort to acquire medical equipment. But all that energy might have been wasted. An audit released this morning by Comptroller Tom DiNapoli found the state spent $453 million on 247,343 devices like pulse oximeters, oxygen tanks, X-ray machines and ventilators in 2020. Just three of those devices have been used. The remaining 247,340 are still sitting in the manufacturers’ packaging in warehouses throughout the state. (Mahoney, 4/11)
NBC News: North Carolina Flu-Related Deaths At All-Time High
North Carolina has reported a record number of flu deaths this respiratory virus season, health officials said this week. More than 500 flu-related deaths were reported for the 2024-25 respiratory virus season, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said in a Wednesday press release. The figure marked the highest statewide total since reporting began in 2009. (Lavietes, 4/12)
San Francisco Chronicle: Bay Area ‘Healthy Aging’ Communities Are Taking Off
Susan O’Connell moved into Enso Village in Healdsburg on the day it opened last July: She was 77, a Zen teacher from San Francisco and enthusiastic about this next stage of her life. “I’m living the dream right now,” O’Connell told the Chronicle. “I’m watching this community get formed from the ground up.” (Allday, 4/12)
