Health/Fitness

CONGRESSWOMAN SUSAN DAVIS LEADS 206 HOUSE MEMBERS IN CALL TO INCREASE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

 

East County News Service

April 7, 2017 (Washington, D.C.) - As President Trump calls for dramatic cuts to life-saving medical research, Congresswoman Susan Davis (CA-53) led a bipartisan group of House members in an effort to increase the budget for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Davis’s letter to House appropriators urges $36 billion for medical research and was signed by 206 members of the House. Trump is proposing a nearly 20 percent cut in NIH funding.


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BETTIE WELLS NAMED GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE TO GROSSMONT HOSPITAL CORPORATE BOARD

 

East County News Service

April 6, 2017 (La Mesa) –  El Cajon resident Bettie Wells has been appointed to serve on the Grossmont Hospital Corporation (GHC) board of directors as a representative of the Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD). GHC is the legal entity for the hospital lease agreement between Sharp HealthCare and GHD, the East County public agency that serves as landlord of the hospital on behalf of taxpayers.


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DEFECTIVE EPIPENS RECALLED

 

East County News Service

April 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – The U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced that 13 lots of Mylan’s EpiPen and EpiPen Jr. are being voluntarily recalled. EpiPen injections provide emergency does of epinephrine to treat life-threatening allergic reactions.


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GIANT MOSQUITO? MOSQUITO-EATER? NOPE, IT’S A CRANE FLY!

 

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

April 3, 2017 (San Diego) -- They look like giant mosquitoes, or daddy-longlegs with wings, and they fly like crazy bumper-car drivers, bouncing off walls, each other, ceilings and light sources.


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SENATORS ATKINS AND LARA RELEASE DETAILS ON HEALTHY CALIFORNIA ACT: UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE PLAN TO GIVE CHOICES TO ALL STATE RESIDENTS

 

East County News Service

March 30, 2017 (Sacramento) — Today, Senators Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) and Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) released details about their landmark Healthy California Act (Senate Bill 562) to create universal health coverage for every California resident.


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TRIAL TO BEGIN AGAINST PETCO IN OVER 10-YEAR-OLD DEAD OF RAT BITE FEVER

 

East County News Service

March 29, 2017 (San Diego) – Trial begins this week in a case filed against Petco for selling a pet rat with rat bite fever that killed Aidan Pankey, a 10-year-old Santee boy in 2013.


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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FIRST LOCAL ZIKA VIRUS BIRTH DEFECT REINFORCES TRAVEL ADVISORY

 

By Tom Christensen, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo:  Greyerbaby / Pixabay

March 28, 2017 (San Diego) --Pregnant women, women who could become pregnant and couples considering pregnancy are advised to avoid traveling to areas with known Zika transmission after a baby with the severe birth defect microcephaly was born in San Diego County.

The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency reports the mother was infected with the Zika virus while traveling in a foreign country where the virus is common.


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FREE TECHNOLOGY CLASSES AND WELLNESS INFO FOR SENIORS MARCH 31 IN LAKESIDE

 

East County News Service

March 27, 2017 (Lakeside) -- If you’re a senior citizen baffled by all those high-tech gadgets, now there’s a solution for you. The County’s Mobile Tech Lab is coming to Lakeside’s Community Center (9841 Vine St.) on March 31st from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.


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TRUMPCARE DEFEAT: TRUMP PULLS OBAMACARE REPEAL VOTE: PLAN WAS LOSING CONSERVATIVES AND MODERATES

 

Reprinted with permission from The Moderate Voice, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

By Joe Gandelman, Editor-In-Chief, The Moderate Voice

March 25, 2017 (San Diego) -- President Donald Trump did not win bigly in today’s vote — that never occurred — in the House of representatives. The one-two step of repealing Obamacare in favor of what many (not the White House) call Trumpcare and others (Trump’s supporters) call Ryancare simply did not happen. They didn’t have the votes. Cable coverage and stories detailed how the bill was hemorrhaging hard-core conservative Republican and moderate Republican support.


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HEALTHCARE VOTE TODAY ON REVISED BILL WITH LESS DEFICIT REDUCTION, ELIMINATION OF MANDATORY MATERNITY AND NEWBORN COVERAGE, OTHER CHANGES

 

 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Tweet sent by ex-Bush White House lawyer Richard Painter, showing all-male White Hosue meeting at which vital healthcare benefits for women were stripped from the bill.  Painter says the bill made "Trumpcare even worse."  But Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) says it will "save America."

March 24, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Trump has demanded that the House of Representatives hold an up-or-down vote today on Republican’s American Health Care Act , stating that if it does not pass, the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) will remain in place and he will move on to other priorities such as trade reforms.

