Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Bruising Labor Battles Put Kaiser Permanente’s Reputation On The Line
Kaiser Permanente just avoided a nationwide strike by thousands of workers, but now faces a new strike threat Monday. The labor battles are exposing the health care giant to scrutiny from lawmakers, health care advocates and others who accuse it of no longer living up to its nonprofit ideals. (Anna Almendrala, )
Good morning! Here are your top California health stories of the day.
Those Who Want Universal Coverage Could Outmaneuver Powerful Opposition By Handing Control To States, Calif. Lawmaker Says: As presidential hopefuls campaign on a national “Medicare for all” system, a California congressman is pushing for a different path to universal coverage: letting the states go first. Ro Khanna, a Democratic representative, will introduce legislation Friday that lets states bundle all their health care spending — including Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act dollars and more — to fund a state-level single-payer system. The policy could create something akin to Medicaid for all. It would be 50 separate programs, jointly funded by the state and the federal government, with local officials making decisions about whom to cover, how much to pay doctors, and what benefits to cover. Khanna concedes that his bill will not move forward during the Trump administration, but instead sees it as laying groundwork for next year, when Democrats hope to gain control of the White House and Senate. It is also a response to recent agitations from Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, who ran on a single-payer platform in 2018 and has cited federal inflexibility as a key obstacle toward delivering on that promise. Read more from Sarah Kliff of The New York Times.
State Auditor’s Report Blasts Education Department, School Districts For Neglecting Homeless K-12 Students: The report comes from the California State Auditor’s Office, which reviewed the education department, as well as five school districts and one charter school, at the Legislature’s request. “We determined that the (local districts) we reviewed could do more to identify and support these youth, and that (the education department) has provided inadequate oversight of the state’s homeless education program,” wrote California State Auditor Elaine Howle in a public letter. The audit cited homelessness experts who say that homeless students make up an estimated 5 to 10 percent of all economically disadvantaged youths, defined as students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. Those students often fail when they don’t get help, in the form of services such as tutoring, transportation, school supplies, food or counseling, according to state data cited by the audit. Read more from Andrew Sheeler of the Sacramento Bee.
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
Sacramento Bee:
Why CA Isn’t Safer Year After Deadly Camp Fire In Paradise
Chainsaws were humming and backhoes were beeping. Wood frames were being hammered into place. It was the sound of Paradise rebuilding, one nail at a time.“I love it up here — it’s beautiful,” said Holly Austin, watching from a camper as her husband and a small crew worked on their new garage on Paradise Avenue. (Kasler and Sabalow, 11/8)
The Associated Press:
Alien Grasses Are Making Wildfires More Frequent In The U.S., Study Finds
For much of the United States, invasive grass species are making wildfires more frequent, especially in fire-prone California, a new study finds. Twelve non-native species act as “little arsonist grasses,” said study co-author Bethany Bradley, a University of Massachusetts professor of environmental conservation. (11/7)
LAist:
LA's Air Is Awful Again, But This Time We Can't Blame Wildfires
All of the major wildfires are finally out, the stench of smoke has blown away, but the air quality is still awful. What's the deal? As it turns out, this is ordinary L.A. weather for this time of year. (Margolis, 11/6)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento County CA Jail Expansion Stopped After Protests
Major expansion plans for one of Sacramento County’s jails stalled at a Board of Supervisors meeting this week, after dozens of inmate advocates protested the creation of new facilities. In August, the county received bids for $89 million worth of construction for medical, rehabilitation and support services next to the existing Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove. (Yoon-Hendricks, 11/7)
Los Angeles Times:
O.C. Supervisors Approve Moving Mental Health Clinic Within Costa Mesa, Despite City Objections
Despite objections from Costa Mesa officials, the Orange County Board of Supervisors this week approved moving a mental healthcare clinic within the city from its current location by John Wayne Airport into a former sober-living facility. The Orange County Health Care Agency has for years provided behavioral health services for children and adults out of a 12,093-square-foot office space at 3115 Red Hill Ave. County officials determined they needed more space, however, so they proposed signing a 15-year lease for 15,518 square feet at 2801 Bristol St. (Money, 11/7)
East Bay Times:
San Leandro Hospital To Open Upgraded Physical Rehab Unit
Alameda Health Systems is moving its acute physical rehabilitation unit from Fairmont Hospital to San Leandro Hospital, where specialized equipment will help patients overcome impairments. The acute rehabilitation unit should have its first patients in December. The opening will cap $27 million worth of upgrades that began in 2017 at the hospital at 13855 E. 14th St. Other features include a rooftop space where patients can take part in outdoor physical therapy. (Hegarty, 11/8)
Sacramento Bee:
Placer County Health Agency Reports First Flu Death Of Season: A 75-Year-Old Resident
Placer County reported Thursday its first flu-related death of the 2019-20 season: a 75-year-old resident who had other underlying health issues that increased the risk of severe complications from influenza. “We are saddened by this news and extend our heartfelt sympathies to the loved ones of the deceased,” said Dr. Aimee Sisson, Placer County health officer. “We should never forget that flu is a deadly illness and the best line of defense is yearly vaccination. Flu season typically runs from November through April, so if you haven’t gotten your flu shot yet this year, it’s not too late.”
