Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Crowd At Capitol Demands Immigrant Health Coverage
Immigrants rallied at the state Capitol on Wednesday, calling for lawmakers to support a proposal to expand full Medicaid benefits to adult immigrants who are in the country illegally. Opponents cited potentially exorbitant costs. (Ana B. Ibarra and Harriet Blair Rowan, )
Good morning! California’s mayors have persuaded Gov. Gavin Newsom to rework the budget to provide more money for emergency homelessness aid. “We need to step up our game,” Newsom said when making the announcement. More on that below, but first, here are some of your other top California health care stories for the day.
University Of California Workers Walk Out On Strike For Third Time In Less Than A Year: Some 10,000 members of University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America were expected to take part in the strike statewide. The union and the University of California have been at odds since 2017 over issues including pay, health care premiums and retirement terms. “UC is insisting on continuing to outsource our jobs, to cut benefits, while they're giving their high-level executives five-figure raises every year, six-figure bonuses," said one union member. The union wants 5.5 percent raises each year for the next four years, which members argue more closely resembles a contract California nurses signed last fall. A spokeswoman for the university said agreeing to the unions’ demands would cost UC hundreds of millions of dollars over the life of the contracts and would be unfair to other UC employees. Read more about the dispute from the Sacramento Bee, the East Bay Times, Capital Public Radio and The Associated Press.
Bill To Cap Dialysis Pay At Medicare Rates Gets Another Wind In California Legislature: The legislation would cap dialysis pay at Medicare rates if industry-backed third parties have helped a patient pay for the insurance to fund treatment and don't give certain disclosures. A similar measure drew intense fire from the dialysis industry last year, and was vetoed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. In his veto message, Brown said the proposal was broad enough to allow insurers to discriminate against patients—this version was amended to clarify that a plan can't cancel or decline coverage. The president of the American Kidney Fund criticized the measure and said the organization would leave California if the state passes the rule. The bill's supporters include the California Association of Health Plans, Health Access California and the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Cos. Read more from Modern Healthcare.
Against The Backdrop Of Persistently High Suicide Rates, LA Program Finds Success With Veterans Helping Veterans During A Crisis: Under the program, when local law enforcement agencies answer 911 calls, they dispatch not only deputies but also two-person teams from the Veterans Affairs hospital in Long Beach. At the core, the program supports the idea that veterans are often best equipped to talk their fellow soldiers down from a crisis and to guide them to services. Vets “speak their own language,” said Lt. John Gannon of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, who helped create the program. So far the teams have responded to more than 125 emergencies. Supporters call it the first of its kind and hope it will be replicated nationwide. “Instead of telling veterans, ‘Hey call the crisis line and then figure out a way to get to the hospital to get care,’ we’re going to change things up. . . . We’re coming to you,” said David Weiner, who recently retired as the Long Beach VA police chief. Read more from The Washington Post.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
The California Health Report:
For Foster Youth In Crisis, Advocates Seek Another Option Besides 911
Foster parents often have trouble getting prompt help when a traumatized child in their care acts up or struggles to adapt to a new home. Frequently, they face two unsatisfactory choices, said Jenn Rexroad, executive director of the California Alliance of Caregivers, which represents foster-care families in the state: Figure out how to handle the problem on their own, or call 911 if they fear they or the child are unsafe. ...Now, county welfare and mental health officials, together with supporters of California’s 60,000 foster youth and their caregivers, believe they have a solution. They want the legislature and governor to create a statewide hotline that foster parents and children can call to receive immediate help. (Boyd-Barrett, 3/20)
Los Angeles Times:
Fentanyl Overdose Deaths In The U.S. Have Been Doubling Every Year
If you want to know what it means for something to grow exponentially, consider the death toll of fentanyl. This powerful synthetic opioid seemingly came out of nowhere and is now killing tens of thousands of Americans each year. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention details the meteoric rise of a drug that was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration back in 1968. It shows that fentanyl’s role as a driver of the opioid epidemic can be traced to late 2013. (Healy, 3/20)