Lacking enough votes for passage,  Republicans held a closed-door meeting last night on a hastily-revised version of their original plan to woo conservatives with changes such as taking away healthcare coverage for pregnant women and repealing new taxes sooner. The new version  is still estimated to result in 24 million people losing healthcare, but would reduce the deficit by only $150 billion, not the $337 billion in the original bill, according to a revised Congressional Budget Office report.

Healthcare  amendments added to woo the most conservative members of Congress all weaken existing protections.  According to a Washington Post story those stories include:


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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WHAT’S YOUR RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES? FIND OUT ON "ALERT DAY," THEN GET FREE FOOD AT CHICK-FIL-A IN SANTEE MARCH 28

 

East County News Service

March 22, 2017 (Santee) – To commemorate Tuesday, March 28 as the American Diabetes Association’s “Alert Day,” the nine Chick-fil-A restaurants in San Diego County, including the Chick-fil-A restaurant at 9418 Mission Gorge Road, Santee, will giveaway free food to customers who find out their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

 


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RING TOO TIGHT? HERE ARE SOLUTIONS

 

By Rebecca Jefferis-Williamson

March 23, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Stethoscope?  Check.  Blood pressure monitor? Check.  Ring cutting tool?  Huh?  According to some health professionals ring cutting tools, typically used to cut off wedding rings, can be standard apparatus in emergency rooms and in OB/GYN or maternity departments. 


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HELP SAVE LIVES: JULIAN HIGH SCHOOL HOSTS BLOOD DRIVE APRIL 1

 

East County News Service

March 21, 2017 (Julian) - Julian High School will host a mobile blood drive with the San Diego Blood Bank on Saturday, April 1 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The school is located at 1656 Highway in Julian; the blood drive will be in the parking lot.

About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood. One pint of blood, which is the amount volunteers give when they donate blood, can save up to three lives. Approximately, 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10% do annually. Since blood is always needed, volunteers are asked to give blood for patients, such as those going through cancer or trauma.


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EAST COUNTY CHAMBER PRESENTS FREE HEALTH SCREENINGS, HEALTH FAIR AT GROSSMONT CENTER, SATURDAY, MARCH 25TH

 

 

East County News Service

March 20, 2017 (La Mesa) – The San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce will present “Health Fair Saturday,” one of the largest annual free health fairs in San Diego’s East County region, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, in the promenade area near the movie theaters at the Grossmont Center mall, 5500 Grossmont Center Drive, La Mesa.


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20% CUTS PROPOSED TO NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 20, 2017 (San Diego) – President Donald Trump’s budget proposes to slash 20% of funding to the National Institute of Health.  California received $3.69 billion in NIH grants in the last fiscal year, so such deep cuts could put key research projects at risk.  Medical research leaders nationally and locally warn that the cuts will eliminate many California jobs and threaten research to find new treatments and cures for medical conditions.


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CONSUMERS UNION GIVES PROPOSED HEALTHCARE PLAN AN “F”

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 18, 2017 (Washington D.C.) — Consumers have long relied on information from Consumers Union regarding testing and rating of products from appliances to cars.  Now, Consumers Union has issued a report card for the new healthcare bill proposed by Congressional Republicans, which scored an “F” in every category rated.


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GROSSMONT HEALTHCARE DISTRICT ENCOURAGING 39 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS INTERESTED IN HEALTHCARE CAREERS WITH $88,500 IN SCHOLARSHIPS

 

East County News Service

March 17, 2017 (La Mesa) – The Grossmont Healthcare District (GHD), a public agency that supports various health-related community programs and services in San Diego’s East County region, awarded $88,500 in scholarships to 39 high school students who have expressed interest in a career as a healthcare professional. The scholarships were presented at the GHD board meeting on Friday, March 17.


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SUPERVISORS, BY A ONE-VOTE MARGIN, BAN ALL MARIJUANA SALES PLUS FARMING CANNABIS AND HEMP

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – The majority of voters in San Diego County, including most in unincorporated areas, voted to legalize recreational marijuana.  But instead of heeding voters wishes for more access to pot, San Diego Supervisors voted 3-2 on Tuesday to outlaw all marijuana sales in unincorporated areas, including medical marijuana.   (Licensed dispensaries already open and those approved for construction will have five years to shut down.) Supervisors also voted to outlaw all farming of marijuana and hemp.


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

 

East County News Service

March 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.


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REPUBLICAN HEALTHCARE PLAN WILL COST POOR SENIORS 750% MORE – AND CAUSE 24 MILLION PEOPLE TO LOSE HEALTH INSURANCE, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE REPORTS

 

By Miriam Raftery

Text of bill:  https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1275/text

Congressional Budget analysis:  https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52486

 

March 14, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Older and poorer Americans could be paying over half their income to buy health insurance under the House Republicans’ healthcare plan, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget office (CBO) has calculated.  A 64-year-old earning $26,500 would be expected to pay a whopping $14,600 a year for healthcare – far more than the $1700 a year premiums under Obamacare.

