FARMFEST: From UCare via Facebook, VERBATIM: “The UCare bike rode all the way to Morgan MN for a photo opp with farming families at this year’s #MNFarmFest.” PHOTO: http://bit.ly/33jpApx (SPONSORED: UCare)
GREATERMN: From FarmFest, the Fluence Forum includes Gov. Tim Walz, and commissioners from multiple state agencies discussing the intersection between agriculture and issues related to Greater Minnesota. The discussion was broadcast on WCCO Radio. This Fluence Forum is sponsored by Minnesota’s Corn Growers. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/2ToAKVH
HEPATITISA: Via Minnesota Department of Health, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has declared an outbreak of hepatitis A in multiple counties among people who use street drugs (injection or non-injection), are experiencing homelessness or unstable housing, or have been recently incarcerated. The outbreak includes 23 cases in nine counties: Pine (5), Hennepin (3), Kanabec (3), Mille Lacs (3), St. Louis (3), Washington (3), Chisago (1), Dakota (1) and Kandiyohi (1). Thirteen cases have been hospitalized and all have been discharged. While initial cases were clustered in east-central Minnesota and had links to each other, more recent cases occurred in counties in other parts of the state. The infection source is not known for some cases, suggesting some community transmission among those in high-risk groups.” READ: http://bit.ly/2TlPx3d
MORE: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. The virus is one of several types of hepatitis viruses that cause inflammation and affect your liver's ability to function. You're most likely to get hepatitis A from contaminated food or water or from close contact with a person or object that's infected.” READ: https://mayocl.in/2TlURUf
SIGNUP: Now signing up for Fluence tip sheets is easy and can be found at one site, www.fluence-newsletters.com - VISIT: http://bit.ly/2019FluenceTipSheets
HANDSFREE: The hands-free cell phone driving law is now in effect. “Lives will be saved, families kept whole and preventable tragedies will not happen,” said Mike Hanson, Office of Traffic Safety director. The "one touch" cell phone law has no grace period, and fines can be more than $120 for a first offense and more than $300 after that (includes fine and courts costs). Visit HandsFreeMN.org for more info DEEPER: http://strib.mn/33eCR2B (SPONSORED: Minnesota Department of Public Safety)
GUNVIOLENCE: From Nsikan Akpan via PBS News Hour, VERBATIM: “The idea that a psychological profile can predict shootings — a suggestion made by President Donald Trump in the wake of two shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio — is simply not true. But it’s easy to see why both the public and U.S. politicians overplay the link between mental health and gun violence. In 2017 and 2018, Americans lived through more than 50 mass attacks in public places, defined by the U.S. Secret Service as incidents in which at least three people were harmed. When the agency examined the circumstances behind the incidents, it found almost the same thing for both years: about two-thirds of the perpetrators had mental health symptoms prior to their attacks. But here is another fact. Approximately 96 percent of violent crimes — including shootings — would likely still occur even if every suspect with a mental health condition was stopped before they carried out an attack. Both findings can be true because while perpetrators of gun violence — including mass shooters — do show signs of psychiatric distress, the overwhelming majority of mental health patients will never commit a violent act in their lifetimes.” READ: https://to.pbs.org/2TldE2a
STUDY: Via American Academy of Pediatrics, VERBATIM: “We sought to determine if stricter firearm legislation at the state level is associated with lower pediatric firearm-related mortality . . . A total of 21 241 children died of firearm-related injuries during the 5-year period. States with stricter gun laws had lower rates of firearm-related pediatric mortality (adjusted incident rate ratio 0.96 [0.93–0.99]). States with laws requiring universal background checks for firearm purchase in effect for ≥5 years had lower pediatric firearm-related mortality rates (adjusted incident rate ratio 0.65 [0.46–0.90]). CONCLUSIONS: In this 5-year analysis, states with stricter gun laws and laws requiring universal background checks for firearm purchase had lower firearm-related pediatric mortality rates. These findings support the need for further investigation to understand the impact of firearm legislation on pediatric mortality.” READ: http://bit.ly/33kttdY
