Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Thousands In Florida Have Medical Debt Paid Off By Billionaire Duo
WLRN: Billionaires Pay $264 Million In Medical Debt For 125,000+ Miami-Dade Residents
Tens of thousands of Miami-Dade County residents have found a surprise in their mailboxes: a letter stating some or nearly all of their medical debt has been paid off. Billionaires Daniel and Jane Och living on Miami Beach have recently helped more than 125,611 Miami-Dade County residents by paying $264 million worth of medical bills. The Miami Herald reports that the Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation donated to RIP Medical Debt. (Tweh, 7/30)
In other health news from across the U.S. —
AP: What To Know As Recreational Marijuana Becomes Legal In Minnesota On Aug. 1
Minnesotans can legally possess and grow their own marijuana for recreational purposes starting Tuesday, Aug. 1, subject to limits meant to keep a lid on things while the state sets up a full-blown legal cannabis industry. The Democratic-controlled Minnesota Legislature approved a massive legalization bill and Democrat Gov. Tim Walz signed it in May. (Karnowski, 7/28)
The CT Mirror: CT Nursing Home Conditions Raise Alarms As Inspections Lag
Serious violations in Connecticut’s nursing homes have increased over the last 18 months, while the state has failed to conduct routine inspections in nearly half of all facilities, a CT Mirror review has found. (Carlesso and Altimari, 7/30)
St. Louis Public Radio: Missouri Ranks Low In Care Hours For Nursing Home Residents
Missouri ranks second to last in the nation in the hours of care nursing home residents receive from nurses per day, according to an independent analysis of federal data. A report by the Long Term Care Community Coalition found that Missouri nursing home residents on average receive about three hours of care a day. That's slightly more than last year but still well below the national average of 3.61 hours of care per day and below the minimum four hours of care that the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services say is needed for residents. (Davis, 7/31)
North Carolina Health News: Congenital Syphilis Cases On The Rise In NC
More North Carolina babies are being born with syphilis, and state health officials are urging women to get tested before they give birth to help catch the sexually transmitted illness early. In December, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued a public health alert on the rise of syphilis in women and children. Reported cases among women rose 538 percent between 2012 and 2021, DHHS said in that alert. During that same time period, there was an associated 4,100 percent increase in babies born with congenital syphilis. (Fernandez, 7/31)
Axios: Florida Trans Teens Drive The Farthest For Gender-Affirming Care
Florida's transgender teens face the longest median travel time to access gender-affirming health care, according to a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association. That puts up a massive barrier to health care that every major medical association agrees is medically necessary and in certain cases life-saving. (Varn and DiPaolo, 7/28)
KFF Health News: Journalists Explore Shortage Of Foster Care Sites And Prevalence Of Covid Misinformation
KFF Health New correspondent Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez discussed the shortage of foster care homes in rural Nevada on The Nevada Independent’s “The Indy” on July 25. (7/29)
In mental health news —
Axios: Few In Georgia Know 988 Exists
Only about 16% of Georgia residents have a complete understanding of the national suicide prevention hotline a year after it launched, according to a new survey conducted by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities. The survey, which was conducted in May, shows 31% of respondents were aware of the 9-8-8 number while 54% "correctly understood its role as the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline," the agency said Tuesday. (Dixon and Moreno, 7/28)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Extreme Weather Is Exacerbating Farmer Mental Health Crisis
Even in the best of times, farming in New England can be a profession full of anxiety and uncertainty. But Eve Klotz, a mental health care provider and farmer in Effingham, says she’s seen this year’s erratic weather take an especially big toll on her fellow farmers’ mental health. “There's a lot of depression and despair right now with what's going on in Vermont and the Connecticut Valley in New Hampshire with the flooding,” she said. “Some of these farmers are just losing everything.” (Dario, 7/29)
The Mercury News: A Virginia Man Won Right To Keep Emotional Support Emu Is Running For Office
Nicholas Olenik has battled mental health challenges throughout his life. As a sometimes anxious child, it took longer for him to process emotions. Four years ago, the 41-year-old fell into a depression when his brother died from a heart attack. The dark days of the pandemic, and his father’s battle with — and later death from — cancer in 2021 only made things worse. So last year, after a buddy told him about emus and how they can be a great emotional support companion, Olenik decided to give it a try. (Harper, 7/29)
If you are in need of help —
Dial 9-8-8 for 24/7 support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It's free and confidential.
