Los Angeles Times: 7.5 Million Californians Could Lose Coverage Under Latest Obamacare Repeal Effort, State Health Insurance Exchange Says
Californians who get their health coverage on the individual market could face dire consequences under the current Republican effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, warned a new analysis released Monday by Covered California, the state's health insurance exchange. (Mason, 9/25)

Fresno Bee: Valley Could Be Hit Hard By Graham-Cassidy Bill
The Graham-Cassidy plan to reform health care could destroy California’s individual insurance market and be devastating to hundreds of thousands of San Joaquin Valley residents who rely on Medi-Cal to pay for their health care, according to two studies. Nearly 872,600 people in the San Joaquin Valley could lose health coverage, according to an analysis by the University of California at Berkeley Labor Center. The biggest hit would be to residents on Medi-Cal. According the study released on Friday, 764,200 children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities would lose Medi-Cal coverage in the region. (Anderson, 9/25)

Los Angeles Times: Put Californians Before Republicans On Healthcare Vote, Dianne Feinstein Tells GOP House Members 
Sen. Dianne Feinstein made a direct appeal to her 14 California congressional Republican colleagues on Monday, asking them to stop the latest GOP healthcare bill if it gets to the House. (Wire, 9/25)

The New York Times: Health Bill Appears Dead As Pivotal G.O.P. Senator Declares Opposition
A last-ditch attempt by President Trump and Senate Republicans to dismantle the Affordable Care Act appeared to collapse on Monday as a pivotal senator announced her firm opposition to the latest repeal plan, virtually ensuring that Republicans would not have the votes they need for passage. The announcement by the senator, Susan Collins of Maine, effectively dooms what had been a long-shot effort by Republicans in the Senate to make one more attempt at repealing the health law after failing in dramatic fashion in July. (Kaplan and Pear, 9/25)

The Associated Press: As Senators Defect, GOP Concedes Health Bill's Fate Bleak
"It's going to be a heavy lift," South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the No. 3 GOP Senate leader, said Monday, after Collins joined a small but pivotal cluster of Republicans saying they're against the measure. He called the prospects "bleak." "We don't have the support for it," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. (Fram, 9/26)

Bloomberg: Senior Senate Republican Calls ACA Repeal Vote ‘Nearly Impossible’ 
“It’s nearly impossible. I’m not saying anything is impossible, because we could always maybe work it out in the end, but so far I haven’t seen any” indication that suggests that will happen, said Utah Republican Orrin Hatch, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. (Edney, Litvan and Tracer, 9/25)

The Washington Post: Senate GOP Effort To Unwind The ACA Collapses Monday
While one top Republican senator held out the possibility that the Senate might still vote on the bill, others accepted the reality that the push had sputtered out after Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) joined two of her colleagues in formal opposition. “Everybody knows that’s going to fail,” said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), who led a raucous, five-hour hearing on the bill Monday afternoon. “You don’t have one Democrat vote for it. So it’s going to fail.” Monday’s developments amounted to a massive setback for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and President Trump, who spent the past week trying to rally support for a last-ditch attempt to fulfill a seven-year Republican promise. (Sullivan, Eilperin and Snell, 9/25)

Los Angeles Times: Latest GOP Obamacare Repeal Effort On Verge Of Collapse As Third Republican Comes Out Against Bill
Monday afternoon, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) said GOP leaders would probably not be able to hold a vote this week as planned. Even before Collins’ announcement Monday, President Trump sounded increasingly downbeat about the bill’s chances. “We’re going to lose two or three votes, and that’s the end of that,” Trump said Monday on Alabama radio’s “Rick and Bubba Show,” criticizing Republican senators for withholding their support after years of promising to repeal and replace the law. “They pander and they grandstand.” (Mascaro and Levey, 9/25)

The Wall Street Journal: Collins Becomes Third Republican To Oppose Graham-Cassidy Bill
The Republicans’ latest proposal would take much of the 2010 law’s funding and transform it into block grants, which states could use to shape their own health-care systems. Ms. Collins said the earlier and newer versions of the bill both “open the door for states to weaken protections for people with pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, cancer, heart disease, arthritis and diabetes. ”Ms. Collins said in a statement she was concerned by the rushed process used to consider the bill co-sponsored by her Republican colleagues, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana. (Armour and Peterson, 9/25)

