The New York Times: F.D.A. Moves To Restrict Flavored E-Cigarette Sales To Teenagers
With a few weeks left in his tenure as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Scott Gottlieb on Wednesday moved to restrict sales of flavored e-cigarettes to try to reduce the soaring rate of teenage vaping. The agency issued a proposal requiring that stores sequester flavored e-cigarettes to areas off limits to anyone under age 18. Retailers, including convenience stores and gas stations, will be expected to verify the age of their customers. (Kaplan, 3/13)

Reuters: U.S. Proposes Stricter Curbs On E-Cigarette Sales
The proposal would allow traditional retailers such as convenience stores to sell tobacco, mint and menthol e-cigarettes, which the FDA says are more popular among adults than minors. But other flavors could only be sold in stores or online when strong age-verification protocols are in place. In an interview on Wednesday, Gottlieb said the new guidelines give the agency flexibility to further restrict sales if youth use trends continue. (3/14)

The Wall Street Journal: FDA Sets Limits On Retail Sales Of Flavored E-Cigarettes
The FDA will require all e-cigarette makers, including Juul, to submit most flavored products currently on the market to the agency for review by August 2021, a year earlier than its previous deadline. The agency will also ban the sale of all flavored cigars introduced to the market since February 2007. Separately, it is pursuing a plan to prohibit flavored cigars entirely, but the broader ban could take years to implement. (Maloney, 3/13)

The Washington Post: FDA Rolls Out Vaping Policy To Make It Harder For Minors To Buy Flavored Products
The new policy would not apply to mint, menthol and tobacco flavors unless those products were being sold in a way that targeted minors, the agency said. E-cigarette advocates say those products are most often used by adult smokers trying to quit, but anti-tobacco groups are skeptical of the claim, saying there isn’t data to support it. (McGinley, 3/13)

The Hill: Outgoing FDA Chief Issues Proposal To Limit Sales Of Flavored E-Cigs
"Evidence shows that youth are especially attracted to flavored e-cigarette products, and that minors are able to access these products from both brick-and-mortar retailers, as well as online, despite federal restrictions on sales to anyone under 18," Gottlieb said in a statement. (Hellmann, 3/13)

Bloomberg: Most Flavored E-Cigarettes To Be Banned From Retail Stores 
The FDA has the “strong support” of President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Gottlieb said in a statement. Health advocates were concerned that Gottlieb’s departure would threaten the likelihood of e-cigarette restrictions being finalized. Azar said Tuesday that Ned Sharpless, head of the National Cancer Institute, would be acting commissioner after Gottlieb leaves later this month. Sharpless has expressed support for Gottlieb’s vaping restrictions. (Edney, 3/13)

CQ: FDA Advances E-Cigarette And Cigar Flavor Restrictions
Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said, “Gottlieb deserves credit for focusing attention on this skyrocketing epidemic that is addicting a new generation of kids.” But he noted that vaping devices like JUUL will continue to be sold in age-unrestricted locations like convenience stores, even if popular fruity flavors are not available there. And the mint and menthol flavors that will continue to be sold in those locations are also popular with young people, he said. (Siddons, 3/13)

The New York Times: Pentagon Pushes For Weaker Standards On Chemicals Contaminating Drinking Water
Facing billions of dollars in cleanup costs, the Pentagon is pushing the Trump administration to adopt a weaker standard for groundwater pollution caused by chemicals that have commonly been used at military bases and that contaminate drinking water consumed by millions of Americans. The Pentagon’s position pits it against the Environmental Protection Agency, which is seeking White House signoff for standards that would most likely require expensive cleanup programs at scores of military bases, as well as at NASA launch sites, airports and some manufacturing facilities. (Lipton and Turkewitz, 3/14)

PBS NewsHour: The Stunning Truth About Asbestos Use In The U.S.
Asbestos is no longer ubiquitous in building materials, and since it's proven to cause cancer, many Americans likely assumed the substance had been banned entirely. But not only is asbestos a naturally occurring mineral, it is also still used to make some household products. (O'Brien, 3/13)

In other news from the administration —

Stat: How Ned Sharpless, Biotech Veteran, Vaulted To The Top Of The FDA
Almost immediately after beginning his Bethesda day job as the nation’s top cancer researcher, Ned Sharpless built a roughly 7-mile detour into his weekly routine: a sojourn to the Food and Drug Administration campus for a pickup basketball game. Whether or not the networking was intentional, Sharpless will soon be spending far more time with the FDA oncologists who once broke his finger. When Scott Gottlieb steps down after a nearly two-year tenure next month, Sharpless will take the helm of that agency, at least in the short term. (Facher and Sheridan, 3/14)

Politico: Pulse Check: Can We Trust Trump On HIV?
The president says he wants to end the HIV epidemic. His track record suggests otherwise. (3/13)

Modern Healthcare: Hospitals Could Lose $800 Billion From Medicare Buy-In, AHA Says
Hospital groups on Tuesday pushed back against mounting Democratic support for a public option, saying the policy will lower Medicare reimbursement for providers as people leave commercial plans. In a new analysis of a universal Medicare buy-in policy, the American Hospital Association and Federation of American Hospitals on Tuesday projected hospitals would lose $800 billion over a decade through the lower Medicare reimbursements and raise premiums within the private market—disrupting the employer insurance market where the majority of people get coverage. (Luthi, 3/12)

Reuters: Democrats Support Expanding Medicare, With Some Caveats That Could Matter To Voters
After launching his 2020 presidential bid last week, John Hickenlooper took a different stance on establishing a "Medicare-for-all" government health insurance program than many of his Democratic competitors. "I probably would oppose Medicare-for-all just because there are over 150 million people, Americans who have some form of private insurance through their business, and the vast majority of them are happy with that," the former Colorado governor said on MSNBC. He added he supported reaching universal health insurance coverage by another route. (3/13)

