First Edition: July 18, 2019
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Common Medications Can Masquerade As Dementia In Seniors
By all accounts the woman, in her late 60s, appeared to have severe dementia. She was largely incoherent. Her short-term memory was terrible. She couldn’t focus on questions that medical professionals asked her. But Dr. Malaz Boustani, a professor of aging research at Indiana University School of Medicine, suspected something else might be going on. The patient was taking Benadryl for seasonal allergies, another antihistamine for itching, Seroquel (an antipsychotic medication) for mood fluctuations, as well as medications for urinary incontinence and gastrointestinal upset. (Graham, 7/18)
Kaiser Health News:
Surprise Medical Bill Legislation Takes A Step Forward, But Will It Lead To A Step Back?
One of the existential questions of the debate has been how to compensate health care providers if balance billing — which is what happens when patients are responsible for the costs not covered by their insurer — is prohibited. The bill before Energy and Commerce originally included what’s known as “benchmarking” to set the payment amount for out-of-network doctors. So, instead of sending patients a bill for the amount that their health plans don’t pay, a doctor would be forced to accept an amount that is the average of what other doctors in the area are paid for the procedure. (Bluth, 7/17)
Kaiser Health News:
‘Climate Grief’: Fears About The Planet’s Future Weigh On Americans’ Mental Health
Therapist Andrew Bryant says the landmark United Nations climate report last October brought a new mental health concern to his patients.“I remember being in sessions with folks the next day. They had never mentioned climate change before, and they were like, ‘I keep hearing about this report,’” Bryant said. “Some of them expressed anxious feelings, and we kept talking about it over our next sessions.” The study, conducted by the world’s leading climate scientists, said that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, by 2040 the Earth will warm by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius). (Knight, 7/18)
The New York Times:
Sanders Calls For Rivals To Reject Money From Health Care Industry
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, seeking to bring fresh momentum to his presidential campaign, offered a vigorous defense on Wednesday of his signature issue, “Medicare for all,” and called for all Democratic candidates to pledge to reject contributions from the health care industry. Mr. Sanders argued in a formal address, whose themes were familiar to anyone who has followed his political career, that the current health care system was an “international embarrassment,” and he offered his own vision for a single-payer program that he said would guarantee health care for every American. (Ember, 7/17)
Politico:
Sanders Calls On Democratic Rivals To Reject Drug, Insurance Industry Donations
"You can’t change a corrupt system by taking its money," Sanders plans to say Wednesday, according to prepared remarks shared with reporters. "If we are going to break the stranglehold of corporate interests over the health care needs of the American people, we have got to confront a Washington culture that has let this go on for far too long." Sanders, who is among the top-tier candidates in the Democratic race, pointed to data that the pharmaceutical and insurance industries have spent more than $330 million on lobbying in the past two decades. (Diamond, 7/17)
The Washington Post:
Sanders Rejects Donation From Drug, Insurance Execs
Candidates who are unwilling to do so, Sanders said, “should explain to the American people why those interests believe their campaigns are a good investment. ”Sanders’s pledge underscores his desire to expand the debate over health care beyond the competing policy proposals and shows how his campaign is seizing on health care as an effective issue to wield against the more centrist Biden — a fight Biden appears to welcome. Sanders has opted not to hold fundraisers catering to wealthy donors and is not seen by insurance and drug companies as an ally. (Sullivan, 7/17)
Politico:
Sanders Swipes At Rivals, Makes A Case For 'Medicare For All'
Some of Sanders' rivals, including former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), have held fundraisers hosted by insurance company executives since launching their bids for the White House, and several others in the 2020 field have taken donations from the drug and insurance industries in past campaigns. (Ollstein, 7/17)
ABC News:
Bernie Sanders Accepted Pharma Executives' Donations Prior To New Pledge
Bernie Sanders called on his fellow Democratic presidential candidates Wednesday to reject donations from health insurance and pharmaceutical industry executives during what was labeled as a "major address" in Washington, D.C., but an ABC News review of FEC records earlier in the day found that Sanders himself accepted some of the same types of donations earlier in the campaign cycle. (Kim, Kelsey and Rodriguez, 7/17)
The Hill:
Biden Campaign Pushes Back On Sanders' Call To Reject Donations From Insurers, Drug Makers
Joe Biden's campaign pushed back after Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I-Vt.) called on 2020 campaigns to reject contributions from health insurance and drug companies, which was seen as a dig aimed at the former vice president. Sanders, without naming any specific campaign, made the demand Wednesday in a speech defending his "Medicare for All" plan, which Biden has harshly criticized. (Klar, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
Sanders Defends 'Medicare For All' After Criticism By Biden
Bernie Sanders vigorously defended his signature "Medicare for All" proposal Wednesday after criticism from his 2020 rival Joe Biden and called on his fellow Democratic presidential candidates to join him in refusing to accept contributions from the health care industry. Saying he wanted to address "some of the half-truths" and "outright lies" about his single-payer health care plan, Sanders insisted that coverage for seniors would increase and that Americans would be able to choose their own doctors and clinics without worrying whether their health care provider is in network. (7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
Sanders Defends Medicare For All, Drawing Contrast With Biden
Mr. Sanders has advocated for government-run, single-payer health care for decades, but he has recently focused more direct attacks at Democrats who don’t support his proposed overhaul of the current system. And the most prominent advocate in the field for a more cautious approach is former Vice President Joe Biden. Mr. Biden has been the leading candidate in national and state polls, and Mr. Sanders generally comes in second or third place. (Collins, 7/17)
The Associated Press Fact Check:
Savings From Sanders' Medicare Plan Dubious
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders all but guaranteed in his "Medicare for All" speech on Wednesday the U.S. would spend less on health care with his plan. He said studies from experts on the political left and the right project $2 trillion to $5 trillion in savings over 10 years, but that's questionable. (7/17)
Reuters:
Biden Versus Sanders: Top 2020 Contenders Snipe Over Healthcare Policy
Democratic presidential front-runner Joe Biden and rival Bernie Sanders are waging a public battle this week over universal healthcare, staking out competing turf on an issue that has become the most divisive in the party's primary campaign. The sniping between the two White House contenders, highlighted on Wednesday when Sanders delivered a defense of his ambitious "Medicare for All" plan, has split Democrats and forced other candidates to choose sides on an issue certain to play prominently in next year's general election race. (7/17)
The New York Times:
House Votes To Repeal Obamacare Tax Once Seen As Key To Health Law
In the heat of the legislative fight over the Affordable Care Act, Obama administration officials argued that including a steep tax on high-cost, generous health insurance plans was critical to the law because it would hold down soaring costs while helping to pay for its expanded health benefits. On Wednesday, that feature, once considered central to Obamacare, was dealt a blow by an unlikely foe: Democrats. (Goodnough, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
House Democrats, GOP Unite To Repeal Obama Health Care Tax
The so-called "Cadillac tax" never went into effect, since lawmakers kept delaying it. Wednesday's 419-6 vote increases chances that the Senate will follow the House, going for full repeal. Beginning in 2022, the tax would slap a 40% levy on the value of health insurance plans above $11,200 for single coverage and $30,100 for family policies. The idea was to help control costs by putting a brake on the value of health insurance plans. To avoid the tax, insurers and employers might have to shift more costs to policyholders. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
House Democrats Join Republicans To Repeal Obamacare’s ‘Cadillac Tax’
Democrats, many of whom grudgingly supported the cost containment effort as part of the landmark health care law nine years ago, argued Wednesday it would be a de facto tax on working families. “Today, we’ll honor our promise to the hard-working men and women of the labor as we lift the Cadillac tax protecting health benefits that workers have negotiated,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday. (Abutaleb, 7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
Bipartisan House Coalition Votes To Repeal Health Law’s Cadillac Tax
At first glance, it seems odd for House Democrats to pass a roughly $200 billion tax cut that removes an ACA plank. It is a tax cut without the revenue-raising offsets Democrats say they favor, and it is a strike against Obamacare while Democrats defend the law. But the Cadillac tax has always been different. Many House Democrats opposed it as the ACA was written. They won concessions to scale it back and then helped delay it so it didn’t start as scheduled in 2018. “I’ve been working on this since it first popped its head up,” said Rep. Joe Courtney (D., Conn.), the bill’s sponsor. “The most noticeable change in the environment is just the extraordinary outpouring of support for repealing the tax from a much more diverse group of people.” (Rubin and Armour, 7/17)