TRAUMA: From AJ Willingham via CNN, VERBATIM: “Pick a tragedy, any that occurred in the last few months. Chances are there are images you can't unsee, or a video you watched even once -- and later regretted when you found the memory pulling you away from happier thoughts. This is a type of trauma, and though experts disagree on its severity (it may never be on par with the experiences of those at the scene), it can be damaging nonetheless. Dr. Pam Ramsden, a lecturer in psychology at the University of Bradford in the UK, has studied the psychological effects of consuming negative news from social media. She says this vicarious trauma affects a portion of the viewing public and though it is not a specific diagnosis, she has seen patterns similar to those that plague first responders -- nurses, doctors, emergency medical technicians and the like.” READ: https://cnn.it/2TldN5I
CANCERTHERAPY: From Deena Beasley via Reuters, VERBATIM: “The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday said it has finalized a decision to cover expensive cancer cell therapies sold by Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) and Novartis AG (NOVN.S). CMS, which runs Medicare - the federal government’s health plan for Americans 65 and older - said it will cover the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies when provided in healthcare facilities that have programs in place to track patient outcomes. The nationwide decision clears up ‘a lot of confusion’ about coverage and will help patients get access to the novel therapies, known as CAR-T, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said during a conference call with reporters on Wednesday.” READ: https://reut.rs/2TeFEEs
DATA: From Carlo Martuscelli via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Novartis AG Chief Executive Vasant Narasimhan said Wednesday that the company already knew that scientists had manipulated data during the development of Zolgensma, the world’s most expensive drug, before the treatment was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On a call that followed the regulator’s statement on Tuesday that study information had been distorted, the head of the Swiss pharmaceutical company disclosed that an internal investigation had unearthed the problem in early May this year. The FDA said Tuesday that the gene-therapy product still should stay on the market and that the problem is confined to one assay used to measure the product’s strength in animals. The FDA gave a green-light to Zolgensma, a gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy with a $2.1 million price tag, on May 24, but according to Novartis it only informed the regulator about the problem in late June.” READ: https://on.wsj.com/2TgagFy
If you like podcasts, listen to Beers with Blois...http://bit.ly/BWBLISTEN
CARTER: At the Allianz Field Beer Hall, Mayor Melvin Carter shares his priorities for St. Paul neighborhoods and residents. From major redevelopment opportunities on the riverfront, the Ford Plant and in Midway to what he’s learned during ride-alongs with police in the city. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/2Ytdprr
DULUTH: In episode #10 of Beers with Blois, from Hoops Brewing in Canal Park, Duluth Mayor Emily Larson discusses how Duluth residents voted for higher taxes for infrastructure with over 70 percent of the vote, what the city is doing to address making housing more accessible, and why she’s taking the lead on pushing the EPA to study hydrogen fluoride after a refinery explosion in Superior, WI. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/BeerswBlois10 (Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
BENSON: In episode #9 of Beers with Blois, from Invectis Brewery in Blaine, Beers with Blois catches up with State Sen. Michelle Benson on potential ways to split-up DHS and forthcoming prescription drug reform legislation. She shares the perspective on how physicians in the Senate influence legislation and what her plan is for re-election in 2020. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/BeerswBlois9
(Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
6,000+: Over 6,000 people have downloaded the Fluence Forum, an hour-long deep dive a critical issue of our community. The topic of the first one was the Enbridge Line 3 Replacement. Joined by labor, business and Native community leaders we discussed the impact the $2.6 billion project will have on Minnesota. You can listen to the forum here. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/2PIjBUR
NEXT: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