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Homes Are Getting More Affordable, Closing Gap With Rest Of State
This may sound hard to believe if you’re house hunting, but Bay Area homes got significantly more affordable in the third quarter, thanks to a big drop in mortgage rates, rising incomes and lower home prices, according to a report issued Thursday by the California Association of Realtors. The region is still the least affordable in California, but it’s closing the gap with the rest of the state. (Kathleen Pender, 11/7)
The Associated Press:
Warren Health Plan Departs From US 'Social Insurance' Idea
Sen. Elizabeth Warren's plan to pay for "Medicare for All" without raising taxes on the middle class departs from how the U.S. has traditionally financed bedrock social insurance programs. That might impact its political viability now and in the future. While echoing her party's longstanding call for universal health care, the Massachusetts Democrat is proposing to raise most of the additional $20.5 trillion her campaign believes would be needed from taxes on businesses, wealthy people and investors. (11/7)
The Hill:
Harris Says Her Health Care Plan Is 'Superior' To Warren's
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) said Thursday that she thinks her health care plan is “superior” to Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) “Medicare for All” plan. During an interview on MSNBC’s "Morning Joe," Harris said she doesn’t need to point out any of the inconsistencies in Warren’s Medicare for All funding plan because her own health care plan is better anyway. (Weixel, 11/07)
The Hill:
Hillary Clinton: Warren's 'Medicare For All' Plan Would Never Get Enacted
Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that she does not think Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) "Medicare for All" plan could ever get enacted and that she backs a public option instead. “You just don't think that that plan would ever get enacted?” interviewer Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Clinton at The New York Times DealBook Conference. “No, I don't. I don't, but the goal is the right goal,” the former secretary of State responded. (Sullivan, 11/07)
The New York Times:
Juul Ends E-Cigarette Sales Of Mint-Flavored Pods
Juul Labs, the nation’s largest seller of e-cigarettes, said on Thursday that it would stop selling mint-flavored pods, which have become especially popular among teenagers. The move precedes an anticipated federal flavor ban that is to be announced soon, one that the Food and Drug Administration initially had said would include mint as well as menthol. In recent weeks, intense lobbying by the vaping and tobacco industries against a menthol ban has heightened speculation that menthol would be exempt from any prohibitions against flavors. (Kaplan, 11/7)
The Associated Press:
Juul Halts US Sales Of Popular Mint-Flavored E-Cigarettes
The voluntary step comes days after new government research showed that Juul is the top brand among high schoolers who use e-cigarettes and that many prefer mint. "These results are unacceptable," said the company's CEO K.C. Crosthwaite, adding in a statement that the company must "earn the trust of society." Underage vaping has reached what health officials call epidemic levels. In the latest government survey, 1 in 4 high school students reported using e-cigarettes in the previous month, despite federal law banning sales to those under 18. (11/7)
The Associated Press:
More Than 2,000 In US Diagnosed In Vaping Illness Outbreak
New government figures show more than 2,000 people have been diagnosed with vaping illnesses in the still-unsolved U.S. outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday said 2,051 confirmed and probable cases have been reported. Illnesses have occurred in every state but Alaska. Forty people in 24 states have died. (11/7)
The Washington Post:
A New Chain Of Christian Pregnancy Centers Will Provide A Controversial Service: Contraception
When a low-income woman searches for reproductive care, she often goes to a Planned Parenthood clinic, where she’s treated as a patient with an array of medical options. Or she might go to a Christian pregnancy center, where she is counseled to carry a pregnancy to term. But some Christians now see an opening for a third way to reach women — before they become pregnant — that also enables them to compete for federal money Planned Parenthood has decided to relinquish. Eight independent Texas-based pregnancy centers merged earlier this year to form a chain called The Source. (Bailey, 11/7)
The Washington Post:
At Height Of Crisis, Walgreens Handled One In Five Of The Most Addictive Opioids
At the height of the opioid epidemic, Walgreens handled nearly one out of every five oxycodone and hydrocodone pills shipped to pharmacies across America. Walgreens dominated the nation’s retail opioid market from 2006 through 2012, buying about 13 billion pills — 3 billion more than CVS, its closest competitor, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration database of opioid shipments. Over those years, Walgreens more than doubled its purchases of oxycodone. (Abelson, Williams, Tran and Kornfield, 11/7)
