San Francisco Chronicle: Defying Trump, California Legislature Bans Short-Term Health Insurance
The California Legislature has passed a bill banning the sale of short-term health insurance plans — a type of insurance the Trump administration is seeking to expand. The bill, SB910, authored by State Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina), was approved by the Senate on Monday and the Assembly last week. It will need the signature of Gov. Jerry Brown to become law. (Ho, 8/20)

In other news out of Sacramento —

Capital Public Radio: California Lawmakers Eye Voluntary Tax To Pay For Central Valley Water Contamination
California lawmakers are considering whether to approve a voluntary tax on water customers across the state. Revenue from the tax would be use to pay for cleaning up contaminated water in rural and low-income communities in the Central Valley. (Nichols, 8/20)

Los Angeles Times: Gavin Newsom Criticized For Flip-Flopping On California's Most Pressing Issues
Part of the foundation of Newsom’s campaign for governor has been his strong support for establishing a single-payer healthcare system in California ... But former San Francisco County Supervisor Tom Ammiano, author of the ordinance that evolved into Healthy San Francisco, said Newsom “tried to undermine it as best he could” while it was being debated, in part because of concerns over cost to employers in the city. After Healthy San Francisco was approved, Newsom embraced it, Ammiano said. (Willon, 8/20)

Politico: Why ‘Medicare For All’ Is Playing Poorly In Democratic Primaries
Most of the prominent Democrats eyeing 2020 presidential bids — including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts — champion the idea of “Medicare for all,” suggesting it’s become almost a litmus test for the party’s base. But the notion of government-funded health care has proved a tough sell to Democratic voters in swing districts that will determine control of the House. (Demko, 8/21)

The Hill: Sanders Hits 'Medicare For All' Fact Checks As 'Riddled With Errors' 
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is hitting back at media fact checks of his "Medicare for all" plan, saying the articles are “riddled with errors.” In a series of tweets on Monday, Sanders criticized a fact check from CNN’s Jake Tapper. At issue is a conservative study that Sanders has been touting from the right-leaning Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Sanders has said the study showed that his plan would reduce total U.S. health spending by $2 trillion over 10 years. (Sullivan, 8/20)

The Associated Press: Hard To See, Hard To Breathe: US West Struggles With Smoke
Smoke from wildfires clogged the sky across the U.S. West, blotting out mountains and city skylines from Oregon to Colorado, delaying flights and forcing authorities to tell even healthy adults in the Seattle area to stay indoors. As large cities dealt with unhealthy air for a second summer in a row, experts warned that it could become more common as the American West faces larger and more destructive wildfires because of heat and drought blamed on climate change. Officials also must prioritize resources during the longer firefighting season, so some blazes may be allowed to burn in unpopulated areas. (Ho and Flaccus, 8/20)

KQED: Here's Your Current Air Quality Report For The Bay Area
Officials have extended the air quality advisory for the Bay Area through Tuesday, saying they expect winds to blow smoke into the area. To help you stay informed about air quality during the fire season, KQED Science is providing this map showing air quality in your area and what it means for your health, updated hourly. (Ahmed and Hailye, 8/20)

Los Angeles Times: California's Largest Wildfire Brings New Dangers For Firefighters On Front Lines
After more than three weeks, firefighters Monday continued to struggle against the largest fire in modern California history as the Mendocino Complex blaze prompted more evacuations and posed new dangers to those on the front lines. While battling the fire, five members of Los Angeles Fire Department Strike Team 1880C were injured Sunday. All five suffered minor injuries and were treated and released from area hospitals. (Fry, 8/20)

The Washington Post: Watch Wildfire Smoke Blanket Most Of The Country In This Time Lapse Of Satellite Data
Public health experts treat wildfire smoke as a pollutant, similar in many ways to ozone or automobile emissions. Breathing it can be hazardous to your health, particularly for sensitive groups like children, the elderly and those with lung or heart disease. Research has shown that even low levels of outdoor air pollution can cause notable deficits in cognitive performance and worker productivity. (Ingraham, 8/20)

