Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
States Target Vaping With Bans. In California, The Action Is Local.
Several states have adopted bans on vaping products, but California isn’t going that far. Instead, cities and counties in the Golden State are stepping in to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products within their jurisdictions — or ban the sale of e-cigarettes altogether. (Ana B. Ibarra, )
Good morning, and happy Friday! The CDC reveals the growing number of vaping-related illnesses, while legal action against Juul is eyed in parts of California. More on that below, but first here are your top California health news stories of the day.
Next EPA Target? California’s Water Quality: The fight between the Trump administration and California continues to escalate. The latest salvo is a second letter this week from EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler in which he writes to Gov. Gavin Newsom, claiming that San Francisco’s homeless crisis is affecting the state’s water quality. Wheeler again warned that the federal government will “take action” if steps to improve conditions are not taken swiftly. Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said: "This is not about clean air, clean water or helping our state with homelessness. This is political retribution against California, plain and simple." This dispute is getting plenty of regional coverage, including from Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee, Alexa Díaz and Anna M. Phillips of the Los Angeles Times, Jeremy Siegel of KQED as well as nationally from The Associated Press, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and NPR.
Democratic Presidential Candidates ‘March To California’s Drum’: In the Democratic primary battle, the “progressive outpost” of California is serving as a proxy for the direction candidates would like to take the nation, the Wall Street Journal writes. The first example cited in the story points to a debate in June where all the White House hopefuls voiced support for a move Newsom made the day before when he expanded government health care to some adult immigrants living illegally in the U.S. Read more on how the policies of California could impact the 2020 race from Alejandro Lazo and Emily Glazer of The Wall Street Journal.
‘This Is Not Something You Play Politics With’: All week, the San Francisco Chronicle has been reporting on the “political mess” surrounding how San Francisco Mayor London Breed and the city’s public health department handled 41 empty mental health beds at S.F. General hospital. Their latest efforts to address the blowback appears to have done little to quiet critics at a time when mental health services are in short supply. Catch up on the full story by Trisha Thadani of the San Francisco Chronicle.
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
KQED:
San Joaquin County DA Investigating Juul Labs For Allegedly Marketing To Teens
The San Joaquin County district attorney said Thursday that her office is opening an investigation into e-cigarette maker Juul Labs, looking at whether the company improperly marketed e-cigarettes to teenagers. District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar said Juul products have infiltrated Central Valley schools and that the investigation could result in civil or criminal lawsuits against the company. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to people under 21 years old. (Klivans, 9/26)
Bloomberg:
Juul Wants Wave Of Vaping Lawsuits Sent To San Francisco
Juul Labs Inc., maker of the top-selling e-cigarette device in the U.S., asked a federal court panel in Los Angeles to send dozens of lawsuits it faces over the almost daily revelations of the health risks of its product to a judge in its hometown of San Francisco. Austin Schwing, a lawyer for Juul, made the pitch Thursday at a hearing before the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation, which determines whether suits filed in federal courts across the U.S. are similar enough that pre-trial proceedings involving information exchanges and evidence gathering should be managed by a single judge. (Pettersson and Feeley, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
US Vaping Illness Count Jumps To 805, Deaths Rise To 13
Over the summer, health officials in a few states began noticing reports of people developing severe breathing illnesses, with the lungs apparently reacting to a caustic substance. The only common factor in the illnesses was that the patients had all recently vaped. As a national investigation started and broadened, reports have increased dramatically. (Stobbe, 9/26)
The Hill:
House Panel Asks E-Cigarette Companies To Cease All Advertising
A House panel is calling on e-cigarette manufacturers to cease all television, radio, print and digital advertising in the United States, in the wake of an unprecedented spike in youth vaping. The request from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, comes after market-leader Juul announced it would cease all advertising, effective immediately. (Weixel, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
Marijuana Vape Sales Lag As Lung Illnesses Rise In US
