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California Healthline Original Stories
A Young Woman, A Wheelchair And The Fight To Take Her Place At Stanford
Throughout her young life, Sylvia Colt-Lacayo has been told her disability didn’t need to hold her back. She graduated near the top of her high school class. She was co-captain of the mock trial team. In April, she learned she had been admitted to Stanford University with a full scholarship. Now, the struggle to fund the caregivers she needs to leave home is proving her toughest battle yet. (Jenny Gold, )
Good morning! California lawmakers have just two weeks to sort through hundreds of sometimes controversial bills—such as vaccination legislation. Here are some of the bills they’ll be working on. Now, on to the top California health care stories of the day.
Newsom Administration Takes Steps Toward Making Drug Pricing Dreams A Reality: Under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan, which was outlined in an executive order announced shortly after Newsom took office, the state — rather than individual managed care insurance plans — will take on the role of negotiating drug costs on behalf of all 13 million Californians on Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid insurance plan for low-income residents. The Department of Health Care Services, which administers Medi-Cal, began soliciting proposals Aug. 22 from companies to help the state manage pharmacy benefits. This transition is to be completed by January 2021. “It’s a step in the right direction,” said Ramon Castellblanch, a professor emeritus at San Francisco State University who has studied drug pricing. Read more from Catherine Ho of the San Francisco Chronicle.
California’s ‘Wild, Wild West’ Rehab Industry Facing Scrutiny From Lawmakers: More than two dozen treatment- and recovery- related bills were introduced in Sacramento this session, proposing major reforms to what has been described as a “Wild Wild West” lack of regulation in California’s treatment industry. Most of those proposals ran into familiar brick walls. “The advocacy groups for alcoholism and drug recovery, I think, view (most regulation) as a slippery slope,” said Assemblyman Tom Daly, D-Anaheim, whose Assembly Bill 1779 — which would set new standards and rules for some sober living homes — stalled in committee on Friday. Federal anti-discrimination laws categorizing addiction as a disability, on par with physical challenges, have also been used as a shield by some rehab operators to protect their industry from regulation. But an across-the-aisle team of lawmakers has banded together in Sacramento to push back. Activist Ryan Hampton said that while he remains frustrated with the pace of reform, he’s heartened by the progress being made. “Would we like to see more? Absolutely,” he said. ”However, we haven’t seen this level of progress ever from the California legislature. So I am hopeful that legislators are finally woke on this issue.” Read more from Teri Sforza and Tony Saavedra of the Southern California News Group.
Sacramento Joins Federal Program To Better Help Medi-Cal Patients Receive Addiction Treatment: The federal CMS says the lack of resources and limited treatment services offered to residents enrolled in Medi-Cal is driving them away from the help they need. This year, they offered Sacramento County a chance to do better for these low-income and disabled individuals. On Aug. 20, the agency approved the county as one of California’s latest participants in the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Waiver, an amendment to federal statute requirements that allows the county to include more high-quality services for all elegible Medi-Cal patients — that’s over 500,000 people. Read more from Caroline Ghisolfi of the Sacramento Bee.
Below, check out the full round-up of California Healthline original stories, state coverage and the best of the rest of the national news for the day.
More News From Across The State
Modern Healthcare:
California Surprise Billing Law Takes Spotlight In Federal Fight
In the battle over what Congress should do to end surprise medical bills, both sides of the debate are pointing to California's experience—and drawing different conclusions. A law enacted in September 2016 put a cap on out-of-network charges, tied either to the median in-network contracted rates with insurers or 125% of Medicare—whichever is higher. Two major congressional health committees have approved a similar measure to protect people with employer insurance, except that they excluded any Medicare reference rate. (Luthi, 8/30)
Capital Public Radio:
California Bill Could Allow Rehab Instead Of Jail For Parents Who Commit Certain Crimes
California lawmakers are set to vote next week on a bill that would allow parents who commit misdemeanors and some felonies to go to rehab instead of prison. Senate Bill 394, introduced by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would give local judges and prosecutors the option of creating a diversion program for parents who are primary caregivers for a child 18 years old or younger and commit a “nonserious, nonviolent” felony or lesser crime, as described in state law. (Nichols, 8/30)
Capital Public Radio:
California’s Programs For Disabled Adults Are Changing. This Sacramento Arts Program Is Laying The Groundwork.
