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California Healthline Original Stories
5 Takeaways From Court Arguments On Trump’s New Abortion Referral Rule
The legal fight over the Trump administration’s new rule barring health clinics that receive federal family planning grants from referring women for abortion services played out before a divided federal appeals court Monday. Here are key takeaways. (Sarah Varney, )
Good morning! As attention on the vaping issue escalates even further, a CDC official warns Congress that more cases are coming and Juul's CEO Kevin Burns steps down. More on those headlines below, but first here are your top California health news stories of the day:
Stop Vaping. Now. That's the advice from state officials. “People are getting sick and some are dying as a result of vaping ... Californians are encouraged to stop vaping until health officials fully understand what’s causing this public health crisis," said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. So far, 90 California residents with a history of vaping have been hospitalized and two died. There is plenty more coverage of this story from Soumya Karlamangla of the Los Angeles Times, Sophia Bollag of The Sacramento Bee and Erin Allday of the San Francisco Chronicle. And below we round up even more national vaping news.
State Fires Back At EPA Highway Funds Threat: Here's the latest in the escalating feud between California officials and the Trump administration: a state official responds to the EPA's recent letter warning the state about its air quality record. It "contains multiple inaccuracies, omissions and misstatements,” according to Richard Corey, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board. “EPA has unclean hands: It sat on these documents for years and is now pounding the table about paperwork issues of its own creation.” The EPA threatened to withhold federal highway funds over the issue, and that is just the most recent federal move concerning California's environmental regulations. Last week the administration said it will revoke a waiver that allows California to set stricter car emission standards. This ongoing story is making state and national news with coverage from Kurtis Alexander of the San Francisco Chronicle, Alexa Diaz, Anna M. Phillips and Tony Barboza of the Los Angeles Times, Jeff Brady of NPR, Katy Stech Ferek of The Wall Street Journal.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
San Francisco Chronicle:
Juul Replaces CEO As Scrutiny Intensifies
The CEO of San Francisco vaping company Juul is stepping down as the company prepares to restructure its global workforce and likely lay off some employees amid an onslaught of regulatory, legal and political pressure in the United States and abroad. Kevin Burns, who has led Juul since 2017 after an executive role at the Chobani yogurt company, will be replaced immediately by K.C. Crosthwaite, chief growth officer at Altria Group, a part owner of Juul, the company announced Wednesday. At Altria, Crosthwaite focused on alternatives to traditional cigarettes. (Ho, 9/25)
NPR:
If E-Cigs Were Romaine Lettuce, They'd Be Off The Shelf, Vaper's Mom Tells Congress
A top official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned federal lawmakers Tuesday that a new generation of e-cigarettes now on the market is "even more addictive," than early versions of vapes, and the number of vaping-related lung diseases is continuing to rise. "We are seeing more and more cases each day," the CDC's Dr. Anne Schuchat told lawmakers at a hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform that is looking into the recent national outbreak. (Aubrey, 9/24)
Kaiser Health News:
At Raucous Hearing, No Unity On Vaping Issues
Opposing views on e-cigarettes, witnesses interrupting members of Congress and even a wink. A hearing Tuesday on the epidemic of respiratory injuries linked to vaping was one unusual show. ... Yet even these rising numbers [of lung illness cases] and stark warnings didn’t unify the often-contentious party lines at the House subcommittee hearing on vaping. Ostensibly about public health, the hearing grew tense and political at unexpected moments. (Bluth, 9/25)
The Washington Post:
Black-Market Vaping Products Are Potential Culprits In Mystery Lung Illnesses
Doorways chained shut and “Members Only” signs warn casual passersby against stopping along this five-block stretch of downtown known as the “Cannabis District.” This gritty corridor is a major hub for the estimated $9 billion black market for the state’s illicit cannabis products. Products sold here, including a flood of counterfeit vape materials from China, are coming under scrutiny as federal authorities investigate the mysterious vaping-related lung illness that has sickened at least 530 people in 38 states and claimed nine lives. (Kuznia and Sun, 9/24)
Stat:
'Do You Vape?' With Rise In Lung Illness, Doctors Start To Ask New Questions
A recent rash of vaping-related illnesses has sickened hundreds in the United States, sparked a sweeping public health investigation, and generated a flurry of legislative measures to curb the e-cigarette industry. But in exam rooms, the illnesses have prompted a less-noticed but equally significant shift: Doctors, particularly pulmonologists, are asking patients whether they vape, even when they’re not presenting symptoms of the mysterious illness. (Thielking, 9/24)
