Network Disruption Halts Some Services At PIH Health Hospitals: A network disruption that started Sunday is impacting services at PIH Health hospitals across Southern California, leaving some patients unable to get ahold of their doctors and even causing some surgeries to be canceled. The affected hospitals are in Whittier, Downey, and Los Angeles. Read more from KABC.
2024 Was A Tough Year For San Diego’s Effort To Curb Homelessness: Residents in the city and East County this year have raged against homeless-serving projects proposed for their areas, resulting in the death of one plan and adding to the uncertainty for others. Read more from Voice of San Diego.
Below, check out the roundup of California Healthline’s coverage. For today's national health news, read KFF Health News’ Morning Briefing.
More News From Across The State
San Francisco Chronicle:
Gunman Dead After Shooting 2 Kindergartners At Northern California School
A gunman entered a private school in Butte County, opened fire and critically injured two kindergartners before turning the gun on himself on Wednesday afternoon, Butte County sheriff’s officials said. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said the man had just met with a school administrator about potentially enrolling a student and the meeting had been “cordial” and went well — however it may have been a ruse to get onto the campus. (Fracassa, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Manhunt Enters Second Day After Health Executive Is Gunned Down in Manhattan
The killer arrived first. He stood in the cold predawn gloom outside the New York Hilton Midtown and waited. Even at that early hour, people passed by. He ignored them. They ignored him. At 6:44 a.m., he saw his man. Brian Thompson, 50, chief executive of UnitedHealthcare — the leader of one of the country’s largest companies — walking past in a blue suit toward the entrance to the Hilton. The killer popped out from behind a car and raised a pistol fitted with a long silencer. What followed was what the police would call a bold assassination, which shook the insurance industry and sent a jolt through an area packed with holiday tourists. By nightfall, a sprawling manhunt with police officers, dogs and drones spread citywide, bearing down on surveillance videos, a dropped cellphone and even Citi Bike data in search of the killer. (Wilson, Marcius, Cramer and Rennison, 12/4)
Stat:
UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Killing Lays Bare Rising Security Risks Facing Health Care Leaders
The killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of the insurance division of UnitedHealth Group, provided a window into the vitriol that prominent health care leaders have been facing. Workers across health care face safety risks. People employed in the industry are about five times more likely than people in other private industries to experience workplace violence, according to federal data. (Merelli and Wosen, 12/5)
Los Angeles Times:
Supreme Court Leans Toward State Bans Of Hormone Treatments For Trans Teens
The Supreme Court’s conservatives said Wednesday they are inclined to uphold state laws in half the nation that prohibit the use of hormone treatments for transgender teens. Led by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., they spoke of an evolving medical debate over the use of puberty blockers and sex hormones for adolescents who suffer from gender dysphoria. (Savage, 12/4)
The Bay Area Reporter:
Justices Lean Toward Upholding Gender Care Ban
Outside the U.S. Supreme Court building Wednesday afternoon, lawyers supporting state bans on hormonal treatments for young people suffering gender dysphoria spoke more bluntly than they did in front of the justices during oral arguments. The justices seemed to lean toward upholding the Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care at the center of the case. Inside the courtroom, they said the Tennessee law that bans puberty blockers and hormonal treatment for people under 18 was all about "protecting children." They spoke of the need to prevent kids from suffering irreversible changes to their bodies — like loss of fertility, increases in heart troubles, bone loss, and other issues. (Keen, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Outside The Supreme Court, America’s Culture Wars Play Out.
