Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Time To See Child Abuse As Public Health Crisis; Find A Solution To VA Job Vacancies
Stat: Child Abuse And Neglect Must Be Treated As A Public Health Issue
An estimated 1 in 4 children experience some form of child abuse or neglect in their lifetimes. This type of unimaginable trauma contributes to depression, problems at school, violence, diabetes, obesity, substance abuse, and suicide. To significantly reduce child abuse or neglect, we must begin treating them right away as serious public health problems by expanding public and private sector funding for research, training, and prevention. Why the sense of urgency? In a new national public opinion survey commissioned by our organizations, Research!America and the National Foundation to End Child Abuse and Neglect (EndCAN), a substantial percentage of those surveyed said child abuse and neglect is a problem in their local communities, and they know someone who has experienced it. (Richard Krugman and Mary Woolley, 7/17)
The Washington Post: VA Doctor Shortage Fueled By Management Issues, Poor Pay
The Department of Veterans Affairs gets good grades for effort, but it still has much work to do in the recruitment and retention of physicians to serve those who faced death for their country. When the Government Accountability Office says “challenges remain,” it means an agency has problems — in this case, too few doctors. Pay is an issue, but so is the department’s personnel management. A recent GAO report about the Veterans Health Administration, the component providing health care through 1,252 facilities, including 170 medical centers, outlines three major management troubles related to its doctor shortage. (Joe Davidson, 7/16)
Columbus Dispatch: What We Have Learned From The ACE Study: What It Means For Seniors
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have life-course implications for future health, mental health and more. Abuse prevention efforts, interventions for maltreated children and for parents (e.g., positive parenting strategies’ training), support, trauma-informed care at any stage of life – make a difference for all of us, and can help to build a strong community and nation. Regardless of age, we all have the capacity to be resilient, to bounce back from adverse experiences. (Diana Spore, 7/17)
Miami Herald: Mental-Health Issues A Burden For Older Minority Adults
Chronic mental and physical illnesses can be especially burdensome for older racial or ethnic minority adults who are disproportionately exposed to poverty and lower education, which are widely recognized as critical risk factors for both psychological distress and mental illness. While impediments to strategies that help alleviate the burden of depression and anxiety exist for all older adults, they are even more pronounced for older adults of color who tend to have fewer socioeconomic resources and, therefore, receive less help and care from the mental-health system. (Danny Jimenez, 7/16)
Louisville Courier-Journal: The Roe V. Wade Abortion Decision May Soon Be History
Now that President Trump has made his judicial pick for the latest open Supreme Court seat, it’s time for a reality check. For clarity, a heavy dose of truth, and a primer on civics. The judiciary, third branch of the federal government, is supposed to interpret, not make law. Making law is the job of lawmakers. Roe v. Wade (and its companion case, Doe v. Bolton) remains the lightning rod for opposition to abortion because it invented a “right” neither explicitly or implicitly mentioned in the Constitution.What the 7-2 Supreme Court decision in 1973 did was literally usurp the peoples’ voice in a vital matter of life and death, and struck down anti-abortion laws in most of our states. (Schu Montgomery, 7/15)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Teamwork, Not Superstar Status, Makes For Better Patient Care, Medical Resident Learns
No individual, no matter how talented or hard-working, can achieve that goal alone. Physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers and many more staff members must contribute to achieve excellent patient care. (Jason Han, 7/17)
The New York Times: Why Don’t More Americans Use PrEP?