California Healthline:
Meet The Health Officials Who Alerted The World To The Alarming Vaping Illness
The epidemic has prompted outrage about federal oversight of vaping, but there is also a local public health success story to be told. Doctors and regional officials in Wisconsin, Illinois and elsewhere pieced together that this mysterious illness was much larger than it appeared. It’s a tale of teamwork, communication and long-serving public health officials tapping into their networks in an era of limited public health funding, diminished public health infrastructure and high turnover. (Weber, 9/25)
CQ:
CDC Says Surveillance Upgrades Would Help Vaping Investigation
Outdated health surveillance infrastructure is making it more challenging to solve the mystery of lung illnesses that appear to be linked to vaping, a top Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official told a House panel Tuesday. The warning from Anne Schuchat, the deputy CDC director, came as the number of illnesses and deaths associated with vaping continues to climb. “The epidemic is moving faster than our data gathering,” she told the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy. (Siddons, 9/24)
Sacramento Bee:
How CA Can Elevate Quality Of Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans
The California Health Care Foundation, working with researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, urged state legislators in a report released Wednesday to take bold steps to improve the quality of Medi-Cal managed care plans. ...Researchers and the foundation leaders pointed out that quality measures for for-profit health insurers paled, on average, when compared with those of nonprofit and public carriers, so the foundation advised lawmakers to “reconsider the role” that for-profit insurers play in the Medi-Cal arena. (Anderson, 9/25)
KQED:
State Cites Stanford Hospital In Attack That Injured Two Psych Nurses
A series of security lapses at Stanford Hospital allowed a patient in a locked psychiatric unit to attack a 70-year-old nurse earlier this year, state workplace regulators said. The assault occurred on March 12 in a part of the Palo Alto facility that lacked security, despite an order calling for the patient to be accompanied by guards, according to an investigation by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health. (Goldberg, 9/25)
Modern Healthcare:
DSH Fund Cuts Face Difficult Fight From Hospitals
Hospital groups are beginning to push back on the CMS' plan to cut Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital funds. DSH funds are meant to help hospitals with uncompensated-care costs, an area that could grow with a recent increase in the uninsured rate. ...The CMS on Monday published a final rule for calculating $4 billion in state Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital cuts for fiscal 2020 and $8 billion for each subsequent year through 2025. (Brady and Cohen, 9/24)
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Officials Blast Federal Proposal That Could Kick Millions Off Food Stamps
San Francisco city officials have joined elected leaders across the country — including mayors, governors and congressional delegations from several states — in condemning a proposed policy shift by the Trump administration that could purge millions of people nationwide from the federal food-stamp program. Mayor London Breed and City Attorney Dennis Herrera sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday calling the agency’s proposed rule change “misguided, cruel and harmful.” The proposal, if enacted, would deprive more than 3,200 low-income San Francisco households of critical food assistance. Breed and Herrera urged the agency to “withdraw the proposed rule in its entirety.” The agency received just under 80,000 comments on the proposal, some of which praised the rule change. (Fracassa, 9/24)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Rule Could End Free School Lunches For About 500,000 Children
About a half-million students could lose access to free school meals under a Trump administration proposal to limit the number of people who qualify for food stamps, drawing protests from congressional Democrats who say it could harm needy schoolchildren. The change, proposed over the summer, would cut an estimated 3 million people from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. It is intended to eliminate eligibility for people who get food stamps because they have qualified for other forms of government aid, even though they may have savings or other assets. (Balingit, 9/24)
Modesto Bee:
California Abortion Rate Drops To Lowest Level In Decades
The abortion rate in California has fallen to the lowest level in decades, a trend that corresponds with a drop in pregnancies, new data show. About 133,000 abortions took place in California during 2017, down from about 157,000 abortions in 2014, according to the nonprofit Guttmacher Institute. (Reese, 9/25)
KQED:
2 Flu Deaths Reported In Santa Clara County
Two Santa Clara County residents, including a child, have died from influenza, county health department officials said Tuesday. The dates of their deaths were not released. The child was previously healthy and had recently returned from traveling overseas. The adult, who was under 65, had an underlying chronic illness that put the individual at increased risk from the flu, said Dr. Sara Cody, county health officer and director of the Public Health Department. (Clyde and Shuler, 9/24)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Two San Diego Supervisors Call For 'Best Practices' Review In Wake Of Jail Deaths Report
