First Edition: June 26, 2017
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
‘Coverage Gap’ For Poor May End, But Many Will Still Have Trouble Affording Plans
Having long decried the failings of the Affordable Care Act, Senate Republicans are purporting to fix one of its loopholes with their newly unveiled health plan. The so-called coverage gap left more than 2.5 million people living below the poverty line of $11,880 for an individual ineligible for Medicaid or financial assistance to buy insurance — even as higher earners got subsidy checks to buy theirs. But experts say the fix, which looks fine on paper, is a mirage. (Galewitz, 6/23)
Kaiser Health News:
On The Air With KHN: Senate Republicans Release Health Care Bill
Mary Agnes Carey, a senior correspondent at Kaiser Health News, joined Lisa Desjardins and Hari Sreenivasan of the PBS NewsHour to discuss the legislation released by Senate Republicans Thursday to overhaul the federal health law. (6/23)
Kaiser Health News:
‘No One Wants To Be Old’: How To Put The ‘Non-Age’ In Nonagenerian
Wilhelmina Delco learned to swim at 80. Harold Berman is in his 67th year practicing law. Mildred Walston spent 76 years on the job at a candy company. And brothers Joe and Warren Barger are finding new spots in their respective homes for the gold medals they’ve just earned in track-and-field events at the National Senior Games. These octogenarians and nonagenarians may not be widely known outside their local communities, but just as their more famous peers — think Carl Reiner, Betty White, Dr. Ruth (Westheimer) or Tony Bennett — the thread that binds them is not the year on their birth certificate but the way they live. (Jayson, 6/26)
California Healthline:
Blaming ‘Threat’ Of GOP Health Bill, California Hits Pause On Single Payer
A bill pushing a state-based single-payer system was brought to a halt late Friday when Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, declined to move it forward. The bill will not get a hearing by the Assembly Rules Committee before the July 14 deadline, though it could be taken up again in 2018. It passed the California Senate on June 1. (Feibel, 6/26)
California Healthline:
You Are Now Protected From Nasty Surprise Bills
Before Kevin Powers underwent lung cancer surgery last October, his girlfriend, Agi Orsi, meticulously checked and double-checked to be sure his Santa Monica, Calif., hospital and surgeon were in his health plan’s network. They were. Even in the hospital, Orsi dutifully wrote “No out-of-network doctors” across the top of Powers’ admission paperwork. Her diligence was for naught. (Bazar, 6/26)
California Healthline:
Kaiser Permanente Fined — Again — For Mental Health Access Problems
Despite three warnings and a multimillion-dollar fine, Kaiser Permanente still fails to provide members with appropriate access to mental health care, according to a recent survey of the HMO by the state of California. The routine survey, released by the state Department of Managed Health Care, found that Kaiser Foundation Health Plan did not provide enrollees with “timely access” to behavioral health treatment, in violation of state law. (Gold, 6/26)
The New York Times:
Senate Leaders Try To Appease Members As Support For Health Bill Slips
Senate Republican leaders scrambled Sunday to rally support for their health care bill as opposition continued to build inside and outside Congress, and as several Republican senators questioned whether it would be approved this week. President Trump expressed confidence that the bill to repeal the guts of the Affordable Care Act would pass. (Pear and Kaplan, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
Senate Health-Care Bill Faces Serious Resistance From GOP Moderates
The vast changes the legislation would make to Medicaid, the country’s broadest source of public health insurance, would represent the largest single step the government has ever taken toward conservatives’ long-held goal of reining in federal spending on health-care entitlement programs in favor of a free-market system. That dramatic shift and the bill’s bold redistribution of wealth — the billions of dollars taken from coverage for the poor would help fund tax cuts for the wealthy — is creating substantial anxiety for several Republican moderates whose states have especially benefited from the expansion of Medicaid that the Affordable Care Act has allowed since 2014. (Eilperin and Goldstein, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
Senate Republicans Face Key Week As More Lawmakers Waver In Support For Health-Care Bill
The mounting dissatisfaction leaves Senate Republican leaders and the White House in a difficult position. In the coming days, moves to narrow the scope of the overhaul could appeal to moderates but anger conservatives, who believe the legislation does not go far enough to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare. A key moment will arrive early this week when the Congressional Budget Office releases an analysis of the bill that estimates how many people could lose coverage under the Republican plan, as well as what impact it might have on insurance premiums and how much money it could save the government. (Parker, Weigel and Costa, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