Vaping products, one of the fastest-growing segments of the legal marijuana industry, have taken a hit from consumers as public health experts scramble to determine what’s causing a mysterious and sometimes fatal lung disease among people who use e-cigarettes. The ailment has sickened at least 805 people and killed 13. Some vaped nicotine, but many reported using oil containing THC, marijuana’s high-inducing ingredient, and said they bought products from pop-up shops and other illegal sellers. (Flaccus and Peltz, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Flavored Vaping Products Are This Era’s Big Tobacco Menthol Cigarettes
High schoolers rallying in downtown Los Angeles this week chanted “Fight the flavor” as they showed their support for banning the flavored tobacco products that health experts say are fueling an epidemic of nicotine addiction among youths. Among the demonstrators was Jennyfer Cortez, 16, who said she tried an e-cigarette for the first time five years ago because it tasted like blueberries, her favorite fruit. She didn’t like vaping because it made her cough, but she has seen her peers vape at their lockers, in the school bathroom and sometimes even in class. (Karlamangla, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Mold Discovery Halts Elective Surgeries At L.A. County-USC Medical Center
Health officials have abruptly halted all elective surgeries at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center after the discovery of mold contamination in a room used to sterilize surgical equipment. The Boyle Heights hospital, which is part of the L.A. County Department of Health Services system that serves as the safety net for millions of the county’s poorest and most vulnerable residents, will be unable to perform surgery and many other medical procedures for an estimated two weeks, according to an internal hospital email obtained by The Times. (Dolan and Mejia, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Stem Cells Of 56 Child Cancer Patients Lost At Children’s Hospital After Freezer Malfunction
A freezer malfunction at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles resulted in the loss of 56 children’s blood stem cells that were harvested at the beginning of each patient’s oncology therapy and stored in the event they could prove useful in the future. “We apologize for any distress or confusion that this has caused our patients and their families,” the hospital wrote in a statement. “If you have not received a letter or phone call from our team, your child is not impacted.” (Shalby, 9/26)
Modern Healthcare:
New CMS Rules Cut Red Tape, Mandate Discharge Planning
The CMS on Wednesday released final rules that cut regulatory burdens for Medicare and Medicaid providers and modify discharge planning requirements for hospitals, critical access hospitals and home health agencies. The agency's new burden rule delivers regulatory relief and $843 million in savings in the first year to a wide range of providers, amounting to more than $8 billion in reduced costs over 10 years. It's part of the CMS' Patients Over Paperwork initiative, which the agency created in 2017 as a response to President Donald Trump's request to cut red tape. (Brady, 9/25)
Modern Healthcare:
CMS Finalizes Hospital Antibiotic Stewardship Requirements
The CMS on Wednesday finalized a rule requiring all hospitals to have antibiotic stewardship programs, which experts say is a big step forward in the fight against superbugs. The rule was first proposed in 2016 and requires all acute-care and critical access hospitals that participate in Medicare or Medicaid to develop and implement an antibiotic stewardship program as part of their infection control efforts. (Johnson, 9/26)
USC Center for Health Journalism Collaborative:
Even In Deep Blue California, Medi-Cal Expansion For Undocumented Doesn’t Sit Well With Some
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the measure that will allow low-income undocumented adults ages 19 to 25 to qualify for Med-Cal, the state’s taxpayer-funded free and reduced-cost health insurance plan, starting Jan. 1. About 138,000 people may be eligible for the coverage expansion. That’s just under 5% of the 3 million people without health insurance in the state. Immigrants, both documented and undocumented, make up 27% of California’s population of 40 million. Although Democrats, who control the levers of power in the state, were largely united in their support for the expansion, the move was not without its detractors. Republican lawmakers and their constituents argue that the funds — the expanded coverage is expected to cost the state $98 million in 2020 — could be better spent elsewhere. (Hayden and Bharath, 9/27)
PoliticoPro:
Houses Passes Bill To Improve Medical Screening At Border
The House passed a Democratic bill Thursday, 230-184, to improve medical screening of migrants in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody by directing research and creating a DHS electronic health record system. (Mueller, 9/26)
KPCC:
‘It’s Better To Take Half Your Medicine Than None’ — Being A Doctor When Your Patients Are Homeless
Dr. Coley King of the free Venice Family Clinic is one of a growing number of medical professionals making house calls to the homeless. Instead of trying to powerwash the problem away, California’s hospitals, public health departments, and homeless service organizations are increasingly sending trained health practitioners into homeless encampments in a quest to improve health outcomes for individual homeless people. (Tinoco, 9/26)
LAist:
Can The President Make The Army Say Yes To A Homeless Shelter In Sherman Oaks?