Politico: Collins’ Opposition Dooms Latest Obamacare Repeal Effort
Senate Republicans are set to meet Tuesday on whether to try to open debate on health care again on the floor to show the GOP’s base that they are still trying to repeal Obamacare. The caucus is internally debating whether to hold a vote certain to fail later this week. “We’re going to need to have a meeting of our conference tomorrow at noon to see where we can see where everybody is,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas). (Everett, Haberkorn and Dawsey, 9/25)

The Washington Post: Protests Fill Senate Hallways As Cassidy-Graham Gets Its Hearing
In July, 56-year-old Joe Smith trekked 22 hours from his Harrison, Ark., home to protest the Senate Republicans’ attempt to repeal part of the Affordable Care Act. Thinking the fight was over, Smith went home. On Monday morning — after another 22-hour car and bus ride — Smith was back at the Senate, joining hundreds of protesters lined up outside the Senate Finance Committee’s hearing on Cassidy-Graham. “We can’t afford to lose our health care,” said Smith, who suffers from cerebral palsy, gets disability benefits and has insurance through Aetna. “Every time we go up here, I think it makes a difference. I personally think they shouldn’t do away with Obamacare, and I think they should fix it, so I’m here.” (Weigel, 9/25)

Reuters: Health Plan Would Cut U.S. Deficit, But Leave Millions Without Insurance: CBO
An earlier version of a healthcare bill Republican leaders are trying to push through the U.S. Senate would save at least $133 billion over 10 years, Congress' nonpartisan budget agency said on Monday, suggesting it meets requirements to clear the chamber on a simple majority vote. But the U.S. Congressional Budget Office did not assess the most recent version of the Graham-Cassidy bill, leaving it unclear whether it also complies with Senate rules expiring on Sept. 30 that permit approval by a simple majority. (Beech, 9/25)

Politico: States Warn Latest Obamacare Repeal Plan ‘Impossible’ To Set Up
State officials are warning they face a daunting, near-impossible task of rebuilding their health care systems from the ground up in just two years under the GOP’s latest Obamacare repeal plan. It’s a recipe for chaos, say those officials, who fear the unforgiving timeline and minimal federal assistance could result in insurance market collapses that force millions of residents to lose coverage. (Cancryn and Rayasam, 9/25)

The Associated Press: As Health Bill Teeters, Medicaid Recipients Watch Nervously
With the latest Republican health care overhaul teetering near collapse, one group in particular is watching with heightened anxiety. The debate in Congress is personal for many of those who gained coverage through Medicaid in the 31 states that expanded the program under former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. (Cassidy and Mulvihill, 9/26)

The Washington Post Fact Checker: Meet The Man Flagged By Cassidy As Paying $40,000 In Health-Care Premiums
In selling his plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act, co-sponsored with Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), Sen. Bill Cassidy repeatedly has mentioned the case of a Louisiana resident who faces $40,000 in insurance premiums. There are actually two such cases, one of which Cassidy touted on Facebook in 2016, though the details are a bit fuzzy. He displayed an insurance sheet that shows a couple being quoted $3,300 a month in premiums for a plan with a $6,200 deductible and $13,000 cap on total expenses. Cassidy has not identified this person. (Kessler, 9/26)

The Associated Press: What The Latest Health Overhaul Push Means For Consumers
Only one thing is certain for insurance shoppers if the latest attempt to replace former President Barack Obama's health care law succeeds: Uncertainty. Will you be able to get coverage? How much will it cost? Will it cover my conditions? It depends. (Murphy, 9/25)