With Five Holdouts On Health-Care Bill, McConnell Is In For A Final Frenzy Of Negotiation
It sets up a final frenzy of negotiation, as McConnell has determined he will finish with the legislation one way or another by the end of this month. If he’s not careful, the GOP leader could end up being lambasted by conservatives and liberals alike for cutting narrow deals to try to buy off votes from individual senators in a similar manner used for passing the Affordable Care Act. McConnell can afford to lose only two of the 52 Republicans in the Senate, but as the week went on, he had many more holdouts than that. (Kane, 6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
Republican Senators Seek Changes In Obamacare Repeal Bill They Can All Agree On. It Won't Be Easy
After being widely panned by Democrats and Republicans alike for crafting the bill with unprecedented secrecy keeping details even from GOP senators — McConnell may now be eager to convey a sense of open debate and negotiation. But if the process that played out in the House last month is any guide, expect the deal-making to only go so far before Republicans quickly unify — preferring to hold hands and jump off the political cliff together rather than risk losing their best opportunity to fulfill the Republican promise to stop Obamacare. (Mascaro, 6/22)
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Senators Lay Out Demands On Health Bill
Demands for getting on board include adding funds for particular areas, such as opioid treatment. But GOP senators are particularly divided over the bill’s cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state health program for the poor that covers one in five Americans. In addition, four conservative senators object to the bill’s retention of requirements for insurers to cover patients at the same price regardless of their medical history and with set benefits packages. Those provisions have created new consumer protections but also driven up premiums for younger, healthier people in particular, which the senators have cited as a primary concern. “It’s going to be a challenge,” Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) said Sunday on CBS , about ameliorating centrists’ concerns over the Medicaid changes in the bill. (Radnofsky, 6/26)
The Associated Press:
5 GOP Senators Now Oppose Health Care Bill As Written
Nevada Republican Dean Heller became the fifth GOP senator to declare his opposition to the party's banner legislation to scuttle much of Barack Obama's health care overhaul on Friday, more than enough to sink the measure and deliver a stinging rebuke to President Donald Trump unless some of them can be brought aboard. (6/24)
The Washington Post:
Trump Joins The Effort To Pass A Health-Care Bill, But Another GOP Senator Is Opposed
After keeping the White House at a distance during the bill’s crafting, McConnell is suddenly more dependent on Trump — mainly to apply political pressure on skeptical conservatives. (Sullivan, Costa and Snell, 6/24)
The Wall Street Journal:
Nevada Senator’s Opposition To Health Bill Highlights Political Pressures
“I cannot support legislation that takes away insurance from millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Nevadans,” said Mr. Heller, who is seen by analysts on both sides as the most vulnerable Senate Republican in 2018. “Make no mistake, the Affordable Care Act does need fixing. But the bill in front of us today doesn’t make those fixes.” The announcement was in part a recognition that the ACA, a law that Mr. Heller has spent years disparaging, has grown more popular in Nevada. (Hackman, 6/24)
The New York Times:
Health Law Repeal Leaves Nevada Republican Torn Between Lawmakers
Senator Dean Heller, Republican of Nevada, is the man everyone wants. This has not been a good thing for him. Brian Sandoval, the governor of Mr. Heller’s home state, is a Republican, but he is counting on Mr. Heller to provide what could be a crucial vote to maintain President Barack Obama’s health care law, which has been a boon for the working poor in Nevada. Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader who this week will be rounding up votes to fulfill his party’s biggest promise of the last decade — repealing the Affordable Care Act — is trying to prevent Mr. Heller from undermining that goal. (Steinhauer, 6/24)
Reuters:
Key Republican Collins Has 'Serious Concerns' On Healthcare Bill
Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine said on Sunday she has extreme reservations about the U.S. Senate's healthcare overhaul and does not think it will be able to pass this week. Collins, a moderate Republican who has not taken a formal stance on the bill, said she was concerned it would cut Medicaid too deeply and said she wants to see an upcoming analysis by the Congressional Budget Office before making a decision. (Dunsmuir and Whitesides, 6/25)
