Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
With Little Notice, Trans Kansans Will Have Driver's Licenses Canceled Today
Kansas City Star: Kansas Tells Trans Residents Their Licenses Become Invalid
Transgender Kansans are being informed on the eve of a new state law going into effect that their driver’s licenses will be considered invalid as of Thursday. (Kelly, 2/25)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Legislation About Gender Identity Is Back On The Table In The NH State House
Several bills focused on gender identity were on the table in the House Judiciary Committee last week, including bills that were amendments or variations on legislation Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoed last year and earlier this month. (Richardson, 2/25)
More health news from across the U.S. —
CBS News: Dearborn Heights Pharmacist Pleads Guilty In $3 Million Health Care Fraud Case
A Dearborn Heights pharmacy owner has pleaded guilty to a federal charge over his role in a $3 million medical insurance fraud scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan said. Mohammad Hamdan, 44, was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a five-year scheme that resulted in over $3 million in losses to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The plea was entered on Tuesday in federal court in Detroit. (Wethington, 2/25)
The Washington Post: Staffer At Assisted-Living Facility Charged With Killing 87-Year-Old Resident
An 87-year-old resident of a Maryland assisted-living facility was shot and killed by a man authorities say was a 22-year-old staff member who later fired two shots at a state trooper during a traffic stop, according to records filed in Montgomery County District Court on Wednesday. The incidents — 10 days apart and in different areas of the state — led to the arrest Tuesday afternoon of the staff member who is being held in a Montgomery jail. (Morse, 2/25)
North Carolina Health News: Lawmakers Seek Public Comment On Mental Health System
Since November, North Carolina lawmakers have been grappling with the problems plaguing the state’s intertwined mental health and criminal justice systems during hours-long monthly meetings packed with presentations from experts and state officials. Their goal? To address the revolving door of people with mental illness who cycle in and out of emergency departments, jail cells and psychiatric hospitals. It’s not an easy fix. (Knopf, 2/26)
CBS News: Rabies Vaccine Recall Prompts Warning To Pet Owners From Allegheny County Health Department
The Allegheny County Health Department is warning pet owners about a rabies vaccine recall. According to a message that the health department posted to Facebook on Tuesday, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health issued a voluntary recall because some vials contained sterile water instead of a rabies vaccine. (Bartos, 2/25)
KFF Health News: ‘Kind Of Morbid’: Health Premiums Threaten Their Nest Egg. A Terminal Diagnosis May Spare It
Early on, Jean Franklin got some career advice she followed religiously: “Pay yourself first.” So she did, socking away hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement savings by the time she became a stay-at-home mom at age 41. She and her husband, Charles, a former high school teacher who goes by Chaz, planned to retire comfortably in the three-bedroom house where they raised their kids about 60 miles northwest of Sacramento. But early last year, the 63-year-old became unsteady on her feet. (Mai-Duc, 2/26)
