Good morning, and happy Monday. As recent mass shootings and the gun control issue continue to roil the nation, and steps California has taken or is considering feature prominently in that debate. More on that below, but first here are your top California health stories of the day.
Back To Work In Sacramento: On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom touted the state's health care efforts while visiting San Diego. Now, the Legislature returns from its July recess with the clock ticking on an ambitious agenda that includes more health policy issues like vaccinations and homelessness. Fox 5 covers Newsom's remarks, while Adam Beam and Don Thompson of The Associated Press report on the state lawmakers' return.
'Fake' Exemptions: Though they have received a surge in complaints about doctors who are allegedly writing improper vaccine exemptions, California medical regulators have only disciplined one doctor so far. The reason? "Uncooperative parents," according to the Medical Board of California. But some of those parents say they worry about how their children's medical records will be used. Read more from Dustin Gardner of the San Francisco Chronicle.
EPA Knocks Down California Law: California law requires warning labels on glyphosate products -- a potentially cancer-causing chemical used in the popular Roundup weedkillers. This has not been enforced as the courts consider challenges, and now the FDA weighs in: “It is irresponsible to require labels on products that are inaccurate when EPA knows the product does not pose a cancer risk,” EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a statement. “We will not allow California’s flawed program to dictate federal policy.” Read more from Adam Beam of The Associated Press.
More News From Across The State
California Healthline:
Charity Care Spending By Hospitals Plunges
The proportion of money that California hospitals spent on free and discounted care for low-income people dropped by more than half from 2013 to 2017 — even for nonprofit hospitals. Hospitals say there’s less demand for charity care because more people now have health insurance, but consumer advocates counter that people still need help. (Rowan, 8/12)
KPBS:
Governor Newsom Touts Healthcare Spending In Visit To San Diego
"It’s interesting how much attention — I get it and it’s understandable — that was given to healthcare regardless of your immigration status," Newsom said." But what’s equally remarkable was how little attention was given to the expansion of our subsidies into the middle class." The new state budget includes subsidies that can be as much as $172 a month for families of four earning up to $150,000," Newsom said.He went on to say that universal healthcare is something the state can do and will be able to pay for. (Hoffman, 8/9)
San Jose Mercury News:
California Gun Laws: Analysis Measures The Impact On Mass Shootings
California has the strictest gun regulations in the country, but it also has had more mass shootings than any other state in recent years, from killings in Santa Barbara and San Bernardino to Tehama County and now Gilroy. In some cases, shooters have circumvented the state’s gun laws, even when the legislation has functioned as intended. In other cases, the laws may have disarmed people who otherwise would have gone on to commit mayhem. (Salonga, 8/11)
KQED:
'We Can't Live In Fear': Two Weeks After Shooting, Gilroy Celebrates Its Annual Rodeo
Organizers of the Gilroy Rodeo have roughly doubled the security at this weekend’s event after a gunman killed three people at the Gilroy Garlic Festival two weeks ago. Many attendees felt safe because of the extra security, so they could focus on the rodeo. (Hutson, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Medical Groups Show Influence In Gun Violence Debate
Major medical groups’ push for tempered gun control gained bipartisan support in Congress last week, as lawmakers outlined the next round of legislation to try to grapple with mass killings with assault weapons. ...The federal bipartisan proposal with the most traction through last week is an agreement Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) reached with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), giving states grants to enact so-called “red-flag” protection order laws. These allow judges to temporarily take firearms or ammunition from people posing immediate threats. (Luthi, 8/9)
PBS NewsHour:
How States Have Moved To Make Gun Laws While Congress Is Deadlocked
When it comes to passing laws designed to prevent the next mass shooting, Congress is deadlocked. Lawmakers have offered 110 gun bills this session that run the gamut from banning certain weapons and magazines to easing restrictions on openly carrying guns. With an absence of a national consensus on the issue, states have stepped up. The PBS NewsHour looked into what policies have gained traction at the state level. (Santhanam, 8/8)
NPR:
Elizabeth Warren's New Plan On Guns Has A Goal: Reduce Gun Deaths By 80%
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren introduced a sweeping gun control plan Saturday with the goal of reducing gun deaths by 80% through executive action and legislation. "You've got to start with a goal. I haven't heard anybody else talk about a goal," Warren said in an interview with The NPR Politics Podcast. ... Announcing her plan, Warren said the first step toward meeting her goal is immediate administrative action, which includes a range of ideas such as requiring background checks, investigating the NRA, and revoking licenses for gun dealers who break the law. (Khalid, 8/10)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Can Gun Laws Curb Gun Violence? Studies Suggest Some Might
The recent string of horrific mass shootings has policymakers at both the state and federal level considering gun-control laws that might help reduce gun violence. Two recent studies from Boston University may provide some guidance in trying to address that issue. The papers, published this year, found that three types of laws that regulate access to firearms are associated with a significant reduction in gun-related homicides. (Palomino, 8/11)
NPR:
Americans Largely Support Gun Restrictions To 'Do Something' About Gun Violence