The bill would reduce the federal deficit by $337 billion by 2026, the CBO also found.  But that savings would come largely on the backs of those who can least afford to pay more.


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SPRING VALLEY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY WITH GRAND OPENING OF 33,082 SQUARE-FOOT LIFE CENTER MARCH 31

 

Source:  Mount Miguel Covenant Village

Photo, left:  an artist’s rendering of the entry way at Mount Miguel Covenant Village’s new Life Center.

March 13, 2017 (Spring Valley) – On the heels of a year-long 50th anniversary celebration, Mount Miguel Covenant Village, a faith-based, not-for-profit continuing care retirement community will celebrate the grand opening of its $19.1 million Life Center that will serve as the hub of community life.

On March 31, 2017, at 4 p.m., the public is invited to an Open House, which will include a screening of a brief film about Mount Miguel Covenant Village in the new 24-seat movie theater, followed by hors d’oeuvres and a tour of the Life Center. Reservations are required for the Open House by calling 877-226-7350 or visiting www.mountmiguelcovenantvillage.org.


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DISSECTING THE REPUBLICAN HEALTHCARE BILL: AARP AND AMA WARN MEASURE HURTS PATIENTS AND SENIORS

 

By Miriam Raftery

AARP warns that seniors age 50-64 will pay $8,500 a year more for health insurance premiums each year, on average, under the GOP plan. Read the bill here

March 10, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) –Major organizations representing patients, doctors, nurses and senior citizens have come out against the “American Health Care Act” ( AHCA or “Trumpcare”), Congressional Republicans’ plan for replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA Obamacare) that’s being fast-tracked through Congress. 

The American Medical Association (AMA),  the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and others warn that the plan will weaken benefits and make healthcare much more expensive than many people are paying now, whether you’re on an ACA plan, private health insurance or Medicare/Medicare.   

“As drafted, the AHCA would result in millions of Americans losing coverage and benefits,”  Dr. Andrew Gurman, prseident of the AMA, the nation's largest organization of doctors, said Wednesday. "By replacing income-based premium subsidies with age-based tax credits,  AHCA will also make coverage more expensive—if not out of reach—for poor and sick Americans. For these reasons, the AMA cannot support the AHCA as it is currently written.”


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CONGRESSIONAL BILL WOULD DESTROY CALIFORNIA'S ELDER ABUSE PROTECTIONS, PATIENTS' ADVOCACY GROUP WARNS

 

 

East County News Service

March 9, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Congress is considering a bill that will effectively end California’s 20-plus year civil protection system for victims of elder abuse or neglect perpetrated by health care providers.



“H.R. 1215 is a corporate wish list of anti-justice measures to immunize health care providers from accountability for terrible care by limiting justice for victims of health care malpractice,” warns California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, a nonprofit that advocates for improving care for patients needing long-term care. “The bill is misleadingly named the `Protecting Access to Care Act of 2017.’  A more apt name for H.R. 2115 would be `Obstruction of Justice for the Injured.’”


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HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS


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SUPERVISORS TO WEIGH BANNING ALL MARIJUANA FACILITIES IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS AT MARCH 15 MEETING

 

By Miriam Raftery

March 9, 2017 (San Diego) — On Wednesday, March 15,  San Diego County Supervisors will consider amending zoning regulations to outlaw all marijuana facilities,  medical and recreational.  At a recent meeting, Supervisors instructed staff to draw up language to ban all facilities including shutting down existing lawfully operating dispensaries. However staff is recommending that existing medical marijuana facilities be allowed to stay open.  County staff also recommended that  Supervisors consider possible zoning ordinance amendments to address regulations permitting cannabis farming in agricultural zones, though thus far Supervisors have voiced opposition to requests from farmers seeking to grow cannabis.


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CONTAMINATED DRINKING WATER IN EAST COUNTY

 

 

East County News Service

March 8, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- The state of California has established a new website called the Human Right to Water Portal, in compliance with a 2012 law that makes California the first state in the U.S. to recognize a right to safe, clean, affordable and accessible water for all state residents.  But a review of the new website shows that many East County communities, schools and public water systems are in violation of safe, clean drinking water standards.


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INNOVATIONS ABOUND AT NEW U.C.S.D. JACOBS MEDICAL CENTER

 

By Rebecca Jefferis Williamson

March 7, 2017 (La Jolla) - Apps for walking art tours, iPads for patients, an “awake” brain surgery room, and more. These are just a few of the offerings to patients of the new U.C.S.D. Jacobs Medical Center in La Jolla opened in November.


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SOCIAL SECURITY UNDER ATTACK

 

By nadinabbott on March 6, 2017

Reprinted with permission from https://reportingsandiego.com

March 7, 2017 (San Diego) - The replacement of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was released this afternoon. First off, this is not an alternative to the ACA. It marks up the bill. Second off, it also has a back door weakening of the Social Security Act of 1937.


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