Two members of the county Board of Supervisors are calling for a review of best practices within county jails in the wake of a six-month investigation by The San Diego Union-Tribune into the growing number of inmate deaths. ...Members of the sheriff’s department who oversee its jails have since 2014 visited jail systems throughout the state and the Southwest United States to study their best practices in medical and mental health services, said Lt. Justin White, a spokesman for the sheriff’s department. (McDonald and Davis, 9/25)
Modesto Bee:
Large Cannabis Growing Site Approved In Stanislaus County
Supervisors approved a permit Tuesday for a commercial cannabis growing operation in eastern Stanislaus County that was opposed by some residents and school officials in the nearby the community. All Season Organics LLC was granted a use permit to operate a dozen greenhouses for cultivation, the same number of greenhouses for nursery production and a distribution business, at 1054 Merriam Road near Hickman. (Carlson, 9/24)
Capital Public Radio:
Head Of Police And Fire Oversight In Sacramento Retires
After 13 years, the woman tasked with oversight of the Sacramento police and fire departments is retiring.Francine Tournour has been with the city since 2006, and has been director of the Office of Public Safety and Accountability since 2008. In that time, she has reviewed hundreds of complaints and critical incidents, from police shootings to employee misconduct. (Moffitt, 9/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Protests Erupt At L.A. City Hall Over Sidewalk Sleeping Rules
As surging numbers of people bed down on the streets of Los Angeles, politicians have faced radically different demands from residents and activists on how to react to the spread of ramshackle encampments. Progressive activists have called to end the criminalization of homeless people and roll back rules that bar sleeping on sidewalks. Some community groups, in turn, want the city to ramp up enforcement of such rules to eliminate filth and blight. (Reyes, 9/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Huntington Beach Considers 2 New Locations For A Homeless Shelter
After two failed attempts to find a viable site for a homeless shelter, the city of Huntington Beach has identified two new properties in the Oak View neighborhood for possible lease. One of them — the former site of Al’s Woodcraft at 17881 Beach Blvd. — is “probably closer to reality” for creating a 35- to 60-bed shelter, according to Kellee Fritzal, deputy director of the city’s office of business development. The building is surrounded by commercial properties and apartment complexes. A cemetery and mausoleum are across the street. (Vega, 9/24)
CNBC:
Amazon Launches Employee Health Clinic Amazon Care
Amazon has launched a virtual health clinic with in-home follow-ups for employees in Seattle, dubbed Amazon Care. The company announced the program on a web site, Amazon.care, that is currently publicly accessible but did not formally announce the news outside the company. “Amazon Care is a benefit being piloted for Amazon employees and their families in the Seattle area,” the website reads. (Farr, 9/24)
Bloomberg:
Best Buy CEO Eyes Health Care As Retailer’s ‘Next Big Thing’
Best Buy Co. is well-known for bringing computers and other gadgets back to life. Now, it wants to take care of its shoppers’ health as well. The retailer’s strategy to beef up its fledgling health-care business will be a key focus of its investor meeting Wednesday in New York. The plan includes selling everything from fancy fitness machines to health-monitoring services for seniors. It could help Best Buy grab some of the $3.5 trillion market for health spending in the U.S. -- while offsetting sluggishness in its main business of selling laptops, TVs and phones. (Boyle, 9/24)
Stat:
FTC Issues Warning On Ads Used To File Lawsuits Over Drug Side Effects
After years of complaints, the Federal Trade Commission has sent letters to lawyers to warn that some ads seeking clients to file lawsuits may misrepresent the risks associated with certain medicines, and possibly worry consumers that a product recall may be under way. In a statement, the agency indicated letters were sent to seven lawyers, as well as people who generate leads for potential lawsuits, saying such ads may be considered deceptive or unfair under federal law. Some of the ads may make deceptive or unsubstantiated claims about the risks of taking blood thinners and drugs for diabetes, acid reflux, and high blood pressure, among other illnesses, the FTC explained. (Silverman, 9/24)
Stat:
Novartis Expands Recall Of Heartburn Meds To U.S. After Finding Carcinogen
After running tests, the Sandoz unit of Novartis (NVS) has expanded its recall of heartburn medicines containing ranitidine and is now pulling the products from the U.S. The move comes one week after the drug maker halted worldwide distribution of heartburn medicines and regulators in the U.S and Europe disclosed the capsules may contain high levels of a carcinogen. At the time, Sandoz also issued a recall in some European countries and Canada, but did not take the same step in the U.S. while testing was underway. (Silverman, 9/24)
