Viewpoints: Don’t Expect Trump To Actually Do Anything About Those High Drug Prices
A selection of opinions on health care developments from around the state.
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Once Again Vows To Lower Drug Prices, And Once Again You Shouldn't Believe Him
President Trump told some whoppers in this week's State of the Union speech: His tax cuts were the biggest ever (they weren't), he has added 2.4 million new jobs (only if you count former President Obama's last few months in office), wages are finally rising (they've been slowly but steadily climbing for years). But the one that really got my attention was Trump's declaration that he's committed to addressing "the injustice of high drug prices." (David Lazarus, 2/1)
The Orange County Register:
Some Fresh Competition Might Be Just What US Health Care Needs
Industrialists creating a separate health alliance to protect their employees out of frustration with both the quality of care and the rapidly upwardly spiraling costs — there’s a story ripped from this week’s headlines. But doesn’t it also sound familiar? During World War II, that’s what Oakland shipbuilder Henry Kaiser and his executives did, first by putting doctors and hospital beds in a hut on their Liberty Ship construction site and later expanding Kaiser Permanente into an all-inclusive medical and insurance nonprofit for anyone throughout California and Hawaii who wanted to sign up. (1/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Universal Coverage, Courtesy Of The Corporate World? It's Possible
Took 'em long enough. After decades of government leaders fumbling efforts to introduce some rational thinking to the over $3-trillion U.S. healthcare system, the corporate world has finally stepped in with an initiative that, in the best of all possible worlds, could provide a breakthrough that shows the way to universal coverage. (David Lazarus, 1/30)
Sacramento Bee:
Don’t Turn Campus Health Centers Into Abortion Clinics
Senate Bill 320 will require University of California and California State University campus student health centers to become abortion clinics by forcing them to distribute chemical abortion pills, intended to end human life as long as ten weeks into pregnancy. Despite what the author of the bill suggests (“College students need easier access to abortion pill,” Viewpoints, Jan. 30), SB 320 only provides abortion, abortion and more abortion while ignoring the real needs of pregnant students. (Wynette Sills, 2/1)
Sacramento Bee:
California College Students Need Easier Access To Abortion Pill
When Kaitlyn Trevino went to the student health center at UC Berkeley and found out she was pregnant, she was upset about the unintended pregnancy but grateful for the kindness and compassion of the nurse. Ending the pregnancy was far more difficult than she expected. First, there was an emergency room visit to check if the pregnancy was ectopic, which cost $200 she couldn’t afford and forced her to spend most of the night at the hospital and miss two shifts at an internship. Then, there was an appointment with a social worker to get a referral, which prompted uncomfortable questions from her employer, and going alone to an off-campus clinic. (Connie M. Leyva and Kaitlyn Trevino, 1/29)
Los Angeles Times:
The First Projections For Trumpcare 2019 Are In: Expect Rate Increases Of Up To 30%
If anything is predictable about the vandalism of the Affordable Care Act perpetrated by President Trump and his healthcare henchmen, it's that the costs of their handiwork will be felt by ordinary Americans for years to come. Now, thanks to Covered California, the state's ACA insurance exchange, we have the first estimate of what those costs will be for 2019. The bottom line is premium increases in the range of 16% to 30%. (Michael Hiltzik, 1/26)
Sacramento Bee:
Doctors Don’t Just Heal The Sick. They Create Jobs
During some of the worst wildfires in California’s history, medical professionals stepped up to provide aid to neighbors and strangers, alike. The incredible response is a testament to our collective strength. Heroes include Michael Witt, who risked personal safety to help evacuate babies from Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, and the staff at Kaiser Santa Rosa who helped evacuate patients attached to IVs as flames threatened the hospital. (Theodore M. Mazer, 2/1)
Sacramento Bee:
Sen. Pan Is A Champion For Health Care
Richard Pan is a pediatrician and educator who has admirably represented our region in the state Senate, standing up for the health and safety of working families. As a life-long Democrat, he is asking for the party endorsement on Saturday. Pan is a fearless champion for our children and community who authored a landmark vaccine bill. He is not afraid to stand up to special interests and demand sound science in policy-making, a quality we sorely need when too many politicians deny climate change and other scientific truths to pursue their ideological goals. (Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, 1/26)
Los Angeles Times:
What Do We Do When The Homeless Don't Want Our Help?
By all means, let the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors move ahead with its quest to step up forcible treatment of mentally ill people who appear unable to recognize the gravity of their circumstances or seek help on their own — as long as we understand the practical limits and potential hazards of such a move. (1/30)
Los Angeles Times:
U.S. News Is Wrong About What Constitutes The Best Diet
Dieter beware: U.S. News & World Report, in its high-profile January cover story on "best diets," calls the DASH and Mediterranean diets tops for health, though these regimens represent the failed nutritional status quo of the last 50 years. DASH is listed first in the U.S. News rankings, but authoritative reviews have found that it's been tested on only about 2,000 subjects (mostly middle-aged hypertensives) in studies lasting no longer than six months. Its effects can hardly be generalized to all Americans. (Gary Taubes and Nina Teicholz, 1/28)