- California Healthline Original Stories 4
- Tracking Air Quality Block By Block
- Death By 1,000 Cuts: How Republicans Can Still Alter Your Coverage
- Drugmakers Help Turn Patients With Rare Diseases Into D.C. Lobbyists
- Coming Full Circle, Doulas Cradle The Dying
- Health Care Personnel 1
- Despite Higher Cost Of Living In San Diego, Doctor Pay Lower Than Other Coastal Areas
- Public Health and Education 4
- 'Game-Changing' Guidelines In Calif. Try To Relieve Some Of Burden From An Alzheimer's Diagnosis
- He Sees Himself As A Medical Philanthropist, But This Billionaire's Business Practices Raise Red Flags
- Stark Disparities In Lifespan Of San Diego's Rich, Poor Highlight Need To Address Inequalities
- Administration's Global Health Cuts Could Lead To 'Catastrophic Loss Of Life'
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Tracking Air Quality Block By Block
An environmental advocacy group plans to install 100 pollution sensors at homes, schools and businesses in the congested area near the Port of Oakland to capture variations in the level of diesel contaminants. (Ngoc Nguyen, )
Death By 1,000 Cuts: How Republicans Can Still Alter Your Coverage
There are many ways beyond legislative repeal for the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to unravel the Affordable Care Act. (Jay Hancock, )
Drugmakers Help Turn Patients With Rare Diseases Into D.C. Lobbyists
Amplifying the "patient voice," those with the rarest afflictions are trained to become powerful advocates for new drugs and legislation that would help the industry. (Sarah Jane Tribble, )
Coming Full Circle, Doulas Cradle The Dying
Traditionally there for mothers giving birth, a doula’s role has evolved to comforting seniors facing death. (Bruce Horovitz, )
More News From Across The State
Lawmakers Shift Focus To Transparency To Curb High Drug Costs
Covered California & The Health Law
The Health Law's Unlikely Defenders: Republicans
As Republican efforts to dismantle and replace the Affordable Care Act continue, some in the party are actually speaking out for provisions in the legislation, such as coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
The Hill:
Reversal: Some Republicans Now Defending Parts Of ObamaCare
The House’s debate over repealing ObamaCare has had an unintended effect: Republicans are now defending key elements of President Obama’s health law. Many House Republicans are now defending ObamaCare’s protections for people with pre-existing conditions, in the face of an effort by the conservative House Freedom Caucus to repeal them. (Sullivan, 4/9)
In other health law news —
The Associated Press:
Move Over 'Obamacare,' Trump Plan Is Now The Focus
Something new is happening in a health care debate dominated for seven years by the twists and turns of Barack Obama's signature law. The focus has shifted to ideas from President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers in Congress, and most people don't like what they see. With Republicans in command, their health care proposals as currently formulated have generated far more concern than enthusiasm. (4/10)
The New York Times:
No ‘Death Spiral’: Insurers May Soon Profit From Obamacare Plans, Analysis Finds
In contrast to the dire pronouncements from President Trump and other Republicans, the demise of the individual insurance market seems greatly exaggerated, according to a new financial analysis released Friday. The analysis, by Standard & Poor’s, looked at the performance of many Blue Cross plans in nearly three dozen states since President Barack Obama’s health care law took effect three years ago. (Abelson, 4/7)
The New York Times:
The Trump Resistance Found Early Success. Can It Also Find Momentum?
Political reporters were calling, crediting them with helping to bring down Republican legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Rachel Maddow made them the stars of a segment on her show, chronicling how they had grown into a “legitimate political movement” that pushed their congressman, the chairman of the influential Appropriations Committee, to come out against the bill hours before his party’s leadership decided to pull it without a vote. (Zernike, 4/9)
Politico:
TV Ads Slam Republicans Over Would-Be Obamacare Repeal
Moderate House Republicans who flirted with supporting the GOP's now-stalled Obamacare replacement will face attack ads in their districts this week for doing so. Save My Care, a coalition of left-leaning health care advocacy groups fighting to preserve Obamacare, is launching a seven-figure TV ad buy in seven competitive House districts across the country. (Cheney, 4/10)
Can $200 Really Buy You An Accurate Look At Your Genetic Risk For Diseases?
California-based 23andMe, a genetic testing company, recently won FDA approval to sell its product, which tells users if they are susceptible to certain diseases. Stat offers a look at what consumers need to know about it before considering using it.
