- California Healthline Original Stories 1
- Gavin Newsom Is Bullish On Single-Payer — Except When He’s Not
- Courts 1
- USC Reaches $215 Million Settlement With Patients Of Campus Gynecologist Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
- Covered California & The Health Law 1
- Is Peace Of Mind Enough To Get People To Buy Health Care Coverage On The Exchanges?
- Coverage And Access 1
- Despite Having Similar Or Higher Rates Of Health Insurance Coverage, LGBT Californians More Likely To Delay Care
- Public Health and Education 2
- Health Officials Urge Residents To Get Vaccination Following Ventura County Flu-Linked Death
- Survey Captures Breadth Of Health Problems Older Californians With HIV Face
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Gavin Newsom Is Bullish On Single-Payer — Except When He’s Not
The front-runner in the California governor’s race, known for his political audacity, has officially endorsed the controversial move to create one public insurance program for all Californians. Yet he also faces formidable challenges, and liberal critics fear he’ll retreat. (Brian Rinker, )
More News From Across The State
Women who received health services from the University of Southern California's longtime campus gynecologist George Tyndall will be eligible to receive $2,500, according to the university. Those who provide details on their experiences under his care could receive up to $250,000 more.
Reuters:
USC Agrees To $215 Million Settlement In California Gynecologist Case
The University of Southern California has reached a $215 million proposed settlement with former patients of a gynecologist at the school who was accused of sexual abuse, the president of the university said in a letter on Friday seen by Reuters. The settlement centers on the conduct of George Tyndall, who practiced at USC until he was suspended in 2016 after a complaint from a health worker accusing him of making sexually inappropriate comments to patients. (10/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
University Of Southern California To Pay $215 Million In Gynecologist Sex-Abuse Case
The money will be available to thousands of women who were treated by Mr. Tyndall during his nearly 30-year tenure at the private Los Angeles university, including both those who do and don’t claim he abused them. The settlement, reached in a class action in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and subject to court approval, will offer larger payouts to women who allege they suffered the worst abuse. (Randazzo and Korn, 10/19)
Bloomberg:
USC To Pay $215 Million To Settle With Victims Of Gynecologist
"We hope that we can help our community move collectively toward reconciliation," Interim USC President Wanda Austin said in the university’s statement. "I regret that any student ever felt uncomfortable, unsafe, or mistreated in any way as a result of the actions of a university employee." (Pettersson, 10/19)
KPCC:
USC Will Pay $215 Million To Settle Gynecologist Sexual Misconduct Suit
This won’t necessarily nix all the suits the school is facing over Tyndall’s misconduct. (Mantle, 10/19)
Los Angeles Times:
USC's Tentative $215-Million Settlement In Tyndall Abuse Cases Likely Just The Beginning Of Financial Pain For The University
The deal applies only to a federal class-action lawsuit and does not automatically resolve more than 400 other patient suits playing out in Los Angeles Superior Court. Lawyers in those local cases lambasted the settlement as paltry and premature, and promised to continue pursuing their cases. They said the class settlement did not allow for a full accounting of USC’s handling of Tyndall. The doctor was allowed to practice at the student health center for 27 years despite numerous complaints that began in the early 1990s. (Hamilton and Ryan, 10/19)
Covered California & The Health Law
Is Peace Of Mind Enough To Get People To Buy Health Care Coverage On The Exchanges?
Covered California officials are anticipating an enrollment drop now that the penalty for not buying coverage has been zeroed out. The anticipated departure of some consumers from the pool accounts for part of an 8.7 percent average rate increase next year for Obamacare plans offered by 11 insurers in California.
Modesto Bee:
Covered CA Enrollment Expected To Drop As Penalty Ends
Covered California’s fall enrollment period will show whether peace of mind is a motivation for people to keep their health insurance next year. Last year, Congress passed legislation that in 2019 erases the federal tax penalty for people without coverage. (Carlson, 10/21)
“Unfortunately we don’t have the data to answer [why] directly,” said Susan Babey, one of the authors of the report. “But other research suggests that one possibility is that lesbian, gay and bisexual adults have experienced discrimination or not feeling welcome in health care settings in the past and so are avoiding repeating those kinds of experiences by delaying care even if they need to see a medical provider.”
