Los Angeles Times: Pasadena Officer Who Investigated Overdose Was Skeptical Of USC Med School Dean's Story, Recording Shows
The police officer who last year questioned the then-dean of USC’s medical school about his role in the drug overdose of a young woman expressed skepticism at Dr. Carmen Puliafito’s account, according to an audio recording that was made by the officer and released Tuesday. Puliafito told the officer he was at the Pasadena hotel room where the overdose occurred as a family friend to help the woman, who was later rushed to Huntington Memorial Hospital. (Elmahrek, Pringle, Parvini and Hamilton, 7/25)

The Bakersfield Californian: Valadao Introduces Legislation To Fund Centers That Train Physicians In Rural Areas 
Just two months before it was set to lose federal funding, Congressman David Valadao co-introduced legislation Tuesday to continue operating a critical program that trains physicians in rural areas. The Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2017 would reauthorize the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program for three years, according to a news release issued by Valadao’s office. It would also allow for the expansion of new programs within existing centers and the creation of new teaching health centers while emphasizing the importance of establishing sustainable funding. (Pierce, 7/25)

KQED: California Decides All Drinking Water Must Be Tested For A Toxin. But Who Pays?
The State Water Resources Control Board on July 18 adopted the strictest possible standard (5 parts per trillion or less) for the contaminant in public drinking water. ...Statewide, the tap water of about a million Californians is known to contain TCP at levels higher than that, according to data from the state water board. (O'Neill, 7/25)

In other public health news —

The San Diego Union-Tribune: In Struggle Against HIV, Scientists Get Help From Cows 
Prospects for defeating HIV, once considered an invincible killer, look brighter with major advances against the AIDS-causing virus discussed at an international conference this week. One of those pieces of good news comes from The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla. In collaboration with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, its researchers have generated “broadly neutralizing antibodies” that kill HIV using an unexpected source — cows. The startling feat was announced in a study published in the journal Nature. It marks another milestone step toward the long-elusive aim of creating a vaccine against the virus, with the antibodies perhaps also leading to creation of new HIV drugs. (Fikes, 7/25)

KPBS: Starbucks Food Recovery Program Helps Bridge Hunger Gap In San Diego 
Starbucks employees came up with the idea of the Foodshare program. ...Every night of the week after closing time, refrigerated trucks pull up to Starbucks locations all over San Diego. ...At the end of the night, drivers drop the food off at the warehouses of six different hunger relief agencies. (Goldberg, 7/26)

In other news from across the state —

Capital Public Radio: City Of Sacramento Takes Another Step Toward Recreational Marijuana Regulation 
A proposal to clarify dispensary building codes and operations has moved out of the Sacramento City Council Law and Legislation Committee. The full council will now have the opportunity to consider whether marijuana dispensaries will be required to receive approval of building and security plans. (Moffitt, 7/25)

The New York Times: Senate Votes Down Broad Obamacare Repeal
The Senate voted narrowly on Tuesday to begin debate on a bill to repeal major provisions of the Affordable Care Act, but hours later, Republican leaders suffered a setback when their most comprehensive plan to replace President Barack Obama’s health law fell far short of the votes it needed. The Tuesday night tally needed to reach 60 votes to overcome a parliamentary objection. Instead, it fell 43-57. (Kaplan and Pear, 7/25)

Modern Healthcare: First Senate ACA Repeal Vote Fails As Debate Begins
Nine senators on the right and center rejected the first version of the Better Care Reconciliation Act brought to a vote after the chamber began debate on a path forward earlier that afternoon. Tuesday evening's vote was the first of many expected in the next several days as senators shape a final bill on how to reform the individual insurance market and change federal Medicaid funding. (Lee, 7/25)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Senate Easily Defeats First GOP Plan To Overhaul Obamacare
The first casualty was an amended version of the “Better Care” plan from GOP leaders – along with additions from Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), who wanted to add back $100 billion in Medicaid funding, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who pressed for his ‘Consumer Freedom Amendment,’ which would let insurance companies that sell regular Obamacare plans also offer lower-cost plans with less health coverage. (Dupree, 7/25)

The Washington Post: GOP Bill Is Voted Down As Divided Senate Dives Into Health-Care Debate
“The endgame is to be able to move something at the end of this process across the Senate floor that can get 50 votes and then to get into conference with the House,” said Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), a top McConnell lieutenant. (Sullivan, Eilperin and Snell, 7/25)

