- California Healthline Original Stories 1
- Calif. Leads Nation In Pushing Back Against Trump Administration Health Policies
- Elections 1
- Gubernatorial Candidate Who Enthusiastically Supports Single Payer Nevertheless Tamps Down Expectations
- Public Health and Education 1
- Easy-To-Use Test Strips To Detect Powerful Fentanyl Becomes Latest Weapon To Fight Opioid Crisis
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Calif. Leads Nation In Pushing Back Against Trump Administration Health Policies
In the face of federal efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, policymakers in the largest state are proposing laws and other changes to counter them. Beyond that, they’re aggressively pushing measures to expand health coverage beyond what the ACA envisioned. (Ana B. Ibarra, )
More News From Across The State
It's going to take "years" to transition California into a single-payer system, Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom says. “It is not an act that would occur by the signature of the next governor."
San Francisco Chronicle:
Single Payer Will Take Years To Implement In California, Gavin Newsom Says
Among California’s gubernatorial candidates, none has been a more exuberant supporter of transitioning to a single-payer, Medicare-for-all health care system than Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. So exuberant that the politically powerful California Nurses Association put his picture on its traveling campaign bus under the words, “Nurses Trust Newsom.” (Garofoli, 4/18)
Easy-To-Use Test Strips To Detect Powerful Fentanyl Becomes Latest Weapon To Fight Opioid Crisis
Fentanyl’s recent arrival in California is raising alarms across the state because of how powerful it is. The synthetic drug is 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin, making the overdose risk extremely high.
KQED:
San Francisco's Newest Tool To Prevent Opioid Overdoses Tests Drugs, Starts Conversations
While California has made some positive strides in the fight against opioids (the latest data show that prescriptions in the state are down), deaths from one particularly powerful opioid, fentanyl, are up. As this opioid increasingly shows up in street drugs, California is fighting back with a new tool: easy-to-use test strips that can detect the presence of fentanyl in other drugs or substances. (Klivans, 4/18)
In other public health news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Flu Update: Six More Deaths As Higher-Than-Average Caseloads Continue
The county added six more flu-related deaths to the season total Wednesday as the number of confirmed cases continued to run higher than it has in recent years. The latest weekly flu report lists 175 flu cases last week, more than twice the 70 cases averaged during the second week of April over the last three years. Among the six deaths announced Wednesday, only one — an 81-year-old man from East County who died on April 12 — occurred last week. Three of the remaining five tracked back to January when the flu was spreading so quickly that it inundated many local hospitals and emergency departments. All six deaths reported this week were among residents age 81 or older. (Sisson, 4/18)
Los Angeles Times:
California Opens Investigation Into Tesla Factory's Safety Conditions
California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health said Wednesday it has opened an investigation of working conditions at Tesla's factory in Fremont, Calif., where the company is struggling to boost production of its troubled Model 3 electric sedan before it starts running out of cash. (Mitchell, 4/18)
The hospital had been on the verge of closing before it began participating in the lucrative drug testing program. Officials say the latest financial statement is more evidence the medical center cannot support itself.
Santa Rosa Press Democrat:
Sonoma West Medical Center Loses $1.4 Million In March
Sonoma West Medical Center in Sebastopol reported financial losses of nearly $1.4 million for the month of March, the first full month of operation since hospital officials halted a controversial — though lucrative — drug-testing program. John Peleuses, the medical center’s CEO, said that figure does not reflect the most recent revenue from surgeries that began sometime around mid-month. Peleuses said there were three two-week payroll cycles in March, each costing about $500,000. He said it was too early to tell whether the financial losses for March will be repeated going forward. (Espinoza, 4/18)
In other news from across the state —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bay Area Food Banks Say 2018 Farm Bill Will Increase Ranks Of The Hungry
Bay Area food banks and House Democrats said that the country’s most vulnerable populations would be severely hurt by Republicans’ proposed changes to food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program portion of the bill. House Republicans have proposed more stringent food stamp eligibility and work requirements, which anti-hunger groups say will lead to millions losing an essential but modest safety net that provides an average of $1.40 per person per meal. (Duggan, 4/18)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Outreach Clinic To Host Health Fair
Outreach Clinic will be hosting its 5th annual Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., April 28, at the Community House at Central Park at Mill Creek. Outreach Clinic has partnered with several organizations including Dignity Health, Adventist Health Bakersfield Wellness Center and the Kern County Public Health Department. Dignity Health's Community Wellness Program will be providing all visitors with an opportunity to have screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and body composition. Adventist Health will also be providing free childhood vaccinations. There will be free food and plenty of events for children that focus on exercise and healthy eating. All services at the Health Fair are free to community. (4/18)
More Consumers Rolling Dice And Going With Bare Bones Plans As Substitute For ACA Coverage
Most people who are going with the fixed indemnity plans -- which aren't considered true insurance under the health law -- are healthy and willing to bet they won't be hit with high medical bills anytime soon. Meanwhile, Democrats on Capitol Hill have introduced a public option plan that, though it has almost no chance of passing at the moment, reinforces the party's push toward more universal coverage.