The California Health Report:
Lesbians, Gay Men And Bisexuals Are Delaying Health Care, Study Finds
Lesbians, gay men and bisexual adults in California are more likely than straight people to delay seeking medical care, even though they have the same or even higher rates of health insurance coverage, according to a new study. Researchers at UCLA examined survey data from about 83,000 California adults that included questions on a variety of health indicators, including access to health care and insurance, health problems, health behaviors and sexual orientation. They found that gay and bisexual men were more likely than straight men to have health insurance, while lesbian and bisexual women had similar rates of health insurance coverage compared to straight women. (Boyd-Barrett, 10/19)
Health Officials Urge Residents To Get Vaccination Following Ventura County Flu-Linked Death
There's no indication that this season's will be as bad as last, but officials caution that the flu is unpredictable and people should take the necessary steps to protect their health.
Ventura County Star:
Death Related To Flu Reported; Officials Urge Vaccinations
A person in Ventura County died in a flu-related death this month, reported a public health official urging people to get their flu vaccinations before Nov. 1. Ventura County Public Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin revealed little about the death for privacy reasons except to note the person was 65 or older and it wasn't clear exactly how influenza contributed to the fatality. ...The 2017-2018 flu season was Ventura County's worst in recent history. It brought 49 deaths and a surge that instead of the typical two weeks lasted for more than three months. The blitz included two peaks, one dominated by influenza A, the other by influenza B. (Kisken, 10/20)
Orange County Register:
1st Flu Case For The Year Reported In Orange County
An Irvine man is the first flu case of the year, the county’s Health Care Agency announced Friday. Health officials have been issuing alerts urging the public to get vaccinated against the influenza virus. California saw the worst flu season in a decade last year. Statewide, there were 164 flu-related deaths last year compared to 81 the year before. The flu is a seasonal, contagious respiratory illness, which can be caused by influenza A or B viruses. Flu symptoms may include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, body aches, chills and fatigue. It is transmitted through droplets from coughs and sneezes. (Bharath, 10/19)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Temperature Mistake Forces Walgreens To Re-Vaccinate About 350 SDSU Students
Hundreds of San Diego State University undergraduates who received vaccinations against type B meningococcal disease at Viejas Arena on Oct. 5 and Oct. 8 must receive replacement inoculations. Walgreens Inc. determined that the doses it delivered were improperly handled. In a brief statement, the company said that it “became aware that the vaccine temperature at the time of administration was not optimal” for 350 students who the pharmacy chain’s workers immunized during the two mass vaccination clinics. (Sisson, 10/19)
Survey Captures Breadth Of Health Problems Older Californians With HIV Face
The negative health effects of HIV don't stop with the virus -- they can be anything from depression and loneliness to nerve pain stemming from their life-saving drugs. Advocates and patients say it's a struggle to find services that address their issues. In other public health news: a rare, polio-like illness that affects children, sneezing, the heat, and blood pressure.
San Francisco Chronicle:
Older HIV Patients Struggle With Loneliness And Depression — And Lack Of Services
Older people with HIV are frequently lonely and depressed, many of them face serious housing and financial hardships, and they have high rates of physical ailments — such as chronic pain, heart disease, diabetes and fatigue — that can diminish their quality of life. All of that’s been known for several years. But services to meet their needs still fall short, say people with HIV and the groups that support them, and simply quantifying their mental and physical health problems has been a challenge. (Allday, 10/20)
East Bay Times:
Rare Polio-Like Disease May Have Spread To California
There are now four suspected cases of the rare polio-like disease, acute flaccid myelitis, under investigation in California, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. The mysterious disease, also known as AFM, causes sudden and unexplained paralysis, usually in children. Federal health officials have confirmed 62 cases of AFM in the U.S. this year across 22 states, and there are 65 more are under investigation including the four possible cases in California. This is the third time the nation has seen a nationwide spike of AFM. There was also an uptick in the terrifying disease in 2014 and 2016, as the LA Times reports. (D'Souza, 10/19)
LAist:
Sneezing A Lot Because Of Santa Ana Winds? It's More Than Just Allergies Making You Miserable
The Santa Ana winds are kicking up for the second time this week, and red flag warnings are in effect for parts of Southern California. If your eyes have been watering and you've been sneezing and coughing a ton, you're not alone — and you should prepare yourself for more. (Duran, 10/19)
KQED:
'This Heat Is Killing Me'
Two heat waves last year killed at least 14 people in the Bay Area, and the past five summers have been the hottest on record in California. It’s a warming world, and heat can pose a serious threat, even in the normally temperate Bay Area. (Levi, 10/21)
Los Angeles Times:
To Keep Your Blood Pressure In Check, Don’t Forget To Brush And Floss
Struggling to bring your high blood pressure under control, even with the help of medications? Open your mouth and say “aha!” if you see tooth decay or gums that are sore, bleeding or receding. You may have found the culprit. Researchers reported Monday that in adults whose hypertension was being treated with medications, systolic blood pressure — which measures pressure in the vessels when the heart beats — got higher as the health of their teeth and gums declined. (Healy, 10/22)
Thousands Of Workers To Protest Outside Sacramento’s UC Davis Medical Center This Week
Both UC Davis management and AFSCME Local 3299 officials said patients can be assured that they will receive the same quality of care that they have come to expect at UC hospitals.
