Viewpoints: Anti-Vaxxers Vexed By Calif.’s Bill Of Rights For Kids; Defund Planned Parenthood? Consider The Texas Experience
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Los Angeles Times:
A Lofty — And Troubling — Proposed Bill Of Rights For California Kids
Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) hasn’t submitted the official text yet of his proposed California Children’s Bill of Rights, but already the protests have begun. Largely, they come from anti-vaccine parents who vehemently opposed Pan’s SB 277, the law passed in 2015 that requires almost all children who attend school to get their routine childhood vaccinations. (2/7)
The New York Times:
How The Anti-Vaxxers Are Winning
It’s looking as if 2017 could become the year when the anti-vaccination movement gains ascendancy in the United States and we begin to see a reversal of several decades in steady public health gains. The first blow will be measles outbreaks in America. (Peter J. Hotez, 2/8)
The Washington Post:
Defunding Planned Parenthood Was A Disaster In Texas. Congress Shouldn’t Do It Nationally.
The Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress are pushing to prevent Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds to pay for contraception and cervical and breast cancer screenings. Funding for the federal Title X program, which provides infrastructure support to a network of nearly 4,000 clinics across the country, could also be in jeopardy. Five years ago, we learned in Texas what can happen when efforts to defund Planned Parenthood are carried out: The network of health-care providers falls apart and women lose access to essential preventive services. (Joseph E. Potter and Kari White, 2/7)
Austin American Statesman:
Local, State Leaders Must Find Indigent Health Care Solutions
If societies were measured by the health care they provide their most vulnerable members, then Texas wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. That point was brought home on Sunday by American-Statesman’s Mary Ann Roser’s report that hundreds of low-income patients in Travis County have to wait more than a year to see a specialist. While many people with private insurance also face long waits for a specialist, the poor are hit hardest because fewer doctors are willing to accept lower payments associated with government-sponsored coverage, such as Medicaid. A shortage of physicians exacerbates the problem. (2/7)
WBUR:
Disabled Children Stand To Lose In Political Upheaval
A perfect storm of political challenges hovers darkly over disabled people, especially children. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a president who would mock a journalist with a disability should now be responsible for the trifecta of disability rights upheaval. Congress just confirmed Betsy DeVos as education secretary, even though she made it clear that she knows little about special education. The Supreme Court is getting ready to decide how low we can place the special education bar and remain within the law. And Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has a record for taking an unfavorable view on disability issues. (Susan Senator, 2/8)
Cincinnati Enquirer:
Ky. Bill Would Remove Barriers To Quitting Smoking
In Kentucky, you don’t have to look far to see the negative impacts of smoking. With more than a quarter of Kentuckians regularly lighting up, we consistently lead the nation in smoking rates. As an ear, nose and throat specialist, I have treated many patients suffering the physical consequences of smoking. ... many insurers in Kentucky do not offer comprehensive, barrier-free smoking cessation coverage. This makes it extremely difficult for smokers to stay motivated to quit. Senate Bill 89 would ensure that physicians, not insurers, determine patient care. It would remove complicated barriers like prior authorization and step therapy that often inhibit patients from quickly and affordably getting the treatments they need. (Shawn Jones, 2/7)
Lexington Herald Leader:
Say Yes To Smoke Free, No To Smokers As A Protected Class
It’s no surprise that the American Lung Association gave Kentucky straight “F’s” in its recent report card. Our state is the worst in the nation for smokers and cancer deaths. It has been that way for a long time. Because we are the worst, businesses moving into our state are surprised to find we allow employees to be subjected to the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. The majority of states now have smoke free laws in place. (Brent Cooper, 2/6)
Stat:
The Day I Zipped My Lips And Let My Patients Talk
How long, I’ve sometimes wondered, would my patients actually talk if I didn’t say anything at all? According to a group of Swiss researchers, when doctors did not interrupt, the average duration of their patients’ monologues was 92 seconds. Not exactly the deluge of historic proportions that most physicians fear. ... The day after reading that study I tried it out in my clinic. For each patient I saw, I quietly clicked on a stopwatch after saying, “How can I help you today?” My first patient took 37 seconds, the second 32. But these were basically healthy individuals. The third had more issues: unresolved back pain, plus his glucose, cholesterol, and weight were all creeping up. He took two minutes. (Danielle Ofri, 2/7)
Boston Globe:
Trump Spills The Beans On Who Grows Americans’ Food
Media pundits, academics, and commentators alike are scrambling to provide insights into the likely effects of President Trump’s policies. One of his most controversial policy goals concerns the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants currently living and working in the United States. Experts have been grappling with how this policy will affect our food system and — most importantly — how much we will have to pay to put food on the table. (Sydney Giacalone and Julian Agyeman, 2/7)