Stat:
Before You Send Your Spit To 23andMe, What You Need To Know
The genetic testing company 23andMe received approval this week from regulators to sell genetic reports on an individual’s risk for 10 diseases, most prominently Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Before you send in your saliva sample and $199, here’s what you should know. (Begley, 4/7)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Concern Raised About 23andMe's New Genetic Tests For Disease
The FDA has given 23andMe the right to sell members of the public genetic tests that estimate a person’s risk for 10 health conditions, including Parkinson’s and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. The decision drew concern from Laura Rivard, a genetics professor at the University of San Diego. (Robbins, 4/7)
Despite Higher Cost Of Living In San Diego, Doctor Pay Lower Than Other Coastal Areas
Medicare reimbursement rates could be partly to blame for the disparity.
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Higher Pay, But Also High Rates Of Suicide And Burnout For Doctors
Compensation for doctors has risen substantially overall in the United States, but you might be surprised at the regional differences — San Diego County isn’t a site for top earnings — and the lack of a strong link between higher pay and higher job satisfaction. Physicians’ salaries have increased 42 percent on average since 2011, according to the latest nationwide salary survey from health care publisher Medscape. The sampling showed that average compensation has climbed by $88,000 during that time — from $206,000 in 2011 to $294,00 this year. (Sisson, 4/6)
In other news —
San Francisco Business Times:
Doctors Spend More Time On Administrative Work Than Patients, Study Says
Research shows doctors spend more than on computers than with patient visits. Here's how health systems are trying to use technology and additional services to help doctors reclaim their days. (Siu, 4/6)
'Game-Changing' Guidelines In Calif. Try To Relieve Some Of Burden From An Alzheimer's Diagnosis
The California Department of Public Health has issued new guidelines to help primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants better diagnose and document the disease, explain it to patients and direct them to community-based programs and services.
Sacramento Bee:
New Guidelines, Funding Help Ease Alzheimer's Diagnoses
It’s the much-feared diagnosis no one wants to hear. But under new state and federal guidelines, more patients could be getting easier and earlier diagnoses of Alzheimer’s disease, which already affects more than 600,000 Californians. (Buck, 4/8)
Politico investigates Patrick Soon-Shiong and his research foundation.
Politico:
How Washington’s Favorite Cancer Fighter Helps Himself
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the California health care billionaire, believes the United States is fighting a flawed war on cancer, “stuck in dogma.” His bracing critique caught the attention of Joe Biden and, more recently, Donald Trump, who met privately with Soon-Shiong twice during the transition, as he reportedly angled for a role in the administration. (Tahir, 4/9)
In other news on the doctor —
Stat:
Soon-Shiong Allegedly Made 'Implicit Threat' To Bring In Investors
When Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong invested in the troubled media company Tronc, he was greeted as a white knight. But a lawyer for Tronc is now accusing Soon-Shiong of making an “implicit threat” that he would abandon the company unless Tronc invested in his own medical diagnostics startup, NantHealth. Soon-Shiong helped rescue Tronc from a hostile takeover attempt last May with an investment of more than $70 million. But he first tried to convince the publishing company to invest in the initial public offering of NantHealth, according to a letter from Tronc’s attorneys filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Garde, 4/3)
Stark Disparities In Lifespan Of San Diego's Rich, Poor Highlight Need To Address Inequalities
One of the more high-profile efforts to address that neighborhood disparity is the push to create a skatepark in City Heights, a neighborhood that already struggles with a lack of parks.
KPBS:
San Diego County Numbers Show Lifespan Gap Between Rich And Poor
The wealthiest men in San Diego County can expect to live almost a decade longer than their poorest counterparts. That’s one of the findings from the Health Inequality Project, a report written by researchers from Stanford, Harvard and MIT. (Castaneda, 4/10)
In other public health news —
Ventura County Star:
Ventura County Commutes, Housing, Air Quality Bring Health Costs
In a region that prides itself on health, too many people in Ventura County suffer because of housing issues, long work commutes and air not as clean as it could be, according to a new study. The annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps paints a glowing picture of Ventura County in behaviors ranging from smoking to sexually transmitted infections, ranking the area sixth highest out of 57 California counties. (Kisken, 4/8)
Los Angeles Times:
Group Tackles Health As Citywide Responsibility
Community leaders took to the Alex Theatre stage on Thursday to sign a pledge proclaiming their commitment to improving Glendale’s collective health. The event was part of the Glendale Healthier Community Coalition’s “We Own the Health of Our Community” initiative and representatives from more than 100 organizations, including local businesses and government agencies, signed the pledge. Signatories included Mayor Paula Devine, Glendale Unified Supt. Winfred Roberson Jr. and Glendale Fire Chief Greg Fish. (Nguyen, 4/7)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Natural Medicine: Urban Families Explore Benefits Of The Outdoors
Every month, Razani — a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland — escorts families she knows through her practice to a different East Bay regional park. They have only one goal: to be in nature. They may learn something, they may get some exercise and vitamin D, but their assignment is to just be. (Allday, 4/10)
Administration's Global Health Cuts Could Lead To 'Catastrophic Loss Of Life'
The White House proposes reducing funding to major programs including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, help for aid organizations that provide family planning and other health services and contributions to the United Nations Population Fund.