The New York Times: How ‘Medicare For All’ Would Work (Or Not Work)
“Medicare for all” has become a punching bag for Republicans and a rallying cry for many Democrats. But what exactly is it? (3/13)

Bloomberg: House Democrats Investigate Trump-Backed Short-Term Health Plans 
House Democrats sent letters to 12 insurance companies seeking information about health coverage they sell that critics refer to as “junk plans.” President Donald Trump’s administration last year expanded the availability of short-term, limited-duration health plans. Companies that received letters Wednesday from House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and other committee leaders include Anthem Inc., UnitedHealth Group Inc., Health Insurance Innovations Inc. and closely held Cambia Health Solutions. (Edney and Mosendz, 3/13)

In other health law news —

The Wall Street Journal: Cuomo Adjusts Budget Proposal, Fearing Federal Health-Care Cuts
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is backing off a proposal to reduce New York’s Medicaid spending in light of additional health-care cuts in President Trump’s budget proposal, state officials said Wednesday. Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, last month proposed reducing the state Medicaid allocation by $550 million in the coming fiscal year, which starts April 1. The reduction would still have resulted in a year-over-year funding increase, but health-care providers said it would force them to slash services. (Vielkind, 3/13)

Stat: Wyden Probes A Patient Advocacy Group Over Its Ties To Opioid Makers 
Amid the ongoing opioid crisis, a U.S. lawmaker is pressing a professional medical society that also functions as a patient advocacy group to disclose detailed information about its ties to drug makers over concerns it tried to sway government moves to curb opioid prescribing. In a March 12 letter, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) instructed the American Academy of Pain Medicine to provide a raft of documents, including tax filings; a list of payments from drug and device makers made to the group and its top officer; information about work performed for opioid maker Purdue Pharma; continuing medical education coursework; and its conflict of interest policy, among other things. (Silverman, 3/13)

Stat: Insys May Go Out Of Business As Controversy And Lawsuits Intensify 
Insys Therapeutics (INSY), the once high-flying drug maker that is among the companies blamed for fueling the U.S. opioid crisis, is in danger of going out of business. A combination of financial losses and uncertainty about its cash position prompted its auditor to determine there is “substantial doubt” whether the company can continue “as a going concern,” according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The drug maker added that it is trying to raise funds, but conceded there are “no assurances”. (Silverman, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Hospital Reviews 48 Nurses, Pharmacists Over Dosages, Deaths
The Ohio hospital system where an intensive-care doctor is accused of ordering painkiller overdoses for dozens of patients has put more employees on leave and changed key leaders at the hospital where nearly all those deaths occurred. Mount Carmel Health System said Wednesday that 48 nurses and pharmacists under review have been reported to their respective boards. Thirty of those employees have been put on leave, and 18 no longer work there, including some that left years ago, the system said. (3/13)

Pioneer Press: Can Medical Marijuana Help Combat Minnesota's Opioid Epidemic?
Many Minnesotans in pain are using medical marijuana to leave behind highly addictive opioids, which can have grave consequences. It is not just happening here — states like New York and Pennsylvania have recognized marijuana as an alternative to opioids. But some doctors are skeptical of the science behind the switch; opioids have been tested and approved by regulators, while medical marijuana in most cases has not. Plus, there is little research to back up its supposed health benefits. (Faircloth, 3/14)

Pioneer Press: Medical Marijuana In Minnesota: 5 Things You May Not Know
There are eight medical cannabis dispensaries in Minnesota — four of them are in the Twin Cities metro. The other locations are in scattered across the state: in Rochester, St. Cloud, Hibbing and Moorhead. Patients in the southwest and northwest corners of the state have to drive long distances to get their medication. A patient in Bemidji would have a roughly two-hour drive to the nearest dispensary in Hibbing. A patient in Mankato would have to drive 85 miles to get to the Rochester facility. (Faircloth, 3/14)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: What To Expect At Philly’s Many Overdose-Reversal Training Sessions
In response to Philadelphia’s mounting overdose death rate — in 2017, overdoses were responsible for about 1,200 deaths, four times the number of homicides in the same year — the city and nonprofit organizations like Prevention Point has launched a number of free opioid overdose-reversal training classes. Attendees go through the process of identifying someone who is overdosing, from spotting the signs to administering naloxone, a drug that can reverse an overdose on the spot. (Ao, 3/14)

Cincinnati Enquirer: Poll: Roughly Half Of Kentucky Residents To Support Needle Exchange
Roughly half of Kentuckians surveyed about needle exchange support the programs that let injection drug users trade used syringes for sterile ones, a new Kentucky Health Issues Poll shows. Interact for Health and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky partnered to pay for the 2018 poll, which they released Thursday. (DeMio, 3/14)

Miami Herald: Florida Nurse Swapped Pain Medication For Saline, State Says
A Jacksonville registered nurse has had her license restricted after possibly clogging toilets at one hospital with syringes and definitely swapping pain medication for saline at another. The Florida Department of Health dropped an Emergency Restriction Order (ERO) on Taniko Hampton’s license Friday. (Neal, 3/13)

Reuters: Experts Call For Halt To Gene Editing That Results In 'Designer Babies'
Top scientists and ethicists from seven countries on Wednesday called for a global moratorium on gene editing of human eggs, sperm or embryos that would result in genetically-altered babies after a rogue Chinese researcher last year announced the birth of the world's first gene-edited twins. News of their birth prompted global condemnation of the work, raising the ethical specter of so-called designer babies in which embryos could be genetically modified to produce children with desirable traits. (3/13)