A plan to build an emergency homeless shelter in Sherman Oaks fizzled back in March, but now Los Angeles City Councilman David Ryu is hoping President Trump can help the project make a comeback. He might be a little busy today. But still.In a letter sent to the president on Thursday, Ryu said he was pleased to see the federal government acknowledge California's homelessness crisis, and offered Trump a tangible opportunity to help: grant access to federally-owned land, including a location at 5161 Sepulveda Blvd., so the city can build more shelters. (Fonseca, 9/26)
Sacramento Bee:
New CA Law Aims To Let Tenants To Take In Homeless People
California tenants will have a new avenue to take in people at risk of homelessness with permission from their landlord under a new law taking effect next year. The measure is one of 13 bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Thursday aimed at alleviating the state’s homelessness crisis. (Bollag and Clift, 9/27)
Los Angeles Times:
As Costa Mesa Homeless Shelter Marks Its First Six Months, City Says 18 People Have Been Housed So Far
Of the 130-plus people who have received services at Costa Mesa’s flagship homeless shelter in the nearly six months since it opened, 18 have been placed in permanent housing throughout Orange County, according to a report the city released this week. Six other people will go through the intake process for permanent housing within the next month, said Larry Haynes, executive director of Mercy House Living Centers, the nonprofit that operates the shelter. (Pinho, 9/26)
U.S. News & World Report:
How California Is Leading Efforts To Curb C-Sections
Reducing the number of cesarean sections performed in the U.S. has been a top priority for maternal health care experts for several years, and successful efforts in California offer a blueprint for other states. The California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative, a public-private partnership aimed at improving the state's maternal health care and outcomes, has taken a three-pronged approach to curb how frequently cesareans occur among women giving birth at term, for the first time and to a single infant in the head-first position – what's generally considered a "low-risk" birth. (Galvin, 9/26)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Mentally Ill Man Moved From Jail To Treatment So Health Department ‘Wouldn’t Have To Appear’ In Court
San Francisco’s health department has long struggled to find treatment beds for mentally ill people in jail — leaving many to languish behind bars for months while they wait for appropriate treatment. After the public defender’s office challenged the long wait times this month, an official admitted the department finally moved an incarcerated man into mental health care treatment after an eight-month wait so officials “wouldn’t have to appear” at a court hearing, according to a transcript obtained by The Chronicle. (Thadani, 9/26)
The California Health Report:
How Does Racism Affect Health? California Doctors Speak Out
Medical providers in California and nationwide are increasingly recognizing that racism and discrimination affect children’s health, and they’re seeking to tackle the problem. Last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued its first policy statement on how racism affects the health and development of children and teens. The academy called racism a “socially transmitted disease” with historical origins that continue to affect the circumstances children grow up in, how they’re treated and the opportunities they have today. African American, Latino and Native American children, for example, are more likely than white children to live in low-income households, lack access to quality education and be involved in the juvenile justice system. (Boyd-Barrett, 9/26)
KQED:
When Should Vallejo Officers Be Required To Test For Drugs Or Alcohol?