But by March 2022, all California programs that contract with the state to provide services to people with disabilities will need to become more integrated with the public and give participants more choices about their schedules and activities. The new requirement could propel a broader California push to expand employment and educational opportunities for this population. (Caiola, 8/30)
KPBS:
Officer-Involved Shootings And In-Custody Deaths Reviews And Video Released By DA
The San Diego County District Attorney’s office Friday released reviews of two officer-involved shootings and three in-custody deaths that happened over the past year. The DA specified that illegal drug use and/or mental health issues played a role in four of the five cases. The two individuals shot were armed with a gun. (Hoffman, 8/30)
CNN:
White House Focuses On Death Penalty In Piecemeal Gun Control Package
The Trump administration is preparing a package of legislative measures responding to a spate of recent mass shootings, aides said Monday, even as White House and congressional staffs remain far apart on the best path forward. The package will include legislation that would expedite the death penalty for people found guilty of mass killings, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff told reporters. But it's unlikely to include new provisions expanding background checks on gun sales after President Donald Trump backed off support for such steps following outcry from the National Rifle Association and warnings about the political consequences. (Liptak, 9/2)
The New York Times:
2020 Democrats Demand Gun Control, But Differ On Tactics
Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren, two of the leading candidates for the 2020 Democratic nomination, made the case on Monday for muscular new gun control proposals, but differed on whether it was possible to reach compromise with congressional Republicans. Mr. Biden said it was not. Ms. Warren seemed more open to the idea. As much of the Democratic field fanned out across Iowa and New Hampshire to campaign this holiday weekend, Mr. Biden told reporters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that the only solution for major new gun control legislation was to defeat Republicans in the elections 14 months away — “flat-out beat them,” as he put it. (Epstein and Astor, 9/2)
The Washington Post:
Democrats Press Trump, GOP To Tighten Gun Controls After Odessa Mass Shooting
Democrats on Sunday pleaded with President Trump and congressional Republicans to tighten gun restrictions in the wake of a mass shooting in West Texas that pushed the number of people killed in such incidents to more than 50 in August alone. Trump dismissed tougher background checks — “they would not have stopped any of it” — and suggested that Saturday’s shooting, which left seven dead and 19 wounded, had done little to change his calculus on gun control as talks continue between administration officials and some in Congress. (Sonmez and Winfield Cunningham, 9/1)
The Hill:
Gun Debate To Shape 2020 Races
Lawmakers return to Washington next week with both sides vowing a robust debate on gun reform following a pair of deadly mass shootings in Texas and another in Ohio. But the discussion promised by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is a far cry from assured action, and the GOP leader’s long history opposing tougher firearm laws has left many Democrats skeptical that any meaningful reforms will move through the Republican-controlled Senate. (Lillis and Wong, 9/2)
Politico:
Hours After Shooting Rampage, Texas Gun Laws Loosened
Several new firearm laws took hold in Texas on Sunday, loosening restrictions as to when and where weapons can be carried, one day after the state was rocked by a shooting in which a gunman killed seven and wounded at least 21. A man opened fire during a traffic stop in Midland, Texas, on Saturday afternoon, firing at random as he drove down the highway and into Odessa. The shootings came less than a month after a gunman killed 22 people in El Paso and wounded two dozen more. Texas has seen 4 of the 10 deadliest mass shootings in modern history. (Dugyala, 9/1)
Sacramento Bee:
Kaiser Workers Protest, Block Downtown Sacramento Street
About 50 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions blocked a downtown Sacramento intersection Monday to protest the healthcare provider’s treatment of its employees and patients. The coalition members occupied the intersection of 5th and J streets in front of Kaiser’s downtown building. Their aim was to demonstrate against “the healthcare giant’s unfair labor practices and shift from prioritizing patients and the community to profits and enriching top executives,” according to a press release announcing the protest. (Chen, 9/2)