The Wall Street Journal:
Novartis Details Manipulation Of Data On Gene Therapy, Responding To FDA Probe
Novartis AG said that an internal probe of data manipulation at one of its drug-development units was hindered by two brothers, both senior researchers whom it later fired. The Swiss drug giant said in a newly disclosed letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that its months-long investigation into the issue was “significantly drawn out” due to a “lack of cooperation and categorical denial of the allegations” by the brothers. Novartis and the FDA disclosed in August they had identified data manipulation in testing of a gene-therapy treatment that was conducted by AveXis, a Chicago-based company Novartis bought in 2018 for $8.7 billion. The treatment, developed by AveXis and later dubbed Zolgensma, is now the world’s most expensive drug. (Roland, 9/24)
The New York Times:
Bernie Sanders Proposes A Wealth Tax: ‘I Don’t Think That Billionaires Should Exist’
With the proposal, Mr. Sanders is embracing an idea that has been a centerpiece of the campaign of his top progressive rival, Senator Elizabeth Warren. But while Ms. Warren came first, Mr. Sanders is going bigger. His wealth tax would apply to a larger number of households, impose a higher top rate and raise more money. Mr. Sanders’s plan to tax accumulated wealth, not just income, is particularly aggressive in how it would erode the fortunes of billionaires. His tax would cut in half the wealth of the typical billionaire after 15 years, according to two economists who worked with the Sanders campaign on the plan. Mr. Sanders would use the money generated by his wealth tax to fund the housing plan he released last week and a forthcoming plan for universal child care, as well as to help pay for “Medicare for all.” (Kaplan, 9/24)
The New York Times:
Democrats Want To Tax The Rich. Here’s How Those Plans Would Work (Or Not).
Among Democratic presidential candidates, it’s the rallying cry of the moment — tax the rich. The idea is a centerpiece of the campaigns of Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders. A former candidate, Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, went so far as to say the government ought to “tax the hell out of the wealthy.” The new taxes would fund a laundry list of liberal proposals — “Medicare for all,” free college, combating global warming and rebuilding roads and bridges. (Schwartz and Gates, 9/24)
The Hill:
CBO: Fix Backed By Doctors For Surprise Medical Bills Would Cost Billions
A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis finds that a rival approach backed by doctors groups for protecting patients from getting massive “surprise” medical bills would increase the deficit by “double digit billions” of dollars. The email from the nonpartisan CBO to a congressional office, obtained by The Hill, comes amid a raging debate over legislation to stop surprise medical bills, which is seen as a rare area of possible bipartisan accomplishment this year. (Sullivan, 9/24)
Modern Healthcare:
Medicare Advantage Premiums To Hit Lowest Point In Over A Decade
The CMS on Tuesday said Medicare Advantage average monthly premiums are projected to hit their lowest point in 13 years in 2020. The agency also predicted that enrollment in the plans would continue its upward march as more seniors opt for Advantage over the traditional Medicare program. Average monthly premiums are expected to decrease 14.4% from $26.87 in 2019 to $23 next year—the lowest premium since 2007, according to the CMS. (Livingston, 9/24)
NBC News:
How Anti-Vaxxers Target Grieving Moms And Turn Them Into Crusaders
Anti-vaccination activists have long targeted their message to parents of autistic kids. They have also, however, pursued another vulnerable population of parents searching for answers — mothers and fathers of babies who have died unexpectedly, especially when the deaths are linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. At a time when the U.S. faces the largest outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses in decades, a network of activists is finding new recruits to the anti-vaccination cause by raising questions about the sudden deaths of several dozen babies and young children. (Zadrozny and Nadi, 9/24)
The Washington Post:
A Closer Look At Infant Mortality In Two Of The Most Impoverished U.S. Regions
“The most dangerous of wealthy nations for a child to be born into.” That’s how global health researchers characterized the United States in a January 2018 report published in Health Affairs that sounded alarm bells about the country’s high infant mortality rate. U.S. babies, they found, were three times as likely to die of premature birth and 2.3 times as likely to die of sudden infant death syndrome than infants in comparably rich countries. Anne Driscoll, a demographer and statistician at the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics, has been analyzing possible causes for years and has previously looked at maternal age, the rural-urban divide and other factors. Driscoll and her colleague Danielle Ely teamed up in a report released Wednesday to delve into infant mortality in two of the country’s most impoverished regions: Appalachia and the Mississippi River Delta region. (Eunjung Cha, 9/25)