Vallejo residents attended a city council meeting this week wearing bright yellow stickers that read "Coked Cops Kill." They opposed efforts by the police union to delete a section of its contract that outlines when an officer could be ordered to receive drug and alcohol testing. Councilors approved the new contract, limiting when officers may be subject to drug and alcohol tests. (Katayama and Cruz Guevarra, 9/27)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Ysidro Health Opens Clinic With Specialized Services For LGBTQ Patients
San Ysidro Health has opened a new clinic in Chula Vista that focuses on specialized medical services for the LGBTQ community. Officials said the state-of-the-art Gender-Affirming Medicine & Sexual (GeMS) Health clinic aims to close a gap in services in South County for LGBTQ patients. “GeMS Health is a safe, confidential and inclusive space with medical providers and staff experienced in providing specialty care in sexual health,” officials said in a statement. (Hernandez, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Many Undeterred By Water Closure At Newport's North Star Beach After 750-Gallon Sewage Spill
Water sports enthusiasts at North Star Beach in Newport Beach are being greeted by warning signs, thanks to a sewage spill, though many rowers and paddlers are going into the Back Bay as usual. The beach was closed Thursday to swimming and diving after a blockage of a city sewer main caused about 750 gallons of wastewater to spill, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency. (Sclafani, 9/26)
Modesto Bee:
State Takes Action Against Modesto Drug Treatment Center
Adults adding their voices to the demonstration had less innocent stories to tell about their battles with addiction to the hardest drugs available on the street. But they had the same message: “This place saved my life.” New Hope Recovery House on East Orangeburg Avenue is fighting for its own survival after a July 25 suspension order from the state that shut down most services at the 40-bed residential treatment center. (Carlson, 9/26)
The Washington Post:
NIH Awards Nearly $1 Billion In Research Grants To Battle Addiction, Chronic Pain
The National Institutes of Health awarded nearly $1 billion on Thursday to battle addiction and chronic pain, the largest financial commitment to one program ever by the government’s premier biomedical research center. About 50 million adults suffer from chronic pain, and in 2018 about 10.3 million people aged 12 and older abused opioids, including heroin, NIH said. “We have effective tools, such as medication-assisted treatment, but we still need better ways to treat opioid addiction and manage pain in an effective, personalized way,” Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a news release. (Bernstein, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
Judge In Opioid Litigation Won't Remove Himself From Case
Judge Dan Polster said in his order that he has done nothing over the past two years to favor cities and counties seeking money from the pharmaceutical industry to cover their costs of fighting the deadly crisis. Polster said he has merely acknowledged the massive toll of the opioid crisis and the responsibility, as opposed to the legal liability, of many parties in the epidemic. (Carr Smyth, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
Johnson & Johnson Appeals Oklahoma's $572M Opioid Ruling
Consumer products giant Johnson & Johnson is appealing an Oklahoma judge’s $572 million order against the company and its subsidiaries for helping fuel the state’s opioid crisis. The company filed an appeal with the Oklahoma Supreme Court on Wednesday, arguing the ruling was an “unprecedented interpretation of Oklahoma public nuisance law.” (Murphy, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
Senate Sends Trump Stopgap Spending Bill, Averting Shutdown
The Senate passed a temporary government-wide funding bill on Thursday that staves off the risk of a government shutdown through Nov. 21. The measure would buy additional time for lawmakers to work to unclog a $1.4 trillion bundle of yearly spending bills that is hung up amid fights over President Donald Trump’s border wall and abortion. Those measures face a variety of obstacles, and it’s not clear whether Congress will pass them. (Taylor, 9/26)
California Healthline:
‘What The Health?’ Podcast: Impeachment And The Health Agenda
Washington is abuzz with impeachment talk, but what impact would such a move have on congressional action on prescription drug prices and surprise bills? Also, a study out this week shows that health insurance costs for both employers and workers continue to rise. This week, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post and Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call join KHN’s Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. (9/26)
The Washington Post:
Should Federal Employees Have Paid Family Leave? The Senate Says No — For Now.