On July 3, 1981, this newspaper wrote about a “rare cancer” killing gay men in New York and California. Though few knew it, what followed would be a generation-defining battle: for attention, for legitimacy, for our very lives. Today, after 37 years, we finally have a proven pathway to ending the AIDS epidemic in this country. The only catch? Poor policy and pharmaceutical price-gouging have blocked the way, making critical drugs a luxury rather than an imperative. (James Krellenstein, Aaron Lord and Peter Staley, 7/16)
Bloomberg: Fight Obesity With Frank Food Labels
No country, rich or poor, is immune to the rapid rise in overweight and obesity among both adults and children. But a few are finding they can push back against the dangerous trend by making sure their citizens get clear information about the groceries they buy. The foods people choose to eat make a difference in how much weight they gain — which, in turn, can influence long-term health outcomes. And their choices are influenced by the so-called food environments in which groceries are sold. People are easily enticed by the cheerful packaging of overly processed foods high in sugar, salt or fat. But by the same token, they can be steered toward healthier choices by government-mandated labels that clearly tell them what dangers might lurk inside the package. To be effective, such labels need to be prominent and instantly readable. (Jessica Fanzo, 7/17)
The Hill: US Puts Business Ahead Of Children’s Health
Delegates at the United Nations-affiliated World Health Assembly met in Geneva and were about to issue a simple statement that called on governments to “protect, promote and support breastfeeding” and to restrict promotion of toxic infant and toddler food products. This seemed like an issue that really needed no discussion until Trump and the 70 billion dollar annual interests of infant formula manufacturers entered the fray. To protect big business, the Trump administration threatens sanctions against pro-breastfeeding, anti-toxic food governments similar to those used against hostile countries developing nuclear weapons. (Michael Rosenbaum, 7/16)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Trump Administration Making Uninformed, Dangerous Choices On Breastfeeding
Ensuring access to prenatal care and support for all new mothers who want to breast-feed are two simple steps that can significantly improve the health of newborns and their mothers. Beyond being the right thing to do, healthier mothers and healthier babies will provide broad economic benefits to our communities. We cannot stand by as the administration continues to promulgate policy that sacrifices the health of women and children by making uninformed and dangerous choices. (Leanne Wagner and Mary Jo Daley, 7/16)
Chicago Tribune: Unsung Hero: A Pioneer In Transgender Health Care
For a brief time last week, a controversy arose over actor Scarlett Johansson’s decision to play the role of transsexual Dante “Tex” Gill in the upcoming movie project “Rub and Tug.” Johansson has decided to “withdraw her participation in the project” as a response to social media criticism. Even as the media focused on this contretemps, a legendary American plastic surgeon, pioneer and unsung hero in transgender health care died in May with little notice. ...Besides all this, his groundbreaking work with transgender patients should earn him a spot in American medical history. (Cory Franklin, 7/16)
The Hill: Yet Another ObamaCare Problem Needs To Be Cleaned Up By Trump
The Trump administration recently announced a pause in the Affordable Care Act “risk adjustment” program. The action came in response to lawsuits and conflicting court rulings, one of which enjoined the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from continuing to operate the program using the Obama administration’s methodology. Some defenders of the program suggest the pause will “sabotage” ObamaCare. Others argue it will drive up premiums and reduce choice, since the decision comes at a time that insurers are calculating 2019 premiums. But the reality is that the Trump administration is simply trying to clean up yet another mess created by ObamaCare. (Edmund Haislmaier, 7/16)
Austin American-Statesman: U.S. Rep. John Carter: Teamwork Needed To Combat The Opioid Epidemic
Recently I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass legislation to combat this public health crisis and hopefully save lives. In total, the U.S. House passed 58 bills aimed at directing resources to research and treatment options, improving prevention, protecting communities and tackling illicit synthetic drugs. (John Carter, 7/16)
Stat: What A Philip Roth Novel Can Teach Us About Pain And Addiction
Pain, which lodges at the heart of the opioid crisis, is baffling. We struggle to describe, understand, and treat it. To endure it. Which is why FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb convened last week a group of people suffering from chronic pain. He wanted to hear their stories. I imagine that it was instructive for Gottlieb to encounter some raw, intimate narratives of suffering in this “patient-focused drug development” meeting. Philip Roth, the legendary novelist who died on May 22, would have understood Gottlieb’s intentions. “[P]ain could make you awfully primitive if not counteracted by steady, regular doses of philosophical thinking,” he wrote in “The Anatomy Lesson,” his classic 1983 novel. (Ken Gordon, 7/17)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Telemedicine Could Improve Pennsylvania Health Care. So Why The Hold-Up Over Insurance?
Thirty-eight states and the District of Columbia have laws that call upon insurers to cover care delivered by telehealth services (for example, services delivered securely via smartphones, laptops, and other electronic devices). Unfortunately, Pennsylvania does not yet have such a law. That’s holding back the use of telehealth—and hindering expanded access to convenient, high-quality care for Pennsylvanians. (Andy Carter, 7/17)
