- California Healthline Original Stories 1
- Inadequate Oversight Allows Poor Care At California Nursing Homes To Go Unchecked, State Audit Finds
- Courts 2
- Prominent Pathologist's Report Sparks More Controversy Over Stephon Clark's Shooting
- First-Of-Its-Kind Lawsuit Claims Pharma's Role In Opioid Crisis Led To Higher Premiums For Everyone
- Public Health and Education 3
- E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Romaine Lettuce Turns Deadly, Sends More Patients To Hospitals
- Police, Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Mobile Needle Exchange
- Widespread Coverage Of Serial Rapist Case A Landmine For Sexual Assault Survivors
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Inadequate Oversight Allows Poor Care At California Nursing Homes To Go Unchecked, State Audit Finds
The scathing report cites a significant increase in cases of poor care — especially ones with the potential to cause serious injuries or death. A state lawmaker called the findings “very, very disturbing.” (Anna Gorman, )
More News From Across The State
Prominent Pathologist's Report Sparks More Controversy Over Stephon Clark's Shooting
Dr. Bennet Omalu, who was hired by the Clark family's legal team, said Stephon Clark was shot six times in the back, while the Sacramento County coroner’s office found that he was hit three times in the back and seven overall. Neither Omalu nor civil rights attorney Ben Crump provided an actual copy of the private autopsy report, and a lawsuit on behalf of Clark's family expected a month ago has yet to be filed.
KQED:
Dueling Autopsies Stir Controversy Over Sacramento Police Shooting Of Stephon Clark
The official Sacramento County coroner's report released Tuesday on the police shooting death of Stephon Clark contradicts some of the medical findings and most of the opinions of a private forensic pathologist hired by Clark's family, who announced to a bank of news reporters a month ago that the 22-year-old, unarmed black man wasn't facing the officers when they opened fire on March 18. (Emslie and Small, 5/2)
Sacramento Bee:
Stephon Clark: Dr. Bennet Omalu Defends Private Autopsy, Lawyers Release Photo
The private pathologist who said Stephon Clark had been shot six times in the back by Sacramento police issued a full-throated defense Wednesday night, rejecting the Sacramento County coroner’s autopsy findings that he was wrong as “inaccurate.” Dr. Bennet Omalu, a prominent pathologist hired by Clark’s legal team, released a black and white photo of Clark’s corpse with bullet wounds and said the county autopsy report that found only three bullet wounds in the back was wrong. (Stanton, 5/2)
First-Of-Its-Kind Lawsuit Claims Pharma's Role In Opioid Crisis Led To Higher Premiums For Everyone
The industry is already defending itself against hundreds of lawsuits filed by cities and states, but this challenge takes a different route. “Insurance companies factored in the unwarranted and exorbitant healthcare costs of opioid-related coverage caused by defendants and charged that back to insureds in the form of higher premiums, deductibles, and co-payments,” the complaints allege. Meanwhile, experts weigh in on the opioid package moving through Congress.
The Wall Street Journal:
New Front On Opioid Litigation: Suits Over Rising Premiums
The opioid epidemic has unfairly increased health insurance costs across the board, not just for those suffering from addiction, plaintiffs allege in five proposed class-action lawsuits filed Wednesday. The suits, brought on behalf of people and businesses who have paid for health insurance in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York since 1996, represent a new front in litigation seeking to hold corporations accountable for the opioid crisis. (Randazzo, 5/2)
Bloomberg:
Opioid Makers Sued For Premium Hikes In First-Of-Kind Cases
The suits open another front in the burgeoning litigation against drugmakers including Purdue Pharma Inc. and the Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit of Johnson & Johnson and distributors such as McKesson Corp. and Cardinal Health Inc. The suits, which seek unspecified damages, seek to represent people who bought health insurance policies in those states since 1996. "All of the defendants in this action share responsibility for creating, sustaining and prolonging the opioid epidemic" in pursuit of corporate revenue, lead plaintiff Edward Grace alleges in a complaint filed Wednesday in Boston. (Harris and Hurtado, 5/2)
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Romaine Lettuce Turns Deadly, Sends More Patients To Hospitals
The weeks-long outbreak has claimed the life of a person in California and has spread to 25 states. Health officials have warned consumers to avoid romaine grown in Yuma, Ariz.