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Senators Express Misgivings About Health Bill
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who had said last week he couldn’t support the bill, also raised concerns Sunday on the timing. “I don’t have the feedback from constituencies who will not have had enough time to review the Senate bill. We should not be voting on this next week,” Mr. Johnson said on NBC. (Witkowski and Chaney, 6/25)
Politico:
Sen. Johnson: No Quick Senate Vote On Obamacare Overhaul
“What I’d like to do is slow the process down, get the information, go through the problem-solving process, actually reduce these premiums that have artificially been driven up because of Obamacare mandates,” Johnson said. (Temple-West, 6/25)
The Associated Press:
Trump: Not 'That Far Off' From Passing Health Overhaul
Making a final push, President Donald Trump said he doesn't think congressional Republicans are "that far off" on a health overhaul to replace "the dead carcass of Obamacare." Expressing frustration, he complained about "the level of hostility" in government and wondered why both parties can't work together on the Senate bill as GOP critics expressed doubt over a successful vote this week. It was the latest signs of high-stakes maneuvering over a key campaign promise, and the president signaled a willingness to deal. (6/25)
The Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump On Senate Health Bill: A ‘Narrow Path’ But ‘I Think We’re Going To Get It’
President Donald Trump said he expects to see passage of the Senate Republican’s health care bill as negotiations proceed with the GOP lawmakers who have withheld support. “We have a few people that…want to get some points; I think they’ll get some points,” Mr. Trump said during a Fox News interview aired Sunday. (Witkowski, 6/25)
USA Today:
Trump, Obama Clash Over Health Care Bill Amid Uncertainty For Senate Republicans
In addition to disputes over costs and insurance rates for Americans, the health care debate also features the most public duel yet between President Trump and predecessor Barack Obama — including an argument over the use of the word "mean." "Well, he (Obama) used my term, 'mean,'" Trump said in an interview broadcast Sunday on Fox & Friends, adding that "I want to see a (health care) bill with heart." (Jackson and Schouten, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
Trump Likely To Break Many Of His Health-Care Promises — No Matter What Happens
Donald Trump set himself apart from other Republican presidential candidates when it came to health care. Before taking office, he vowed “insurance for everybody” that would be “much less expensive and much better” and explicitly promised not to touch Medicaid, which millions of his working-class supporters rely upon to cover doctor’s visits and medication. But as Republicans in the Senate press ahead with legislation that would dramatically cut Medicaid and scale back the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, it is increasingly clear that President Trump is almost certain to fall well short of fulfilling those promises. (Wagner, Phillip and Johnson, 6/26)
The Associated Press:
Promises, Promises: What Trump Has Pledged On Health Care
President Donald Trump is not known for plunging into the details of complex policy issues, and health care is no exception. Since his campaign days, Trump has addressed health care in broad, aspirational strokes. Nonetheless he made some clear promises along the way. Those promises come under two big headings. First, what Trump would do about the Affordable Care Act, his predecessor's health care law, often called "Obamacare." Second, the kind of health care system that Trump envisions for Americans. (6/26)
Politico:
Price Invites GOP Foes Of Obamacare Overhaul To Keep Talking
A top Trump administration official leading Obamacare overhaul efforts sought Sunday to placate members of his own party in the Senate who are opposing legislation unveiled last week. Tom Price, secretary of Health and Human Services, said on "Fox News Sunday" that President Donald Trump and others are talking with the five Senate Republicans who have said they do not support the Senate version of an Obamacare overhaul. They are Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Dean Heller of Nevada. (Temple-West, 6/25)
Politico:
Senate Republicans Skeptical Obamacare Repeal Can Pass This Week
Senate Republicans are casting doubt on their leaders’ plans to vote this week on repealing Obamacare, with lawmakers from all wings of the party so far withholding support from the massive reshaping of the health care law that they campaigned on for seven years. (Schor and Kim, 6/25)
Politico:
CBO Score Sure To Add To McConnell’s Headaches
