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Good morning, Colorado!
While I’m writing away on the next part of our ongoing Crisis Point project on youth suicide, our team here at The Denver Post is chasing down health stories in the state legislature and beyond. Vaccines. Coronavirus. Insulin prices. We’ve got you covered, so let’s jump into the news:
State lawmakers pass bill to tighten vaccine exemptions
Saja Hindi stayed up past midnight to follow a bill that would make it harder for parents to opt their kids out of vaccines. After more than 15 hours of testimony and debate, the bill was advanced by a state Senate committee.
The bill would give parents two choices when they seek nonmedical exemptions for their children. They would either have to have a doctor sign a standardized form or they would have to take an online education class about vaccines. With the latter option, parents would be required to have their certificate of completion with the exemption form.
More than 600 people attended the committee hearing, many with concerns about the proposed legislation. While the bill moved forward, even Democratic lawmakers who voted in favor of it say they want to see some changes.
You can read more here.
Health must-reads
- CU Denver has moved its China-based program to online courses and CU Boulder has suspended its study abroad programs as the country struggles with the spread of the coronavirus.
- A Colorado agency has ruled that insurance companies can’t deny coverage or raise prices for people who have a prescription for medicine that reverses opioid overdoses.
- A third child has died of flu complications in Colorado as more than 2,400 people have been hospitalized with influenza.
- Schools are making a push to recruit more LGBTQ medical students, noting that research shows patients get better care when treated by doctors more like them.
- Longmont’s fire department has turned to an unlikely source for a new CPR model: a NASCAR pit crew.
Colorado’s insulin price cap isn’t helping everyone
A new Colorado law limits out-of-pocket costs to $100 per prescription each month. But some individuals are finding their insurance plans fall into one of the law’s exemptions.
Meg Wingerter reports that the price cap only affects commercial plans regulated by the state’s Division of Insurance. Those covered by Medicare, Medicaid, based in another state or self-funded through an employer wouldn’t be subjected to the limit.
Legislators are expected to consider another bill this session that supporters say will close a loophole in the law. With the loophole, some patients still pay more than $100 per month if they take more than one type of insulin.
Read more here.
Here’s what I’m reading
- Incarcerated teens struggle with higher rates of mental health issues, with more than half of youths who have been in the justice system meeting the criteria for one or more psychiatric disorders and 20% have an anxiety disorder. — CPR
- Physicians are not always required to obtain consent for pelvic exams, which are sometimes conducted while women are under anesthesia for operations. — The New York Times
- Americans diagnosed with coronavirus were flown back to the U.S. against CDC recommendations. — The Washington Post
- As Washington took notice of the opioid crisis, fetal alcohol syndrome dropped off the national agenda. — Politico
- A 6-year-old in Florida was removed from school and transported to a mental health center, with the family saying a “temper tantrum” led to the psychological evaluation. — The Florida Times-Union
Have a story tip or other feedback? Email me at jseaman@denverpost.com. You can also follow me on Twitter at @JessicaSeaman. And don’t forget to become a subscriber to The Post!
See you in two weeks!
Jessica
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