Politico:
Rand Paul Blocks Attempt To Permanently Fund 9/11 Victims Fund
Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand accused Republicans of playing “political games” after a GOP senator Wednesday blocked her effort to permanently fund the 9/11 victim compensation. Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) attempted to pass the legislation by voice vote but was blocked by GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who cited costs and concerns about its effect on the budget. (Levine, 7/17)
The Hill:
Democrats Demand Information From White House About Fetal Tissue Research Ban
A pair of House and Senate Democrats are demanding answers from the Trump administration about its decision to ban the use of federal funds for research involving fetal tissue. In a Wednesday letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Senate Health Committee ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked for a host of internal documents and communications relating to the ban. (Weixel, 7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration Moves To Shift Patients’ Chronic Illness Costs To Insurers
Millions of Americans in high-deductible health plans may find it easier to access insulin, inhalers and other treatments for chronic health problems under guidance released Wednesday by the Trump administration. Currently, people in high-deductible plans with pretax health-savings accounts have to pay down their deductible before their insurance covers treatment for chronic diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure. The change will allow insurers to begin providing coverage for those treatments, such as glucose or blood-pressure monitors, before the deductible is paid. (Armour, 7/17)
Modern Healthcare:
Access To Chronic Disease Treatment Eased By Trump Administration
Under the guidance, chronically ill patients will be able to access coverage for certain services before they spend enough money out of pocket to meet the high deductible. Previously, those plans covered only low-cost preventive-care services prior to the deductible being met. The guidance, effective immediately, follows President Donald Trump's June 24 executive order that directed the U.S. Treasury Department to find ways to expand the use of health savings accounts paired with high-deductible health plans to pay for "medical care that helps maintain health status for individuals with chronic conditions." (Livingston, 7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS Begins Clinical Trial For Home-Dialysis Device
CVS Health Corp. is making an ambitious move into kidney care, launching a clinical trial for a new home-dialysis device designed by the firm of Dean Kamen, the Segway inventor. The company is delving into unusual territory for a drugstore and health insurer. The plan will make it a medical-device firm and a provider of dialysis, the complex blood-cleansing procedure vital to patients suffering from kidney failure. CVS holds exclusive U.S. rights to the HemoCare device, which was created by Mr. Kamen’s firm, Deka Research & Development Corp. (Wilde Mathews, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Drug Overdose Deaths Drop In U.S. For First Time Since 1990
Three decades of ever-escalating deaths from drug overdoses in the United States may have come to an end, according to preliminary government data made public Wednesday. Total drug overdose deaths in America declined by around 5 percent last year, the first drop since 1990. The decline was due almost entirely to a dip in deaths from prescription opioid painkillers, the medicines that set off the epidemic of addiction that has lasted nearly two decades. Fatal overdoses involving other drugs, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine, continued to rise. (Goodnough, Katz and Sanger-Katz, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
Number Of US Overdose Deaths Appears To Be Falling
The numbers were celebrated by the U.S. secretary of health and human services. "Lives are being saved, and we're beginning to win the fight against this crisis," Alex Azar wrote in a tweet. But the overdose death rate is still about seven times higher than it was a generation ago. "We're still in a pretty sad situation that we need to address," said Rebecca Haffajee, a University of Michigan researcher. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
Drug Overdoses Fell Significantly In 2018 For First Time In Decades, Provisional CDC Data Show
“Since the epidemic started, we’ve had a few years where deaths were flat or barely grew year on year, but this is the first time they’ve actually declined,” said Stanford University professor Keith Humphreys, a former senior policy adviser at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. “Losing nearly 70,000 people a year of course still means we’re in the midst of a public health disaster, but this is the first real sign of hope we’ve had that we might be turning the corner.” (Ingraham, 7/17)