Los Angeles Times:
California Is Improving Obamacare, Not Trump
California, which runs its own insurance exchange, will see an average increase in its benchmark plans of a little less than 1% in 2020. But don’t leap to the conclusion that the Trump administration is doing a better job holding down premiums than California is. Californians in the individual market will still pay less for insurance than the average American in that market does. And one reason is because California and the Trump administration are heading in opposite directions on the Affordable Care Act. (11/8)
Los Angeles Times:
25 Years Ago, California Fell For Prop 187 Nativism. Never Again
Twenty-five years ago this week, by a 59% to 41% vote, California voters passed Proposition 187, which aimed to block undocumented immigrants from access to non-emergency health care, public education, and other services in the state. Proposition 187 was widely viewed as one of the harshest anti-immigrant measures ever to make it onto a U.S. ballot.But despite their victory at the polls, the measure’s supporters didn’t triumph in the end. Proposition 187 was quickly blocked by the courts. (Antonia Hernandez and Alex Padilla, 11/8)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Ease The Affordable-Housing Burden For Older Californians
The disproportionate impact of evictions and soaring rents on older Californians is a frequently overlooked element of the state’s affordable housing crisis. As industry giants Apple, Google and Facebook announce collective pledges of $4.5 billion toward addressing the affordable housing in the state, it is critical to recognize the impact of population aging on our housing needs over the next decade. (Paul Irving and Caroline Servat, 11/8)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Autonomous Vehicles Enhance Mobility For Blind People
State regulators recently hosted a public hearing to shape long-awaited rules for autonomous vehicles (AVs) in California. The meeting represented a crucial step for the state as it moves closer to a future with AVs. AVs will make life more convenient for everyone. But for blind and low-vision people, autonomous vehicles suggest much more than just convenience — they represent a reliable and affordable pathway to enhanced independence, and ultimately, equality. (Tim Elder, 11/8)
Sacramento Bee:
Blame Sacramento CA Evictions On Sue Frost, Susan Peters
To a packed house of boos and hisses, Sacramento County Supervisors Sue Frost and Susan Peters voted down a temporary ban on no-fault evictions. It would have lasted nine weeks – at most. Instead, some area residents risk becoming homeless for the holidays. “I’ve never been so ashamed of this board,” said Supervisor Phil Serna after the vote Tuesday. “That some couldn’t muster the spine to protect renters in the middle of an acute housing and homeless crisis – just for a short amount of time – is unconscionable.” (11/7)
Sacramento Bee:
Local Activist Breaks Rent Control Deal, Hurts Tenant Cause
Bad faith.We expect it from a certain greedy and unscrupulous breed of landlord, but it’s a bit unusual coming from those who righteously advocate on behalf of increased protections for Sacramento’s renters. Yet the Sacramento City Council is learning that not everyone in our community can be trusted to keep their word when it comes to making high-profile public agreements. (11/8)
Los Angeles Times:
California Blocks A Hospital Merger Amid Concerns About Religious Limits On Care
California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra has blocked a proposed merger of two sectarian hospital chains in Northern California, asserting that the deal had the"potential to increase health costs, and potentially limits access and availability of healthcare services.” The merger would have brought together four Catholic hospitals operated by St. Joseph Health System and five hospitals owned by Adventist Health, which is affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Both religious groups place restrictions on healthcare, particularly in the areas of reproductive health and gender identification. (Michael Hiltzik, 11/1)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Why Head Of SF’s Transgender Office Stays Hopeful Despite Trump’s ‘Anti-Trans’ Push
According to the Human Rights Campaign, at least 26 transgender or gender non-conforming people were killed in the United States last year — and 22 have been slain this year. And here in San Francisco, transgender people are 18 times more likely than the general population to be homeless, partly because it can be hard to get jobs if they don’t pass as their true gender and because they may not have financial help from family if they’ve been kicked out at home. (Heather Knight, 11/5)