NPR: Moratorium On Gene-Edited Babies Urged By Leading Geneticists
"We call for a global moratorium on all clinical uses of human germline editing — that is, changing heritable DNA (in sperm, eggs or embryos) to make genetically modified children," the 18 scientists and bioethicists from seven countries write in an article published Wednesday by the journal Nature. (Stein, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Scientists Back Temporary Global Ban On Gene-Edited Babies
Some scientists had called for a moratorium before the latest proposal, which carries no legal authority. It came from 18 researchers from seven countries who published a commentary in the journal Nature. They included prominent gene-editing experts Feng Zhang and David Liu of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They receive money from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press Health & Science Department. The researchers want a temporary ban on research designed to produce a baby from sperm, eggs or embryos that bear altered DNA. Roughly 30 nations already prohibit making babies from such "germline" gene editing, the authors said. It's essentially banned in the U.S. (3/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Scientists Call For Moratorium To Block Gene-Edited Babies
Dr. Doudna, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, said she opposes implanting edited embryos in humans for now, but supports research into it. When asked to sign onto the Nature comment, she said she decided against it because, “I feel it is a bit late to be calling for a moratorium.” She also said there were probably more effective ways to stop rogue scientists. Gene-editing technology and the Crispr tool, in particular, have been racing ahead even as scientists still try to sort out the ethical issues around its use. Discovered in 2012, Crispr allows scientists to cut, edit and insert new DNA. The Broad and a group that includes Dr. Charpentier and UC Berkeley are involved in a legal dispute over the rights to the technology. (Dockser Marcus, 3/13)

The Washington Post: NIH And Top Scientists Call For Moratorium On Gene-Edited Babies
Separately on Wednesday, Francis Collins, the director of the National Institutes of Health, issued a statement supporting the call for a moratorium and a governing body, and in an interview with The Washington Post, he made clear that this is the U.S. government position, discussed and cleared at the highest levels. “What we’re talking about here is one of the most fundamental moments of decision about the application of science to something of enormous societal consequence. Are we going to cross the line toward redesigning ourselves?” Collins said. (Achenbach, 3/13)

Politico: Scientists From 7 Countries Call For Global Ban On Heritable Gene Edits
Several U.S. companies are focused on using CRISPR technology to edit adult genes to treat rare diseases, cancers and blood conditions like sickle cell disease, but those changes would not be heritable. The therapies are still in development, and none have been approved for market. FDA late last year approved the first in-human CRISPR trial, a joint effort from Editas and Allergan to correct a gene that causes blindness. (Owermohle, 3/13)

Bloomberg: Top Genetics Experts Call For Ban On Modifying DNA Of Embryos 
Four months after a Chinese scientist shocked the world with news that he had intentionally altered the DNA of twin girls, top genetics experts and ethicists are calling for a partial ban on the use of a gene-editing technology that can be used to make modified humans. The researchers, including pioneers of the editing technique, are asking nations to prohibit doctors and scientists from changing the DNA in sperm, eggs or embryos intended to produce living children. (Cortez and Brown, 3/13)

The New York Times: Parents Wanted Their Unvaccinated Children In School, But A Judge Said No.
With New York State facing one of its most severe measles outbreaks in decades, public health officials in a suburban community took the extraordinary step in December of banning unvaccinated students from attending school, regardless of whether they had received religious or medical exemptions for the vaccine. The parents of 42 children affected by the ban at the school, the Green Meadow Waldorf School, sued the Rockland County health department, asking a federal judge to issue an injunction to allow the children to return. (Gold, 3/13)

The Washington Post: Measles Outbreak: Unvaccinated Children Can't Return To New York School, Federal Judge Rules
Normally, children and their families are able to claim a religion-based exemption from required vaccinations. But Rockland County’s health department has said these are not normal times. Across New York, there have been more than 300 confirmed measles cases, more than 150 in New York City and 146 in nearby Rockland County. In Rockland, most of the cases were found in those who were unvaccinated and under the age of 18. In December, the alarming outbreak compelled county officials to take the drastic — and, they say, unprecedented — step of banning unvaccinated children from attending certain schools that had vaccination rates lower than 95 percent. (Thebault, 3/14)

The Hill: New York Judge Denies Request To Allow Unvaccinated Students To Return To School 
The lawsuit argued that the health department’s decision to bar the students from campus violates the families’ right not to vaccinate their children for religious reasons. "The plaintiffs have not demonstrated that public interest weighs in favor of granting an injunction," Briccetti said in court Tuesday, according to the paper. (Daugherty, 3/13)

The New York Times: Amazon Pulls 2 Books That Promote Unscientific Autism ‘Cures’
Amazon has removed the online listings for two books that claim to contain cures for autism, a move that follows recent efforts by several social media sites to limit the availability of anti-vaccination and other pseudoscientific material. The books, “Healing the Symptoms Known as Autism” and “Fight Autism and Win,” which had previously been listed for sale in Amazon’s marketplace, were not available on Wednesday. The company confirmed that the listings had been removed, but declined to discuss why or whether similar books would be taken down in the future. (Hsu, 3/13)

Modern Healthcare: Limit False Anti-Vaccine Claims, AMA Tells Amazon, Facebook, Google, Twitter
The American Medical Association is urging the country's largest internet technology firms to clamp down on misinformation about vaccines in light of the ongoing series of measles outbreaks. The nation's most influential physician organization on Wednesday sent a letter to the CEOs of Amazon, Facebook, Google, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube expressing concern that their respective internet media channels are spreading false information about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and as a result have been driving parents to not immunize their children. (Johnson, 3/13)

And in other news —

The Oregonian: Measles Outbreak: Vancouver-Area Epidemic Grows To 77 Confirmed Cases
The Clark County Public Health Department announced Wednesday that one more person has been diagnosed with measles linked to a Vancouver-area outbreak. The total number of people diagnosed in Oregon and Washington due to the outbreak since Jan. 1 is now at 77. There are another three people in Oregon who’ve contracted measles not related to the epidemic, according to health officials. (3/13)