The CBO is poised to tell Senate Republicans this week that their health plan will leave millions more uninsured than Obamacare — with the losses estimated from 15 million to 22 million over a decade, according to a half dozen budget analysts polled by POLITICO. (Cancryn and Diamond, 6/26)
Politico:
Republican Governors Could Be Secret Weapon Against Health Care Bill
A handful of GOP governors opposed to their party’s proposals to overhaul Medicaid could potentially kill Mitch McConnell’s effort to repeal Obamacare. Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican moderate who has hammered the repeal efforts for months, helped to deliver Sen. Dean Heller to the “no” column Friday. He stood next to Heller in the governor’s conference room in Las Vegas as the Nevada Republican announced he could not vote for the Senate repeal plan as written. (Pradhan, 6/24)
Politico:
Freedom Caucus Holds Fire On Senate Obamacare Repeal Bill
The most hard-line conservatives in the House are taking an unusually cautious approach to the Senate's Obamacare replacement, promising to keep an open mind about whatever their colleagues across the Capitol send back. It’s a change in strategy for the House Freedom Caucus. (Cheney and Bade, 6/25)
Reuters:
Conservative Koch Network Criticizes U.S. Senate Healthcare Bill
Officials with the conservative U.S. political network overseen by the Koch brothers say they are unhappy with the healthcare bill that may be voted on by the Senate this week and will lobby for changes to it. At a weekend event with conservative donors, top aides to Charles Koch, the billionaire energy magnate, said the Senate bill does not go far enough to dismantle former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law, also known as Obamacare. (Oliphant, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
Koch Network Withholding Support Of Senate Health-Care Bill, Pushing For Changes
“In all candor, we’ve been disappointed that movement is not more dramatic toward a full repeal or rollback (of the Affordable Care Act). But we’re not walking away,” said Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity. “We still think this can get done, but the Senate bill needs to get better.” (Hohmann, 6/24)
Politico:
Koch-Backed Group Calls Health Fight In Congress 'Humbling'
The head of the the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity admitted to donors on Sunday that the group was caught “flat-footed" by the fight in Congress to replace Obamacare, as the group seeks to influence Republican proposals it says do not go far enough to repeal the 2010 law. “We fully expected a repeal vote,” Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips told hundreds of donors at the Koch network’s annual seminar at the Broadmoor Resort. “We were caught flat-footed when it didn’t happen." (Robillard, 6/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Conservatives At Koch Summit Outline Changes To Senate Healthcare Bill To Win Their Support
One key lawmaker attending the weekend summit at the luxurious Broadmoor Hotel, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus and a chief negotiator on the House bill, outlined two key changes to the bill that he said could likely win enough conservative support for passage. (Mascaro, 6/25)
Politico:
Conway Assails Democrats Over Obamacare Overhaul
A Trump administration official on Sunday deflected concerns about Republican opposition to an Obamacare overhaul bill in the Senate and instead criticized Democrats for refusing to cooperate. (Temple-West, 6/25)
Politico:
Obamacare Repeal: Why Democrats Can’t Break Through
Even before Senate Republicans released their Obamacare repeal plan last week, a call went out from liberal activists: Head to the airport and greet departing senators with a furious protest. About five dozen demonstrators showed up at Reagan National Airport, chanting loudly and hoisting signs that read “Don’t Take Away Our Health Care” and “Resist.” Organizers hailed the turnout given the short notice, but the contrast with the thousands of people who flocked to the last airport protests — against President Donald Trump’s travel ban — was inescapable. (Schor, 6/26)
The Wall Street Journal:
What The Health-Care Vote Means For The Midterm Elections
This week’s expected Senate vote on the GOP health-care bill will showcase a sharp partisan divide on the issue in states where Democrats are poised to play defense in next year’s midterm elections. All Senate Democrats are expected this week to oppose Republican legislation that would dismantle and replace much of the Affordable Care Act. Many of their potential challengers in next year’s elections are House Republicans, who supported a similar bill when it passed their chamber in May. (Peterson, 6/26)
NPR:
What The Man Who Ran Obamacare Thinks About The GOP Health Care Plan