Even before arguments got underway, the undercurrents of America’s culture wars pulsed through the crowd. Speakers from both sides blasted their speeches over microphones, each trying to drown out the other. Senator Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, was nearly shouting when he said it was a “moral obligation” to defend the rights of transgender people. ... Outnumbered, the supporters of the Tennessee law more often expressed their perspective through posters than chants. Standing before a sign reading “Stop the Harm,” they framed the measure as an effort to protect children from “barbaric doctors.” (Kim and Kavi, 12/4)
USA Today:
The Science Behind The Transgender Minors Supreme Court Case
Gender-affirming care is a range of social, psychological, behavioral and medical interventions designed to support a person in affirming their gender identity, according to the World Health Organization. The American Medical Association, which represents more than 250,000 U.S. doctors, passed a resolution last year calling for protection for this type of care. More than 30 major medical associations and health organizations worldwide support health care for transgender adults and youth, which they say can help prevent suicide in this vulnerable population. (Rodriguez, 12/5)
The War Horse:
Veterans Recall LGBTQ Witch Hunts As Trump Takes Office
Whether the controversial [Pete] Hegseth is confirmed or not, his nomination has rekindled the question of who is welcome to serve in the United States military. And [Donald] Trump’s ties to the authors of Project 2025, a conservative and controversial blueprint for his second term, adds to the uncertainty. For those caught up in the witch hunts that rooted out LGBTQ service members, the disgrace is everlasting. (Marshall-Chalmers, 12/5)
The Washington Post:
How RFK Jr. Could Affect Child Gender-Affirming Care As Trump’s HHS Secretary
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has speculated herbicide chemicals are turning kids transgender. He called puberty blockers “repurposed castration drugs.” Kennedy’s comments, made in the last two years, have plunged him into the debate over transgender care since President-Elect Donald Trump, who campaigned against transgender rights, tapped him last month to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. (Nirappil, 12/4)
Times of San Diego:
Toll Road Funds Mulled For Water Treatment, Restoration, More In Tijuana River Valley
Funds from a toll road may provide a permanent source of funding for the Tijuana River Valley and its crisis of environmental neglect. Democratic Sen. Steve Padilla introduced a bill this week to authorize allocating funds from the Otay Mesa East Port of Entry toll road to go toward restoring the Tijuana River Valley region, which is facing a massive sewage pollution crisis that has affected the health of its residents and the broader environment as well. (Binkowski, 12/5)
The New York Times:
E.P.A. Again Seeks Limits On A Harmful Pesticide
Almost 25 years after federal regulators curbed household use of a pesticide linked to learning disorders in children, and three years after a total ban on its use on food crops, the chemical is again being applied to everything from bananas to turnips in most states. The saga of this pesticide, which has the unwieldy name chlorpyrifos, is a stark reminder of why so many Americans are alarmed about industrial farming and the food supply. The concern helped propel Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential candidacy and subsequent selection to head the Department of Health and Human Services. (Rabin, 12/4)
USA Today:
How Leaded Gas Has Created A Mental Health Crisis For Gen X
Gen X bears an extra burden of conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD and neurotic behavior because of the leaded gasoline they were exposed to as children, according to a study published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Leaded gas was banned in the United States in 1996, but the study said years of exposure during development made them particularly vulnerable. Lead gas peaked from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s, and children born during that era would later develop some of the highest rates of mental health symptoms, the study said. (Alltucker, 12/4)
Physician's Weekly:
California Falling Short Of Enrollment Goal As Mental Health Courts Roll Out Statewide
California’s new initiative to compel treatment for some of the state’s most severely mentally ill residents — many of whom are living on the streets — is falling short of its initial objectives. But with the program expanding from 11 counties to all 58 on Dec. 1, state officials are projecting confidence that they can reach their goal to help 2,000 adults by the end of the year. (12/4)
Stateline:
U.S. Education Department Pings States, Schools To Set Policies On Cellphone Use
The U.S. Education Department called on every state, school and district on Tuesday to adopt policies on cellphone use in schools. The department asks schools to have well-thought-out policies on the matter, but does not dictate exactly what those policies should be. An accompanying resource for schools notes the risk social media can pose to students’ mental health. (Miranda, 12/4)
Voice of OC:
OC Supervisors Help Fund Food Pantry Renovation Amid Hunger Spike
