Daily Edition for Wednesday, August 7, 2024
LA County May Require Hospitals To Disclose Debt Collection Activity: Hospitals must promptly report to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health every time they try to collect medical debt from patients, under an ordinance backed Tuesday by county supervisors. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
Medi-Cal’s Dental Care Gap: Getting a Tooth Pulled Is Easy — Much Harder To Get an Implant
By Molly Castle Work
California is among a growing number of states that offer dental benefits to low-income residents, but some lawmakers want the state to go further by covering more cleanings and costlier implants. Dentists and health experts worry the approach doesn’t address the root of the problem: Many providers don’t accept Medicaid.
Small-Town Patients Face Big Hurdles as Rural Hospitals Cut Cancer Care
By Charlotte Huff
For rural patients, getting cancer treatment close to home has always been difficult. And now chemotherapy deserts are expanding across the United States as hospitals winnow services to save money, creating financial and logistical hurdles for people seeking lifesaving care.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Harris Picks Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz As Her Running Mate, Sources Say: Tim Walz’s state is home to several health care heavyweights, including the Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealth Group, and Medtronic. Here’s what to know about his views on health care issues such as drug costs, abortion rights, medical debt, and more. Read more from Becker’s Hospital Review and the San Francisco Chronicle. Scroll down for more election news.
Native American Public Health Officials Are Stuck in Data Blind Spot
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
For decades, state and federal agencies have restricted or delayed tribes and tribal epidemiology centers from accessing public health data, a blackout that leaves health workers in Native American communities cobbling together information to guide their work, including tracking devastating disease outbreaks.
Inside Project 2025: Former Trump Official Outlines Hard Right Turn Against Abortion
By Stephanie Armour
Former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a Heritage Foundation document that outlines positions on abortion and a range of other social issues. But Democrats view it as a window into the far right’s to-do list and a clear opening for political attack.
Social Media Bans Could Deny Teenagers Mental Health Help
By Daniel Chang
Illustration by Oona Zenda
Congress and state legislatures are considering age bans and other limits for Instagram and TikTok out of concern that they harm kids’ mental health. But some researchers and pediatricians question whether there’s enough data to support that conclusion.
Daily Edition for Monday, August 5, 2024
Covid Surge Pushes Into Third Month, Surprising Health Experts: California’s summer covid surge has proved to be particularly strong and enduring, surprising experts with its tenacity. Read more from the Los Angeles Times and Voice of OC. Scroll down for more covid news.
‘I Feel Dismissed’: People Experiencing Colorism Say Health System Fails Them
By Chaseedaw Giles
Illustration by Oona Zenda
Colorism — a form of prejudice and discrimination in which lighter skin is favored over darker skin — has been associated with mental health conditions such as depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety. But skin tone often goes unaddressed with therapists and clinical specialists.
Daily Edition for Friday, August 2, 2024
Patients Begin Moving Into Laguna Honda Hospital: San Francisco’s largest skilled nursing facility, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, will begin readmitting former residents it was forced to move out over the past two years while it underwent a grueling process to regain federal certification. This week, one new resident moved in. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