The Wall Street Journal:
Bare-Bones Health Policies Are Cheaper Than ACA Plans—And Riskier Too
Sales are growing for a type of bare-bones health policy that offers a cheaper alternative to traditional insurance but leaves buyers risking big bills if they have major medical needs. Known as fixed indemnity plans, the products offer limited help, typically paying set amounts toward the cost of doctor visits, hospital days or other services. They generally carry restrictions on people with pre-existing conditions, and they aren’t considered true health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. But insurance agents say individuals are increasingly purchasing the plans as a substitute for ACA coverage, which has become far more costly for many people who don’t get federal subsidies. (Wilde Mathews, 4/18)
The Hill:
Dem Senators Unveil Expanded Public Option For Health Insurance
A group of Democratic senators on Wednesday introduced an expanded public option for health insurance as the party debates the next steps to build on ObamaCare. The new proposal, called the Choose Medicare Act, was introduced by Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), both seen as potential presidential contenders, though Murphy has said he is not running in 2020. (Sullivan, 4/18)
No One Should Be 'Unable To Save A Life Because Of The High Price' Of Naloxone, Senators Say
Lawmakers are urging HHS to take steps to bring down the price of the antioverdose medication. And NIH decides to cut drugmakers out of a study on opioids.
The Hill:
Senators Push HHS To Negotiate Lower Prices On Opioid Overdose Reversal Drug
A group of senators is urging the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take measures to reduce the price of a potentially life-saving medication reversing the effects of an opioid overdose. An estimated 115 people die per day of an overdose involving an opioid. Sens. Angus King (I-Maine) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and 13 Democratic senators signed a letter from Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) to call on HHS to negotiate a cheaper price for naloxone, which comes in the form of an injection or a nasal spray and is used to reverse opioid overdoses. (Roubein, 4/18)
Stat:
NIH Shifts Course On Industry Opioids Partnership After Ethics Flags Raised
It’s been touted by health officials for almost a year: a planned opioids research partnership worth roughly $400 million. Ideally, the National Institutes of Health and the pharmaceutical industry would each pick up half the tab, NIH Director Francis Collins has said, to fund research aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic. Collins reiterated last month: Dozens of drug companies were on the verge of teaming up with the agency, which researchers hope will lead to the discovery of new medicines to treat addiction or serve as alternatives to opioids. (Facher, 4/19)
In other national health care news —
The Washington Post:
HHS Secretary Readmitted To Hospital For Further Treatment Of Diverticulitis
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar was readmitted to an Indiana hospital Tuesday evening for further treatment and observation of a case of diverticulitis, according to department officials. The readmission came about 48 hours after Azar was admitted overnight to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Indianapolis after receiving intravenous antibiotics — and slightly more than a day after he had been discharged with plans to return to Washington. (Goldstein and Sun, 4/18)
The Washington Post:
‘We Should See If It Works’: Lawmakers Want Veterans Affairs To Study Whether Pot Is Safer Than Painkillers
A bipartisan measure introduced this week in the House would authorize the Department of Veterans Affairs to research whether marijuana is a viable substitute for highly addictive opioids in treating former military personnel suffering from post-traumatic stress and chronic pain. The VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2018 would initiate a five-year study to examine the drug’s safety and efficacy, and require VA researchers to compile annual status reports for Congress. The bill was introduced by Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), the ranking minority-party member of the committee, along with 35 co-sponsors — including seven Republicans. Companion legislation is under review by leaders of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. (Wax-Thibodeaux, 4/18)
Bloomberg:
Cigna-Express Scripts Deal To Face Justice Department Review
Cigna Corp. confirmed that its proposed $54 billion acquisition of Express Scripts Holding Co. will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has raised the bar for approving deals that don’t combine direct competitors. The health insurer has been telling investors since at least early April about the review, but hadn’t made a public statement until late Wednesday. Analysts at Credit Suisse sent an alert to clients on April 5, saying Cigna Chief Executive Officer David Cordani told investors during an event in Europe that the deal would be looked at by the Justice Department. (Tracer and McLaughlin, 4/18)
Stat:
A 'Breakthrough In Organ Preservation' Raises Hopes For Tranplants
For decades, transplant surgeons have treated organs as if they were beers for a camping trip: You just pack them in a cooler and hit the road. But livers, it turns out, aren’t much like lagers, and might benefit from a different sort of travel. The alternative that researchers have come up with is a machine designed to mimic the environment of the human body, keeping the organ warm and breathing as it’s being shuttled from donor to recipient. Now, after comparing the two, a team has shown that this contraption not only kept livers safer for longer than cold storage, but also allowed surgeons to transplant organs that might otherwise have been thrown out. (Boodman, 4/18)
Stat:
Scientists Create A Biomedical Tattoo To Monitor For A Sign Of Cancer
Scientists have designed a biomedical tattoo that changes color when calcium in the blood is too high — a tool that they say could one day be used to monitor for the earliest signs of disease. Some types of cancer increase the amount of calcium in the blood before symptoms appear. So researchers engineered cells that turn dark like a tattoo when calcium is too high. They published a proof-of-concept paper on the work Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine. (Thielking, 4/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Gene Therapy Shows Promise In Patients With A Blood Disorder
Researchers have used an experimental gene therapy developed by biotech company bluebird bio Inc. to reduce the number of blood transfusions needed in 22 people with beta-thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder. The results are another sign of the promise of gene therapy, which aims to deliver beneficial genes to patients’ cells to replace defective ones. (Toy, 4/19)