2020ELECTION: From Jessie Hellmann via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Democratic Senate candidates have been planning to borrow heavily from the playbook used by House Democrats in 2018, when the party won back the chamber in large part because of a pledge to protect ObamaCare against Republican attempts to kill the 2010 law . . . But worries are rising that the bitter dispute among White House hopefuls over the direction of health care will weigh on Democrats and give a boost to GOP incumbents. Progressive presidential candidates like Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) are backing an ambitious ‘Medicare for All’ plan, while some centrists say the proposal is akin to repealing ObamaCare. In doing so, strategists warn that moderates are using language that is essentially playing into the hands of President Trump and other Republicans.” READ: http://bit.ly/33q4mGP
RURAL: From Susannah Luthi via Modern Healthcare, VERBATIM: “Opponents of the public option have funded an analysis that warns more rural hospitals may close if Americans leave commercial plans for Medicare. With the focus on rural hospitals, the Partnership for America's Health Care Future brings a sensitive issue for politicians into its fight against a Medicare buy-in. The policy has gone mainstream among Democratic presidential candidates and many Democratic lawmakers. Rural hospitals could lose between 2.3% and 14% of their revenue if the U.S. opens up Medicare to people under 65, the consulting firm Navigant projected in its estimate. The analysis assumed just 22% of the remaining 30 million uninsured Americans would choose a Medicare plan. The study based its projections of financial losses primarily on people leaving the commercial market where payment rates are significantly higher than Medicare.” READ: http://bit.ly/33mgF6Q
LONELINESS: From Rhitu Chatterjee via National Public Radio, VERBATIM: “Priscilla Bogema lives in a rural town called McGregor, Minn., in a part of the state that has more trees and lakes than people . . . Now, Bogema is in her 60s, frail and mostly confined to her house. Her arthritis and other health problems have limited her mobility. She struggles with the upkeep of her home and yard . . . The solitude she once sought is no longer as comforting . . . According to a recent poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Bogema is one of about 2.5 million rural residents (about 7% of the total rural population) who say they have no friends or family nearby to rely on . . . Social isolation is increasingly recognized as a public health issue. Studies show that isolation and loneliness puts people at a higher risk of long term physical and mental health problems, including premature mortality . . . A group in northeastern Minnesota is tackling this problem in a novel way: They're trying to reconnect a fragmented social fabric by bringing together generations to support each other — kids and the elderly.” LISTEN/PHOTOS: https://n.pr/2TgXeb5
HIVPREVENTION: From Deena Beasley via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD.O) hopes to soon introduce a pricey new pill to prevent HIV in people at risk of contracting the infection, but the drugmaker faces opposition from an unusual source: patient advocates. Such groups have traditionally lobbied for insurance coverage of newer HIV drugs regardless of expense. But at least three U.S. organizations now question whether Gilead’s Descovy would be the best option for most people at risk of exposure . . . Their resistance is being echoed by some insurers, which are hinting that price will be a barrier to providing coverage for Descovy.” READ: https://reut.rs/2TgbZL2
VACCINE: From Michelle Andrews via Kaiser Health News, VERBATIM: “Vaccination decisions are usually pretty straightforward. People either meet the criteria for the vaccine based on their age or other factors or they don’t. But when a federal panel recently recommended an update to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine guidelines, it left a lot of uncertainty. The panel recommended that men and women between ages 27 and 45 decide — in discussion with their health care providers — whether the HPV vaccine makes sense for them. But some public health advocates criticize that advice because it doesn’t provide doctors and patients clear guidance about who in this expansive age group are good candidates. They worry that many people may get immunized who won’t benefit, adding needless cost to the health care system and possibly shortchanging people overseas, where the vaccine is in short supply.” READ: http://bit.ly/2TgD1lo
BACKTOSCHOOL: From Deborah Balzer via Mayo Clinic News Network, VERBATIM: “As families around the country get ready to send their children off to school — and some for the first time — it's important to ensure their vaccinations are up to date. Dr. Robert Jacobson, a Mayo Clinic pediatrician, explains why the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is so important to the health of children and those around them.” WATCH: https://mayocl.in/33m9NWY
