Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

GOP’s Talk About Medicare Cuts Provides Democrats With Tried-And-True Talking Point Weeks Before Midterms

The widening budget deficit announced in recent days has sparked conversation among Republicans of cutting budgets and look for trims to entitlement programs. The Democrats are seizing on the tone shift, and using the potential changes to Medicare, Medicaid and other safety net programs as talking points on the campaign trail.

Here’s What We Know About The Polio-Like Illness In Children That Has Health Experts Baffled

This year, 62 confirmed cases of the illness exist among children and others are under investigation, according to federal health authorities. Scientists don’t know what causes acute flaccid myelitis, but they are urging people to avoid getting mosquito bites. Paralysis comes on suddenly and can be permanent.

Severe Staffing Shortage At Sonoma County’s Child Protection Services Agency Endangering Kids, Workers Claim

Social workers say that they’re not able to give full attention to their cases anymore and have to prioritize which children need to be helped first. County officials have acknowledged the problem, but also say they’ve taken steps to ensure vulnerable children are protected during this staffing crisis.

CDC Stumped By Polio-Like Paralyzing Illness In Children As Cases Surge In 22 States

The condition striking kids in a growing number of states is called acute flaccid myelitis and it can cause paralysis, but health officials are unable to find a cause for the increased number of cases. The wave of illnesses seems to come in alternating years, and this one is similar to surges seen in 2014 and 2016.

The Five Companies Responsible For More Than Half Of Drug Ads On TV Would Bear Brunt Of Trump’s Proposal

Stat takes a look at what those five drugmakers are spending on ads right now and how they might be impacted by the Trump administration’s proposal to require prices to be included. Meanwhile, some families who have struggled with high drug costs are frustrated that the plan might not actually lower prices.