The Wall Street Journal: Senate Health Debate Rolls On After First Option Fails
“We knew this wasn’t going to be easy, and there’s a lot of work ahead of us,” said Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, a member of the Senate GOP leadership. (Armour, Peterson and Hackman, 7/25)

Bloomberg: Senate Health-Care Debate Opens With Rejection Of McConnell Plan 
Senate Democrats pledged to fight against all of the GOP’s repeal efforts. “We will do everything we can inside this building,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said at a news conference, adding that people outside Washington should organize too. “We are going to fight and fight and fight until this bill is dead.” (Litvan and Dennis, 7/25)

Los Angeles Times: With Pence Breaking A Tie, Senate Votes To Begin Debate On Obamacare Repeal Bill
To get to this point, McConnell had to abandon the customary legislative process, forgoing public hearings and committee debate in a way almost never seen for major legislative proposals. And he left Republican lawmakers with a series of legislative options — which polls show are deeply unpopular with Americans — that would leave as many as 32 million more people without health coverage and weaken health protections for tens of millions more. (Levey, 7/25)

The Associated Press: Trump: Liberation From 'Obamacare Nightmare' Is Close
Celebrating a slim but symbolic health-care win in Washington, President Donald Trump told supporters in Ohio that the nation was one step closer to liberation from the "Obamacare nightmare." (Salama, 7/26)

Politico: McConnell Gets A Win In Obamacare Repeal Opening Round
The Senate faces several days of heated debate and tough votes, with the final outcome in doubt. Can Republicans actually repeal and replace Obamacare? Or simply repeal it? Can they roll back the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, which resulted in millions of more enrollees? What about eliminating Obamacare taxes? And defunding Planned Parenthood? What about a “skinny repeal” bill that would get rid of the employer and individual mandates under Obamacare while leaving almost all the rest of the legislation in place? All this is still up in the air. (Bresnahan, 7/25)

The Associated Press: McCain Delivers A Key Health Care Vote, Scolding Message
The maverick stood with his party on Tuesday, casting a crucial vote in the Republican drive to repeal "Obamacare." But then, like an angry prophet, Sen. John McCain condemned the tribal politics besetting the nation. Confronting an aggressive brain cancer, the 80-year-old Arizonan served notice he would not vote for the GOP legislation as it stands now. McCain's impassioned speech held the rapt attention of his colleagues in the Senate chamber. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 7/26)

The Associated Press: Senate Health Care Debate Could Be Suspenseful And Raucous
The Senate's days-long debate on health care features a dynamic that's relatively rare on Capitol Hill. Genuine suspense. Debate kicked off Tuesday without an obvious endgame. Several Republicans voted to start debate but said the bill will have to be changed for them to vote to actually pass the legislation later this week. The amendment process promises to be extensive and freewheeling. And victory for Republicans and President Donald Trump is not guaranteed. (Ohlemacher, 7/26)

Politico: What's Next In The Senate Repeal Saga? Good Question 
Once the Senate burns through its 20 hours of debate, split among Republicans and Democrats, it goes to a vote-a-rama, which at this point looks like it will be late Thursday. Theoretically that allows for unlimited amendments as long as they are relevant. But probably a few dozen will be voted on. (Demko, 7/25)

USA Today: The Senate Agreed To Debate A Health Care Bill. Now What?
The Senate is expected to vote midday Wednesday on an amendment that would create a clean repeal of the Affordable Care Act that wouldn’t take effect for two years. The delay is intended to give lawmakers time to come together on a replacement plan before people lose their health care. But even with conservative support, the clean repeal is not likely to pass because at least three Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia — have all said they wouldn’t vote for a repeal without a replacement. Other lawmakers have also expressed concern. (Collins and Shesgreen, 7/25)

The New York Times: ‘Skinny’ Obamacare Repeal Would Clash With Republicans’ Health Care Promises
If the current options for overhauling the health care system can’t get a majority of Senate votes, the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has a new backup plan, according to senators and lobbyists: a simple bill that eliminates three of Obamacare’s least popular provisions. The plan, which has been nicknamed “skinny repeal,” would eliminate the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, the employer mandate and a tax on medical devices, at least for a few years. (Sanger-Katz, 7/25)