Andy Slavitt understands the inner workings of the U.S. health care system better than most. From 2015 to 2017, he ran the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare, as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Since leaving that post in January, he's been an outspoken critic of the Republican proposals to dismantle it. Yesterday, shortly after the release of the Senate bill, he tweeted, "It's the ugly step-sibling of the House bill." And this morning his message was, "We must start over. It's too important." (Deahl and Hsu, 6/23)
The New York Times:
Senate Health Plan Falls Short Of Promise For Cheaper Care, Experts Say
President Trump and the Republicans have promised that their plan to overhaul the federal health care law will make medical coverage much more affordable. Premiums and deductibles will be “much lower,” Mr. Trump tweeted in April. He also assured Americans that the plan to replace the Affordable Care Act would protect people with potentially expensive medical conditions. ... But millions of Americans will pay more for an insurance policy that comes with a much steeper deductible under the new Senate plan, according to some health economists and insurance experts. It could also make it much harder to find a comprehensive plan covering various conditions ranging from heart disease to depression that would not be prohibitively expensive. (Abelson, 6/23)
The Associated Press:
Medicaid Is Biggest Consumer Story In 'Obamacare' Rollback
Republicans in full control of government are on the brink of history-making changes to the nation's health care system. The impact for consumers would go well beyond "Obamacare." Former President Barack Obama's signature law is usually associated with subsidized insurance markets like HealthCare.gov. But the Affordable Care Act also expanded Medicaid. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 6/23)
The New York Times:
How Medicaid Works, And Who It Covers
One of the biggest flash points in the debate over Republican legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act is the future of Medicaid. Here are some basic facts about the 52-year-old program. (Goodnough and Zernike, 6/23)
The Wall Street Journal:
Health Bill Provision Favors States That Didn’t Expand Medicaid
As health-care companies parse Senate Republicans’ bill to undo the Affordable Care Act, a rift is emerging in the hospital industry over a provision that would award additional funds in states that didn’t expand Medicaid. The split centers around cuts the Affordable Care Act made to Medicaid subsidies known as “disproportionate share” payments, for hospitals that care for a large share of uninsured patients. Hospitals wouldn’t need the subsidies as more Americans gained insurance coverage, ACA policymakers believed. (Evans, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
In Health-Care Bill, Two Prized Republican Goals Converge
The Senate Republican health-care bill would achieve a historic convergence of GOP priorities, placing major, permanent caps on Medicaid spending and providing a significant tax cut for wealthy Americans. President Trump and congressional Republicans describe the legislation as fulfilling their promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, but key provisions are also aimed at making progress on the GOP’s long-held goal of cutting entitlement spending. (Paletta, 6/23)
The Associated Press:
Consumer Issues Stemming From The GOP Health Care Initiative
Republicans in full control of government are on the brink of history-making changes to the nation's health care system. The impact for consumers would go well beyond "Obamacare." Former President Barack Obama's signature law is usually associated with subsidized insurance markets like HealthCare.gov. But the Affordable Care Act also expanded Medicaid. (6/24)
Los Angeles Times:
GOP's Obamacare Repeal Bills Threaten Huge Disruptions Across The Healthcare System
Congressional Republicans, who for years blasted the Affordable Care Act for disrupting Americans’ healthcare, are now pushing changes that threaten to not only strip health coverage from millions, but also upend insurance markets, cripple state budgets and drive medical clinics and hospitals to the breaking point. (Levey, 6/25)
Los Angeles Times:
What The Senate Healthcare Bill Could Mean For Californians
The Affordable Care Act has had a huge impact on California, where roughly 4 million people have gained insurance and the percentage of uninsured residents has dropped more than half. [Here] is a breakdown of some of the ways the Senate bill could affect healthcare coverage in California if it becomes law. (Karlamangla, 6/23)
The Associated Press:
California Assembly Leader Shelves Single-Payer Health Plan
The prospects of a government-run health care system in California dimmed Friday when the leader of the state Assembly announced he doesn't plan to take up the single-payer bill this year. Speaker Anthony Rendon called the bill "woefully incomplete." "Even senators who voted for SB 562 noted there are potentially fatal flaws in the bill," the Los Angeles-area Democrat said in a statement. (6/23)
The New York Times:
Trump Signs Bill Meant To Restore Trust In V.A.
