- California Healthline Original Stories 2
- Hike In Minimum Wage Will Push Some Workers Out Of Medi-Cal
- Study Suggests Federal Standard May Be Thwarting Some Transplant Patients
- Sacramento Watch 2
- In Push Against Pharma Transparency Bill, Group Puts Focus On Patients Instead Of Prices
- Doctor To Open Practice Devoted Solely To Helping Patients End Life On Own Terms
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Hike In Minimum Wage Will Push Some Workers Out Of Medi-Cal
The need to buy health insurance could eat into pay gains. (Barbara Feder Ostrov, )
Study Suggests Federal Standard May Be Thwarting Some Transplant Patients
Researchers report that performance standards set by federal health officials may have led to many patients being dropped from transplant lists without improving survival rates. (Michelle Andrews, )
More News From Across The State
Doing Too Much, Too Fast: The Lessons Clinton Learned From Hillarycare's Failure
In 1993, Hillary Clinton pushed a grand sweeping plan to ensure all Americans had health insurance. She took her ideas to Capitol Hill, and what happened next was instrumental in shaping the presidential candidate's approach to governing and politics.
Reuters:
From 'Hillarycare' Debacle in 1990s, Clinton Emerged More Cautious
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich remembers the day 23 years ago when Hillary Clinton, notebook in hand, came to see him and other senior Republicans to talk about "Hillarycare." It was early 1993. Clinton, on behalf of her husband, then-President Bill Clinton, was leading a healthcare reform drive that vaulted her onto the national stage. Hillarycare would famously collapse after a fierce debate. In interviews with Reuters, some participants looked back on it as a crucible for the Democratic presidential front-runner that helped shape her approach to politics and governing. (Drawbaugh and Milliken, 6/6)
Meanwhile, an adviser says Clinton supports the administration's Medicare reimbursement changes, and a look at the nurses union ardently supporting Bernie Sanders in California —
Morning Consult:
Clinton Supports Medicare Drug Pricing Proposal, Advisor Says
Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton supports in principle the Obama administration’s Medicare proposal to change the way drugs administered in hospital and physicians’ offices are reimbursed, according to an outside advisor to the Clinton campaign. Clinton supports the overall structure and purpose of the proposal, but like several Democrats in Congress, she believes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should consider making changes, said Chris Jennings, a health expert, in an interview with Morning Consult. (Owens, 6/7)
NBC News:
Nurses Union Confident In Sanders Headed Into California Primary
If Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are polling near neck-and-neck in California, the first union in the nation to back Sanders — the National Nurses United (NNU) — will proudly take its share of the credit. (Guillermo, 6/6)
In Push Against Pharma Transparency Bill, Group Puts Focus On Patients Instead Of Prices
The California Life Sciences Association trade group, which says that the legislation will shift focus from research to paperwork, is launching an initiative to show the other side of skyrocketing drug prices.
San Francisco Business Times:
Price Fight For California Drug Makers As Biotech Convention Rolls In
California drug makers want to put a face other than Martin Shkreli's on the issue of drug pricing.
Saying a price transparency bill in the state Legislature will shift money from research to paperwork, the California Life Sciences Association trade group is unleashing a digital campaign emphasizing patients and caregivers.
The initiative is the latest in the rhetorical back-and-forth between legislators and the biopharmaceutical industry, a debate that often features Shkreli's well-documented plan as CEO of Turing Pharmaceuticals to increase the price of a generic drug treating HIV patients by 5,000 percent. (Leuty 6/6)
Doctor To Open Practice Devoted Solely To Helping Patients End Life On Own Terms
Dr. Lonny Shavelson wants to make sure, when the End of Life Option Act goes into effect on Thursday, that those who are seeking help can find it. "There will be a larger demand from patients who want to consider physician aid-in-dying than there are physicians who will be willing to work with them on it," he says.
