Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Neurologists Excited By New Parkinson's Test; Mental Health Restrictions On Gun Sales Make Sense
Bloomberg: New Parkinson's Test Will Lead To Earlier Diagnoses
Parkinson’s researchers have been desperate for a simple test for the neurodegenerative disease — particularly one that could diagnose it early, when therapies could have the biggest impact. A new study suggests scientists might have landed on the right diagnostic. (Lisa Jarvis, 4/13)
Bloomberg: Red-Flag Gun Laws Are The Best Hope Against Mass Shootings
Monday’s mass shooting at the Old National Bank in downtown Louisville is the latest reminder of America’s worsening epidemic of gun violence. It should be more than enough to spur elected officials to pass common-sense measures to keep guns away from unstable individuals. (4/13)
USA Today: Black Women Are More Likely To Die In Pregnancy. This OBGYN Knows Why
This was my first pregnancy, and I was scared. On my way to the hospital, I mentally cataloged my symptoms to figure out what could be going on, and I tried to console myself that it was unlikely anything was seriously wrong. After all, I thought, “you’re healthy. You don’t have risk factors for preterm labor.” (Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, 4/14)
Chicago Tribune: Now Is The Time To Build Up Public Health Departments, Not Shrink Them Further
In 1900, average life expectancy in the United States was 47 years. By 1999, it was 77. The medical breakthroughs of the 20th century were remarkable but not primarily responsible for the increase. Advances in public health — such as safer food, cleaner water and lower tobacco use — accounted for 25 of those 30 additional years. (Allison Arwady and Julie Morita, 4/13)
East Bay Times: 'I'm Sorry, But You No Longer Have Health Insurance'
“I’m sorry. You no longer have health insurance.” Up to 14 million Americans are now at risk of hearing those words at the worst possible moment — in the ER clutching their pained chest or bleeding from an accident, or at their doctor’s office seeking to stabilize a spike in their asthma or diabetes. (Mongoven, 4/13)
The CT Mirror: Safe Staffing Of Nurses Saves Lives. Here' How.
If you knew your loved one wasn’t going to get the appropriate care and treatment they needed to survive, would you still send them to that hospital to be cared for? Nurses are feeling the burden of working short-staffed day in and day out. When will this end? When graduating from nursing school and starting their careers as bedside nurses, newer nurses are not staying at the bedside. But why you may ask? To put it simply: lack of staff and support. (Stephanie Annes, 4/13)
The CT Mirror: CT's Health Care System Is Broken. Here's How.
There are roughly 30 million Americans of all ages without health insurance in the United States. That is roughly 9.2% of the U.S. population. That percentage translates in New Haven where there is a population of 135,081, to about 12,157 people living without health insurance. That also means that when any of this population gets sick, it is possible that they will use the emergency room of Yale New Haven Hospital as their primary care facility. (Nancy Alderman, 4/14)
