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Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Outsiders Swoop In Vowing To Rescue Rural Hospitals Short On Hope — And Money

KFF Health News Original

The community of Surprise Valley, Calif., wrestled with the idea of selling its tiny, long-cherished hospital to a Denver entrepreneur who sees a big future in lab tests for faraway patients. Last summer, another exec had a similar idea but left town.

Facebook Live: Vaping Unveiled

KFF Health News Original

Nicotine-loaded e-cig juices that spoof popular treats — marketed to help adults kick the smoking habit— instead may be luring youths into addiction. California Healthline’s Facebook Live peeled back the curtains on this wolf in sheep’s clothing.

In Health Care Arena, The Prize For Calif. Insurance Commissioner Is A Bullhorn

KFF Health News Original

The California Department of Insurance, headed by the commissioner, regulates only a small fraction of the market. But the job comes with a bully pulpit that amplifies its impact. Three of the four candidates would use it to push for a statewide single-payer system.

Insurer Slashes Breast Pump Payments, Stoking Fears Fewer Moms Will Breastfeed

KFF Health News Original

Anthem, one of the country’s largest insurers, has cut the reimbursement rate it pays for breast pumps by nearly half, fueling concerns that new moms — especially ones with lower incomes — will not be able to afford the pumps they need.

When Is Insurance Not Really Insurance? When You Need Pricey Dental Care.

KFF Health News Original

Even under a decent plan, you’ll have to dig deep in your pocket for crowns, bridges and implants. The mouth isn’t covered by insurance the same way as the rest of the body, and this division has deep roots in history and tradition.

California Hospital Giant Sutter Health Faces Heavy Backlash On Prices

KFF Health News Original

In a case with possible national repercussions, the state’s attorney general has sued over alleged price gouging, and other legal and legislative challenges are afoot. Sutter is pushing back hard, denying anticompetitive behavior.

Primero fue la marihuana… ¿y ahora los hongos alucinógenos?

KFF Health News Original

Siguiendo los pasos de la marihuana, Oregon y Colorado impulsan la legalización de hongos alucinógenos cuya sustancia activa, la psilocibina, podría ayudar a superar la depresión y la ansiedad.

First, Marijuana. Are Magic Mushrooms Next?

KFF Health News Original

Advocates in Oregon and Denver are pushing ballot measures to allow possession of mushrooms containing the hallucinogenic ingredient psilocybin, as new research shows it may be useful in treating depression and anxiety. Supporters of a measure to decriminalize magic mushrooms in California ended their effort late last month.

California Lawmakers Seek Reparations For People Sterilized By The State

KFF Health News Original

More than 20,000 Californians were sterilized at state homes and hospitals from 1909 to 1979, most of them women, people with disabilities and immigrants. Now, a state lawmaker wants to provide reparations to the roughly 800 living survivors, many of whom never consented to the procedures or did so under pressure.

Choice Of Bay Area For AIDS Conference Exposes Tension Among Activists

KFF Health News Original

Numerous advocacy groups oppose the recent decision to hold the 2020 International AIDS conference in San Francisco and Oakland, and some argue it shouldn’t be in the U.S. at all. Those who support the decision say the predominantly liberal politics of the region make it an ideal venue for sending a message about the Trump administration’s perceived retreat from leadership on AIDS.

Calif. Leads Nation In Pushing Back Against Trump Administration Health Policies

KFF Health News Original

In the face of federal efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, policymakers in the largest state are proposing laws and other changes to counter them. Beyond that, they’re aggressively pushing measures to expand health coverage beyond what the ACA envisioned.

Safety Violations Compound Pain Of Painkiller Shortages

KFF Health News Original

California and federal officials have cracked down on a major compounding pharmacy they say posed a threat to public safety, but their actions are worsening shortages of medications that doctors rely on to keep their patients out of pain.

Dialysis Patients Sign Up For November Ballot Fight

KFF Health News Original

Frustrated by dialysis centers they call dirty and understaffed, patients and health care workers rallied across California Thursday before delivering more than 600,000 signatures to election offices in support of a ballot initiative intended to improve patient care.