Recent News

How Much Will Insurance Cost For Kids With Asthma Under Trumpcare? Costs May Go Up (Romper)

May 8th, 2017

On Thursday, the American Health Care Act passed the House of Representatives by a 217–213 vote, crossing the 216 threshold needed. Under the latest health care plan, premiums would likely increase rapidly for people with pre-existing conditions. Some of those people are kids. One extremely common chronic illness in children is asthma, and those children would probably be affected by a rise in costs as a result of asthma being included as a pre-existing condition, which are no longer covered under the American Health Care Act as they were under the Affordable Care Act. But how much will insurance cost for kids with asthma under Trumpcare?

Think Progress reported that, under the latest Republican health care bill, enrollees could face premium increases skyrocketing into the tens of thousands of dollars. In particular, the Center for American Progress found that people with asthma would face a premium surcharge of $4,340. And asthma doesn't just go away — it can be managed, and triggers can be identified to control them, but asthma is the leading cause of chronic illness in children, and it's not something that can be cured to eliminate those costs. 

TIME also reported on findings that noted people with asthma could have raised premiums under the AHCA. And since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 6.2 million children currently have asthma, those kids would likely face costs similar to the estimate made by the CAP.

#AHCA how do I explain to my 13 year old daughter that she will have trouble finding insurance because she has asthma.

— Jennifer Catron (@jcatron243) May 4, 2017

U.S. News & World Report reported that, under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, neither women or children could be denied coverage or charged more due to pre-existing conditions — including asthma. But that protection is not exactly the same under the AHCA. Instead, according to Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore city health commissioner, "States could allow insurers to set much higher rates for patients who have a pre-existing condition. That's terrifying, because patients could in essence be priced out of coverage." So through no fault of their own, the parents of kids with asthma could face higher costs to have insurance coverage just because their child has a common illness that they can't control.

Read entire story.

Drug 100 Times More Powerful Than Heroin Responsible for Multiple Deaths in Md. (CBS Local)

May 8th, 2017

A new drug, 100 times more powerful than heroin, is finding its way onto Maryland streets. 

It’s to blame for several deaths in Anne Arundel County in recent weeks.

Fentanyl has been on the radar for quite some time but now carfentanyl is the latest threat killing people in Maryland.

It’s the newest deadly drug that’s popping up in Maryland autopsies.

“It’s very strong, it’s used as an elephant tranquilizer. So it is very potent, very deadly,” said Lt. Ryan Frashure of the Anne Arundel County Police. 

Carfentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than heroin. A minuscule amount even absorbed through the skin could be deadly.

Anne Arundel County police say three people died from carfentanyl overdoses in April alone.

“The only three positive tests we’ve had so far have come from the medical examiner, so that really shows you how deadly this stuff is,” Frashure said.

About 500 people died from drug overdoses last year in Baltimore City but this is a statewide epidemic that’s only getting worse. 

“Overdose deaths have grown in Baltimore City and in Maryland. It is a public health emergency,” said Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore City Health Commissioner.

Read the entire story.

Maryland faces potential budget emergency under federal health overhaul (WBAL 11)

May 8th, 2017

The state of Maryland potentially faces a budget emergency if the American Health Care Act of 2017 stands as is.

The proposal cuts federal funding for Medicaid by $880 billion, or by 25 percent, over 10 years.

According to an analysis by the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, if the bill stands, Maryland will be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars to more than $1 billion just to keep Medicaid benefits at their current level. 

According to the DLS, if the state intends to keep Medicaid benefits at current levels, it will need to pay $145.7 million in fiscal year 2020, $696.6 million in fiscal year 2021 and $1.092 billion in fiscal year 2022.

Baltimore City may be affected disproportionally. Health officials said two-thirds of city children there depend on Medicaid, and half of pregnant women use it. Seniors depend on Medicaid for prescriptions, hearing aids, glasses and nursing home care, and it covers treatment for drug misuse.

"Children's health will suffer. Women's health will suffer. Entire families and older adults will not be able to afford prescription medications, and we are going to see a decline in health overall," Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen said.

Read the entire story.

'Whatever it takes to save my baby': Crowds march in Baltimore for research in premature births (Baltimore Sun)

May 8th, 2017

JersyAnn Richards dressed for work one morning in January expecting to finish a contract with the nonprofit March of Dimes. Then she felt the first pang of childbirth.

The mother from Owings Mills wasn't due for months. It was too soon, she thought, as she rushed to Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

Her co-workers at her real estate firm finished the contract to host the March of Dimes fundraiser beneath the Canton Tower. And four months later, on Sunday morning, nearly 2,000 people gathered in the cold and drizzle to walk through Southeast Baltimore and raise an estimated $625,000 for research into premature births and infant mortality.

Even as the contract was settled that morning, Richards was wheeled into the maternity ward. The 35-year-old property manager faced her own premature delivery. Her baby was 22 weeks old and too young, the doctors said, to survive outside her womb.