Bay Area News Group:
Bay Area Physician Opens Right-To-Die Practice
When California's new right-to-die law finally goes into effect Thursday, Dr. Lonny Shavelson will be ready to consult with patients about their final plans. The Berkeley-based doctor has opened what may be the only specialized medical practice in the Bay Area, and possibly the entire state, focused solely on patients considering using the End of Life Option Act. (Seipel, 6/6)
Dignity Health Sued After Denying Coverage For Sex-Reassignment Surgery
The company says the insurance plan excludes coverage for treatment of “personality disorders, including sexual/gender identity,” which is how it classified the request.
The San Francisco Chronicle:
Hospital Chain Sued For Refusing To Cover Sex Reassignment’s Cost
A transgender nurse sued California’s largest private hospital chain, Dignity Health of San Francisco, on Monday for denying him insurance coverage for hormone therapy and sex-reassignment surgery, which the company attributed to a “personality disorder.” (Egelko, 6/6)
In other hospital news —
The Press Democrat:
Sonoma West Medical Center Defaults On Millions In Loans
Sonoma West Medical Center confirmed Monday it has defaulted on millions of dollars in loans made to the struggling Sebastopol hospital by its two primary benefactors, raising further questions about its financial viability.
The treasurer for the hospital’s board of directors issued a letter last week warning that Sonoma West could be forced to close without an infusion of money. The warning, however, was questioned Monday night by the board of directors at the Palm Drive Health Care District, which provides financial support to the medical center. (Espinoza 6/6)
Black Children Hit Harder By Asthma, But Underrepresentation In Studies Leaves Researchers At A Loss
Black children are 10 times more likely than white kids to die of complications from asthma, and scientists want to find genetic clues that may have been overlooked in the past. But the studies don't include very many minority populations.
KQED:
Blacks Die From Asthma At Steep Rates, But Are Absent From Many Studies
Asthma is the leading chronic disease among children, but it hits some populations harder than others. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black children are twice as likely to have asthma as white children. And black children are 10 times more likely than white kids to die of complications from asthma. A team of UCSF scientists is on a mission to understand why. The researchers are digging into genetic clues that may have been overlooked until now. (McClurg, 6/6)
In other public health news —
KPCC:
LA Fire Dept Proposes Program For Alcoholics Who Overuse 9-11 System
The Los Angeles Fire Department keeps a list of “frequent flyers” of emergency medical services. They’re called “superusers,” and in 2015 alone, the top 40 superusers in Los Angeles accounted for about 2000 emergency responses. (Javier, 6/7)
The Sacramento Bee:
How Doctors Are Treating Strokes In Even Less Time
Traditionally, vascular surgeons used ultrasound and lasers or clot-busting drugs to break up blood clots. Stent retrievers, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012, are a newer innovation, along with new generations of flexible suction catheters. Used at Sutter Health and other local hospitals, they are considered a better way to quickly remove large blood clots. (Buck, 6/6)
Fentanyl Not As Prevalent In Opioid Epidemic As Recent Headlines Suggest
A high-profile outbreak of fatal overdoses in Sacramento and Prince's death have shined a spotlight on the powerful synthetic drug, but it only accounts for a small part of the opioid crisis gripping the country.
KPCC:
Despite Prince's Death, Fentanyl Still A Rarity Among Opioids
The high-profile overdose death of Prince has put the opioid fentanyl in the spotlight, but while it accounts for a number of deaths in Southern California it makes up a very small portion of the overall opioid market. Nationally, doctors wrote 6.5 million Fentanyl prescriptions last year, compared with nearly 100 million prescriptions for the more common opioids Vicodin and Norco, according to IMS Health, which tracks drug sales. Fentanyl is typically used to treat pain during late-stage cancer and other end-of-life situations. It is extremely potent, up to 100 times stronger than morphine. IMS Health does not have a breakdown of prescription sales by state. In California, the number of overdose deaths from fentanyl track about the same as the drug's share of sales. (Aguilera, 6/6)
Mental Health Calls To San Diego Police Agencies Skyrocket 84 Percent
The study offers only anecdotal evidence on the cause of the rise between 2009 and 2015, but many see it as a combination of factors, including increased awareness of mental health issues and fewer treatment programs.
