Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Two Crises In One: As Drug Use Rises, So Does Syphilis
A significant portion of syphilis transmission in heterosexuals occurs among people who use drugs, particularly methamphetamine, a new report shows. Public health officials warn that you can’t treat one problem without addressing the other. (Anna Gorman, )
Good morning! A quick editor’s note before the news of the day: Daily Edition will be off for the holiday on Monday, Feb. 18. Look for us in your inbox again on Feb. 19. Now, on to your top California health stories.
State’s Initiative Aimed At Shoring Up Once-Dysfunctional Denti-Cal Program Sees Modest Success: State auditors as well as independent oversight officials in 2016 deemed California’s Denti-Cal program to be broken and “dysfunctional.” The oversight report found that only about half of all children enrolled in the program actually saw a dentist annually compared to two-thirds of children insured under private plans. This was, in part, attributed to the fact that families were having a problem finding dentists who would accept the coverage. Over the past two years, California has pumped money into providing local dentists incentives for treating low-income children—and it seems to be working. Read more from the California Health Report.
Jury Determines Blue Shield Of California Underpaid State’s Hospital System For Emergency Services: A jury in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco has determined that Blue Shield was underpaying out-of-network NorthBay Healthcare Group. According to the complaint, Blue Shield ended its contract with NorthBay’s two hospitals at the end of 2016. As is required by law, the hospitals then continued to provide emergency care to Blue Shield members when they showed up. When NorthBay billed Blue Shield, the insurer said the amount exceeded the contracted agreement, despite there being no contract, and NorthBay sued Blue Shield, claiming the insurer reimbursed it at unreasonably low rates. It’s been estimated that NorthBay could recover more than $16 million. Read more in Modern Healthcare.
Oroville Hospital’s New Medical Tower Expected to Generate At Least 700 Jobs When It’s Opened: The hospital addition will allow Oroville to add state-of-the-art equipment and space for widening the types of cardio-thoracic surgery and neurological procedures it can perform, as well as more rooms for patients. On Wednesday, the hospital completed an important step toward its goal to open in 2020—selling $200 million in bonds needed to fund the work. “In 24 minutes, the $200 million just gets snapped up,” said Robert Wentz, chief executive of the independent Northern California hospital. “I was also excited that ... [it] feels like an independent hospital in California is still a good investment.” Read more from the Sacramento Bee.
Revenue From Legalizing Marijuana Was Supposed To Go Toward Youth Programs, But That’s Not Happening: At least some money from the taxes generated from legalizing marijuana was intended to go toward programs that taught young people to avoid substance abuse. Not only has that not happened, but there doesn’t seem to be concrete plans to change that in the near future. Even the term “youth” isn’t properly defined in the law. Read more from The Associated Press.
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. Media outlets report on news about health insurance, wildfires, drinking water, "Medicare for All," and more.