Ventura County Star: St. John's Hospitals, Anthem Agree To Last-Minute Deal
A last-minute contract agreement means patients covered by Anthem Blue Cross will keep their in-network access to doctors at St. John’s hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo, officials said. An agreement over the insurer’s payment for doctors’ care at the local hospitals and other facilities in the Dignity Health system was originally set to expire in mid-July. The contract was extended 30 days, to 11:59 p.m. Aug. 13, with the risk of doctors falling out of the Anthem Blue Cross network if talks failed or were not extended again. (Kisken, 8/20)

The Desert Sun: New Funds Seek To Combat Opioid Abuse In The Valley
Compared with many other areas of the country and the state, Riverside County has, for the most part, managed to escape the tight grip of the opioid epidemic, but parts of the Coachella Valley have seen above-average rates of deaths caused by opioid overdoses during the past two years, health officials said. In 2017, the ZIP codes in Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs and the unincorporated communities bordering Joshua Tree National Park recorded the highest rate of opioid overdose deaths in the county. In that year, the 92264 ZIP code surpassed the rate of overdose deaths per 100,000 residents of the most affected counties in the rural north of the state. (Maschke, 8/20)

KPBS: Tri-City To Reconsider Decision To Close Inpatient Psychiatric Unit
The board of Tri-City Healthcare District in North County will reconsider its decision to close its inpatient psychiatric units. The publicly-elected board will hold an open meeting Tuesday to provide an opportunity for interested parties to provide testimony. (St John, 8/20)

San Francisco Chronicle: Alameda County Inmate Gave Birth In Isolation Cell, Her Screams Ignored, Suit Says
A homeless inmate gave birth last year in Alameda County’s jail while she lay alone in a cold, dirty concrete solitary confinement cell after guards ignored her screams for hours, according to a federal lawsuit filed Monday. The mother was locked into the isolation cell after medical staff accused her of exaggerating complaints of pain and cramping, and deputies decided to punish her for the exaggeration, the suit says. (Fagan, 8/20)

KPCC: Preparation For Parker Center Demolition Begins Despite Lawsuit 
City officials announced plans to demolish the old LAPD headquarters and replace it with an office skyscraper for city workers, and on Monday, work began on the 18 month old project. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation has sued the city, calling it a waste of taxpayer money and proposing instead to convert the space into housing for LA's homeless. (Wells, 8/20)

Los Angeles Times: Warrant Confirms Man Detained While On Way To Hospital With Pregnant Wife Is Wanted For Murder In Mexico
An immigrant in the U.S. illegally who was detained by federal officers in San Bernardino last week while heading to the hospital with his pregnant wife is one of three men listed in an arrest warrant for a 2006 murder in Mexico. Joel Arrona-Lara is wanted in connection with the killing of Miguel Ángel Morales Rodríguez, alias “El Garcia,” according to the arrest warrant, which was provided by a law enforcement official who is not authorized to speak publicly about the case. (Mejia, 8/20)

The Washington Post: Trump Urges GOP-Led Senate To Pass Bill Cracking Down On Fentanyl Shipments
President Trump on Monday urged the Republican-led Senate to pass legislation intended to crack down on shipments of illicit fentanyl through the international postal system, writing on Twitter: “No more delay!” Leaders from both chambers announced a bipartisan agreement in June on the Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention Act, which the House passed shortly thereafter. The Senate has yet to act on the bill, as Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has focused on confirming federal judges and passing appropriations bills. (Wagner and Somnez, 8/20)

The Hill: Top Lobbying Groups Urge Senate To Oppose Parts Of House-Passed Opioids Bill 
Powerful lobbying groups are pushing back against a House-passed bill intended to address the growing opioid epidemic. America's Health Insurance Plans led eight industry groups in a letter to Senate leadership Monday, asking that they oppose a provision in the House measure. (Hellmann, 8/20)