Houston Public Media: Another Measles Case Confirmed In Texas, Bringing Total To 11 
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is reporting 11 cases of measles as of this week. Last week, the state surpassed the total number in all of 2018 when there were nine confirmed cases. In 2017, Texas only had one case of measles. The 11th case is in Collin County and the patient is an adult who had traveled internationally, as reported by The Dallas Morning News. Harris County has the most cases in the state, with four reported by health officials. The other counties with confirmed cases are: Bell, Collin, Denton, Galveston, Guadalupe, Jefferson and Montgomery. (3/13)

The CT Mirror: Lawmakers Call For End To Religious Exemption On Vaccines
Lawmakers, including House Majority Leader Matthew Ritter, took aim Wednesday at the state’s religious exemption to vaccines, calling for a vote to repeal the provision and claiming that only a small but vocal group has argued to let it stand. Ritter cited concerns for school-aged children who cannot receive vaccinations because of immunodeficiencies, and pointed to other states, like California, Mississippi and West Virginia, that have eliminated the exemption. (Carlesso, 3/13)

Health News Florida: Judge Sides With Charter Schools In Safety Fight
In a decision that could have statewide implications, an administrative law judge Tuesday ruled that the Palm Beach County School Board is required to assign safety officers to charter schools under a law passed last year. Judge John Van Laningham sided with Renaissance Charter School Inc., which operates six schools in Palm Beach County and wanted the School Board to provide “safe school” officers. The School Board refused, leading to the legal battle. (Saunders, 3/13)

Reuters: Special Report: Online Activists Are Silencing Us, Scientists Say
The emails, tweets and blog posts in the "abuse" folder that Michael Sharpe keeps on his computer continue to pile up. Eight years after he published results of a clinical trial that found some patients with chronic fatigue syndrome can get a little better with the right talking and exercise therapies, the Oxford University professor is subjected to almost daily, often anonymous, intimidation. (3/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Unlocking Secrets Of Memory And Time In The Brain
Our bodies know when to fall asleep and when to wake up. Our brains can keep track of short bursts of time like a mental stopwatch. But in our memories, our sense of time is fuzzy. Now, research is beginning to uncover how we put our memories in order. These new insights into the workings of the brain, paired with other findings, could help in the understanding and early detection of diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, scientists say. The idea that we perceive time in our memory subjectively is well known in psychology, says Lila Davachi, a professor of psychology at Columbia University. (Abbott, 3/13)

NPR: Drug Side Effects Can Come Form Inactive Ingredients
If you have a bad reaction to a medicine, it might not be the drug itself, but what are called "inactive ingredients" in the pill or capsule. An article published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine surveys this field and finds ingredients that are potentially troublesome for some people are ubiquitous. For example, a few years ago study co-author Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, came across a patient with a severe gluten intolerance called celiac disease. (Harris, 3/13)

The New York Times: Coping With A Dieting Relative When You’re A Recovering Anorexic
I practice recovery by approaching my fear, modeling intuitive eating for my sister, something I couldn’t do when we were growing up. I tell her when I get peanut butter frozen yogurt at the Bigg Chill or when I have buttered popcorn for lunch (“Not lunch!” she says). When she asks what to do at the gym, I don’t give her the advice my eating disorder would have given me. When she buys chips because she’s “being bad,” I say Pringles are delicious. If she’s tired, I tell her to be kind to her body and take time off. Talking to her, I’m also talking to myself, dismantling my old negative attitudes about food. (Novak, 3/14)

Kaiser Health News: Understanding Loneliness In Older Adults — And Tailoring A Solution
For years, Dr. Linda Fried offered older patients who complained of being lonely what seemed to be sensible guidance. “Go out and find something that matters to you,” she would say. But her well-meant advice didn’t work most of the time. What patients really wanted were close relationships with people they care about, satisfying social roles and a sense that their lives have value. And this wasn’t easy to find. We need “new societal institutions that bring meaning and purpose” to older adults’ lives, Fried recently told a committee of the National Academies of Sciences investigating loneliness and social isolation among older adults. (Graham, 3/14)

Sacramento Bee: UC Davis Finds Ways For Blacks, Hispanics To Cut Dementia Risk
UC Davis researchers announced Tuesday that, after studying brain tissue from 423 Americans of Latino, African and non-Hispanic white descent, they have discovered startling variations in the causes of dementia among people of different races and ethnicities. In Latinos, for instance, cerebrovascular disease was much more likely to be a cause of dementia than Alzheimer’s disease. (Anderson, 3/13)

The CT Mirror: Cigna, Anthem, Await Multi-Billion-Dollar Decision After Bitter Court Fight
Cigna and Anthem have battled for nearly two years, each seeking billions of dollars in damages in a bitter breakup after a failed merger. Now a chancery court judge in Delaware is about to decide who walks away with the money. That decision by Delaware Chancery Court Judge Travis Laster is expected to roil the industry and could have a huge impact on Bloomfield-based Cigna, which could either receive a windfall as large as $16 billion or be required to pay Anthem, based in Indianapolis, Ind. as much as $20 billion. (Radelat, 3/14)

The Associated Press: No Dental Insurance? Discount Plans Can Provide Savings
No dental insurance? You're not alone. Roughly 1 in 4 Americans don't have dental coverage, according to industry figures. Employers are by far the biggest provider of dental benefits in the U.S., accounting for nearly half of all enrollees, followed by the government's Medicaid plan for low-income people. Researchers have shown that costs are a bigger obstacle to dental care in the U.S. than all other forms of health care. (3/13)