More News From Across The State
The Bakersfield Californian:
Judge Freezes Assets Of Allegedly Fraudulent Bakersfield Health Plan Operator 'On The Verge Of Collapse'
A federal judge all but shut down a Bakersfield-based health-plan operator after a lawsuit filed earlier this month by the U.S. Department of Labor accused the company of operating a sham insurance company that allegedly put thousands of insurance subscribers at risk of not getting the medical coverage they paid for. A temporary restraining order issued Feb. 7 by U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald froze the assets of defendants Riverstone Capital LLC, Nexgen Insurance Services Inc. and NGI Brokerage Services Inc. It also appointed a receiver to perform a full accounting of the company's operations, attend to the most urgent medical claims and pay out approved bills "to the extent feasible." The federal agency's lawsuit says the companies, operating as a single entity known as Riverstone, or Riverstone Capital Insurance Services LLC, set irresponsibly low insurance rates, charged "exorbitant" hidden fees, inappropriately commingled premiums and then shelved medical claims it could not afford to pay. (Cox, 2/14)
The Mercury News:
Q&A: Crossover Health CEO Scott Shreeve On Bay Area Expansion
If you’re a tech employee in Silicon Valley, your health care experience might be a bit different. For example, you might go see a doctor without leaving work. At Facebook in Menlo Park, more than 80 percent of employees get their primary care at an onsite center run by Crossover Health, where workers can go for physicals, flu shots, travel vaccines, eyeglasses and more. “It’s a great center that delivers personalization of care,” said Renee Albert, benefits director at Facebook. “Employees can really form relationships with their providers.” (Sumagaysay, 2/15)
The Associated Press:
100 Days After Paradise Burned, The Stories Of The Victims
On that frantic morning, TK Huff was calm. The 71-year-old amputee sat in his wheelchair, pointing a garden hose at what quickly became the deadliest wildfire in California history. Nobody knew at the time, early on Nov. 8, how bad it would be. When his family called at 7:15 a.m., Huff said he would leave. But he never made it out. All around, fires were breaking out, and men and women — most of them elderly, many of them disabled — were doomed: Flames soon overtook 74-year-old Richard Brown’s beloved log cabin in the Sierra Nevada foothills. On the edge of neighboring Paradise, a blaze prompted the Feather Canyon Retirement Community to evacuate its residents — all except 88-year-old Julian Binstock, overlooked in the chaos. (Gecker and Har, 2/15)
PolitiFact California:
True: ‘More Than A Million Californians’ Don’t Have Clean Drinking Water … It Could Be Higher
As evidence, both London and Hinton pointed to a 2017 drinking water compliance report by the State Water Resources Control Board, which regulates water quality. The report shows that an estimated 592,000 Californians lived in a public water district that received a water quality violation in 2017. (Nichols, 2/14)
The Mercury News:
Cigarette Butts Leave Toxics In Wake
While it takes less than a second to flick a cigarette filter, that moment marks the beginning of a long journey for this tiny piece of toxic waste. Each year 4.5 trillion cigarette butts get littered and begin their journey from sidewalks, down storm drains, through waterways and eventually into the ocean. Cigarette butts are the most common piece of trash found on beaches worldwide and are able to stick around for so long because they’re made of plastic. (Brown, 2/14)
KQED:
Growing Syphilis Epidemic Fueled By Increased Meth Use
Public health officials started seeing the return of the sexually transmitted disease around 2001, mainly among men who have sex with men. But in recent years, heterosexual syphilis cases have spiked, according to a new analysis released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Dembosky, 2/14)
The Mercury News:
Sunnyvale Officer Stable After Possible Fentanyl Exposure
A Sunnyvale police officer was in stable condition after he was overcome by possible fentanyl exposure while handling a suspect’s drug package Wednesday night, authorities said. The accidental drug release prompted an overnight evacuation of Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety headquarters. Six other officers were taken to the hospital for a precautionary medical evaluation and released. (Solanga, 2/14)
KPBS:
Asylum-Seekers Find Shelter In San Diego After Release On Streets
Families like Perez's are the reason the San Diego County Board of Supervisors plans to sue the Trump administration in the next month. Immigration officials used to help asylum-seekers connect with relatives or other sponsors before releasing them on parole. But since December, officials have started releasing those families onto the street without resources. (Guerrero, 2/14)
Politico:
Court Allows House Democrats To Join Obamacare's Defense