President Trump signed a bill into law on Friday that will make it easier for the Department of Veterans Affairs to remove bad employees and promote whistle-blowing. It is the first step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge by Mr. Trump to make sweeping changes at the beleaguered agency. (Haberman and Fandos, 6/23)
NPR:
'Gig Economy' Workers Push For Employee-Style Benefits
The list of perks Dan Teran's company offers sounds pretty dreamy. Anyone working 120 hours a month gets employer-sponsored medical, dental and vision insurance. His company, Managed by Q, also offers a matching 401(k) retirement program, paid time off, a stock option program for all employees, and 12 weeks of paid parental leave. (Noguchi, 6/23)
NPR:
Alzheimer's Bring Other Health Problems With It
The first problem with the airplane bathroom was its location.It was March. Greg O'Brien and his wife, Mary Catherine, were flying back to Boston from Los Angeles, sitting in economy seats in the middle of the plane. "We're halfway, probably over Chicago," Greg remembers, "and Mary Catherine said, 'Go to the bathroom.' " (Hersher, 6/24)
NPR:
How Forgetting Might Make Us Smarter
Intuitively, we tend to think of forgetting as failure, as something gone wrong in our ability to remember. Now, Canadian neuroscientists with the University of Toronto are challenging that notion. In a paper published Wednesday in the journal Neuron, they review the current research into the neurobiology of forgetting and hypothesize that our brains purposefully work to forget information in order to help us live our lives. (Hsu, 6/23)
NPR:
Doctor Tells A Personal Tale Of Racial Disparity In Organ Transplants
While she was a primary care doctor in Oakland, Calif., Dr. Vanessa Grubbs fell in love with a man who had been living with kidney disease since he was a teenager. Their relationship brought Grubbs face to face with the dilemmas of kidney transplantation — and the racial biases she found to be embedded in the way donated kidneys are allocated. Robert Phillips, who eventually became her husband, had waited years for a transplant; Grubbs ended up donating one of her own kidneys to him. And along the way she found a new calling as a nephrologist — a kidney doctor. (Martin, 6/24)
The Wall Street Journal:
How Apps Can Help Manage Chronic Diseases
Technology is offering a new fix for one of the most confounding health-care challenges: getting patients with chronic disease to take better care of themselves. About half of all adults suffer from one or more chronic diseases, which account for seven of 10 deaths and 86% of U.S. health-care costs. But preventing and treating such ailments requires time that doctors don’t have in brief office visits, and a degree of daily self-management that many patients have been unable to handle. They often become overwhelmed by the demands of their daily regimens, slip back into poor health habits, fail to take their medications correctly—and end up in the emergency room. (Landro, 6/25)
The Washington Post:
Greater Opioid Use And Mental Health Disorders Are Linked In A New Study
A new study suggests that people with anxiety and depression are consuming a disproportionate share of prescription painkillers, a finding that could add a new wrinkle to the epidemic of opioid use in the United States. Researchers at Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan found that nearly 19 percent of the estimated 38.6 million people with those two most common mental health disorders received at least two prescriptions for opioids during a year. And more than half the prescriptions for the powerful, highly addictive painkillers went to individuals in that group, the researchers asserted. (Bernstein, 6/26)
The Washington Post:
Oklahoma Doctor Charged With Murder After Patients Overdose On Opioids
On Nov. 21, 2012, Sheila Bartels walked out of the Sunshine Medical Center in Oklahoma with a prescription for a "horrifyingly excessive" cocktail of drugs capable of killing her several times over. A short time later, she was at a pharmacy, receiving what drug addicts call “the holy trinity” of prescription drugs: the powerful painkiller Hydrocodone, the anti-anxiety medication Xanax and a muscle relaxant known as Soma. (Wootson, 6/24)
The Washington Post:
Why Are Female Doctors Introduced By First Name While Men Are Called ‘Doctor’?