Orange County’s Board of Supervisors approved over $100,000 to help bolster a local nonprofit’s efforts to feed families across the county just as food bank leaders are ringing the alarm bells that hunger is starting to skyrocket in OC again. Leaders with the Orange County Hunger Alliance late last month warned of a quiet spike in hunger across OC to levels they haven’t seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Elattar, 12/4)
Newsweek:
California Health Alert Over Chicken Nuggets: 'Should Be Thrown Away'
Dinosaur shaped festive chicken nuggets are the subject of a public health alert by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), after they were imported into the U.S. without reinspection. The ready-to-eat frozen breaded nuggets were sold in one Costco at 7095 Marketplace Dr, Goleta, California, 93117. (12/5)
The Washington Post:
Splash Pads Linked To Thousands Of Waterborne-Disease Cases, CDC Finds
Splash pads found in public parks across the United States are linked to thousands of cases of waterborne diseases that leave a calling card of diarrhea, fever and vomiting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week. More than 10,000 children became ill from 1997 to 2022 after using splash pads, and most of those outbreaks were attributed to cryptosporidium, a parasite that causes diarrhea and spreads through contaminated water. (Malhi, 12/4)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Providence's $712M California Hospital Expansion: 5 Updates
The $712 million expansion of Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo is underway. Here are five key updates. (Kuchno, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Most Rural Hospitals Have Closed Their Maternity Wards, Study Finds
Over 500 hospitals have closed their labor and delivery departments since 2010, according to a large new study, leaving most rural hospitals and more than a third of urban hospitals without obstetric care. Those closures, the study found, were slightly offset by the opening of new units in about 130 hospitals. Even so, the share of hospitals without maternity wards increased every year, according to the study, published on Wednesday in JAMA, a prominent medical journal. Maternal deaths remained persistently high over that period, spiking during the pandemic. (Kliff, 12/4)
The Guardian:
US Trails Developed Democracies In Healthcare Costs For Older Adults
Older Americans spend more on healthcare than peers in 10 other developed democracies, a new Commonwealth Fund report found. The new report highlights how Medicare, the public health insurance program for people older than 65 and people who are disabled, has significant cost-sharing requirements – including co-pays, deductibles and no ceiling on out-of-pocket costs. (Glenza, 12/4)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Change Healthcare Readies For Data Breach Settlement
Change Healthcare will soon meet with a federal judge to discuss a possible settlement agreement over the data breach that affected 100 million Americans. The UnitedHealth Group claims processing subsidiary was hit with a bevy of class-action lawsuits after the February ransomware attack that exposed the personal and health data of as many as 1 in 3 Americans. A federal judge later consolidated the lawsuits to Minnesota. (Bruce, 12/4)
Becker's Hospital Review:
Health Systems Urge Congress To Extend Telehealth Flexibilities
Nearly 80 healthcare organizations are calling on Congress to extend telehealth flexibilities established during the COVID-19 pandemic for at least two more years, warning that failure to do so would disrupt care and create uncertainty for patients and clinicians. ... Signatories of the letter include organizations such as Cleveland Clinic; Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine; and Palo Alto-based Stanford Health Care. (Diaz, 12/4)
Stat:
U.S. Patent Office Pulls Controversial Rule To Curb Pharma Patent Abuse
In an unexpected move, the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office has withdrawn a controversial proposal that was designed to prevent pharmaceutical companies from abusing the patent system. Specifically, the proposed rule was crafted to stem the use of so-called patent thickets, which are wielded by drug companies to delay the arrival of lower-cost generic medicines in the marketplace. Essentially, thickets are collections of numerous patents that critics contend add only incremental changes to a drug and, therefore, produce little to no additional benefit to patients. (Silverman, 12/4)
AP:
Prenatal Blood Test Can Sometimes Hint At Cancer In Moms-To-Be
Many moms-to-be opt for blood tests during pregnancy to check for fetal disorders such as Down syndrome. In rare instances, these tests can reveal something unexpected — hints of a hidden cancer in the woman. In a study of 107 pregnant women whose test results were unusual, 52 were ultimately diagnosed with cancer. Most of them were treated and are now in remission, although seven with advanced cancers died. (Johnson, 12/4)
Stat:
Congressional Talks Over Big End-Of-Year Health Package Heat Up