East Bay Times:
Oakland: 1,500 Kaiser Employee Rally For Better Contract
On a day created to honor the labor movement, 68 Kaiser Permanente workers formed a human circle to block a busy intersection outside the Oakland hospital Monday in an act of civil disobedience to publicize their anger and frustration over on-going contract negotiations with the health care giant. The Labor Day action at the intersection of Broadway and West MacArthur Boulevard, came after a rally at nearby Mosswood Park attended by more than 1,500 Kaiser workers from all over Northern California. ...After being told they were part of an unlawful assembly, the employees were removed from the intersection by Oakland police, who had blocked off several streets in the area to accommodate the rally, march and civil disobedience. The employees were identified, had their names taken by police for a report and were then released. (Harris, 9/2)
Fresno Bee:
Getting Food Stamps To Poor Californians Is Difficult
California has long struggled to get food stamps to the hungry. The state enrolled just 72% of eligible residents in CalFresh in 2016, the fifth lowest rate in the nation, leaving behind about $1.8 billion in federal funding earmarked for the hungry. Increased scrutiny on the participation gap has prompted a debate among state leaders about how much improvement can be gained by pressuring counties to be more efficient and how much will depend on more money for county eligibility workers. (Botts and Rodriguez-Delgado, 9/2)
Los Angeles Times:
Huntington Harbour Closure Is Lifted After County Determines Sewage Spill Didn't Reach The Water
A day after closing much of Huntington Harbour to swimming after a sewage spill, Orange County health officials said Friday that the wastewater didn’t reach the Huntington Beach recreation areas and reopened the harbor before the Labor Day weekend. After areas of Anaheim Bay, Sunset Aquatic Marina, Portofino Cove, Anderson Street Marina and Admiralty Drive were closed Thursday, lab results from the closed sites were deemed “all clean” Friday, according to Orange County Health Care Agency spokesman Anthony Martinez. (Scalfini, 8/30)
Los Angeles Times:
Was L.A.'s Encampment To Home Program A Success?
With help from the United Way, Encampment to Home was more ambitious than anything the county had tried in years and was the subject of a series of stories in The Times that profiled seven people who had been living on the sidewalks of Broadway Place, near the Volunteers of America shelter a few miles south of downtown L.A. The Times contacted some organizers and supporters of Encampment to Home and asked for their views on the program. Their comments have been edited for space and clarity. (Curwen, 9/1)
Modesto Bee:
Officials Visit Modesto CA Tent City In Search Of Answers
As homeless men, women and children in Sacramento wait for three new shelters to open, another model that Sacramento officials repeatedly have rejected over the years is now quickly gaining traction. The model is based on what Modesto and Stanislaus County started in February when they opened a temporary outdoor shelter underneath the Ninth Street Bridge in the Tuolumne River Regional Park. The shelter consists of nearly 300 tents housing about 400 people who receive services from a variety of providers. (Valine and Clift, 9/1)
Capital Public Radio:
What To Know As California’s Peak Fire Months Loom
California fire officials have learned through hard experience to temper their optimism. Having just endured more than a decade of rampaging fires — 14 of the 20 most destructive fires in state history have occurred since 2007 — fire bosses say this year the glass is half-full. (Cart, 8/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Administration's 'Public Charge' Rule Has Chilling Effect On Benefits For Immigrants’ Children
Legal clinics have reported parents thinking about opting their children out of benefits that include services received at school, Medicaid, financial aid for college, and food stamps. Federal law already requires people applying for green cards and legal status to prove they will not become a “public charge,” or a financial burden to the U.S. But the new rule, which will take effect in mid-October if it survives legal challenges from California and other states, outlines a broader range of programs that could disqualify an applicant. (Miller, 9/3)
The Washington Post:
Sen. Bernie Sanders Teases Plan To Cancel $81 Billion In Americans’ Medical Debt
Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders plans to release a new proposal to cancel $81 billion worth of medical debt Americans are struggling to pay off, adding to a suite of ideas that would represent the largest expansion of the nation’s social safety net in decades and likely cost tens of trillions of dollars. The senator from Vermont is seeking the Democratic nomination on promises of enacting Medicare-for-all, wiping away student loan debt and aggressively combating climate change, initiatives that together would cost an estimated $48 trillion or more over a decade, a tally of campaign estimates shows. (Sullivan, 8/31)
Politico:
Family Planning Clinics Watch Their Safety Nets Vanish
Some health clinics that quit the federal family planning program over Trump anti-abortion policies are cutting staff, charging for services that had been free and making other austerity moves to avert a major hollowing out of reproductive health care for poor women. At least four state health departments, hundreds of Planned Parenthood clinics and dozens of independent providers have withdrawn from the more than $250 million Title X program. Some have literally had to box up and return unused supplies bought with a government discount. They’re leaning on emergency funds, private donations and in some instances, state assistance. (Ollstein and Roubein, 9/1)
The New York Times:
Faced With Criticism, Trump Administration Reverses Abrupt End To Humanitarian Relief
The Trump administration on Monday announced that it would reconsider its decision to force immigrants facing life-threatening health crises to return to their home countries, an abrupt move last month that generated public outrage and was roundly condemned by the medical establishment. On Aug. 7, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, without public notice, eliminated a “deferred action” program that had allowed immigrants to avoid deportation while they or their relatives were undergoing lifesaving medical treatment. (Jordan, 9/2)
Modern Healthcare:
Publicly Insured More Likely To Drop Off Liver Transplant Waitlist, Study Finds
Cancer patients with public health insurance were more likely to drop off the waitlist for a liver transplant than patients with private insurance, according to a study published Friday in JAMA Network Open. Among 705 patients with a common type of liver cancer waiting for a transplant at the University of California, San Francisco, 46.7% of patients with public insurance dropped off the waiting list over a seven-year study period. (Livingston, 8/30)
The Washington Post:
Sacklers Could Hold On To Most Of Personal Fortune In Proposed Purdue Settlement
The Sackler family, which grew into one of the nation’s wealthiest dynasties through sales of the widely abused painkiller OxyContin, could emerge from a legal settlement under negotiation with its personal fortunes largely intact, according to an analysis reviewed by The Washington Post and people familiar with the discussions. Under a novel plan to relinquish control of their company, Purdue Pharma, and resurrect it as a trust whose main purpose would be to combat the opioid epidemic, the Sacklers could raise most, if not all, of their personal share of the $10 billion to $12 billion agreement by selling their international drug conglomerate, Mundipharma, according to the documents and those close to the talks. (Bernstein, Davis, Rowland and Merle, 8/31)
The New York Times:
The Mysterious Vaping Illness That’s ‘Becoming An Epidemic’
An 18-year-old showed up in a Long Island emergency room, gasping for breath, vomiting and dizzy. When a doctor asked if the teenager had been vaping, he said no. The patient’s older brother, a police officer, was suspicious. He rummaged through the youth’s room and found hidden vials of marijuana for vaping. “I don’t know where he purchased it. He doesn’t know,” said Dr. Melodi Pirzada, chief pediatric pulmonologist at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, N.Y., who treated the young man. “Luckily, he survived.” (Kaplan and Richtel, 8/31)
The New York Times:
On The Job, 24 Hours A Day, 27 Days A Month
Tuesday night was rough. A sharp scent drifted into Marjorie Salmon’s dream world at 4 a.m. She was still trying to rouse herself when its source, her 77-year-old client, pounded on her bedroom door, yelling that he wanted to go home. “You’re home, Bob. This is your home,” Marjorie told him. She calmed him down, cleaned him off, showered him, dressed him and put him back to bed, but could not get herself back to sleep. (Newman, 9/2)