- Children’s Health
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Establishes Special Unit for Its Smallest, Most Delicate Infants
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) has launched a dedicated Small Baby Unit to provide the highest level of specialized care to critically ill premature babies. The program is located within the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Newborn and Infant Critical Care Unit (NICCU) and is supported by a specialized team of clinicians trained in the care of children born before 32 weeks. (2/29)
Roll Call: Latest Measles Outbreak Fueled by Vaccine Hesitancy in the Post-Pandemic Era
Cases of measles are rising across the country and seem to be striking counties at random, but experts say there is one thing the public health system can do to turn the tide, and that’s to stem the post-pandemic vaccine lag and get parents to vaccinate their kids. (Cohen, 2/29)
The Baltimore Sun: Persistent Challenges for Many Children Hospitalized with COVID
A new study by the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore and 11 other medical sites found that up to a third of children who were hospitalized because of COVID-19 experienced persistent symptoms one to two years after they were released. (Roberts, 2/28)
Los Angeles Times: Limited Appointments, Hours on Hold: Why California Babies Aren't Getting to the Doctor
Maria Mercado’s 5- and 7-year-old daughters haven’t been to the doctor for a check-up in two years. And it’s not for lack of trying. Mercado, a factory worker in South Los Angeles, has called the pediatrician’s office over and over hoping to book an appointment for a well-child visit, only to be told there are no appointments available and to call back in a month. Sometimes, she waits on hold for an hour. Like more than half of children in California, Mercado’s daughters have Medi-Cal, the state’s health insurance program for low-income residents. (Gold, 2/26)
Bay Area News Group: FDA Approves Drug for Dangerous Food Allergies, Thanks to Stanford-Led Study
For Anabelle Terry, 12, even the most joyful gatherings were potentially dangerous. Born with a severe peanut allergy, “I had to watch every little thing I was eating — at friends’ houses for dinner, at parties, on Halloween when I was trick-or-treating” to prevent a medical emergency, she said. But the first-ever medication to treat food allergies, recently approved by the FDA after a successful study of volunteers like Anabelle, offers the hope of a safer future. (Krieger, 2/25)
Stateline: Critics Dismiss Drop-Off Boxes for Surrendered Babies as a Gimmick, Despite Increased Adoption
Michelle Oberman, a law professor at Santa Clara University in California who has studied state safe haven policies, said states have different rules for drop-off locations and how old a surrendered infant can be, and varying protections for parents when an infant tests positive for illegal substances. Some laws require surrendered infants to be placed into foster care, while others fast-track them into adoptions. Few, if any, require the kind of oversight that would ensure the infant surrenders are truly voluntary and not coerced, she said. “It feels to me like such a limited and heartless response to say, ‘We don’t care that you’re unhoused, addicted or mentally ill — just drop off your baby and we’ll let you go on your way,’” Oberman said. She wants states to gather better data on newborns who are surrendered, including where and under what circumstances, and use that data to write bills that would support parents in crisis. (Claire Vollers, 2/26)
The New York Times: Medication Significantly Decreases Children's Reactions to Food Allergen Traces
A drug that has been used for decades to treat allergic asthma and hives significantly reduced the risk of life-threatening reactions in children with severe food allergies who were exposed to trace amounts of peanuts, cashews, milk and eggs, researchers reported on Sunday. The drug, Xolair, has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adults and children over age 1 with food allergies. It is the first treatment that drastically cuts the risk of serious reactions — like anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the body to go into shock — after accidental exposures to various food allergens. (Rabin, 2/25)
- Disabled Travelers
USA Today: DOT Proposal Aims to Enhance Protections for Disabled Travelers
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg unveiled a new proposal Thursday aimed at improving air travel for passengers with disabilities. Under the proposed rule set forth by the Department of Transportation, airlines would be mandated to adhere to stringent standards, guaranteeing prompt and dignified assistance for passengers with disabilities. (Rivera, 2/29)
- Healthcare Hacking
KFF Health News: UnitedHealth Unit Hacking Disrupts Large Part of US Health System: Key Information
Early in the morning of Feb. 21, Change Healthcare, a company unknown to most Americans that plays a huge role in the U.S. health system, issued a brief statement saying some of its applications were “currently unavailable.” By the afternoon, the company described the situation as a “cyber security” problem. Since then, it has rapidly blossomed into a crisis. (Tahir, 2/29)
Stat: Cyberattack on Change Healthcare Highlights Risks of Industry Consolidation
Change Healthcare’s recent cyberattack has hospitals, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies across the country reeling as they struggle to process claims and bill patients. Experts told STAT it’s a glaring example of the risk of consolidation in health care. Change, which is owned by UnitedHealth Group, is one of the nation’s largest insurance claim processing hubs. A cyberattack, first announced Wednesday, took the entire company’s network down. Hospitals, doctors’ offices, and pharmacies have since resorted to sending claims via fax, validating patients’ insurance over the phone, and watching helplessly as unpaid bills pile up, multiple hospital employees told STAT. In an update Monday, UnitedHealth said it was still working to restore its impacted systems. (Trang, Bannow and Herman, 2/27)
Fast Company: Change Healthcare Cyberattack Update: More Significant Than Perceived
Pharmacies across the United States are still grappling with substantial disruptions following a cyberattack on UnitedHealth’s technology unit, Change Healthcare, as reported by multiple pharmacy chains through official statements and on various social media platforms. The attack led to a nationwide outage of a network designed to communicate data between healthcare providers and insurance companies. The company did not provide a timeline for when services would be restored. Fast Company reached out to Change Healthcare for additional information and will update this post if we hear back. (Hamilton, 2/26)
Kiplinger: Pharmacy Disruptions Persist Following UnitedHealth Cyberattack