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Pushes Historic Cuts In Global Health Aid, Stoking Fears Of New Disease Outbreaks And Diminished U.S. Clout
Half a century after the United States led a global expansion of international efforts to combat infectious disease and promote family planning, the Trump administration has embarked on a historic retrenchment that many fear threatens the health of millions and jeopardizes America’s standing in the world. Since taking office, President Trump has proposed dramatic cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has historically spearheaded U.S. efforts to improve women’s and children’s health. (Levey, 4/10)
In Midst Of Mental Health Crisis, Santa Ana Eyes Mostly Vacant Jail As Solution To Bed Shortage
The jail has 512 beds, but it isn't used to detain the vast majority of local arrestees because the county Sheriff's Department jails them nearby at no cost to the city.
Los Angeles Times:
Space In Nearly Empty Santa Ana City Jail Could Go To Mental Health Care
Citing a severe shortage of mental health services in Orange County, Santa Ana officials are considering turning much of their mostly vacant city jail into a mental health treatment center. ... The facility no longer houses the vast majority of people arrested by city police because county jails hold them at no expense to the city. (Gerda, 4/9)
In other news from across the state —
Orange County Register:
CSUF Nursing Students Advocate For Broader Access To Feminine Hygiene Products
Called Lux on Her Side, the campaign aims to collect 6,300 products to donate to the Women’s Transitional Living Center in Fullerton — enough for about a three-month supply. Unopened boxes of tampons, pads and menstrual cups can be dropped off at bins around campus through April 24. (Fawthrop, 4/9)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
San Diego Woman A Top Blood Bank Donor With 100th Gallon
One hundred gallons. Pint by pint, that’s how much blood Jayne Heimann has donated over 38 years, making her the San Diego Blood Bank’s top female donor. The blood bank celebrated Heimann on Saturday when she came to the group’s headquarters to give her usual pint of platelets. (Steele, 4/8)
The Bakersfield Californian:
'Be Our Guest': San Joaquin Community Hospital Hosts 'Beauty And The Beast' NICU Reunion
Four-year-old Allyson, in her newly purchased yellow Disney princess dress, waited patiently in line with her mother Tammy Hatfield to take a photo with Princess Belle at San Joaquin Community Hospital's seventh annual NICU reunion Sunday afternoon. The two attended the event because Allyson was just 25 weeks old and weighed one pound, two ounces when she was born. (Sanchez, 4/9)
Orange County Register:
Transgender Navy Veteran To Undergo Gender Reassignment Surgery Monday
With [Marsha] Morgan’s own sex reassignment surgery Monday at Kaiser Permanente West Los Hospital, the Navy veteran quietly shares [that] she hopes she receives the same kind of support. It will be the hospital’s first foray into such a life-changing operation. But Morgan, a former sonar technician on a fast attack submarine in the Persian Gulf, exudes the kind of confidence one only gains after decades of deep inner struggle and knowing you are about to transform into the person you always knew you were. (Whiting, 4/9)
Gorsuch Evades Firm Answers On Aid-In-Dying, But Past Writings Offer Detailed Look At Views
Newly minted Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch in his book "The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia" built a legal and moral case against the practice. Meanwhile, aid-in-dying has seen a steady, yearly increase since it has been enacted.
CNN:
Physician-Assisted Suicide An Issue For Supreme Court Nominee Gorsuch
Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch has frustrated legislators on both sides of the aisle with his refusal to talk specifics on several major issues he could rule on if he's confirmed. But one matter on which his past writings offer a detailed picture of his views is medical aid in dying, sometimes referred to as physician-assisted suicide. In 2006, Gorsuch wrote "The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia," a 311-page book in which he "builds a nuanced, novel, and powerful moral and legal argument against legalization," the book proclaims on its back cover. Gorsuch also addressed questions on the polarizing issue during his Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings. (Tinker, 4/7)
The Oregonian:
Study: Oregon Patients Using Physician-Assisted Suicide Steadily Increase
The number of patients using the nation's first physician-aided suicide program, Oregon's Death with Dignity Act, has continued to grow since voters first approved the law nearly two decades ago. A new study shows a 12 percent yearly increase in lethal prescriptions from 1998 to 2013, with an unexplained jump of nearly 30 percent in 2015. The research doesn't include 2016 numbers, which haven't been released yet. (Terry, 4/6)