The Senate defeated a bid to authorize paid family leave for federal employees but on a narrow vote that supporters view as leaving an opening for the benefit to yet be approved. The Senate voted 48-47 on Wednesday against accepting House-passed language to turn into paid time the unpaid leave available to federal workers under the Family and Medical Leave Act. That law entitles them, along with many other workers, to up to 12 weeks per 12 months of unpaid time for parental leave and personal or family medical conditions. (Yoder, 9/26)
Detroit Free Press:
GM Reverses On Health Care, Says It Will Cover UAW Strikers
In a significant reversal, General Motors has told the UAW that it will continue to pay for health coverage of striking workers. GM told the union after it went on strike Sept. 16 at company sites nationwide that it was kicking health care costs to the union, a move that UAW leaders said blindsided them, even though they had anticipated picking up those costs at some point through the strike fund. GM said Thursday it "has chosen to work with our providers to keep all benefits fully in place for striking hourly employees, so they have no disruption to their medical care, including vision, prescription and dental coverage. (Lawrence, 9/26)
CQ:
Consumer Groups Launch Ads Backing Surprise Billing Legislation
Consumer groups launched a campaign Thursday calling on Congress to end surprise medical bills, seeking to counter a push from private equity-backed physician staffing firms against legislation. The coalition of 14 groups is urging lawmakers to swiftly vote on legislation to prohibit surprise medical bills, which patients receive for unexpected out-of-network care. While lawmakers and the Trump administration have called for legislation, the effort has essentially stalled since two congressional committees approved legislation over the summer and industry groups have criticized the measures. (McIntire, 9/26)
Kaiser Health News:
KHN Files Lawsuit To Force Feds To Disclose Medicare Advantage Audits
Kaiser Health News is suing the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to release dozens of audits that the agency says reveal hundreds of millions of dollars in overcharges by Medicare Advantage health plans. The suit, filed late Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco under the Freedom of Information Act, seeks copies of 90 government audits of Medicare Advantage health plans conducted for 2011, 2012 and 2013 but never made public. CMS officials have said they expect to collect $650 million in overpayments from the audits. Although the agency has disclosed the names of the health plans under scrutiny, it has not released any other details. (Schulte, 9/27)
Politico:
Tom Price Angling For Georgia Senate Appointment
Price, a former six-term Republican congressman, was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as HHS secretary at the outset of his administration. He resigned in September 2017 after POLITICO revealed his use of private and government planes for travel. (Arkin, 9/26)
The Associated Press:
Military Sees Frustrating Trend As Suicides Spike
Military suicides surged this year to a record high among active duty troops, continuing a deadly trend that Pentagon officials say is frustrating and they are struggling to counter. The Army, Navy and Marine Corps all saw the rate of suicides go up as well as the overall numbers, with only the Air Force showing a decrease, according to data released by the Pentagon Thursday. Suicides among members of the Reserves and the National Guard also grew. (Baldor, 9/26)
The New York Times:
Woman Trying To End Sexual Assault At V.A. Centers Says She Is Attacked In One
A senior policy adviser on female veterans issues for the House said she was assaulted last week at the V.A. Medical Center in Washington by a man who slammed his body against hers and then pressed himself against her in the center’s cafe. The woman, Andrea Goldstein, a reserve Navy intelligence officer and a lead staff member for the Women Veterans Task Force on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, was waiting for a smoothie at a cafe in the busy center, which has one of the most celebrated women’s clinics in the Department of Veterans Affairs health system. (Steinhauer, 9/26)
