Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
VA Worker Shot At Ga. Clinic Has Died; Gunman Sought Mental Health Consult
Military.com: Community Mourns Killed VA Clinic Worker, 34, Who Had Pregnant Wife & Kids
The family of killed Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic worker Nicholas “Nic” Crews are speaking out about the loss of the husband and father who was soon expecting another child. Crews, who just turned 34 years of age on March 14, died from an incident that occurred at about 1:30 p.m. March 17 at a VA Clinic on East Church Street in Jasper, Ga. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said that Charles Michels, 51, of Jasper, was at the clinic for a walk-in mental health consultation. (Mordowanec, 3/22)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Iowa Public Radio: Iowa House Passes Bill To Raise Taxes On HMO Health Insurance Plans To Fund Medicaid
The Iowa House passed a bill that would raise taxes on HMO health insurance plans. The bill (HF 2739) would temporarily change the tax on HMOs from less than 1% to 3.5%. Republican officials say the state needs the money to help cover a Medicaid budget deficit. (Sostaric, 3/20)
Charlotte Ledger: NC Lawmakers Take Aim At Hospitals' Prized Tax Perks
As North Carolina lawmakers search for ways to reduce the tax burden for state residents, they’re taking aim at the generous tax breaks the state’s nonprofit and public hospitals have long enjoyed. (Crouch, 3/23)
Maryland Matters: ‘Elopement’ Bills In Maryland Aim To Protect People With Autism, Dementia
Shari Bailey said she was brought to tears this week when a lawmaker texted her with the news that the House had passed a bill, inspired by her daughter, that aims to improve outcomes for people with autism or dementia who wander off. It was one piece of good news in a series of positive developments for a package of bills Bailey is backing that address the problem of “elopement.”(Brown, 3/22)
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: ‘It Just Got Too Complicated’: Ohioans Face Steep Barriers Seeking Medical Aid In Dying Out Of State
Terminally ill Ohioans who want to decide when life should end have few options, with just two states on opposite coasts offering a legal path for nonresidents to access medical aid in dying: Oregon and Vermont. (McGowan, 3/22)
Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota’s Paid Leave Law Benefits Some Workers, Frustrates Others
After Sage Conway gave birth to her second child last summer, she dreaded the thought of returning to work right away. She took unpaid family leave so she could spend 12 weeks at home her newborn son, Theo. But after that was up, the dental hygienist from Cottage Grove had to go back to work. (Bloch, 3/21)
On the spread of flu, measles, and dengue —
CIDRAP: CDC Reports 14 More Pediatric Flu Deaths, 115 Total
This week 14 US children were confirmed to have died of influenza, up from 11 in each of the previous two weeks, as overall flu activity remained elevated but declined in most parts of the country, with influenza A decreasing and influenza B trends varying by region, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today in its FluView update for the week ending March 14. The new flu-related deaths in children bring the season’s total to 115, compared with 293 for all of last season. (Bergeson, 3/20)
CIDRAP: US Measles Outbreak Approaches 1,500 Cases
With 125 new measles cases confirmed today, the US total has reached 1,487 measles infections, and the outbreak is on track to surpass last year’s outbreak numbers—which reflected a 35-year high—before summer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the new data in an update today. The CDC confirmed 2,285 measles cases for all of last year, the most since 1991. The United States will likely lose its measles elimination status—which it gained in 2000—in November, when officials assess the data. (Wappes, 3/20)
Los Angeles Times: As Mosquitoes Go Year-Round In L.A., A Promising Fix Hits A Snag
To curb a dengue-carrying mosquito, L.A. County officials are releasing sterilized males. The approach is promising, but funding to expand it is uncertain. (Seidman, 3/22)