San Francisco Chronicle:
UCSF Opens 'Skin Of Color' Dermatology Clinic To Address Disparity In Care
The goal initially is simply to give people of color a comfortable medical home with a doctor who understands their needs both because of her training and her personal background. Eventually, she’d like to expand the clinic to teach other dermatologists to work with people of color and conduct research to improve care. (Allday, 3/20)
Sacramento Bee:
Motorized Electric Scooter Deaths In CA Lead To Safety Concerns
In Sacramento, where the Jump bike and scooter company recently introduced 100 motor-assisted rental scooters, there have been early reports of some riders falling when traversing midtown railroad tracks, and one reported injury crash in the street two weeks ago near Memorial Auditorium. (Bizjak, 3/20)
Los Angeles Times:
Officials Warn Of Measles Exposure At LAX — Again
For the second time this month, Los Angeles County public health officials are warning travelers that a person with measles flew into Los Angeles International Airport. The person arrived at LAX on March 5 and traveled through Los Angeles County while infectious. (Cosgrove, 3/20)
Sacramento Bee:
California Mayors Ask Newsom For More Money On Homelessness
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and a dozen other California mayors asked Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday to allocate more state money for homelessness than what the governor has proposed. Newsom’s proposed budget includes $500 million for homelessness — the same amount that was included in the state’s 2018-19 budget. The mayors did not say how much more money they’re requesting. (Clift, 3/20)
Capital Public Radio:
‘The Budget Just Changed’: Governor Gavin Newsom Responds To Big City Mayors’ Call For More Homelessness Funding
Gov. Gavin Newsom says the mayors of California’s largest cities have persuaded him to rework his budget proposal for emergency homelessness aid.“We need to step up our game,” the governor of the state said after meeting with mayors of its 13 largest cities. “We haven’t been doing enough to support cities,” he said. “And that means we need to invest more resources — and we need to provide the resourcefulness that is the spirit of innovation that drives this state.” (Adler, 3/20)
Los Angeles Times:
A New Study Says It Can Predict Homelessness. But L.A. County Doesn’t Want The Data
The Economic Roundtable published a report Wednesday, offering its statistical model as a way for Los Angeles County workers to target their resources early to keep people from sliding into long-term homelessness. But county officials are declining to use it. (Smith, 3/21)
Sacramento Bee:
CA Needs 1.4 Million Affordable Rental Units, Report Finds
Of more than 2 million very low-income renter households in California, roughly two-thirds are severely cost burdened, meaning they spend more than half their income on rent, according to a report by the California Housing Partnership. That news comes two years after the Legislature passed a slate of bills to expedite construction and subsidize affordable housing. (Bollag, 3/21)
KPBS:
Meet The Man Helping To Shelter Mid-City's Homeless
Papaleo is part of the homeless community living outside San Diego's downtown region and away from its large concentration of shelters and services. To help her and others living on San Diego's mid-city streets, a coalition of community organizations and representatives is bringing resources directly to them. (Mento, 3/20)
Sacramento Bee:
Sutter-Anthem Deal Reached, Contract Through End Of 2022
Sutter Health and Anthem Blue Cross have reached an agreement that will allow Blue Cross Medi-Cal, HMO and PPO users to continue receiving care via Sutter Health facilities and doctors, Sutter announced Wednesday. The agreement will remain in place through Dec. 31, 2022, Sutter said in a news release. (McGough, 3/20)
KQED:
Farmers Are Supposed To Consider Safer Alternatives To Toxic Pesticides. UCLA Report Says That’s Not Working Out Well
When it comes to using them safely, 56 county agricultural officers are local communities final line of defense. But a new report produced at UCLA suggests that a lack of guidance for county agricultural offices in considering alternatives or cumulative impacts for toxic exposures, may be putting people at risk. (Peterson, 3/20)
The Associated Press:
California National Guard To Leave Border, Help Stop Fires
California is calling in the National Guard for the first time next month to help protect communities from devastating fires like the one that largely destroyed the city of Paradise last fall. It's pulling the troops away from President Donald Trump's border protection efforts and devoting them to fire protection, another area where Trump has been critical of California's Democratic officials — even repeatedly threatening to cut off federal disaster funding. (Thompson, 3/20)
The Mercury News:
Marin Continues Run As Healthiest County In California, Study Reports
