Daily Edition for Thursday, December 19, 2024
State Of Emergency Issued Over Bird Flu: Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday as the H5N1 bird flu virus moved from the Central Valley to Southern California dairy herds. The declaration will allow for a more streamlined approach among state and local agencies to tackle the virus. Read more from the Los Angeles Times, LAist, and The Orange County Register.
He Went in for a Colonoscopy. The Hospital Charged $19,000 for Two.
By Harris Meyer
A man in Chicago with a troubling symptom underwent a common procedure. Then he wanted to know why the hospital charged nearly three times its own cost estimate.
Obamacare Sign-Ups Lag After Trump Election, Legal Challenges
By Julie Appleby
The number of new and returning enrollees using healthcare.gov — the federal marketplace that serves 31 states — is well below last year’s as of early December. Also, a Biden administration push to give “Dreamers” access to Obamacare coverage and subsidies is facing court challenges.
Elección de Trump y desafíos legales retrasan las inscripciones en el Obamacare
By Julie Appleby
Las nuevas inscripciones bajo la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) parecen ser hasta un millón menos que el número récord del año pasado, especialmente por problemas con el programa que enfrenta la saliente administración Biden.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Sutter Health Announces $800M Plan For Medical Campuses: Sutter Health has unveiled plans to transform several empty office buildings in Santa Clara into two huge medical campuses that would create a health care destination in Silicon Valley. Read more from Bay Area News Group.
How a Duty To Spend Wisely on Worker Benefits Could Loosen PBMs’ Grip on Drug Prices
By Arthur Allen
As criticism of pharmacy benefit managers heats up, fear of lawsuits is driving some big employers to drop the “Big Three” PBMs — or force them to change.
Rage Has Long Shadowed American Health Care. It’s Rarely Produced Big Change.
By Noam N. Levey
The outpouring of anger at health insurers following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson continues a cycle of rage that dates back decades.
New Colorado Gun Law Aims To Shore Up Victim Services
By Rae Ellen Bichell
A new tax on guns and ammunition in Colorado is set to take effect in the spring. Voters approved the tax, with most of the proceeds going to support services for crime victims and other social programs. Only one other state, California, has a gun-and-ammo tax.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, December 17, 2024
LA County Launches Medical Debt Relief Program: Millions of dollars of medical debt could be erased within the next several months for some residents in LA County, thanks to a new program. Unlike previous debt relief programs, Angelenos are unable to apply directly. Read more from NBC 4 Los Angeles, CBS Los Angeles, and LAist.
Trump’s Picks for Top Health Jobs Not Just Team of Rivals but ‘Team of Opponents’
By Stephanie Armour and Julie Rovner
The president-elect’s choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and CDC, hold positions on issues including abortion and vaccination that are often at odds.