Sacramento Bee:
What This Week’s Strike At UCD Hospital Means For Patients, Traffic In Sacramento
Deadlocked in labor contract negotiations with the University of California, thousands of low-wage workers represented by AFSCME Local 3299 will be setting up picket lines Tuesday through Thursday outside Sacramento’s UC Davis Medical Center and at four other academic hospitals around the state. Here’s what UC Davis patients and motorists around its facilities should know. (Anderson, 10/22)
In other news from across the state —
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Aging Residents And Health Care Job Growth Drive Medical Construction Boom
The medical office building slated to open in early 2020 represents Sonoma County’s latest example of new construction so more health care workers can serve additional patients. Those developments include the spring opening of a $50 million Kaiser Permanente medical office building in southwest Santa Rosa and the 2014 opening of a $292 million Sutter Health hospital and medical office complex in north Santa Rosa. The medical building spurt comes as health care enterprises have become the county’s largest employer, with nearly 35,000 workers, or about 15 percent of the local workforce. Health care employment has outpaced the rest of the county economy in recent years, and the sector is expected to remain the fastest- growing here over the next four years, according to recent studies by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. (Digitale, 10/21)
Sacramento Bee:
A Doctor Warned California About Prisoner Care. After An Inmate Suicide, He Got $822,000
Christopher Wadsworth, the prison’s former chief psychiatrist, got an $822,000 settlement last year after alleging that a change in mental health protocol contributed to an inmate’s suicide in 2014. He claimed he experienced years of professional retaliation after warning his supervisors that a plan to temporarily restrict the number of San Quentin’s acute crisis beds would endanger inmates and contradict provisions of a court agreement that governs mental health services. (Ashton, 10/19)
Trump Administration Mulls Rule That Would Eradicate Government Recognition Of Transgender Americans
HHS is spearheading an effort to establish a legal definition of sex under Title IX, the federal civil rights law that bans gender discrimination in education programs that get government funds. “Sex means a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,” the department proposes in the memo obtained by The New York Times.
The New York Times:
‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out Of Existence Under Trump Administration
The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth, the most drastic move yet in a governmentwide effort to roll back recognition and protections of transgender people under federal civil rights law. A series of decisions by the Obama administration loosened the legal concept of gender in federal programs, including in education and health care, recognizing gender largely as an individual’s choice and not determined by the sex assigned at birth. The policy prompted fights over bathrooms, dormitories, single-sex programs and other arenas where gender was once seen as a simple concept. Conservatives, especially evangelical Christians, were incensed. (Green, Benner and Pear, 10/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump’s Health Department Takes Aim At Transgender-Rights Rules
Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services had sought to push through changes to Title IX, the 1972 law prohibiting gender discrimination in education, according to a story Sunday in the New York Times. While Title IX doesn’t directly govern sex discrimination beyond education, other civil rights laws generally base their definition of such discrimination on Title IX. But Education Department officials have been drafting their own changes to Title IX, focused on the process for adjudicating campus sexual assault. And those officials, particularly Secretary Betsy DeVos, have resisted including a broad redefinition of gender in those changes, preferring to keep the focus limited. (Armour and Hackman, 10/21)
In other national health care news —
The Associated Press:
Hackers Breach HealthCare.Gov System, Get Data On 75,000
A government computer system that interacts with HealthCare.gov was hacked earlier this month, compromising the sensitive personal data of some 75,000 people, officials said Friday. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services made the announcement late in the afternoon ahead of a weekend, a time slot agencies often use to release unfavorable developments. (10/19)
The Washington Post:
Consumer Data Compromised In Affordable Care Act Enrollment Portal