The Washington Post: With Lower Stakes, Sanders And Klobuchar Debate GOP Repeal Bill’s Sponsors On CNN
Halfway through CNN’s prime-time debate on the Affordable Care Act, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) went in for the kill. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had taken his umpteenth swing at “bureaucrats,” telling viewers that “Bernie’s solution is more government, not less,” warning that the Vermont senator would pour millions of people into Medicare when the system could not handle them.“It is easy to beat up on big, bad federal government,” said Sanders. “Guys, do you know what the most popular health insurance program in America is? It’s not the private insurance industry. It is…” Graham decided not to dodge. “Medicare,” he said. “Medicare, yeah!” said Sanders. “Which is falling apart,” said Graham. (Weigel, 9/26)

Los Angeles Times: Blaze At Homeless Encampment In San Diego County May Have Exposed Firefighters To Hepatitis A
A team of firefighters may have been exposed to hepatitis A while battling a vegetation fire early Sunday at a homeless encampment in Spring Valley, officials said. A “large amount” of urine and feces had accumulated at the encampment, prompting hazardous materials crews to require firefighters to decontaminate with soap and water before leaving the scene, according to the San Miguel Fire Protection District. (Tchekmedyian, 9/25)

KPBS: Firefighters Worry About Hep A Exposure After Being Contaminated By Feces
About a dozen San Diego firefighters were being seen by doctors on Monday after being contaminated a day earlier with human feces, and there is concern over a possible exposure to hepatitis A, said fire spokesman Stephen Moran. (Murphy, 9/25)

Capital Public Radio: Hepatitis A Outbreak Among Homeless Has Sacramento Health Officials On Alert 
San Diego declared a public health emergency this month after Hepatitis A killed 16 people and sickened hundreds, most of them homeless. The disease spreads quickly in unsanitary environments like homeless camps. (Caiola, 9/25)

Los Angeles Times: Death Toll From West Nile Climbs To 7 In L.A. County, Officials Say
Los Angeles County health officials warned residents Monday to protect themselves against the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus, as the number of people killed by the disease in L.A. County this year reached seven. The department launched a campaign Monday called “It’s Not Just A Bite” to try to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile. (Karlamangla, 9/25)

In other public health news —

KPCC: Breathing LA Air May Increase Your Risk Of Kidney Disease
Breathing polluted air can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, lung disease and cancer, but as if that weren't enough, people in places like Los Angeles need to worry about an increased risk of kidney disease as well, according to new research published last week. (Margolis, 9/25)

Capital Public Radio: Bill Requiring More Details On Cleaning Product Labels Awaits Governor's Pen 
Companies that manufacture cleaning products may have to disclose a lot more information about what’s in them, under a proposal passed by California lawmakers. The final version of the bill now headed to the governor includes some compromises. (Potter, 9/25)

The Associated Press: Coffee Sold In California Could Carry Cancer Warning Labels
A future cup of coffee in California could give you jitters before you even take a sip. A nonprofit group wants coffee manufacturers, distributors and retailers to post ominous warnings about a cancer-causing chemical stewing in every brew and has been presenting evidence in a Los Angeles courtroom to make its case. (9/25)

San Francisco Chronicle: Coffee Sold In California May Come With Warning Labels In Future
A nonprofit group wants coffee manufacturers, distributors and retailers to post ominous warnings about a cancer-causing chemical stewing in every brew and has been presenting evidence in a Los Angeles courtroom to make its case. The long-running lawsuit that resumed Monday claims Starbucks and about 90 other companies, including grocery stores and retail shops, failed to follow a state law requiring warning signs about hazardous chemicals found everywhere from household products to workplaces to the environment. (Melley, 9/25)

KPCC: LA Jails Face 'Significant Challenges' Improving Mental Health Care
Los Angeles County jails have made substantial progress in improving care for mentally ill inmates, but key reforms mandated under a 2015 agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice have yet to be fully implemented, according to a monitor’s bi-annual report. (Stoltze, 9/26)

In other news from across the state —

KPCC: Advocate For The Poor And Homeless Leaving LA's Health Agency
L.A.'s health chief – a longtime advocate for the county's poor and homeless – is leaving for New York at the end of the year. Dr. Mitch Katz will return to his home town at the end of the year to be close to his ailing parents and to run New York City's Health and Hospitals Corporation, the public health provider in the city. (Palta, 9/25)