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Mental Health Calls To Local Authorities Up 84%
Calls to San Diego County police agencies about people with mental-health problems skyrocketed 84 percent over a six-year period starting in 2009 -- while the county’s population grew only 5 percent during that time.
A new study by the San Diego Association of Governments is shining light on a topic that has implications for police and medical resources, in addition to perceptions of people who otherwise might have only been viewed as potential criminals. (Steele, 6/6)
John Oliver Forgives $15M In Medical Debt
The "Last Week Tonight" host's latest stunt-with-a-message — to buy nearly $15 million in medical debt for just $60,000 — highlights the struggle many cope with after getting sick and amassing huge bills. And although the Affordable Care Act means more people have insurance to help pay for those sky-high costs, people are still leaving the hospital with crippling debt.
The New York Times:
For His Latest Trick, John Oliver Forgives $15 Million In Medical Debt
For his latest trick, Mr. Oliver, the host of the HBO show, formed a company called Central Asset Recovery Professionals — or CARP, named after the bottom-feeding fish — and purchased $14.9 million worth of medical debt for just under $60,000. Mr. Oliver said it had cost $50 to create his company, after which he received the portfolio offering the names, current addresses and Social Security numbers of about 9,000 people. Mr. Oliver then gave the debt away, bragging that his giveaway was bigger than Ms. Winfrey’s — her car giveaway was estimated at $7 million — and completed the show by pressing a giant red button that triggered a rain shower of dollar bills. (Rogers, 6/6)
The Washington Post:
Few People Realize This Big Risk When They Go To The Hospital
More than three decades ago, emergency rooms could kick you out if doctors didn’t think you could pay. You might be suffering from a stroke, a gunshot wound or a broken spine, but if your insurance wasn’t good enough, many hospitals could slam the door in your face. This hot-potatoing of patients caused gruesome and unnecessary deaths before the practice was outlawed in 1986. Today, if you go to the hospital with an emergency, doctors pretty much have to treat you. If you have insurance, great. But even if you can’t pay, they’ll patch you up all the same. You’ll just leave the hospital with potentially crippling medical debt. Because of the health-insurance expansions under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, millions fewer Americans are likely to face that debt. (Guo, 6/6)
In other national health care news —
The Wall Street Journal:
Why Many Hospitals Are Banning Flowers And Balloons
The next time you plan to bring a gift to a friend in the hospital, check the visitor policy first. Some health-care facilities are tightening restrictions on where flowers, plants, balloons and other cheery items are allowed, citing concerns about the potential for infection, among other risks. Most intensive-care units have been no-flower zones for decades. Many hospitals now have banned latex balloons out of concern for latex allergies. Now, some are extending limitations to ICU step-down units, cardiac-care units, pediatrics, labor and delivery units. (Beck, 6/6)
The Washington Post:
Biden Unveils Launch Of Major, Open-Access Database To Advance Cancer Research
Vice President Biden on Monday announced the launch of a first-of-its kind, open-access cancer database to allow researchers to better understand the disease and develop more effective treatments. The Genomic Data Commons, a part of the National Cancer Institute, contains the raw genomic and clinical data for 12,000 patients, with more records to come as researchers contribute to it, he said. Besides detailed analyses of the molecular makeup of cancers, the database has information on which treatments were used and how patients responded. (McGinley, 6/6)
The New York Times:
New Opioid Limits Challenge The Most Pain-Prone
If you’ve come to rely on opioids for chronic pain, as a growing proportion of older adults has, you may have noticed that the drugs are becoming more difficult to get. Something had to be done, surely: More than 165,000 people died from overdoses from 1999 to 2014. But recent restrictions on access to these painkillers are likely to disproportionately affect the elderly — despite the fact that abuse and misuse of these painkillers have historically been lower among older patients than younger ones. (Span, 6/6)