The New York Times:
E. Coli Outbreak Turns Deadly With A Fatal Case In California
An E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce has turned deadly, with one person dying in California, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Wednesday. It was the first reported death in the outbreak, which began in March and has spread to 25 states. The California Department of Public Health confirmed the death but would not provide more details, citing patient privacy laws. (Astor, 5/2)
The Washington Post:
First Death Reported From E. Coli-Contaminated Romaine Lettuce As Outbreak Spreads
This strain of E. coli produces a toxin that causes vomiting and diarrhea and potentially other severe symptoms, including in some cases kidney failure. Of the people sickened, 52 have been hospitalized, 14 of them with kidney failure. The bacteria normally live in the intestines of animals, including cows and pigs, and in the 1990s, most E. coli illnesses were associated with contaminated hamburger. Reforms in the livestock industry have sharply reduced the number of outbreaks involving meat, but that has been offset by a surge in E. coli contamination of leafy greens. (Achenbach, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
1st Death Reported In Romaine Lettuce E. Coli Outbreak
Health officials have tied the E. coli outbreak to romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona, which provides most of the romaine sold in the U.S. during the winter. The growing season in Yuma ended about a month ago, said the University of Arizona's Russell Engel, the director of Yuma County's cooperative extension service. But even if no one is eating tainted lettuce now, case counts may still rise because there's a lag in reporting. The first illnesses occurred in March, and the most recent began on April 21, the CDC said. (5/2)
Police, Officials Speak Out Against Proposed Mobile Needle Exchange
Officials raised concern about the exchange being near some homes and an elementary school and about the possibility of discarded needles ending up in public areas, creating a "health risk to residents and visitors."
Los Angeles Times:
Costa Mesa Officials Call Proposal For Mobile Needle Exchange A Potential ‘Magnet For Drug Users’
Police and city officials expressed opposition Tuesday to a proposed mobile needle exchange service in Costa Mesa's Westside, saying the program could attract drug users and undermine the recovery of residents in sober-living homes. The Orange County Needle Exchange Program, a nonprofit that seeks to provide drug users with clean needles to help prevent the spread of diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C, submitted an application in March to the California Department of Public Health to hand out needles and other supplies from a van in a largely industrial and commercial area in Costa Mesa. (Fry, 5/2)
In other news from across the state —
KPCC:
Orange County Still Awaiting New Homeless Shelter Sites
The search for emergency shelter sites was prompted earlier this year by a threat from U.S. District Judge David O. Carter, who is overseeing several lawsuits filed by advocates for the homeless over the lack of shelter and services for hundreds of people living in encampments in central Orange County. Carter told the county and OC cities in March and April that they needed to create more emergency shelter space or risk forfeiting their right to kick homeless people out of parks and other public places. (Replogle, 5/2)
Orange County Register:
Inmate Dies Hours After Going Into Cardiac Arrest While Being Booked At An Orange County Jail
An inmate died Wednesday after going into cardiac arrest hours earlier while being booked into an Orange County jail, authorities said. The 37-year-old man, who was arrested late Monday, was being booked Tuesday into the Intake Release Center at the Central Jail Complex in Santa Ana when he “became uncooperative” with deputies, according to a Orange County Sheriff’s Department statement. (Emery, 5/2)
KQED:
Sex Ed Battle In Fremont
A battle over sex ed is roiling Fremont over how the Fremont Unified School District should or should not teach students about sex and sexuality. Tempers are high as some parents think teaching sex education beginning in fourth grade is inappropriate, while others think it is essential. (Fiore, 5/2)
Widespread Coverage Of Serial Rapist Case A Landmine For Sexual Assault Survivors
Experts offer way survivors can mitigate the PTSD that may be triggered by the arrest of alleged the Golden State Killer, who terrorized dozens of California women in the 1970s and ‘80s.
Capital Public Radio:
How Sexual Assault Survivors Can Manage PTSD Triggered By Media Coverage
Ongoing coverage of the East Area Rapist case can trigger PTSD responses for sexual assault survivors. Two experts join to discuss how media coverage can impact survivors and what resources are available to help manage it. (Ruyak, 5/2)
In other public health news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Bishops Call On Church, Science To Unite In Mental Health Cause
Citing compassionate care for people with mental health issues as a Christian duty, Catholic bishops in California issued a letter Wednesday calling for cooperation among church members, medical professionals and researchers to improve care for people experiencing disorders, depression and addictions. Released in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the pastoral letter from the California Catholic Conference of Bishops calls for “all Catholics and people of goodwill” to move past stigmatization and toward ministry and care. (Warth, 5/2)
KBAK:
Preschool Not Cooperating With Public Health Over Lead Concerns
Brilliant Minds Academy, the private preschool where high levels of lead were found last week, is not talking to reporters, public health, or even parents about what they're doing to ensure their school is safe for children. Matt Constantine, director of Kern County Public Health, said his department wants to reach all parents at the preschool to find out if their child has risk of lead poisoning. ...Brilliant Minds falls under the licensing of California's Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division. Their Fresno office has the authority to close the school if Kern County Public Health recommends such action be taken. But a spokesperson said they are waiting for guidance from Kern County Public Health before taking any action. Constantine said they can't make an informed decision until Brilliant Minds Academy gives them the information they've requested. (Gross, 5/2)
Movement To Make Nail Salons Safer In California Could Get Boost From Federal Legislation
Although the proposed bill would help, California and Bay Area counties have also already taken some action. Last week, the state released guidelines for cities and counties to voluntarily implement programs to certify “healthy” nail salons.