Stat:
FDA Clarifies How It Will Regulate Digital Health, Artificial Intelligence
The Food and Drug Administration has issued new guidelines on how it will regulate mobile health software and products that use artificial intelligence to help doctors decide how to treat patients. The guidelines, contained in a pair of documents released Thursday morning, clarify the agency’s intent to focus its oversight powers on AI decision-support products that are meant to guide treatment of serious or critical conditions, but whose rationale cannot be independently evaluated by doctors. (Ross, 9/26)
Seattle Times:
Seattle Startup 98point6 Puts Medical AI To Work With Sam’s Club
Walmart’s Sam’s Club announced a pilot program Thursday in partnership with Seattle-based telehealth startup 98point6 and health-care company Humana to offer affordable health-care services to its members. Early next month, Sam’s club members in Michigan, Pennsylvania and North Carolina can buy one of four bundles ranging from $50 to $240 annually to access primary care, alternative medicine, optical, and dental services for up to six family members. The program later may expand to members in other states, according to a Sam’s Club news release. (Hellmann, 9/26)
The Wall Street Journal:
Discount Retailer Fred’s Strikes Deals To Sell More Pharmacy Assets
Discount retailer Fred’s Inc. has reached two separate deals to sell some of its pharmacy assets, including 10 drugstores and inventory, to Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and ExpressRx Co. for a total of about $16.4 million. Walgreens is looking to buy pharmacy inventory from Fred’s for about $9.4 million, according to a filing Thursday in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Del. ExpressRx has agreed to purchase 10 Fred’s pharmacies for about $7 million. (Al-Muslim, 9/26)
Stat:
FDA Slams Drug Maker For Not Telling Docs Its Sleeping Pill Is A Controlled Substance
At a time of heightened concern over abuse and dependence issues surrounding medicines, the Food and Drug Administration slammed a small drug maker for sending an email to physicians that appeared to “intentionally” omit any mention that its insomnia pill is a controlled substance. In a Sept. 13 warning letter sent to Galt Pharmaceuticals, the agency complained to the company that the email made numerous claims about the benefits of its Doral pill for treating insomnia. But the email completely failed to mention the warning and precaution language in the prescribing label about the withdrawal syndrome associated with benzodiazepines, such as Doral. (Silverman, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Trump's EPA Is Playing Politics With California Instead Of Working To Clean Up The Air
The Trump administration’s latest attack on California is so transparently spiteful that it would almost be laughable if we weren’t talking about something as serious as clean, breathable air and a habitable planet.On Tuesday, the Environmental Protection Agency chastised California for having “the worst air quality in the United States” and threatened to cut off federal transportation funding as punishment for submitting inadequate pollution-control plans. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler complained that about 130 such plans have been gathering dust at his agency, some of them for decades, waiting to be completed or improved. (9/26)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Californians Need Prescription Drug Price Relief
Every visit to a pharmacy is a reminder to millions of Californians of the high price of prescription drugs in this country. It’s not just that they cost more, but that the costs are often unjust — the result of price-gouging practices and patent manipulation by the pharmaceutical industry. The tactics of Martin Shkreli became famous because they were shameless, not because they were unique. One egregious example of problematic pricing by drug companies is a practice called “pay for delay.” (Anthony Wright, 9/25)
Los Angeles Times:
California Is Targeting Vaping. Why Aren't Youth Alcohol And Cigarette Use Also In The Crosshairs?