The breach, involving a system used by agents and brokers as part of the insurance program, exposed credit and other personal information. It throws into turmoil one aspect of the ACA’s insurance-signup process less than two weeks before the start of the annual enrollment period for coverage created by the 2010 health-care law. According to a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the online pathway for agents and brokers into the federal insurance exchange was shut down earlier this week, though officials hope to reopen it a few days before the Nov. 1 start of the six-week enrollment period. (Goldstein, 10/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
Agent Orange Concerns Joined By Worry Over Modern-Era ‘Burn Pits’
Members of Congress and veterans advocates are mounting a push to get the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase aid to former service members with health problems blamed on toxic exposures, a move the VA secretary has publicly fought since taking over the department. Secretary Robert Wilkie opposes legislative proposals to expand benefits to thousands of Vietnam War veterans who served at sea and claim exposure to Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant. The VA also opposes new benefits for Iraq and Afghanistan troops exposed to burn pits until the issue can be studied in depth. (Kesling and Armour, 10/21)
The New York Times:
Immune-Based Treatment Helps Fight Aggressive Breast Cancer, Study Finds
Women with an aggressive type of breast cancer lived longer if they received immunotherapy plus chemotherapy, rather than chemo alone, a major study has found. The results are expected to change the standard of care for women like those in the clinical trial, who had advanced cases of “triple-negative” breast cancer. That form of the disease often resists standard therapies, and survival rates are poor. It is twice as common in African-American women as in white women, and more likely to occur in younger women. Researchers said the new study was a long-awaited breakthrough for immunotherapy in breast cancer. (Grady, 10/20)
The Associated Press:
AP Analysis: 'Obamacare' Shapes Opioid Grant Spending
An Associated Press analysis of the first wave of emergency money targeting the U.S. opioid crisis finds that states are taking very different approaches to spending it. To a large extent, the differences depend on whether states participated in one of the most divisive issues in recent American politics: the health overhaul known as "Obamacare." (10/22)
The New York Times:
Miscarrying At Work: The Physical Toll Of Pregnancy Discrimination
If you are a Verizon customer on the East Coast, odds are good that your cellphone or tablet arrived by way of a beige, windowless warehouse near Tennessee’s border with Mississippi. Inside, hundreds of workers, many of them women, lift and drag boxes weighing up to 45 pounds, filled with iPhones and other gadgets. There is no air-conditioning on the floor of the warehouse, which is owned and operated by a contractor. Temperatures there can rise past 100 degrees. Workers often faint, according to interviews with 20 current and former employees. (Silver-Greenberg and Kitroeff, 10/21)
The Washington Post:
As U.S. Fertility Rates Collapse, Finger-Pointing And Blame Follow
As 2017 drew to a close, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) urged Americans to have more children. To keep the country great, he said, we’re “going to need more people.” “I did my part,” the father of three declared. Ryan’s remarks drew some eye rolls at the time, but as new data about the country’s collapsing fertility rates has emerged, concern has deepened over what’s causing the changes, whether it constitutes a crisis that will fundamentally change the demographic trajectory of the country — and what should be done about it. (Cha, 10/19)
The New York Times:
A National Goal: Prevent A Million Heart Attacks And Strokes By 2022
Attention all Americans: Too many are at risk of succumbing before your time to the nation’s leading killer, cardiovascular disease. Translation: heart attacks and strokes. After a decades-long drop, the cardiovascular death rate has all but stalled and, frighteningly, has even reversed in a young group of people — adults aged 35 to 64, among whom deaths from heart disease are now rising. (Brody, 10/22)
The New York Times:
Hurricane Michael Victims’ Biggest Fear: ‘People Are Going To Start Forgetting’
After two weeks of working grueling hours on hurricane response and sleeping fitfully under a tatty Auburn University fleece in his office, Rodney E. Andreasen, the emergency management director for Jackson County, Fla., decided on Friday that it was time to nudge his neighbors back to normalcy. He started by scaling back on round-the-clock staffing. Then he turned to the county’s eight multiagency “points of distribution” — known as PODs — which have been handing out free drinking water, ice, canned goods, hot meals, diapers, garbage bags, and the most coveted item of all, toilet paper. (Thrush and Blinder, 10/21)