Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
VA Pulls System Offline After Data On 46,000 Vets Is Exposed
Modern Healthcare: VA Says Hack Exposed Personal Data On 46,000 Veterans
The Veterans Affairs Department on Monday said a recent data breach compromised personal information of roughly 46,000 veterans. The VA discovered the data breach after the agency's Financial Services Center determined unauthorized users accessed an online application as part of an effort to redirect payments meant for community providers who had treated veterans. (Cohen, 9/14)
In other public health news —
CNN: A Mother's Poor Mental Health May Harm Child Development, Study Says
A mother's depression and anxiety from conception through the first year of the baby's life is associated with negative developmental outcomes through adolescence, according to a study published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. That could affect a lot of women: About 15% to 23% of women worldwide experience anxiety during pregnancy, while 15% deal with anxiety after childbirth. Depression through pregnancy is estimated to affect 10% of women, and 15% face postpartum depression. The burden is greater for women who are experiencing poverty or are teen parents, according to Postpartum Support International. (Rogers, 9/15)
Kaiser Health News: New Dental Treatment Helps Fill Cavities And Insurance Gaps For Seniors
Dental hygienist Jennifer Geiselhofer often cleans the teeth of senior patients who can’t easily get to a dentist’s office. But until recently, if she found a cavity, there was little she could do. “I can’t drill. I can’t pull teeth,” said Geiselhofer, whose mobile clinic is called Dental at Your Door. “I’d recommend they see a dentist, but that was often out of the question because of mobility challenges. So visit after visit, I would come back and there would be more decay.” (Crouch, 9/15)
Kaiser Health News: ‘It Seems Systematic’: Doctors Cite 115 Cases Of Head Injuries From Crowd Control Devices
At least 115 people were injured this summer when police shot them in the head or neck with so-called “less-lethal” projectiles at protests over racial injustice and police brutality, according to a report published Monday. It’s the most comprehensive tally of such injuries to date, with about twice as many victims as KHN and USA Today cited in a July examination of how police across the U.S. wielded the weapons to control crowds. (Culver, 9/14)
Kaiser Health News: Lights, Camera, No Action: Insurance Woes Beset Entertainment Industry Workers
Before the coronavirus pandemic shut down the entertainment industry in March, Jeffrey Farber had a steady flow of day jobs in film and television, including work on “Hunters” and “Blue Bloods.” But when theaters, movies and TV shows stopped production, not only did Farber lose his acting income, he also stopped accruing the hours and earnings he needed to qualify for health insurance through his labor union, SAG-AFTRA. Without the acting jobs, his insurance would be ending this month. (Andrews, 9/15)