The Washington Post:
Opioid Death Rates Soared In Communities Where Pain Pills Flowed
Death rates from opioids soared in the towns, cities and counties that were saturated with billions of prescription pain pills from 2006 through 2012, according to government death data and a previously undisclosed database of opioid shipments made public this week. The highest per capita death rates nationwide from opioids during those years were in rural communities in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia. In those seven years, those communities also were flooded with a disproportionate share of the 76 billion oxycodone and hydrocodone pain pills from some of the country’s largest drug companies, an analysis by The Washington Post reveals. (Horwitz, Rich and Higham, 7/17)
The Washington Post:
Opioid Lawsuits: As Lawyers Zero In On Drug Companies, A Reckoning May Be Coming
For two decades, as 200,000 opioid overdose deaths piled up across America, there was always someone else to blame. Families blamed drug companies. Drug companies blamed doctors. Everyone blamed the government. More than half the public continues to see drug addiction as a moral failing, blaming substance abusers themselves for the epidemic, at least in part, according to recent polling. But now the effort to hold someone to account for the worst drug crisis in U.S. history is narrowing to a few dozen drug companies whose day in court has come or will soon arrive. (Bernstein and Rowland, 7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
New Clinic For Drug Users Opens Near Penn Station
In a nondescript Midtown building tucked between tourist hotels and a few short blocks from New York Penn Station is one of the oldest syringe-exchange programs in the city and one of the newest primary-care clinics for drug users and the homeless. Called the Ginny Shubert Center for Harm Reduction, the new facility, which celebrated its official launch Wednesday, is the latest multi-purpose medical center opened by Housing Works, a nonprofit social-services group best known for its thrift stores. (West, 7/17)
The New York Times:
A Messy Exit Leaves Planned Parenthood At A Philosophical Crossroads
Leana Wen had already made a name for herself as Baltimore’s health commissioner when Planned Parenthood hired her as its new president last fall. Dr. Wen, a 36-year-old physician, had used innovative policies to combat the opioid epidemic and delivered a widely watched TED Talk. She regularly appeared on lists of the most influential health care leaders and government officials. But Dr. Wen’s tenure at Planned Parenthood was rocky and short, ending after eight months on Tuesday when the board of directors ousted her following several weeks of tense and sometimes acrimonious negotiations. (Kliff and Goldmacher, 7/17)
The Wall Street Journal:
Antiabortion Movement Begins To Crack, After Decades Of Unity
Close to five decades after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling enshrined a woman’s constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, the unity of the antiabortion movement is cracking. For years, those opposed to abortion have largely hewed to a legal strategy to pass laws adding incremental limitations to the historic 1973 ruling. Now, an ascendant, activist wing is pressing for legislation that doesn’t just limit the procedure, but outlaws it. Emboldened by President Trump’s Supreme Court picks, the activists have grown impatient with what they see as small developments, and instead are actively seeking a legal fight with the goal of overturning Roe. (Gershman and Campo-Flores, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Where Roe V. Wade Matters Most
Tammi Kromenaker runs the Red River Women’s Clinic, the only clinic that provides abortions in North Dakota. Without Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that established a constitutional right to abortion, the state would ban her clinic, or any other within state lines, from performing the procedure. “Roe is the only thing keeping abortion legal in North Dakota,” Ms. Kromenaker said. In neighboring Minnesota, though, abortion would remain legal, even without the protection of Roe. There, the right to abortion is protected in the state constitution. (Bui, Miller and Sanger-Katz, 7/18)
Los Angeles Times:
Rising Health Insurance Deductibles Fuel Middle-Class Anger And Resentment
Denise Wall, a Fresno area school teacher with more than $2,000 in medical bills, was outraged to hear she could get free care if she quit her job and enrolled her family in Medicaid. Brenda Bartlett, a factory worker in Nebraska, was so angry about $2,500 in medical bills she ran up using the coverage she got at work that she dropped insurance altogether. “They don’t give a rat’s butt about people like me,” she said. (Levey, 7/17)
NPR:
Why High Drug Prices Are Not Like Cars' Sticker Prices