What is clear, from public opinion polling, is that Americans believe gun violence is a problem, and they support more restrictions on guns. ... There is public support for universal background checks for gun purchases, extreme risk protection orders (also called red flag laws), gun licensing, assault-weapons bans and bans on high-capacity magazines. But many of these issues are hotly polarizing. While they mostly enjoy support from Democrats and independents, Republicans are not always on board. (Montanaro, 8/10)
Los Angeles Times:
Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against California Doctors Rise Sharply Since #MeToo Era Began
Since fall of 2017, the number of complaints against physicians for sexual misconduct has risen 62%, a jump that coincides with the beginning of the #MeToo movement, according to a Times analysis of California medical board data. During that same time, medical boards across the country also noticed a surge in sexual misconduct complaints, according to Joe Knickrehm, spokesman for the nonprofit Federation of State Medical Boards, though figures were not available. (Karlamangla, 8/12)
Ventura County Star:
St. John's Hospitals Union Nurses Protest Staff Cuts, Safety Issues
Staffing shortages, security flaws and rises in psychiatric needs jeopardize the safety of employees and patients at St. John's hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo, according to union nurses who will vote later this month on a strike. ...Dozens of nurses in the Service Employees International Union 121RN marched at the Camarillo hospital on Tuesday, carrying signs about safe staffing levels. A similar march was held on July 31 at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard. The union's contract with the two St. John's hospitals and with Northridge Hospital Medical Center expired on June 30. The sides are negotiating but nurses contend the hospital won't address security and staffing issues. (Kisken, 8/9)
The Epoch Times:
California Pays Off Med School Loans In Reaction To Doctor Shortage
A doctor shortage in California has prompted the state to take action, including paying off school loans for doctors, but some believe the fixes will do little to address the underlying problems. In addition, on Aug. 6, the California State Auditor released a report that found the state Department of Health Care Services has not ensured an acceptable level of care for some Medi-Cal beneficiaries, who were forced to “travel excessive distances to receive care.” After the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, more than four million new people joined the state’s Medi-Cal program, according to CalMatters, increasing the pressure on California’s health care system. (Salles, 8/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
What The AMA Stands For Now
Under a new president, Patrice Harris, the American Medical Association made a splash in the reproductive-rights debate in June by suing North Dakota to block two abortion-related laws. One of those laws requires physicians to tell patients that medication-induced abortions can be reversed in some instances, which the suit says is false; the other requires doctors to tell patients that an abortion terminates “the life of a whole, separate, unique living human being.” The AMA also has recently taken positions on some topics, such as climate change and body-worn cameras in law enforcement, that aren’t traditionally associated with medicine. Dr. Harris, who will serve a one-year term as president, spoke to The Wall Street Journal about the AMA’s advocacy efforts, health-care reform and diversity in the profession. (Abbott, 8/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Kaiser's Net Income Continues To Soar On Investment Gains
Not-for-profit Kaiser Permanente's net income jumped 214% in the second quarter of 2019 year-over-year, hitting $2 billion in the quarter that ended June 30, and continuing what has so far been a strong year for the Oakland, Calif.-based health system. Kaiser's 10% profit margin in the quarter was generated by strong equity returns and an accounting change that since Jan. 1 has boosted the health system's net income. (Bannow, 8/9)
Ventura County Star:
Officials Predict $6M Finish For VCMC, Not $19M Loss
After projecting that Ventura County Medical Center and affiliated units would lose close to $19.2 million in the fiscal year just ended, managers now are estimating that the system serving large numbers of low-income patients will clear $6 million. They are basing the unaudited result largely on revised projections for state payments owed from the past, not a sudden improvement in last year's operating results for the system with a budget of half a billion dollars. The system encompasses VCMC, the affiliated Santa Paula Hospital and dozens of clinics. (Wilson, 8/10)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Vaccine Exemption Bill Wins Approval From California’s Medical Board
The Medical Board of California announced its support Thursday for a state bill that would more strictly regulate which children can skip vaccines for medical reasons. This is the first time the government agency has fully backed efforts to crack down on doctors who grant excess exemptions. The bill would require the state health department to review exemption forms issued by doctors who grant more than five medical exemptions in a year, or in school districts with low immunization rates. (Caiola, 8/9)
CalMatters / Desert Sun:
“We’re Not Going To Be Able To Survive:” Why Californians Could Bear The Brunt Of Trump Food Stamp Cuts
Californians are likely to be hit particularly hard. Here’s why: The proposed rule, announced last week, would undo the ability of states to provide food stamps to households that have incomes above the federal food stamp limit—130% of the federal poverty line—but hefty expenses. That would have the biggest impact in states like California that have raised the minimum wage to try to chase the skyrocketing costs of housing. As California’s minimum wage creeps towards $15 per hour by 2023, many more workers could be bumped off food stamps when their monthly incomes rise above the federal limit. (Botts, 8/11)
Capital Public Radio:
Needy School Districts Are Getting More Money — But What About Needy Kids?
