San Francisco Chronicle: Californians Like Single-Payer Health Care — Until They Learn Taxes Must Rise To Pay For It
Whether to establish a state-run, single-payer health-care system is shaping up to be one of the main differences among the candidates for governor in California in the run-up to the June primary election. ...Implementing a single-payer system would require tens of billions of dollars in new taxes - and thereby lead the Golden State into financial ruin. (Pipes, 12/11)

The Mercury News: Yes, You Got Your Flu Shot … So Why Are You So Sick?
Early indications show this year’s vaccine may be only 10 percent effective against a dominant strain of the virus circulating the planet, and California public health officials say the greater Bay Area is one of two areas in the Golden State getting hit hardest now. (Seipel, 12/11)

In other public health news —

Sacramento Bee: New Gun Restrictions Are Coming To California In 2018. Here’s What They Mean To You
California’s more than 6 million gun owners are going to see new restrictions in 2018 stemming from sweeping regulations lawmakers and voters have approved over the past two years. But due to pending court challenges, shifting deadlines and contradictions in the laws, many gun owners say they’re unsure about new rules regulating where they can buy ammunition, what classifies as an assault rifle and whether it’s still legal to own high-capacity ammunition magazines. (Sabalow, 12/11)

Capital Public Radio: UC Davis Pushes Students To Sleep Their Way To Success
Between academics, jobs and busy social lives, college students often let sleep fall by the wayside. But at UC Davis and about 50 other schools, wellness staff want shuteye to be a top priority. This quarter, a noncredit 30-minute power nap class gives students a quiet place to snooze. (Caiola, 12/11)

The Desert Sun: Indio High's Health Academy Prescribes Hands-On Learning For Valley Students Seeking Medical Care Jobs
November was a busy month at Indio High School’s HANS Academy (Health and Nutritional Services). Part of the school’s CTE program (Career Technical Education) provides specialized health career training for over 200 students, 10 percent of the school’s student body. ...In November, HANS Academy students had the opportunity to take a CPR/AED BLS class, become HIPAA-certified, participate in a “farmers’ market” with FIND Food Bank, and welcome Eisenhower Medical Center Vice President of Primary Care Dr. Joseph Scherger. The doctor joined Tate at the November school board meeting to provide information about the academy to the district trustees. (Perry, 12/11)

In other news from across the state —

Capital Public Radio: Pot Retailers Face Challenges As They Prep For California Marketplace
The Bureau of Cannabis Control has taken a long awaited-step by releasing online applications for retailers, distributors, testing labs and micro-businesses who want to jump into the new state-sanctioned marketplace in the new year. (Mitric, 12/11)

The New York Times: An Obamacare Surprise In The Mail: New Insurers And New Costs
Meg and Robert Holub were surprised to receive a letter last week welcoming them to a new health insurance plan and telling them to pay $3,483 by Jan. 8. “We have received your application for individual and family coverage effective 1/1/2018,” the letter said. The only problem: They never applied for the coverage, did not want it and could not afford it. “I worried, did someone hack my account to sign me up for this?” Mr. Holub said. “And I wondered, what are the implications if I don’t pay for this plan? Will I be hounded by a credit agency?” (Pear, 12/11)

The Associated Press: Some Glitches Seen In Deadline Week For 'Obamacare' Sign-Ups
Consumer advocates reported some glitches Monday in the final days for "Obamacare" sign-ups, although the Trump administration largely seemed to be keeping its promise of a smooth enrollment experience. In Illinois, some consumers who successfully completed an application for financial assistance through HealthCare.gov got a message saying they would likely be eligible to buy a health plan, "but none are available to you in your area." (12/11)

The Hill: Obama Urges ObamaCare Signups Ahead Of Deadline
Former President Barack Obama on Monday urged people to sign up for ObamaCare ahead of Friday’s deadline and denounced Republican efforts to roll back the law. Obama joined a call with navigators and volunteers who help people sign up for coverage under the law, his office said, and made an appeal on Twitter and Facebook. (Sullivan, 12/11)

Bloomberg: Hospitals Are Merging To Face Off With Insurers
A spate of hospital deals stands to further remake the U.S. health-care landscape, pushing up prices for consumers and insurers and changing how individuals get care. Just this month, health systems with at least 166 hospitals and $39 billion in combined annual revenue have announced merger plans. There’s likely more to come: The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health, a pair of nonprofits that together have 191 hospitals and nearly $45 billion in annual revenue, are in deal talks. (Tracer, 12/11)

The Wall Street Journal: Despite Mergers, Hospitals Are In Serious Condition
American hospitals have a target on their backs. The latest merger talk is an attempt to rally their strength, but industry payers’ battle against high health-care costs shows no sign of letting up. Two major nonprofit hospital chains, Ascension and Providence St. Joseph Health, are in talks to combine, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday. A deal would create a chain of 191 hospitals in 27 states with annual revenue of about $45 billion. (Grant, 12/11)

In more national health care news —

NPR: Parents Worry Congress Won't Fund The Children's Health Insurance Program
It's a beautiful morning in Pittsburgh, but Ariel Haughton is stressed out. She's worried her young children's health insurance coverage will soon lapse. "So, we're like a low-middle-class family, right?" she says. "I'm studying. My husband's working, and our insurance right now is 12 percent of our income — just for my husband and I. And it's not very good insurance either." (Kodjak, 12/12)

The Washington Post: New CDC Head Faces Questions About Financial Conflicts Of Interest
After five months in office, President Trump’s new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been unable to divest financial holdings that pose potential conflicts of interest, hindering her ability to fully perform her job. Brenda Fitzgerald, 71, who served as the Georgia public health commissioner until her appointment to the CDC post in July, said she has divested from many stock holdings. But she and her husband are legally obligated to maintain other investments in cancer detection and health information technology, according to her ethics agreement, requiring Fitzgerald to pledge to avoid government business that might affect those interests. Fitzgerald provided The Post with a copy of her agreement. (Sun and Crites, 12/11)

The Wall Street Journal: FDA Plans New Medical-Device Approval Processes
The Food and Drug Administration plans new medical-device approval processes to speed products’ entry to the U.S. market, mirroring the desires of industry and President Donald Trump to clear barriers to new business. FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who has long espoused speedier steps to promote innovation, in an interview called for “progressive,” or stepped, approvals of certain devices that would allow them to go to market with initial approvals, with further evidence to assess performance coming later. That would entail more risk to patients initially than current procedures where clinical trials or other evidence come before market launch. (Burton, 12/11)

NPR: Native Americans Feel Invisible In U.S. Health Care System
The life expectancy of Native Americans in some states is 20 years shorter than the national average. There are many reasons why. Among them, health programs for American Indians are chronically underfunded by Congress. And, about a quarter of Native Americans reported experiencing discrimination when going to a doctor or health clinic, according to findings of a poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (Whitney, 12/12)