The Associated Press: Trump Ready To Ease Rules On Coal-Fired Power Plants
The Trump administration is set to roll back the centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s efforts to slow global warming, the Clean Power Plan that restricts greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. A plan to be announced Tuesday would give states broad authority to determine how to restrict carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. ... The plan is also expected to let states relax pollution rules for power plants that need upgrades, according to a summary of the plan and several people familiar with the full proposal who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the plan publicly. (Daly, 8/21)

CNN: Trump's Coal Emissions Rollbacks Will Be Bad For Country's Health, Experts Say
Power plants are the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, making up roughly a third of the domestic greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. The plants also create large amounts of fine particulate matter. The particles can get trapped deep in the lungs, causing breathing problems, heart disease and inflammation. Exposure to air pollution is known to lead to a host of health problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, cancer, bone loss, blood vessel damage, inflammation, cognitive issues and even death. (Christensen, 8/20)

Reuters: U.S. Health Secretary Says Agency Can Eliminate Drug Rebates
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said it was within his agency’s power to eliminate rebates on prescription drug purchases, a key element of the Trump administration’s plan to lower prescription medicine costs. Such rebates are negotiated in the United States by pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to lower the cost of medicines for their clients, including large employers and health plans that cover tens of millions of Americans. (Abutaleb, 8/20)

The Hill: Paul Seeks To Cut Off Planned Parenthood Funds Via Massive Spending Bill
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wants to tie a fight over funding for Planned Parenthood to a massive government spending bill currently being debated by the Senate. Paul has filed an amendment that would prevent federal funding from going to the organization and others that perform abortions. (Carney, 8/20)

The Associated Press: Fearful Of Losing Roe, Left Pushes Schumer For Action
At least once a week, they assemble in Capitol meeting rooms for an hour-long strategy session. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer convenes the gatherings, which regularly include several Democratic senators, a dozen Senate aides and representatives of about 20 liberal organizations. The goal: figuring out how to derail President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court pick, conservative appellate judge Brett Kavanaugh. Up to now, participants say the strategy sessions have been cordial. Yet with Senate Judiciary Committee hearings just two weeks off, cracks in the alliance are showing. (Fram, 8/20)

California Healthline: Biorhythms And Birth Control: FDA Stirs Debate By Approving ‘Natural’ App
The Food and Drug Administration took a “big tent” approach earlier this month when it approved two new forms of birth control that prevent pregnancy in very different ways. Women’s health advocates applauded the availability of a new vaginal ring that could be used for up to a year. But some questioned the approval of a mobile phone app that helps women avoid pregnancy by tracking their body temperature and menstrual cycle, a type of contraception called “fertility awareness. (Andrews, 8/21)

The Atlantic: America’s Invisible Pot Addicts
Evan, who asked that his full name not be used for fear of professional repercussions, has a self-described cannabis-use disorder. If not necessarily because of legalization, but alongside legalization, such problems are becoming more common: The share of adults with one has doubled since the early aughts, as the share of cannabis users who consume it daily or near-daily has jumped nearly 50 percent—all “in the context of increasingly permissive cannabis legislation, attitudes, and lower risk perception,” as the National Institutes of Health put it. Public-health experts worry about the increasingly potent options available, and the striking number of constant users. (Lowrey, 8/20)

Stat: Pregnant Women With Nausea And Vomiting Are More Likely To Use Marijuana 
Research suggests a growing number of pregnant women are using marijuana, and according to a small new study, those experiencing severe nausea and vomiting may be more likely to use the drug. The health effects of using marijuana while pregnant aren’t clear, but national guidelines recommend that women stop using marijuana while pregnant. The new study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that pregnant women with severe nausea and vomiting used marijuana at more than twice the rate of women without those symptoms. (Thielking, 8/20)