High drug prices are a hot topic in politics right now. President Trump has made lowering them a cornerstone of his re-election bid and is pushing a variety of ideas to get that done. But politicians — of either party -- who want to rally the public around this have a challenge: Drug pricing is incredibly complex and convoluted. Just explaining what it is — let alone how to fix it — is really hard. You know what's great for understanding complicated things? Analogies. (Simmons-Duffin, 7/17)
Stat:
Drug Industry Deploys Its Top Guns To Capitol Hill
The pharmaceutical industry deployed its top guns to Capitol Hill on Wednesday as senators pushed to find consensus on a major package of drug pricing reforms. Spotted in the Senate basement at lunchtime: Stephen Ubl, the head of the industry lobbying organization PhRMA, and Dr. Giovanni Caforio, the CEO of Bristol Myers-Squibb. Their appearances were well-timed. Earlier Wednesday, Republicans lawmakers were briefed by the Congressional Budget Office on a drug pricing bill still under development in the Senate Finance Committee. Democrats were scheduled to receive the same briefing on Wednesday afternoon. (Facher, Florko and Joseph, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
Asylum Ban May Further Strain Immigrant Detention Facilities
A new policy to deny asylum to anyone who shows up on the Mexican border after traveling through another country threatens to exacerbate overcrowding at severely strained U.S. immigration detention centers and makeshift holding areas. Photos and video of Vice President Mike Pence's visit Friday to McAllen, Texas, showing men crammed behind chain-link fences offered the latest glimpse into squalid conditions at Customs and Border Protection facilities. Women are being held in smaller tents at the station. (7/17)
The Associated Press:
Florida Migrant Teen Detention Center Sees Dramatic Downsize
The nation's largest facility for migrant children has released hundreds of teens to relatives in recent days, easing overcrowding at the South Florida center that has come under intense criticism from Democratic lawmakers who call it cramped and regimented. The company that runs the Homestead facility, Caliburn International, said it has released 500 teenagers since Friday under newly relaxed federal requirements for reuniting the children with relatives living in the U.S. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
Border Agent In Clint Accused Of Harassing Mother Of 12-Year-Old Migrant Who Was In Custody
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent allegedly sought out an undocumented Guatemalan woman living in California, sent her Facebook messages and asked her to watch a live video of him masturbating — all while her 12-year-old son was in custody at the Border Patrol station in Clint, Tex., where he worked, according to an April complaint filed with CBP and interviews with the mother. (Hauslohner and Sacchetti, 7/17)
Reuters:
Puerto Rico Faces Tougher Scrutiny Over Federal Medicaid Funding
U.S. lawmakers on Wednesday called for heightened scrutiny of Puerto Rico's Medicaid program as the bankrupt territory seeks increased federal healthcare funding while it deals with repercussions from a government corruption scandal. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce agreed to several accountability measures linked to a $12 billion funding boost over four years for the low-income healthcare program in Puerto Rico. A group of Republican U.S. senators, meanwhile, sought information on whether any safeguards are in place to deter misuse of the island's federal Medicaid dollars. (7/17)
The New York Times:
Feeling Lonely? Perhaps You’d Like To Talk To Some Strangers
When Ankit Shah graduated from college and moved to the Bay Area in 2013, he didn’t know a single person there. Hungry for connections, he asked his Facebook friends to ask their Bay Area-based friends if they’d like to have tea with him, a stranger. “I was very nervous that people would be like ‘who’s this weirdo on the internet?’” Mr. Shah said. “But sure enough, my friends started tagging their friends in the comments — some even shared it on their own page — and eventually, there were more people interested in getting tea than I could keep up with.” (Hotz, 7/18)
The Associated Press:
Winners Overlook Rigged Games' Lack Of Fairness, Study Finds
When it comes to fairness and privilege, a new study finds it really is not about how you play the game. It's about whether you win or lose. A new experiment, played out as a card game, shows that even when the deck is literally stacked in people's favor — and they know it — most winners still think it's fair anyway. Losers don't, according to a study in Wednesday's journal Science Advances. (7/17)
The New York Times:
The Sad Truth About Sleep-Tracking Devices And Apps
For the last two weeks, I’ve added an extra step to my bedtime routine: strapping a computer around my wrist. The new nightly move was prompted by a cascade of wearable gadgets from companies like Fitbit and Apple, which claim that their sensor-laden bracelets and watches can improve our lives by helping us detect health problems so that we can come up with solutions. (Chen, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Heat Wave To Hit Two-Thirds Of The U.S. Here’s What To Expect.