Modern Healthcare: Trinity Health Reports Net Loss In Latter Half Of 2018
The equities market downturn at the end of 2018 pulled Trinity Health into net loss territory in the latter half of the year, compared with more than $800 million in net income in the prior-year period. The Livonia, Mich.-based health system weathered a $426.7 million investment loss in the six months ended Dec. 31, 2018—the first half of its fiscal 2019—compared with a gain of $478.6 million in the prior-year period. That led to $301.5 million in expenses over revenue in the six-month period, a significant swing from $806.4 million in revenue over expenses in the prior-year period. (Bannow, 3/13)

The Hill: Blue Cross, Blue Shield Operator Did Not Pay Federal Taxes In 2018, Got $1.7B Refund
Health Care Service Corp., which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in a handful of states, did not pay any federal taxes in 2018 and received a $1.7 billion tax refund, according to its latest financial report. The tax refund boosted the health insurance conglomerate's net profit to $4.1 billion last year, which compares to $1.3 billion in 2017, according to Axios, which first reported about Health Care Service's tax refund. (Mills Rodrigo, 3/11)

Stat: At A Big Cardiology Meeting, Glitzy Tech Will Collide With Sober Science
Researchers from Stanford will present the results of a study of more than 400,000 patients testing the [Apple Watch's] ability to accurately detect heart rhythm problems, which can lead to strokes and other problems. The Apple-sponsored study will be the first test of whether putting wrist sensors on people to detect heart rhythm changes is a good idea that get them necessary care, or a bad one that is raising false alarms and possibly leading to over-treatment of the worried well. It is also one of the largest heart screening studies ever. (Herper, 3/14)

Modern Healthcare: Cleveland Clinic Launches Artificial Intelligence Center
Cleveland Clinic has launched a center to advance the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The Center for Clinical Artificial Intelligence will focus on developing innovative clinical applications of AI and leveraging machine-learning technology in hopes of improving healthcare delivery in areas such as diagnostics, disease prediction and treatment planning, according to a news release. (Coutré, 3/13)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: ‘Hospital Room In A Box?’ You Can Now Buy One On Amazon
As of Thursday, the MedModular "hospital room in a box" is available for purchase through the e-commerce giant at $814 per square foot, CNBC reported. The units, created by Philadelphia-based EIR Healthcare, are customizable, but each comes with a bathroom and bed. (Smajstrla, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Arkansas Lawmakers Send Governor 18-Week Abortion Ban
Arkansas lawmakers on Wednesday sent the governor legislation banning most abortions 18 weeks into a woman's pregnancy, a prohibition that could be the strictest in the country. The House gave final approval by an 86-1 vote to the bill, which Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he supports. Arkansas already bans abortion 20 weeks into a woman's pregnancy. Hutchinson told reporters he believed the restriction would likely survive a court challenge. (3/13)

The Associated Press: Kansas Conservatives Vote To Condemn New York's Abortion Law
The conservatives who dominate the Kansas Legislature voted Wednesday to tell New York's leaders just how much they hate the Empire State's new law expanding abortion rights, ignoring Democrats who called the endeavor a toothless waste of time and money. The Kansas House voted 85-38 on Wednesday to approve the resolution, which declares that the New York law offends Kansas' and the nation's values and incites "abuse and violence toward women and their unborn children." (3/13)

The Associated Press: Bill Passes To Ban Abortions Based On Gender, Disability
Kentucky’s Republican-led legislature on Wednesday passed its latest measure to put more restrictions on abortion, setting up another legal fight with abortion-rights defenders. The legislation would ban abortion for women seeking to end their pregnancies because of the gender, race or disability of the fetus. The GOP-dominated Senate voted 32-4 to send the bill to the state’s anti-abortion governor, Republican Matt Bevin. Soon after the vote, the American Civil Liberties of Kentucky tweeted: “We will see the state of Kentucky in court (again).” (Schreiner, 3/13)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: On Abortion, John Bel Edwards Is Increasingly Out Of Step With Democrats
Gov. John Bel Edwards went through a laundry list of his achievements as he accepted the Louisiana Democratic Party’s endorsement for his 2019 reelection campaign Saturday (March 9). Standing before dozens of members of his own party, Edwards highlighted what he considered his first-term successes: Medicaid expansion, state budget stabilization, economic projects, coastal restoration projects, higher education scholarships and lowering Louisiana’s sky-high incarceration rate. (O'Donoghue, 3/13)

Columbus Dispatch: 'Heartbeat Bill' Passes Ohio Senate, Ready For Expected House OK
By a six-vote margin, the controversial “Heartbeat Bill” passed the Ohio Senate on Wednesday, moving another step closer to becoming law after several attempts in recent years fell short. Senate Bill 23, which would prohibit abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected, with exceptions for cases in which the mother’s life is at risk — was debated vociferously on the Senate floor before passing 19-13. (Prosser, 3/13)

Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio Senate Passes ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Ban
HB 23 now heads to the House. Reogner, in her remarks to Senate colleagues, alluded to the goal of abortion opponents to overturn the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case of Roe v. Wade. Reogner said that courts, guided by standards created in Roe v. Wade, restrict abortion based on the viability of a fetus. But she said viability is a “moving target” because it varies based on the part of the world where a pregnant woman lives or the point in time when advancements in medical technology occurred. (Hancock, 3/13)

ProPublica: Oregon Should Overhaul Handling Of Insanity Defendants, Says Head Of Psychiatry Security Review Board
The state of Oregon needs to overhaul the way it handles people found guilty except for insanity and better track what happens to them once they are released from state jurisdiction, the head of the agency that supervises such defendants said. In an interview, Alison Bort, executive director of the Oregon Psychiatric Security Review Board, acknowledged gaps in the system for treating and discharging people found criminally insane and said the state Legislature should consider appointing a state task force to weigh reforms. “I don’t think anyone disagrees we can do better,” Bort said. (Zaitz, 3/13)