This dramatic response to the problem of youth vaping stands in stark contrast to the way lawmakers and agencies have handled other similar — and as of now — more deadly health issues. One-third of high school seniors consume alcohol and half of them are drinking flavored alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youth each year; yet federal policymakers have not banned the sale of all flavored alcoholic beverages. (Michael Siegel, 9/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Studies Show How Juul Exploited Social Media To Get Teens To Start Vaping
Juul Labs, the leading e-cigarette maker, says it has long been upfront about its determination to keep young people away from its vaping products. That’s what the San Francisco company says, anyway. But its advertising strategy has assiduously cultivated young consumers, with great success. That’s the finding in a series of studies from Stanford University that have turned a spotlight on how Juul exploited social media and the tastes of young adults to target a youth market. (Michael Hiltzik, 9/24)
Los Angeles Times:
The Feds May Or May Not Ban Flavored E-Cigarettes. L.A. Shouldn't Wait Around To See
If there’s some good to come from the terrible and still ongoing outbreak of vaping-related illness that has damaged the lungs of so many young people, possibly permanently, and killed at least eight people so far, it is that it has motivated authorities at all levels to step up efforts to reduce electronic cigarette use among kids. (9/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
California’s Hobo Paradise
Democrats blame rising rents for driving people onto the streets. But as a new White House Council of Economic Advisers white paper on homelessness notes, housing costs are swelled by restrictive building codes, zoning, environmental mandates, rent control, cumbersome permitting and labor regulations—in other words, liberal policies. The economists project that homelessness would fall by 54% in San Francisco and 40% in Los Angeles if housing costs approximated production costs more closely as they do in Texas, Florida and Arizona. Yet California’s homeless population is still 2.2 times larger than projected after controlling for poverty, home prices and weather. What gives? (9/23)
Los Angeles Times:
Why A One-Size Solution To L.A.'s Homelessness Crisis Is Destined To Fail
In recent years, the focus has been primarily on building more permanent supportive housing to get people off the streets and provide them with services that will keep them housed. That approach is absolutely essential, but it can’t be the only one. Lately, Sacramento Mayor Darryl Steinberg and others have talked about the need also for more temporary shelter beds. This is another step in the right direction. But we’re still not thinking broadly enough. (Kevin Murray, 9/19)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Contra Costa County Doctors May Strike For More Time With Their Patients
Francine’s case demonstrates how, even with all the advances in modern medicine, time remains one of the most important tools in any doctor’s medical kit. That time is precious and limited. That’s why, to prevent further constraints, physicians in the Contra Costa County health system are now poised to go on strike for the first time in our union’s history. (Scott Karpowicz, 9/26)
Los Angeles Times:
Dialysis Firms Try To Strong-Arm Gov. Newsom Into Vetoing A Bill Capping Their Profits
The businesses that lobbied the state Legislature over measures that would help or harm them know their work isn’t done just because the lawmakers have cast their votes and gone home for the year. There’s still Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature or veto to be won. Among the players stepping forward is the American Kidney Fund, which paints itself as a charity devoted impartially to helping patients facing the torment and expense of dialysis. The fund’s target is a bill passed Sept. 10 that would cap the profits enjoyed by corporate dialysis providers and impose disclosure requirements on third parties, like the fund, that help dialysis patients afford their insurance. (Michael Hiltzik, 9/24)
Los Angeles Times:
If You Want To Save Money On Healthcare, Get Sick In Some Other Country
It never fails to astonish when some Americans say they prefer paying the highest healthcare prices in the world and having millions of people uninsured rather than adopt effective approaches to affordable universal coverage found in nearly all other developed countries. My recent column on a Valley Village woman who was charged $200 for a cloth sling for her dislocated shoulder — a price tag about 900% more than similar slings found on Amazon — touched a nerve with many readers. (David Lazarus, 9/24)
National Review:
California Anti-Vaccine Movement: Bipartisan, Dangerous
Activists left and right are protesting an effort to close loopholes in a state law mandating vaccination for schoolchildren. Here’s why they’re wrong. (Bethany Mandel, 9/24)
The Desert Sun:
Trio Symbolic Of Vital Role Migrants Play In California Health Care
Immigrants, already essential to California health care, will become even more important to its future. Today, one in six medical professionals, and nearly one-third of physicians, are foreign-born, and many are bringing not just their labor but their ideas. Immigrants are responsible for one-fifth of all biomedical research and clinical trials. That, in turn, makes California highly dependent on immigrant entrepreneurs (nearly half of California businesses are started by immigrants) to transform research into treatments, devices or drugs. In other words, we need people like Harsh Vathsangam, Ade Adesanya, and Shuo Qiao to succeed. (Joe Mathews, 9/26)