The breach also affected military clinics and hospital worldwide, according to a February 22 news release by Tricare, the government's healthcare program for the U.S. military. “Military clinics and hospitals will provide outpatient prescriptions through a manual procedure until this issue is resolved,” said Tricare, which asked for patience while pharmacies take longer than usual to safely fill prescriptions. (Solitro, 2/26)
Modern Healthcare: AHA Recommends Staying Offline During Change Healthcare Outage
UnitedHealth Group, the American Hospital Association and the Health and Human Services Department remain focused on a cyberattack that has crippled electronic transactions between pharmacies and payers for nearly a week. The AHA continues to advise member hospitals to remain disconnected from UnitedHealth Group division Change Healthcare's systems, which were attacked last Wednesday. (Berryman, 2/27)
- Mental Health
USA Today: Significant Increase in Prescriptions for Depression and Anxiety Post-COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic was a breaking point for 43-year-old Tamalyn Paredes, an addiction counselor at a methadone clinic in Portland, Oregon. Living in California at the time, she worked at a group home for children with serious emotional disturbances – a job she described as taxing, especially when kids would lash out. Helping those with mental health conditions hit close to home for Paredes. She lived with depression and suicidal thoughts for years, but the hormonal side effects of ovary removal surgery in 2019 made things worse. (Garzella, 2/29)
CNN: Study Finds Spike in Antidepressant Prescriptions for Youths During Pandemic
Many young people have reported having poor mental health during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Their experiences are affirmed by a new study finding that the rate of prescribing antidepressants to this group also spiked during the same period. (Rogers, 2/26)
- Illicit Drugs
Quantity of Fentanyl Seized in California Last Year Could Potentially Endanger Global Population: Roughly 62,000 pounds of fentanyl smuggled into California was confiscated by authorities in 2023. The total amount seized last year “is enough to potentially kill the global population nearly twice over,” Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office announced Tuesday. Read more from the Los Angeles Times. Scroll down for more on the opioid crisis.
WCVB: Majority of Pediatricians Unprepared to Address Teen Opioid Use
Even with teen opioid overdose deaths soaring, a new study finds most pediatricians aren't prepared to treat young patients struggling with addiction. The nationwide survey was conducted by researchers at Mass General for Children and Yale School of Medicine. Of those pediatricians surveyed, 48% said they felt prepared to counsel teen patients struggling with opioid use. That's despite the fact nearly all of those surveyed believe it's their responsibility to do so. And, even though 24% said they'd diagnosed Opioid Use Disorder in a young patient, just 5% said they had prescribed any medication considered the standard of care for the disorder. (Brown, 2/27)
San Francisco Considering Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients: Voters appear poised to pass a ballot measure Tuesday that would mandate drug screening for recipients of public benefits. Read more from the Wall Street Journal.
- Healthcare Coverage
CalMatters: Medi-Cal Benefits for New Moms' Maternal Health Are Underutilized
California offers extensive pregnancy benefits to low-income mothers, but the state’s top health agencies have no way of knowing how many people are getting help or whether the program improves the health of moms and babies, a new report from the California State Auditor asserts. The audit’s findings come at a time when California is grappling with increasing rates of maternal mortality, persistent disparities for Black women and growing maternity care deserts. In 2020, the state reported the highest rate of maternal mortality in a decade, and Black women were three to four times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than others. (Hwang, 2/28)
Axios: Increasing Trend of Doctors Charging for Administrative Tasks Such as Refills, Emails, and Sick Notes
Need a sick note from the doctor? Or have them OK a refill? It might cost you. From signing patient documents to emailing responses to patient questions, doctors are increasingly charging fees for administrative tasks. (Reed, 2/26)
AP: States Commit to Assisting Disabled Kids, Yet Some Families Wait Over a Decade
When Lilly Miller was in elementary school, teachers told her parents they needed to immediately sign up their youngest daughter, who has Down syndrome, for a wait list so the state would pay for a day program when she grew up. The teachers predicted a six-year wait. The Millers have been waiting 10 years. Lilly is now 21 and has aged out of special education programs in the public schools in their hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Her parents, also teachers, have hired a home caregiver. A day program, where she would learn new job skills or flex existing ones while socializing, would cost between $1,500 and $2,000 a month, Marvin Miller said. (Hanna, 2/28)
- Women’s Health
Modern Healthcare: Addressing Black Maternal Mortality Rates: Can Hospitals Lead the Solution?
Amid worsening health outcomes for Black obstetric patients, some hospitals are improving maternal care by offering midwifery support, remote monitoring of patients' vitals and educational resources. Compared with white patients, Black obstetric patients are at disproportionate risk of life-threatening conditions, like preeclampsia and postpartum hemorrhage, as well as pregnancy-related complications like preterm birth. (Devereaux, 2/26)
- Food Access
Capital & Main: California's Plan to End a Program Providing Healthy Food to Farmers and Low-Income Residents
Cris Oliveros and Dennise Sanchez, both 30, pick through Pink Lady apples and Cara Cara oranges at the Huntington Park Farmers Market in Southeast Los Angeles. Oliveros works as a barista at a hotel in downtown Los Angeles; Sanchez delivers for DoorDash. Both qualify for CalFresh, the state’s food-support program for low-income earners. At the farmers market, they can stretch CalFresh benefits with Market Match, an innovative state program that matches dollar-for-dollar CalFresh spending at farmers markets and farm stands. Oliveros said the extra $20 from Market Match allows him to get fruit and vegetables, freeing up CalFresh funds so he can buy 32 eggs for $18.But in early January, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans to cut approximately $37.8 billion dollars in the 2024-2025 state budget, including $33.2 million of Market Match’s $35 million budget — effectively eliminating the program. Asked how Newsom’s decision would affect them, the couple responded quickly. (Sanchez-Tello, 2/21)