The Wall Street Journal: New York City Council Passes Bills Bolstering Lead Testing
New York City’s lead testing and reporting will be expanded under a new package of bills designed to limit exposure in children and improve education around lead poisoning. The 10 measures, which passed Wednesday in the City Council, cover everything from extending requirements for lead-based paint testing at day-care centers to expanding reporting requirements when lead is found. One bill would require the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and individual landlords to investigate and fix lead issues in places where children spent 10 or more hours a week. (Honan, 3/13)

Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Lawmakers Propose Bill To Support Children With Disabilities
There are approximately 3,600 Tennessee children with long-term disability or complex medical needs who live at home with their families and are not currently on TennCare. On Tuesday, lawmakers filed a bill amendment that could help these families by creating a pathway to Medicaid services for their children. The rationale of the legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Sam Whitson (R-Franklin) and Sen. Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), establishes that the financial and personal costs of caring for a child with severe disabilities are often "excessive" and private insurance is insufficient. (Bliss, 3/13)

Georgia Health News: Senate Panel OKs Behavioral Health Commission
A Senate committee voted Wednesday in favor of a bill to create a state commission to analyze Georgia’s behavioral health services and recommend improvements. The commission would be authorized to take ‘’a very deep dive’’ into the state’s mental health system, said Rep. Kevin Tanner (R-Dawsonville), lead sponsor of House Bill 514. He said Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) have all worked on the commission proposal. (Miller, 3/13)

Texas Tribune: Texas’ 1115 Waiver Set To Expire In 2021, Prompting Health Care Concerns
Although much of the waiver funding doesn’t expire until 2021, a broad coalition of doctors, hospitals and patient advocates is sounding the alarm about its future. If state lawmakers want the federal government to continue footing much of the tab for the state’s health care safety net, they say, the Texas Legislature needs to do something this legislative session to send a clear signal to the Trump administration that the funding should continue. (Walters, 3/14)

Politico: Trump 'Not Thrilled' About California Governor's Death Penalty Moratorium
President Donald Trump on Wednesday criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to issue a moratorium on executions in the state. “Defying voters, the Governor of California will halt all death penalty executions of 737 stone cold killers,” Trump tweeted. “Friends and families of the always forgotten VICTIMS are not thrilled, and neither am I!” (Galioto, 3/13)

The Associated Press: California Jury Awards $29M In Baby Powder Cancer Case
A California jury has awarded $29 million to a woman who claimed her terminal cancer was caused by Johnson & Johnson baby powder. Jurors in Oakland found the company liable Wednesday in a suit that claims asbestos in the powder gave Teresa Leavitt mesothelioma. Some 13,000 similar lawsuits around the country allege New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson hid the powder's health risks from the public for decades. (3/14)

Bloomberg: J&J Found Liable For California Woman’s Talc-Linked Cancer
The panel, which included a lawyer and a state-court judge, also found the world’s largest maker of health-care products didn’t warn Leavitt its baby powder was tainted with the carcinogen. ...Leavitt’s doctors say her mesothelioma is advanced and she’s not expected to live beyond 2020, according to testimony in the case. The mother of two testified that baby powder was used on her when she was a child, and she continued that practice into adulthood, sometimes as a “dry shower’’ and as foundation for her makeup. (Feeley, Burnson and Fisk, 3/13)

NOLA: Louisiana's 170-Year-Old Mental Hospital Is 'Quickly Deteriorating' With More Than 600 Patients Inside 
Louisiana’s first state-run psychiatric hospital, which opened more than 170 years ago, is “deplorable, antiquated and quickly deteriorating,” even as more than 600 people are still held there. That’s the assessment by the Louisiana Department of Health in a request for $348 million over five years to build a 750-bed replacement for the hospital in East Feliciana Parish. Tucked away in the town of Jackson, the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System is one of only two state-run mental health hospitals left in Louisiana after years of closures and budget cuts. (Sayre, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Agreement Reached To Increase Alcohol Limits On Beer In Utah
Alcohol limits for beer at Utah grocery stores inched closer to the rest of the country Wednesday under a legislative compromise in the state where the predominant faith teaches abstinence from alcohol. The agreement would raise alcohol limits to 4 percent starting in November, a level that's still lower than almost all other states but would allow beers like Bud Light and Corona to be sold, Republican Sen. Jerry Stevenson said. (3/13)

KCUR: Third Hospital Once Run By North Kansas City Company Closes Its Doors 
Yet another ailing rural hospital once operated by EmpowerHMS, which used to be based in North Kansas City, has closed. The Horton (Kansas) Community Hospital about 78 miles northwest of Kansas City shut its doors at 5 p.m. Tuesday, according to City Administrator John Calhoon. ...The 25-bed hospital’s closure came just weeks after two other hospitals once operated by EmpowerHMS turned off the lights. Oswego Community Hospital in Oswego, Kansas, about 160 miles south of Kansas City, shut down a month ago. (Margolies and McLean, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Johns Hopkins Wants Armed Police; Baltimore Says Not So Fast
Johns Hopkins University, a thriving private research institution with one of the world's foremost medical schools, wants to create an armed police force similar to those patrolling numerous other U.S. colleges and universities. But in its home city of Baltimore, split by deep divisions and seared by years of discriminatory policing, it's not going to happen easily. A bill that would authorize a force for Johns Hopkins' three city campuses is nearing conclusive votes in Maryland's legislature — just one year after lawmakers chose not to endorse such an idea after being flooded with constituents' objections. (3/13)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: St. Bernard Parish Hospital Makes History With Acid Reflux Procedure
History was made in the St. Bernard Parish Hospital recently when Dr. Thomas Delahoussaye performed the first LINX Procedure, a permanent, drug-free treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease. The treatment is designed to help patients suffering from GERD experience a better quality of life and get relief without needing daily medication. What made the procedure even more significant is that it was the first of its kind to be performed in the metro area. (Lemoine 3/13)