Marin has been rated the healthiest county in California by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the ninth time in 10 years. The annual rankings compare California’s 58 counties on more than 30 factors that influence health including length of life, quality of life, health behaviors, access to health care, socioeconomic factors and physical environment. (Halstead, 3/20)
Washington Post:
New Zealand Bans All Assault Weapons In Response To Mosque Attacks
New Zealand will ban military-style semiautomatics and assault rifles, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Thursday, six days after attacks on two mosques in Christchurch that left 50 people dead. "On 15 March, our history changed forever. Now, our laws will too," Ardern said. "We are announcing action today on behalf of all New Zealanders to strengthen our gun laws and make our country a safer place." (Fifield, 3/20)
Los Angeles Times:
As U.S. Struggles To Pass Modest Gun Curbs, New Zealand Swiftly Bans Assault Weapons
The quick action was a stark contrast to the slow pace of making gun legislation in the United States. Firearms are part of the culture in both countries. New Zealand has 4.7 million people and 1.5 million guns, and the U.S. has 328 million people and between 265 million and 393 million guns. But when it comes to gun laws, there are some big differences. Most importantly, New Zealand’s constitution does not guarantee the right to own a gun. And though the gun lobby is influential in both countries, it is stronger in the U.S. “There is a lot of energy in the days after a mass shooting in America, but it tends to wane pretty quickly,” said John Donohue, a law professor at Stanford University who teaches on gun policy. (Kaleem, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
Third Lawsuit Filed Over Medicaid Work Requirements
The administration approved a package of changes to New Hampshire’s Medicaid program, including the new work requirements, in November. It aims to overhaul Medicaid state by state, after a wholesale revamp of the program sank in 2017 with Republicans’ failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. A spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services declined to comment on the lawsuit. The official said the administration remains committed “to considering proposals that would give states more flexibility to engage with their working-age, able-bodied citizens.” (Hackman, 3/20)
The Washington Post:
Anti-Vaxxers Trolled A Doctors’ Office. Here’s What Scientists Learned From The Attack.
School was about to start. Doctors at a Pennsylvania pediatric practice wanted to remind parents to get their children vaccinated against human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause a variety of cancers. The doctors produced a 90-second video and posted it to the practice’s Facebook page. The video sparked positive feedback initially and resulted in more parents scheduling appointments for their children and adolescents to get the recommended vaccine. But three weeks later, anti-vaccine activists began inundating the Facebook page of Kids Plus Pediatrics, a Pittsburgh doctors group, with hostile messages. (Sun, 3/21)
The Associated Press:
With Black Lung Fund In Jeopardy, Taxpayers Could Foot Bill
The Trump administration and coal industry allies are insisting that a federal black lung trust fund will continue to pay benefits to sick miners despite a drastic cut in funding. But the expected shortfalls will be covered by taxpayers instead of coal companies, adding more debt to the already struggling fund. And at least one Republican congressman from the coalfields has added his voice to the chorus of miners and advocates worried that the fund's promise to sick workers and their families ultimately might not be kept. (3/20)
The Associated Press:
Army Bill For Public Records On Contaminant: About $300,000
The U.S. Army has put a price tag on releasing the results of water tests for a dangerous contaminant at military installations: nearly $300,000. In a March 12 letter, the Army told the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy group, that the military would charge the group $290,400 to provide records of water tests at 154 installations for a family of compounds known as PFAS, which federal authorities say appear linked to certain cancers and other health and developmental problems. (3/20)
Politico:
Pulse Check: FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb
Scott Gottlieb was nominated to run the FDA in March 2017. Two years — and nearly 500 press announcements — later, the productive and high-profile commissioner is preparing to step down in early April 2019. Gottlieb joined POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss why he's leaving FDA, his regulatory and communications strategy, his work on medical device safety, digital health, opioid abuse, the Trump administration's approach to science and the choice of Ned Sharpless as acting FDA commissioner, what Gottlieb would've pursued if he had more time at FDA and if he'll ever return to government. (3/20)