Dangerously hot temperatures are expected to spread across the Central and Eastern United States on Wednesday through the weekend, with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the hardest-hit places, the National Weather Service has warned. And even when the sun dips below the horizon, temperatures in many places are expected to remain in the 80s. (Stockman, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
Scientists Find New Way To Kill Disease-Carrying Mosquitoes
Scientists say they nearly eliminated disease-carrying mosquitoes on two islands in China using a new technique. The downside: It may not be practical for larger areas and may cost a lot of money. In the experiment, researchers targeted Asian tiger mosquitoes, invasive white-striped bugs that can spread dengue fever, Zika and other diseases. They used a novel approach for pest control: First, they infected the bugs with a virus-fighting bacterium, and then zapped them with a small dose of radiation. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
Tick In Eye: Doctor Removes Tick From Kentucky Man's Eyeball
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns people to check under their arms, around their ears and even inside their bellybutton for ticks after possible exposure. The agency may have to add another, especially cringeworthy tick harbor to the list: the eyeball. A Kentucky man says he went to the doctor for eye irritation and found out it was caused by one of the eight-legged, bloodsucking critters. (Knowles, 7/17)
NPR:
New Study Suggests Increased Rates Of Memory Loss And Confusion In LGBTQ Elders
LGBTQ Americans were recently found 29% more likely to report memory loss and confusion — two early signs of dementia— than their straight, cisgender counterparts. The research, led by the University of California, San Francisco, was released at the 2019 Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Los Angeles. A large phone-based survey was conducted across nine states. Out of more than 44,000 adults aged 45 and older, roughly 3% of participants identified themselves as a sexual or gender minority. (Matias, 7/17)
The New York Times:
Arthritis Is Tied To Heart Disease Risk
Having osteoarthritis may increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Osteoarthritis, the painful degenerative disease of the joint cartilage and bones that progresses with age, affects about 10 percent of men and 13 percent of women over 60. There is no cure. (Bakalar, 7/18)
The Wall Street Journal:
Behind The Scenes Of Netflix’s Call To Alter ‘13 Reasons Why’ Episode
When Brian Yorkey was adapting Jay Asher’s book for the Netflix Inc. TV show “13 Reasons Why”—about a teen girl who commits suicide and the aftermath—he took creative liberty with the source material, changing the depiction of protagonist Hannah Baker’s death from an overdose of pills to a graphic wrist-slitting. That decision created more than two years of controversy for Netflix, as mental-health advocates criticized the portrayal and studies suggested the show could have been a factor in a spike in teen suicides in the month after the show premiered. (Flint, 7/17)
Reuters:
California Settles Decades-Long Lawsuit Over Lead Paint, But Outcome Is Bittersweet
When Californian counties and cities first sued paint makers in 2000, they wanted the companies to pay billions to remove dangerous old lead paint from hundreds of thousands of homes. After a 19-year legal struggle, they have finally succeeded in getting the companies to fund a remediation program, albeit on a much smaller scale. Sherwin-Williams, ConAgra Grocery Products Co. and NL Industries have agreed to a $305 million settlement, according to a filing in Santa Clara County Superior Court in California on Wednesday. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
In D.C., 5,500 Students Are Homeless. The City Is Helping Some Of Them Take Their First Steps To College.
His bed was snugly made, and four pair of sneakers formed a neat line beneath his extra-long twin bed. An iron that Dajon Duvall borrowed from his dorm’s residential adviser sat on a wooden desk that was crammed on his side of the room. Every day, the 18-year-old irons his T-shirts and jeans, a habit he picked up in eighth grade after spending two years living with his mom and younger sisters in hotel rooms in central Florida. (Stein, 7/17)
The Associated Press:
Deaths Related To Retirement Home's Virus Outbreak Rise To 3
Health officials say three people have now died amid a virus outbreak at a northern Virginia retirement community. The Fairfax County Health Department reported the third death Tuesday. Two deaths were reported last week. Officials said they did not know the full medical history of those who died or the extent to which the respiratory illness played a role. (7/17)
The Washington Post:
Third Person Has Died After Respiratory Illness Outbreak At Greenspring Village, Fairfax Officials Say
At a news conference Wednesday at the agency’s headquarters, Benjamin Schwartz, director of epidemiology and population health at the Fairfax County Health Department, said tests, including those conducted on 17 samples by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have failed to identify a likely cause. Tests for Legionnaires’ disease have also come up negative. Officials tested for a range of common virus- or bacteria-borne respiratory illnesses. (Kunkle, 7/17)
The Washington Post:
Court Strikes Down Virginia Law For ‘Criminalizing An Illness’ In Targeting Homeless Alcoholics
A divided federal appeals court this week struck down a Virginia law for “effectively criminalizing an illness” by targeting homeless alcoholics for buying, consuming or having alcohol. The narrowly decided case reversed an earlier ruling from a three-judge panel of the same court, provoked lengthy, passionate dissent and indicated deep divisions on a court known for its civility and genteel traditions. In its 8-7 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit invalidated the law as “unconstitutionally vague” because it does not provide fair warning to would-be offenders and singles out homeless alcoholics based on their addiction to alcohol. (Marimow, 7/17)