Julia Files and Anita Mayer, physicians at the Mayo Clinic, started seeing a pattern: When their male colleagues were introduced at conferences, they were usually called “Doctor.” But the men introduced them and other female doctors by their first names. The pair quickly realized they weren’t alone. Sharonne Hayes, another Mayo doctor, had noticed the same thing. While a male colleague would be introduced as “Dr. Joe Smith,” for example, the women were often simply called “Julia,” “Anita” and “Sharonne.” (Neumann, 6/24)
The Washington Post:
Physician Couple Toilet-Trains Newborn, Skips Diapers
When two California doctors were expecting their third child, they wanted to stop contributing to the more than 27 billion disposable diapers dumped yearly into U.S. landfills. But washing cloth diapers wasn’t an environment-friendly alternative, either. Then Rosemary She read about a way to skip diapers altogether. Called elimination communication, the method has parents and caregivers tune in to a baby’s cues and natural rhythms and bring the child to a toilet when it seems like the right time. (Cohen, 6/24)
The Washington Post:
Some Scientists Have Been Their Own Guinea Pigs In The Lab
Werner Forssmann had a plan — a plan he knew his superiors would never approve. The 24-year-old German surgeon was frustrated by how difficult it was to access the human heart, but he doubted he’d get permission to perform a risky new procedure. And so, in 1929, he tried it on himself, thereby joining an age-old club: scientists who use themselves as guinea pigs. Forssmann’s plan was rudimentary and extremely dangerous. With the help of a nurse who hadn’t realized what was about to happen, he pushed an oiled urinary catheter through a vein in his arm and almost all the way to his heart, then rushed to another floor of his clinic to X-ray the results. An appalled colleague fought to remove the catheter but was unable to do so before Forssmann pushed the catheter all the way into his heart and proved the procedure wouldn’t kill a patient. (Blakemore, 6/24)
Reuters:
More Playtime With Dad Linked To Lower Obesity Risk For Young Kids
Fathers who get increasingly involved in raising their children may be helping to lower the youngsters’ risk of obesity, a new study suggests. Researchers examined how often fathers participated in parenting activities such as caregiving, making meals and playing outside, and how much they participated in decisions related to nutrition, health and discipline when the children were 2 and 4 years old. (6/24)
The Washington Post:
How Safe And Sanitary Is ‘Body Art’? Laws Regulating Tattoos, Piercing Vary Widely.
Anyone who goes into a tattoo parlor in North Carolina can be assured that it has a permit from the state health department and that inspectors have checked the premises for safe and sanitary conditions. But go for a body piercing in the state and there’s no such protection. A state law, approved in the 1990s, regulates tattoos but doesn’t apply to other forms of body art. “Most people think it’s all regulated,” said state Rep. Kevin Corbin, a Republican. “But we found out there’s no law on the books.” (Mercer, 6/25)
The New York Times:
Antibiotic Eye Drops Often Unhelpful For Pinkeye
Doctors often prescribe antibiotic eye drops to people with conjunctivitis, or pinkeye, even though they are almost always ineffective, a new study found. About 80 percent of cases of pinkeye are caused by a virus, and there is no treatment for viral conjunctivitis. Most bacterial conjunctivitis is mild and will get better in a week or two without treatment. Antibiotics are effective only in the much smaller number of cases that involve the bacteria that cause gonorrhea or chlamydia. (Bakalar, 6/22)