A federal appeals court is allowing House Democrats to defend Obamacare in a lawsuit threatening the future of the health care law. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals today granted the House’s petition to intervene in the case challenging Obamacare's constitutionality. The court will review a federal judge's December ruling that the entire health care law is invalid after Congress eliminated the penalty for not having health insurance. (Ollstein, 2/14)
The Hill:
Democrats Seek Cosponsors For New 'Medicare For All' Bill
Two progressive lawmakers are circulating a letter to their Democratic colleagues asking for cosponsors for a Medicare for all bill as they prepare to introduce it. Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) sent the letter, which was obtained by The Hill, on Tuesday, saying they have been working with experts for months to write an updated version of the single-payer health care legislation. Jayapal says she plans to introduce the measure later this month. (Sullivan, 2/14)
The Hill:
Trump Offers Preview Of Abortion Message Ahead Of 2020
President Trump offered a preview of his message on abortion to activists and supporters in a call Thursday as he plans to make it a focus of his re-election campaign. “He clearly is ready to take this on in the coming presidential election,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List. Dannenfelser briefed Trump on the issue at the White House before he participated in a nationwide conference call with activist groups and 4,500 other participants. (Hellmann, 2/14)
Reuters:
U.S. Unveils Plan To Control Some Toxins In Drinking Water, Sets No Limits
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Thursday it plans to control a group of toxic chemicals found in Americans' drinking water but stopped short of setting limits until later this year. Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Thursday said the agency planned short- and long-term steps to help states exposed to a class of common chemicals called PFAS, used in Teflon and firefighting foam. (2/14)
Bloomberg:
Facebook Says It May Remove Anti-Vaccine Recommendations
Facebook Inc., under pressure to reduce harmful, misleading and fake content, said it is exploring removing anti-vaccine information from software systems that recommend other things to read on its social network. Information discouraging people from getting vaccines for their children, which has gone viral on Facebook, especially in its Groups product, may have contributed to an increase in outbreaks of measles. The crisis drew attention on Thursday from Representative Adam Schiff, who sent a letter to Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg and Google boss Sundar Pichai, asking them to address the problem. (Frier, 2/14)
Stat:
Draft Spending Deal Includes Largest Boost For FDA In Five Years
A government funding deal released late Wednesday includes $269 million in new funding for the Food and Drug Administration, which would represent the largest increase the agency has seen in at least five years. With that new funding, the FDA would receive $3.08 billion in government funding for fiscal year 2019. Coupled with roughly $2.5 billion in fees from drug, device, and other regulated companies, FDA’s total budget would be $5.67 billion. (Swetlitz and Florko, 2/14)
The Associated Press:
UN: Experts To Develop Oversight Standards For Gene Editing
The World Health Organization is convening an expert meeting next month to develop global standards for the governance and oversight of human gene editing, months after a Chinese researcher rocked the scientific community with his announcement that he had created the world’s first gene-edited babies. In a statement Thursday, the U.N. health agency announced it had chosen an expert panel to examine the scientific, ethical, social and legal challenges linked to gene editing. (2/14)
The Associated Press:
Medicare Ambulance Rides May No Longer End Up At ER
Medicare wants to change how it pays for emergency ambulance services to give seniors more options besides going to a hospital emergency department, officials said Thursday. Other options could include going to an urgent care center, a doctor's office, or even treatment at home under supervision of a doctor via telehealth links. It's just a pilot project for now, but if adopted nationwide the idea could save Medicare more than $500 million a year and allow local fire departments and ambulance services to focus the time and energy of first responders on the most serious emergencies. (2/14)
The New York Times:
The Instant, Custom, Connected Future Of Medical Devices
When Jeff Dachis suddenly and unexpectedly learned he had Type 1 diabetes at the age of 46 in September 2013, he was stunned. After all, he ran marathons, followed a healthy diet and never had an inkling of any medical troubles during previous annual physicals. “I went to the doctor, got about six minutes with a nurse practitioner, an insulin pen, a prescription and a pat on the back, and I was out the door,” Mr. Dachis said. “I was terrified. I had no idea what this condition was about or how to address it.” (Morrissey, 2/14)
Reuters:
Trump Puts On A Few Pounds, Enters Obese Range: Medical Report
U.S. President Donald Trump has gained weight over the past year and is now in the obese range, although he remains in "very good health overall," according to results of an annual presidential physical examination conducted last week. Trump, known for his love of hamburgers and well-done steaks and an aversion to the gym, was warned by his doctor last year that he needed to change his diet and start to exercise. (2/14)
Los Angeles Times:
L.A. County Needs A Mental Hospital. It Also Needs A Smart Plan For Building One
Mental hospitals closed, but few of the promised community clinics and centers were built. Over the following decades, federal laws and state bonds raised billions for jails, and that’s where many untreated mentally ill people have ended up. How different would things be today if the $16 billion authorized for prison construction in the 1994 crime bill, for example, had been used to build mental health facilities instead? (2/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Helping Addicts Stay Alive Shouldn't Be A Crime
It's strange and unfortunate that the Trump administration is attacking a program that could help lower the number of opioid overdose deaths and fight HIV transmissions too. (These facilities provide clean needles, which are key to reducing infection rates among drug users.) The timing is even stranger. The lawsuit was filed the day after President Trump vowed to fight both opioid use and HIV in his State of the Union speech. (2/14)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Forget That Paper Receipt — Avoid Exposure To Toxic BPA
Kudos to San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting for introducing Assembly Bill 161, legislation that would require businesses to switch to electronic receipts. Customers would still be able to request a paper receipt when needed. This proposal, if it becomes law, would be a win-win for our health and for the environment. (Susan Eastwood, 2/13)
San Francisco Chronicle:
SF General Pauses Exorbitant Bills, But Canceling All Old Ones Would Be Better
Mayor London Breed and the hospital agreed this month to halt what is called balance billing for 90 days while the hospital comes up with a fairer system. That is likely to include entering into contracts with some private insurance companies, setting an out-of-pocket maximum for patients, and expanding who may qualify for charity care. (Knight, 2/15)
Sacramento Bee:
On Parkland Shooting Anniversary, Let’s Continue Push For Change
Mass shootings in affluent white communities dominate news cycles, but it’s the everyday gun violence that dominates the gun death rate — especially in marginalized communities. These include suicides by firearm, women shot by intimate partners and people killed in accidental discharges. Our #EnoughIsEnough and #NeverForget hashtags rarely apply to these forms of gun violence, but they should. (Austin Michael, 2/14)
Los Angeles Times:
Stupid Medicaid Tricks: Utah Figures Out How To Spend More To Cover Fewer People
It has become obvious over the past few years that the Affordable Care Act has the power to cloud Republicans’ minds. But few are as befuddled as the legislature and governor of Utah, who just enacted a partial expansion of Medicaid under the ACA that will cover 60,000 fewer residents while costing the state more than full expansion. (Michael Hiltzik, 2/13)
Los Angeles Times:
Measles Is Deadly. Vaccines Are Not. We Need Our Laws To Reflect This Reality
In American political life, the right and the left exist in largely separate spheres. But there is at least one place where the two sides of the divide overlap: the anti-vaccination movement. Despite overwhelming evidence that vaccinations are safe and protect against dangerous disease, small groups of Americans, on both the left and right, have chosen to reject vaccines for themselves and their children. Their decisions have consequences, as we have seen in Washington state’s Clark County recently. A measles outbreak there has already infected 50 people with no end in sight. (Wendy Orent, 2/10)
The Mercury News:
California's Unsafe Drinking Water Is A Disgrace
About 1 million Californians can’t safely drink their tap water. Approximately 300 water systems in California currently have contamination issues ranging from arsenic to lead to uranium at levels that create severe health issues. It’s a disgrace that demands immediate state action. (2/10)
Sacramento Bee:
With Strong Moral Leadership, Sacramento Can Solve Growing Crisis Of Homelessness
Carl Ulmer died near Ahern Street last Tuesday. He was 62, homeless and sleeping outside on a night when temperatures dropped into the 30s. The coroner has yet to determine a cause of death. Homeless advocates say Ulmer might still be alive if the city had opened its warming centers. City guidelines keep them closed unless temperatures remain freezing for three nights in a row. Ulmer died on the first night of the cold snap, and homeless advocates have asked the city and the county to discard the guidelines and open the warming centers. (2/12)