The Mercury News:
Behind The Push To Make California Nail Salons Healthier
Now, the movement to make salons safer for the mostly young immigrant women who work in them may be getting a boost at the federal level. U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Ca, and Nevada Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto last week introduced The Environmental Justice Right to Know Act. If passed, their bill would direct the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to research ventilation in beauty salons and determine a healthy level of ventilation for workers. (Sciacca, 5/3)
In other news from Sacramento —
Sacramento Bee:
Senate Bill Would Expand Marijuana Delivery To All Of California
With limited time to craft rules before the law took effect at the start of the year, many towns approved outright bans of all marijuana businesses. The patchwork of local laws have created vast "pot deserts" that will remain until cities and counties opt to reconsider rules. (Luna, 5/2)
A Year Later, Democrats See House Republicans' Gleeful Repeal Victory As Political Gift
Republicans in the House shoved through a repeal bill a year ago, capping the day with a Rose Garden celebration. The measure ultimately failed in the Senate. Now, some Republican lawmakers say they don't regret their vote. But Democrats plan on using the issue as a talking point in the coming midterm elections. Meanwhile, former HHS Secretary Tom Price walks back his remarks on the individual mandate.
The New York Times:
On Anniversary Of House Obamacare Repeal, Democrats Look To Extract A Price
A year ago Friday, Representative Claudia Tenney of New York stood among dozens of enthusiastic colleagues in the Rose Garden to celebrate passage of a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. When President Trump made his way onstage, Ms. Tenney clapped and smiled. On this not-so-happy anniversary, a Democratic “super PAC” is on the air with a television commercial reminding her constituents of a repeal vote that Republicans were once convinced would be a political winner. Ms. Tenney’s Democratic challenger, Anthony Brindisi, a state assemblyman, said health care is consistently one of the top issues in a vast district that runs from Lake Ontario through Utica and Rome to the Pennsylvania border. (Kaplan, 5/2)
The Hill:
Price Walks Back Warning On ObamaCare Individual Mandate
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price on Wednesday walked back comments he made predicting repealing ObamaCare’s individual mandate would drive up insurance costs. In a statement, Price said his remarks at Tuesday’s World Health Care Congress were taken out of context. (Weixel, 5/2)
In other national health care news —
The Washington Post:
Former Congressman Jeff Miller Emerges As A Leading Contender For Trump’s VA
Former congressman Jeff Miller, who chaired the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs before retiring from Congress last year, is considered a leading candidate to become President Trump’s next nominee for VA secretary, according to people familiar with the matter. The Florida Republican, who spent 16 years in Congress and now works in Washington as a lobbyist, met Wednesday with officials in the White House vetting office. Miller told people close to the White House that he expects to meet with Trump in coming days. (Wax-Thibodeaux and Wagner, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
Lawsuits Target Trump Administration Family Planning Policy
Two major organizations that promote birth control filed lawsuits in federal court Wednesday seeking to block the Trump administration from shifting national family planning policy to stress abstinence and potentially limit counseling for adolescents. One of the suits was filed by Planned Parenthood , which serves 41 percent of the 4 million low-income Americans who receive subsidized services through the Title X family-planning program. The other suit was filed by the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association , which contends the policy shift would reduce access to the most effective contraceptive methods and result in more unintended pregnancies. (5/2)
Reuters:
President Trump Wants To Go Further On Drug Prices: HHS Secretary
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar on Wednesday said President Donald Trump wants to go further in lowering drug prices, an issue he campaigned on during the 2016 presidential race. "HHS is currently working with the President on a comprehensive strategy to solve these problems," Azar said in a speech at World Health Care Congress. "We'll be building on the proposals in the President’s budget, but he wants to go further." (Banerjee, 5/2)
The Associated Press:
Trump Medical Record ‘Raid’ Raises Patient Privacy Questions
A doctor’s claim that three men took President Donald Trump’s medical records without a form authorizing their release in what he said felt like a “raid” has raised questions about whether this kind of action is legal. Here are some questions and answers about what happened and the laws surrounding medical records and patients’ rights to obtain them. (Johnson, 5/2)