Six years into California’s effort to target school funding more to disadvantaged students, new research has found that high-need districts are getting substantially more money. But the report released Wednesday by the Public Policy Institute of California indicates that poorer schools getting most of the extra help are relying on less experienced and lower-paid teachers, and that high-needs kids in wealthier districts may be getting short shrift. (Cano, 8/11)
Los Angeles Times:
Why Some California Cops Are Refusing To Answer Suicide Calls
Some small and midsize law enforcement agencies across the state have stopped responding to certain calls because of the potential dangers to both officers and the person attempting to end his or her life. They also present a financial liability from lawsuits — especially if the situation turns violent. (Chabria, 8/10)
Fresno Bee:
Breast Cancer Study In Visalia CA: Latinas Can Manage Stress
[Edelmira] Ramos is among 150 Spanish-speaking Latinas, including 53 in Visalia, who took part in a three-year program dubbed Nuevo Amanecer (New Dawn) — and an accompanying study to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. The program focuses on stress management for Latinas with breast cancer, and those who’ve lived through the disease.Officials gathered in Visalia on Thursday to reveal preliminary results, although research findings have not yet been published. (Amaro, 8/9)
Capital Public Radio:
Farm Stand Truck Could Bring Produce From Urban Farms To West Sacramento Food Deserts
A mobile farm stand truck might be less exciting to kids than an ice cream truck, but the prospect of getting one in West Sacramento has proponents of urban agriculture pretty pumped up.Here’s how it would work. Several urban farmers in West Sacramento would sell their produce through a refrigerated truck that stops in neighborhoods where residents face barriers when it comes to affording fresh, local produce. (Mitric, 8/11)
Capital Public Radio/KXJZ:
Horse Racing Doesn’t Have A Standard Concussion Protocol For Jockeys. Now, California Wants To Create One.
Now, California wants to become one of the first states with a concussion protocol. Maryland is the only other state with a system in place, but California is a much larger market. It would require jockeys to complete an annual baseline assessment and get clearance from a certified physician to return after unintentionally dismounting from a horse. (Rodd, 8/12)
Politico Pro:
Judge Orders California Lawsuits Over Gilead HIV Drugs To Be Heard In San Francisco
A California judge has ordered all lawsuits filed against Gilead Sciences regarding safety problems with its HIV drugs to be overseen by a single judge in San Francisco County Superior Court. The ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kenneth R. Freeman brought together more than two dozen cases filed throughout California by patients alleging they were harmed by Gilead antiviral medications containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate — including Viread, Truvada, Atripla, Complera or Stribild. (Colliver, 8/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Rite Aid Names Heyward Donigan As CEO
Rite Aid Corp. appointed Heyward Donigan as chief executive, saying her experience leading health-care companies would help the pharmacy chain confront competition that has hurt sales and prompted job cuts. (Haddon, 8/12)
The Wall Street Journal:
Allscripts Reaches Tentative Agreement Over Federal Probes
Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. has reached a tentative $145 million agreement to resolve civil and criminal federal investigations into the business practices of one of its recently acquired companies. The federal investigations revolve around Practice Fusion Inc.’s software certification, compliance with anti-kickback regulations and related business practices, according to securities filings. No additional details were given. Health-care information-technology company Allscripts acquired the electronic-health-records company last year. (Armental, 8/9)
The Associated Press:
Trump Administration Moves To Enforce Abortion Restriction
Moving ahead despite objections, the Trump administration on Friday set a timetable for federally funded family clinics to comply with a new rule that bars them from referring women for abortions. The action is part of a series of efforts to remake government policy on reproductive health to please conservatives who are a key part of President Donald Trump’s political base. Religious conservatives see the family planning program as providing an indirect subsidy to Planned Parenthood, which runs family planning clinics and is also a major abortion provider. ... The Department of Health and Human Services sent notices to program participants saying they must certify by Sep. 18 that they’re complying with most major provisions of the rule. Plans on how the clinics intend to comply are due earlier, by Aug. 19. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/9)
Politico Pro:
Some Labor Unions Split With Biden On 'Medicare For All'
Joe Biden and other moderate Democratic candidates opposed to “Medicare for All” have cast the plan as anti-labor, arguing that it would leave union members worse off by stripping them of the health care benefits they painstakingly negotiated. But not all labor unions agree. Only a few major unions have come out against the single-payer system that would all but eliminate private insurance, while many others remain undecided and some of the biggest labor groups in the country have embraced the plan. (Ollstein, 8/10)
Stat:
Q&A: The FDA's Digital Health Chief On How To Regulate AI Products
The Food and Drug Administration has allowed medical devices that rely on artificial intelligence algorithms onto the market, but so far, the agency has given the green light only to devices with “locked algorithms” — those that remain the same as the product is used until they’re updated by the manufacturer. Systems with algorithms that evolve and sharpen on their own, however, are already in development. (Joseph 8/9)
The Associated Press:
Librarians Facing New Tasks Say Crisis Isn't In The Catalog
As libraries nationwide contend with a surge in patrons seeking refuge in the stacks because of poverty, drug addiction or mental illness, a growing number of institutions have social workers on staff. It’s the latest step in an evolution that libraries have been dealing with for years as homelessness and the opioid crisis reach emergency levels and patrons have come to rely on libraries as free, safe spaces open to all. (Swenson, 8/9)