Boston Globe: Deaths And Injuries Prompt Sweeping AG Nursing Home Investigations And Safety Reforms
Attorney General Maura Healey announced on Wednesday settlements with seven nursing homes to resolve allegations of systemic failures that led to five residents’ deaths and several injuries. The settlements impose fines on the nursing homes ranging from $30,000 to $200,000. (Lazar, 3/13)

WBUR: Patient Deaths Cited In Mass. Settlement With 7 Nursing Homes
In Wednesday's settlements, the nursing homes also agreed to increase monitoring over the course of three years. They now face additional fines if they don't comply with recommended improvements. One of the nursing homes has closed. (Walters, 3/13)

Miami Herald: Surgeon Fired For Sharing Graphic Photos Of Patients
A University of Miami Health System doctor has been fired after sharing on his personal Instagram account graphic photos of patients, including pictures of genitalia of some patients who were having gender reassignment surgery, according to a petition launched by transgender advocates asking the American College of Surgeons to intervene. Dr. Christopher John Salgado, section chief of UHealth’s LGBTQ Center for Wellness, Gender and Sexual Health, posted the photos as recently as Valentine’s Day, when he shared a photo of the removed penis of a transgender patient and shaped it into a heart, with the comment, “There are many ways to show your LOVE.” (Chang, 3/13)

Reuters: As Wildfires Devour Communities, Toxic Threats Emerge
As an uncontrollable wildfire turned the California town of Paradise to ash, air pollution researcher Keith Bein knew he had to act fast: Little is known about toxic chemicals released when a whole town burns and the wind would soon blow away evidence. He drove the roughly 100 miles to Paradise, located in the Sierra Nevada foothills, from his laboratory at the University of California, Davis, only to be refused entrance under rules that allow first responders and journalists - but not public health researchers - to cross police lines. (3/13)

Boston Globe: Medical Marijuana Dispensary Reopens After Shutdown Over Product Labeling, Security
A medical marijuana dispensary in Acton announced it would reopen Wednesday, five weeks after being closed for security and labeling violations. Mass Wellspring said it had “worked diligently” to update its policies to comply with the Cannabis Control Commission’s new regulations. (Martin, 3/13)

Miami Herald: Miami Beach May Ban Sunscreen Chemicals That Harm Coral Reefs
On Wednesday, the City Commission sent a proposal that would prohibit the sale of sunscreens containing oxybenzone or octinoxate to the city’s sustainability committee for further study. The chemicals — which are commonly found in skincare products and protect against the harmful effects of sun exposure — have been linked to coral bleaching and other damage to coral reefs. (Gurney, 3/13)

Commonwealth Fund: The 'Medicare For All' Continuum: A New Comparison Tool For Congressional Health Bills Illustrates The Range Of Reform Ideas
Several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have called for “Medicare for All” as a way to expand health coverage and lower U.S. health care costs. Replacing most private insurance with a Medicare-like system for everyone has instilled both hope and fear across the country depending on people’s perspective or financial stake in the current health care system. But a closer look at recent congressional bills introduced by Democrats reveals a set of far more nuanced approaches to improving the nation’s health care system than the term Medicare for All suggests. To highlight these nuances, a new Commonwealth Fund interactive tool launched today illustrates the extent to which each of these reform bills would expand the public dimensions of our health insurance system, or those aspects regulated or run by state and federal government. (Collins, 3/12)

Health Affairs: Consumers’ Responses To Surprise Medical Bills In Elective Situations
A surprise medical bill is a bill from an out-of-network provider that was not expected by the patient or that came from an out-of-network provider not chosen by the patient. We investigated consumers’ hospital choices after receipt of surprise out-of-network medical bills in an elective situation, using a large national sample of medical claims for obstetric patients with two deliveries covered by employer-sponsored health insurance in 2007–14. We found that 11 percent of mothers experienced a surprise out-of-network bill with their first delivery, and this was associated with an increase of 13 percent in the odds of switching hospitals for the second delivery, compared to mothers who did not experience a surprise bill. (Chartock, Garmon and Schutz, 3/4)

Urban Institute: Women Call For More Education, Contraceptive Choices To Prevent Unplanned Pregnancy
Although the rate of unintended pregnancies in the United States has decreased in recent years, it remains high compared with other developed countries. And though evidence shows how unplanned births affect women’s lives, less is known about what motivates women to avoid unplanned pregnancy, and what stands in their way. New Urban Institute findings are helping fill that gap in knowledge.Results from focus groups conducted by Urban with women across the country offer a window into the reasons women want to prevent unplanned pregnancy. We learned from them, too, that successfully controlling whether and when to have children can be a challenge: Many women reported that they don’t have access to quality sex education and family planning information. Nor do they have access to different contraceptive options to try, so they can decide what works best for them. (3/7)

JAMA Internal Medicine: Patient Outcomes After Hospital Discharge To Home With Home Health Care Vs To A Skilled Nursing Facility.
In a cohort study of Medicare data of more than 17 million hospitalizations using instrumental variable methods to account for confounding by indication, compared with discharging patients to skilled nursing facilities, discharging patients to home with home health care was associated with a higher 30-day rate of readmission but a significantly lower Medicare payment for initial postacute care and for the total 60-day episode of care including hospitalization, all postacute care, and subsequent readmissions. There were no significant differences in 30-day mortality rates or improved functional status. (Werner et al, 3/11)

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation: Most Medicare Beneficiaries Lack Dental Coverage, And Many Go Without Needed Care
Almost two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries (65%), or nearly 37 million people, do not have dental coverage and many go without needed care, according to a new KFF brief on dental coverage and costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Rates are even higher among black and Hispanic beneficiaries, and those with low incomes.Medicare does not cover routine preventive dental care or more expensive dental services that are often needed by older adults. Lack of dental care can lead to delayed diagnosis of serious health conditions, preventable infections and complications, chronic pain, and costly emergency room visits. (3/13)

