Tuesday, June 4, 2024 – KFF Health News

AP: Louisiana lawmakers approve surgical castration option for those convicted of sex crimes against children

Louisiana judges can order surgical castration for people convicted of sex crimes against young children under legislation approved Monday, and the state will apparently be the first to impose such a punishment if Republican Governor Jeff Landry signs it into law. The GOP-controlled Legislature passed the bill giving judges the option to sentence a person to surgical castration after he is convicted of certain serious sex crimes, including rape, incest and molestation against a child under 13. (Kline, 6/3)

In Medicaid News —

The Hill: HHS: 10 state-certified community behavioral health clinics joining Medicaid demonstration program

More states will receive Medicaid funding for all-in-one mental health and substance use clinics that provide 24-hour crisis services. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Tuesday that a new model of clinic called certified community behavioral health clinics in 10 states will now be eligible to receive Medicaid reimbursement under the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration Program. (O’Connell-Domenech, 6/4)

KFF Health News: ‘An arm and a leg’ from KFF Health News: Medicaid recipients struggle to stay enrolled

In this episode of “An Arm and a Leg,” the show takes its first look at Medicaid. The program has left more than 22 million people out of the loop since spring 2023, when Covid-era protections expired. (Weissman, 6/4)

More health news from across the US —

CBS News: First mosquito-borne virus of 2024 spotted in Michigan

Michigan health officials are urging residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites after mosquitoes collected in Saginaw County tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV). The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says the mosquitoes were collected on May 22. They are the first infected mosquitoes found in Michigan in 2024. (Buzek, 6/3)

Wall Street Journal: New York is moving to restrict social-media algorithms for teens

New York plans to prevent social-media companies from using algorithms to send content to children without parental consent under a tentative agreement reached between state lawmakers, people familiar with the matter said. The legislation aims to prevent social-media companies from delivering automated feeds to minors. Critics say the feeds steer children to violent and sexually explicit content. The bill, which is still being finalized but is expected to be voted on this week, would also ban platforms from sending notifications to minors at night without parental consent. (Weilkind, 6/3)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Baldwin, Moore introduce MAMA Act to help new mothers deal with mental health

When the Wisconsin Maternal Mortality Review Team investigates the state’s pregnancy-related deaths, the cause is, often, behavioral health conditions. In such cases, every death is preventable. … That’s why, along with other federal Democratic lawmakers, he has introduced a federal bill called the Making Mental Health and Access More Affordable (MAMA) Act. This potential legislation aims to expand access to services for mental health and substance use disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. (Eilbert and Lammert, 6/4)

KFF Health News: At the urging of LGBTQ+ activists, California cities consider imposing stricter smoking rules

California has long been at the forefront of the fight against smoking, but some local officials in the San Francisco Bay Area, backed by activists particularly concerned about high smoking rates in the LGBTQ+ community, are leading proposals to put more restrictions on how tobacco is sold and where it is smoked. In the city of Vallejo, on the northeastern edge of San Pablo Bay, council member Peter Bregenzer is leading an effort to crack down on smoke shops, which he says make it too easy for kids to smoke and vape. (Stephens, 6/4)

Too –

The Washington Post: The nursing home declared her dead. Two hours later, she was found breathing

Two hours after a 74-year-old Nebraska woman was pronounced dead at her nursing home, funeral home staff made a surprising discovery — she was still breathing. After authorities were notified, Constance Glantz was given CPR and rushed to a hospital, where she is alive, Lancaster County Chief Deputy Ben Houchin told reporters at a news briefing Monday. “This is a very unusual case,” he said. “This has been going on for 31 years, and it has never gotten to this point before.” (Christ, 6/4)

Kansas City Star: KC area mother lost arms and legs, but not soul, at son’s birth

The joy of her third son’s birth turned into fear, tragedy and now — after Bree Morgan Bauer’s legs and arms were partially destroyed by toxic shock — into hope and inspiration for the Kansas City area mom’s hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. A GoFundMe page with a $100,000 goal to help with medical and other bills had already surpassed $350,000 as of Monday. The mom and baby son have more than 360,000 Instagram followers worldwide. (Adler, 6/3)

North Carolina health news: At age 8, Miles Campbell saved four lives

Miles Campbell died last week, shortly after the deaths of his parents, Susie and Tyler Campbell, who were killed in a Memorial Day car accident in which Miles was also fatally injured. Since he was so generous in life, and his parents were listed as organ donors, members of Miles’ extended family agreed to donate his organs. His eventual donation helped save four lives, according to Dena Dow with HonorBridge, North Carolina’s largest federally designated organ procurement organization. (Fernandez, 6/4)