Negotiations over a large health care policy package are heating up this week as Congress hurtles toward a government funding deadline at the end of the month. Congressional Republicans on Tuesday made an offer to Democrats that included a three-year extension of pandemic-era telehealth flexibilities in Medicare, some reforms in how pharmacy middlemen operate, a Medicare pay bump for doctors, funding for community health centers, and extensions of public health programs in Medicare and Medicaid, according to a copy obtained by STAT. (Zhang, 12/4)
The Bay Area Reporter:
HIV/AIDS Advocates Fret About Potential Cuts Under GOP Trifecta
Elections have consequences, and HIV/AIDS advocates are worried about potential cuts as Republicans take over both houses of Congress and the presidency in January. ... House Republicans had proposed cuts to domestic HIV spending in the amount of $767 million for Fiscal Year 2024. The Democratic-controlled Senate didn't agree to the cuts in its own bipartisan budget bill. (Ferrannini, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Mike Johnson’s Newest Headache: The Smallest House Majority In History
Republicans will be down to a 217-215 majority, on par with the narrowest controlling margin in House history. If all Democrats are present and united in opposition to a measure, Mr. Johnson won’t be able to afford a single defection on the House floor until those vacancies are filled later this spring. Even then, no more than three Republicans can break ranks without dooming a bill’s passage. (Edmondson, 12/4)
The Hill:
Johnson Eyes Spending Cuts To PBS And Planned Parenthood
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said on Wednesday he’d like to cut government spending for PBS and for Planned Parenthood, but he noted he might face some push back from Congress first. “I would like to. That’s for sure,” Johnson said in an interview on Fox News’s “The Story with Martha MacCallum,” when asked whether he plans to axe the two organizations. (Fortinsky, 12/4)
The Hill:
House Democrats, Republicans At Odds Over Final COVID Report
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic held its final meeting on Wednesday and while Republicans signaled a feeling of accomplishment, Democrats maintained their belief that not enough was done in the subcommittee’s two years. Leading up to the markup hearing on Wednesday, both Republicans and Democrats on the subcommittee released their final reports. (Choi, 12/4)
The Hill:
Jamie Foxx Pushes For More NIH Funding For Down Syndrome Research
Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill Wednesday to push for more funding for the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) research program on Down syndrome. The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act, named after Foxx’s late sister who had Down syndrome, has already passed the House and been introduced to the Senate. (Haner, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Trump Picks Frank Bisignano To Lead Social Security Administration
President-elect Trump announced on Wednesday night that he had chosen Frank Bisignano, the chairman of the payment processing behemoth Fiserv, to be the commissioner of the Social Security Administration, a sizable federal agency with more than 1,200 field offices and almost 60,000 employees. (Kim, 12/4)
NBC News:
Trump’s Pick For FBI Director Promoted Vaccine 'Detox' Supplements
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, promoted a supplement line this year that purports without evidence to help people “detox” from Covid vaccines. Patel plugged the supplements in posts on Truth Social — the social media platform owned by Trump Media & Technology Group — in February and April. (Bendix, 12/4)
The Washington Post:
Hegseth’s History With Alcohol Shadows Pentagon Selection
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick as secretary of defense, would lead a military that has severe penalties for being intoxicated on duty. ... Trump has stood by numerous aides and appointees accused of sexual assault or indiscretion, but he has long disdained the abuse of alcohol by those around him dating back to the death of his brother, Fred Trump Jr., who suffered from alcoholism and died from related diseases at the age of 42. (Kranish, Lamothe, Ellison and Hudson, 12/4)
The Guardian:
Mexico Announces Record Drug Seizure One Week After Trump Threatens Tariffs
Mexican security forces have impounded more than a ton of fentanyl pills in what officials have called the biggest seizure of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history. Soldiers and marines found the fentanyl at two properties in the northern state of Sinaloa, late on Tuesday – exactly a week after Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico unless the two neighbouring countries cracked down on the flow of immigrants and drugs across their borders with the US. (12/4)
The New York Times:
Trump Has ‘Lost Faith’ In N.R.A., Says Gun Group Official
President-elect Donald J. Trump has “lost faith” in the National Rifle Association, according to a top official at the gun organization, who argued in a recent letter to fellow board members that the N.R.A. needed to regroup so that it could help protect the Republican Party’s new edge in Congress in the midterm elections in 2026. Bill Bachenberg, the group’s first vice president and a staunch Trump ally, also told fellow board members that during this year’s election Mr. Trump was upset that the N.R.A. had not committed to doing more to help him win. (Hakim, 12/4)