Richards shared her experience Sunday, saying she hoped mothers would find comfort and support knowing they're not alone. One in 10 babies in the United States is born too soon, according to the March of Dimes. Crowds of mothers and fathers gathered at the windy Canton waterfront to hope.

"Who is excited to march for babies today?" Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore's health commissioner, called to the crowd.

"For me, it's personal," she said, holding her belly. "As you can see."

Wen's first child is due in August.

Wen said a health department campaign to promote healthy births began in 2009 and now saves 50 babies a year, reducing Baltimore's infant mortality rate about 40 percent.

Read the entire story.

Commissioner's Corner: We need to fight for justice and the ACA

May 5th, 2017

In public health, we have a responsibility to fight against injustice to ensure the health and well-being of all those around us. Unfortunately, all the progress we have made could be undone.

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a bill to repeal the protections in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). This proposal worsens an alreadycritically-flawed piece of legislation that was introduced in March and failed to pass. It will endanger millions of Americans, who will lose coverage for life-saving services. Millions more—including seniors—will no longer be able to pay for healthcare.

Treating overdoses like a health epidemic (Baltimore Sun)

May 5th, 2017

We agree with the authors of the recent commentary observing that real-time information on opioid overdoses is key to stopping this epidemic ("Treat the 'opioid epidemic' like an epidemic, with real-time surveillance," April 29).

In Baltimore, we are making this a reality. As part of our citywide Fentanyl Task Force, the Baltimore City Health Department works with our partners including EMS, emergency departments, and police to obtain daily updates on overdoses. We identify "hotspots" — geographical spikes in overdose — and together with our partners at Behavioral Health System Baltimore, we send out alerts and deploy outreach teams in real time to educate residents on how to save lives using the opioid antidote, naloxone.

Read the entire op-ed.

Baltimore Practices For Widespread Medical Emergency In Drill (WJZ)

May 5th, 2017

A widespread medical emergency, like a killer flu pandemic or a bio-weapon attack, will need a quick, widespread response.

Alex DeMetrick reports how Baltimore is trying to prepare.

“We’re doing a training today on what happens if Anthrax is in our city and we have to get the antibiotic to every single resident,” says Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore’s Health Commissioner.

Watch the entire story.

Dr. Leana Wen: How the Republic House Bill to Replace the ACA Will Harm Millions of Americans (Opinion-- Center Maryland)

May 5th, 2017

Yesterday, the House passed legislation to replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).

This current bill worsens an already critically-flawed piece of legislation that was introduced in March and failed to pass. The bill will endanger millions of Americans, who will lose coverage for life-saving services. Millions more—including seniors—will no longer be able to pay for healthcare.

The bill contains three key provisions that would result in dramatic consequences to health, in Maryland and across the country.

Read entire op-ed.

City adjusts emergency response to overdose deaths (WBAL)

May 5th, 2017

When authorities receive an emergency drug-related call, one might expect to see medics and not necessarily police officers, but that is changing in Baltimore City.

Treating overdose investigations as crime scenes is the new tactic that the Baltimore Police Department is using in an effort to help stem the staggering number of overdose deaths in the city.

The point is to cut off the drug supply and distribution. As part of the plan, patrol officers will be the first point of contact to gather information at the scene of an overdose from witnesses or family members who, ideally, would trace back to a dealer.

"We're trying to identify and track individuals that are supplying on the streets of Baltimore, and then build criminal cases against them regarding overdoses, particularly overdose death investigations," Baltimore police Deputy Commissioner Dean Palmere said.

The patrol officers will report to a task force consisting of a sergeant and four detectives working out of the homicide unit. The officers are working in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

"My only concern is that we have a high number of homicides in the city, and I would rather them be focused solely on the homicides, but we have to look at things in unique ways and also be able to trace back because people are being killed by this stuff," Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott said.

According to the Baltimore City Health Department, there were more than 600 people who died from an overdose in Baltimore City last year, which is almost double the number of homicides.

Read the entire story. 

Lead In Our Water: The National Picture (On Point – NPR)

May 5th, 2017

It’s not just Flint. More cities have dangerous lead levels in their drinking water. We’ll look at where and what’s going on.

The lead contamination in Flint, Michigan caused an uproar across the country. But there are more than 3,000 cases around the U.S. where lead levels are even double that of Flint. From New York to Alabama. Pennsylvania to California. Lead levels are at treacherous highs and making our children sick. This hour On Point, America’s  on-going lead crisis.

Guests

Michael Pell, data reporter for Reuters.

Kris Maher, reporter for The Wall Street Journal. (@Kris_Maher)

Dr. Leana Wen, Baltimore Health Commissioner. Emergency room physician. (@DrLeanaWen)

Nayyirah Shariff, director of Flint Rising, a coalition working to advocate for families impacted by the Flint Water Crisis. (@nayyirahshariff)

Listen to the entire show. 

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