NPR: Black And Hispanic Kids Are More Likely To Die Of Some Cancers
When it comes to cancer survival, the United States is sharply divided by race. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cancer death rate for African-Americans is 25 percent higher than whites, and Hispanics and Latinos are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at a late, and more dangerous, stage of the disease. Kids aren't exempt from those disparities either — black and Hispanic children are more likely to die of many childhood cancers than their white counterparts. So what explains the survival gap? (Blakemore, 8/20)

Stat: Researchers Look To Transform Type A, Type B Blood Into Type O 
Canadian researchers unveiled a promising bit of scientific alchemy Tuesday: a newly discovered enzyme that may be able to turn your average blood donation into coveted Type O blood, which can be safely transfused into at least 85 percent of Americans. Their work is an admittedly early step, but one researchers hope could ultimately help them address near-constant shortages of donated blood. (Sheridan, 8/21)

The New York Times: ‘I’m Focusing On Medicine’: A Parkland Survivor Returns To The Hospital That Saved Her
Maddy Wilford tied a surgical mask around her face and scraped the dirt from beneath her fingernails. She scrubbed her hands and arms, allowing frothy yellow iodine to wash over the thick scar on her right arm — a physical reminder that she had nearly died six months ago at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Ms. Wilford was shot multiple times that day, the bullets piercing her arm and torso, and arrived at Broward Health North in shock and need of surgery. Now she was volunteering as an intern at the same hospital, learning about medicine from the doctors who saved her life. (Bidgood, 8/21)

CNN: Lockdown Curtains And Drill Bags. Preparing For School Shootings Is Now Just Another Part Of A Teacher's Day.
Walk in to any given elementary or middle school classroom, and you're bound to be greeted with some evidence of a teacher's love and effort. ... Yet these cheery touches are now often interspersed with evidence of a dark and low-burning awareness. Teachers are putting together buckets of treat to keep students calm during lockdown drills. They're hanging up bright door curtains that can be quickly released to shield a classroom from a killer's eyes. They're composing hand-lettered posters and pamphlets to lay out what to do if ever, heaven forbid, a school shooting were to happen. (Willingham, 8/20)

Modern Healthcare: Anthem Partners With Walmart To Provide Over-The-Counter Drugs To Seniors 
Health insurer Anthem has teamed up with Walmart to expand its senior members' access to over-the-counter medications. Through a new partnership beginning in January 2019, Anthem's Medicare Advantage members will be able to use their insurance to shop for over-the-counter drugs and other items, such as first-aid supplies and support braces, at Walmart's 4,700 stores and online. Anthem serves more than 1.7 million seniors in Medicare Advantage plans. (Livingston, 8/20)

Reuters: Anthem Ties-Up With Walmart For Over-The-Counter Drugs
Anthem Inc said on Monday it has partnered with Walmart Inc to launch a program in January 2019 that will allow its Medicare Advantage plan customers to purchase over-the-counter medications from the retailer’s stores and website. Anthem said the program will provide OTC drugs and health-related items, such as first aid supplies, support braces, and pain relievers at reduced costs. (Joseph, 8/20)

In other news -

Stat: Esperion Therapeutics And The Cholesterol Trial That Could Swing Billions
Is a small company poised to shake up the multibillion-dollar market for cardiovascular drugs, or is it about to descend into irrelevance? That’s the question hanging over Esperion Therapeutics and its experimental cholesterol-cutting therapy. The drug is being developed as an option for patients who can’t get what they need from cheap, generic statins but who also don’t require pricey injectable medicines called PCSK9 inhibitors, which can cost more than $10,000 a year. (Garde, 8/21)

The Associated Press: AbbVie Donates $100M To Ronald McDonald House Charities
Drugmaker AbbVie is donating $100 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities, which help provide housing to pediatric patients and their families throughout the U.S. The donation announced Monday is the single largest ever gift to Chicago-based charity network. The money will be used to build housing in at least 26 states and at 32 Ronald McDonald Houses. (8/20)