Modern Healthcare: Home Health Saves Medicare Money Despite Higher Readmissions
Home health agencies are more likely to experience hospital readmissions compared to skilled-nursing facilities, but their lower service costs still make them a cheaper post-acute care option, according to a new analysis. The study, published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, found that Medicare patients discharged to home health had a 5.6% higher 30-day readmission rate compared with patients sent to a skilled-nursing facility, or SNF. Despite that, the authors noted home health saved Medicare $4,514 on average in the 60 days after the first hospital admission because their services cost marginally less than SNFs. (Castellucci, 3/13)

Bloomberg: Surprise Medical Expenses And The Scandal Of Balance Billing 
Outrage can be a powerful motivator. Tale after tale of people hamstrung by astronomical medical bills they didn’t see coming have put lawmakers from both parties on a joint mission to repair the problem. In the U.S., the phenomenon of surprise medical bills isn’t new, but it’s been getting some overdue attention. It arises from the way in which health insurers restrict their coverage to specific doctors, hospitals and other care providers. To minimize out-of-pocket charges, people need to stay “in network.” But very often, they’re treated by an anesthesiologist, ambulance company, emergency-room doctor, laboratory or other provider not tied to their insurer — and only find out later. Their so-called balance bills from out-of-network providers can run into the tens of thousands of dollars. (3/13)

Seattle Times: A Measles Infection Could Cost My Patients Their Pregnancies Or Even Their Lives 
I recently started telling my pregnant patients not to travel to parts of Washington state, because they might be exposed to measles. New cases of measles continue to be identified in Clark County along the southern Washington border, just outside Portland. Now, an outbreak in Vancouver, British Columbia, has Canadian health officials worried. Measles outbreaks are currently ongoing in 11 U.S. states, but the outbreak in Washington state is one of the largest. (Kristina Adams Waldorf, 3/13)

USA Today: Our Broken Health Care System Punishes Mothers Like Me For Sick Kids
Early one recent Sunday morning, my kids woke up not feeling well. Due to a health notice from their school, I knew I needed to get them to urgent care for medicine right away or they wouldn’t be allowed to go to school the next day.I am a single mother. I am also an entrepreneur, working in women’s leadership training and consulting. Keeping my kids home from school for a day means I can’t work. As the sole financial supporter of my children, not working is not an option. My family is insured through the Affordable Care Act and I pay $1182 a month for our insurance through Blue Shield of California. I expected that a doctor’s visit and getting the medicine we needed would be quick and easy. I couldn’t have been more wrong. (Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin, 3/13)

The Hill: March Is Military Caregivers Month: Understanding Their Long-Term Journey 
March is U.S. Military Caregivers Month, celebrating and honoring the immeasurable dedication and sacrifice required of these “hidden heroes.” The United States is in the longest period of war in its history, with service members returning home wounded, injured or ill, and often in need of full-time caregivers. Many military caregivers must relocate to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, Md., arranging for childcare, emergency leave from jobs, as well as lodging and transportation, in order to arrive and remain by their loved ones’ sides. (Sean Spicer, 3/13)

The Detroit News: Fighting Back Against Michigan's Opioid Crisis
Opioid overdose strikes without prejudice. We’ve both seen this firsthand. From Detroit to Grand Rapids, Staten Island to the Bronx, the epidemic isn’t just at our doorsteps — it’s inside our homes. It’s taking our loved ones at a higher rate than gun violence and car crashes, and it’s ravaging families and communities across our country. An American dies from an opioid overdose every 11 minutes. This is a public health crisis — and a full-blown national emergency. We need a response bold enough to stop it.In the last two years, we’ve heard a lot of talk from the White House, but we haven’t seen a lot of action. (Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michael Bloomberg, 3/13)

Miami Herald: Caregivers For Older Adults Must Have Proper Training, Security And Background Screening And Vetting. You Can’t Allow Just Anyone To Take Care Of Frail Adults.
As Florida’s population ages, we must strengthen safety net programs for home- and community-based care. These programs include the state-funded Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) and Home Care for the Elderly (HCE). Both are essential for helping older adults who do not qualify for Medicaid to continue living independently at home for as long as possible, preventing institutional care. (Carlos Martinez, 3/12)

St. Louis Post Dispatch: Family Planning Rule Endangers Public Health In Missouri
On March 4, the Trump administration published a final rule, “Compliance with Statutory Program Integrity Requirements,” amending Title X, the nation’s family planning program. These changes introduced unprecedented requirements and restrictions that will be destructive to patient-provider relationships and undermine the program. As clinicians within the Title X program, we are greatly concerned about their impact on the health of our patients. (Lucia Obergoenner, Hailey Kramer and Kate Wagner, 3/13)

Los Angeles Times: Gavin Newsom’s Death Penalty Moratorium Could Turn The Abolitionist Tide In California 
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s decision to suspend executions in California for as long as he is governor is, for the time being, a symbolic act. No one has been executed in San Quentin’s death chamber since Jan. 17, 2006, and few believe the next execution would have happened any time soon, given the array of legal hurdles embroiling the system. But Newsom’s moratorium — technically, he granted reprieves to each of the 737 people on death row — at a minimum adds further delays to the resumption of the machinery of death, as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry A. Blackmun once described it. And that’s a good thing. (3/13)

Boston Globe: Massachusetts Can Do More To Fight Human Trafficking
Disrupting human trafficking requires a multifaceted approach, including focusing on the buyers of sex and giving law enforcement tools to spot and stop trafficking sooner. For many police departments, charging and naming johns has become an important enforcement tool in itself. (3/12)