California’s Proposed Flavored Tobacco Ban Gives Hookah a Pass
By Rachel Scheier
Californians will decide Nov. 8 whether to approve a statewide ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes. But the measure, known as Proposition 31, exempts hookah tobacco. Anti-smoking activists criticize the carve-out, calling it the latest example of businesses using identity politics to profit from a deadly product.
Haven’t Seen Your Doctor in a Few Years? You May Need to Find a New One
By Michelle Andrews
Some primary care physicians will drop seldom-seen patients. That’s a particular problem for those who postponed doctor visits during the pandemic.
¿No has visto a tu médico en años? Es posible que tengas que buscar un nuevo doctor
By Michelle Andrews
Muchas personas han estado postergando citas médicas, en especial durante la pandemia de covid, sin saber que corren el riesgo de perder a su doctor.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Wednesday’s roundup covers the RSV surge, covid boosters, abortion access, colonoscopies, monkeypox, elections, open enrollment, and more.
Cash for Colonoscopies: States Try to Lower Health Costs Through Incentives
By Markian Hawryluk
Colorado state employees could receive checks ranging from $50 to thousands of dollars if they choose the right provider. One alliance of California school districts has been using a similar system for years.
Hurricane Ian’s Deadly Impact on Florida Seniors Exposes Need for New Preparation Strategies
By Judith Graham
Lengthy checklists from public health officials on handling emergencies miss vulnerable seniors who can’t always follow the recommendations.
Hospital Probed for Allegedly Denying an Emergency Abortion After Patient’s Water Broke
By Harris Meyer
Federal officials have ordered the probe after reports that a woman whose water broke at 18 weeks could not get medical care recommended by her doctors to end the pregnancy because hospital officials were concerned about Missouri’s strict abortion law.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Tuesday’s roundup covers the RSV surge and vaccine development, covid, Covered California enrollment, hospital penalties, ballot measures, and more.
Listen: Valley Fever, Health Worker Pay, and Ambulance Rides
By Heidi de Marco and Stephanie O'Neill Patison
California Healthline journalists report on the intersection between drought and valley fever, a union’s campaign to boost the minimum wage for some health care workers, and an ambulance company’s decision to stop providing some nonemergency services.
Medicare Fines for High Hospital Readmissions Drop, but Nearly 2,300 Facilities Are Still Penalized
By Jordan Rau
Federal officials said they are penalizing 2,273 hospitals, the fewest since the fiscal year that ended in September 2014. Driving the decline was a change in the formula to compensate for the chaos caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