FREE: Via City of Minneapolis, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis is encouraging people to get their children caught up on immunizations before school starts, and to help it’s offering free immunizations on eight dates in August and September. No need for appointments or insurance.” DATES: http://bit.ly/33kqn9L
ECIGS: From Arman Azad via CNN, VERBATIM: “The US Food and Drug Administration has received 127 reports of seizures or other neurological symptoms possibly related to e-cigarettes, the agency announced Wednesday. Investigators have yet to determine, however, whether vaping was directly linked to the cases . . . The FDA said the reported cases occurred between 2010 and 2019, and in addition to seizures, some people reported fainting or tremors.” READ: https://cnn.it/33lHacq
JUUL: From Alex Gangitano via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Juul Labs is spending big on campaign donations and a massive lobbying blitz as the e-cigarette maker faces growing threats from lawmakers and regulators, and with few allies in Washington. The company spent $1.95 million on lobbying in the first two quarters of 2019, surpassing its 2018 total of $1.64 million. And Juul's PAC has given nearly $100,000 to lawmakers this year, a pace that will blow past the $225,000 the company spent in the entire 2018 cycle. Those moves have rattled Juul's critics, who fear the efforts could slow momentum to combat teen vaping, and question if the company is serious about addressing the problem.” READ: http://bit.ly/33iLrNU
ALCOHOL: From Susan Perry via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “More than one in 10 American adults aged 65 or older are binge drinkers, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. For the study, researchers analyzed data collected from almost 11,000 individuals in that age group who had participated in the U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health during the years 2015 through 2017. In addition to demographic and health-related questions, the survey asked the respondents about their use of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis. Among those older respondents, 10.6 percent reported binge drinking within the previous month.” READ: http://bit.ly/2Tfnket
MEMORIAL: From Samanta Kistnan via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “To honor the strength and courage of survivors of sexual violence, Boom Island Park will be home to the Survivor’s Memorial. The permanent memorial is the first of its kind in the nation. The Memorial contains a collection of mosaics that represent the trauma and the aftermath of being assaulted, from a survivor’s point-of-view.” READ/RENDERINGS: http://bit.ly/2TicoMV
ART: Little Falls’ Marjory Zapzalka is among the kids whose artwork will be featured in the American Kidney Foundation’s 2020 calendar. READ: http://bit.ly/2TgRqyj
CHEERS: Rep. Tom Emmer sits down with host Blois Olson and talks about his hobby of brewing beer and his beer tracking app, Rep. Ilhan Omar’s relationship with the Minnesota delegation and on Congress failure of doing its job since the 1990’s because of a lack of leadership. He also had a few things to say about hockey parents and what people are think about Trump in his district.” LISTEN: http://bit.ly/2WT4euR (Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
iTunes: Beers with Blois is now on iTunes, SUBSCRIBE: https://apple.co/2Mi3q2o
WHITEHOUSE: via Beers with Blois, Rep. Dean Phillips VERBATIM: “That hour I spent in the White House Situation Room with the President was eye opening." In addition, Phillips shares insights on how they share thoughts this weekend in the Problem Solvers Caucus trip to the border, as well as his plans for 2020.” LISTEN: http://bit.ly/BeerswBlois8 (Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
NEU: The Lindstrom Bakery and Deputy House Minority Leader Anne Neu joins Blois to discuss Gov. Tim Walz role in the budget negotiations, Trump’s influence in the 2020 elections and how Minnesota DFLers are starting to look like DC Democrats on “radical” proposals. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/BeerswBlois5 (Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
FREY: Using some blue language Mayor Jacob Frey introduces Blois to actual beer at La Doña, a cervezaria near where the Minnesota United Soccer stadium was going to be. Frey on his relationship with Chief Medaria Arradondo and how often they talk on the phone. LISTEN: http://bit.ly/BeerswBlois4 (Sponsored by Minnesota Corn Growers and the North Central States Carpenters Union)
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GUNRALLY: via KARE 11, VERBATIM: “Attending an anti-gun violence rally on the capitol steps, Gov. Tim Walz said Wednesday he may call a special session to debate comprehensive gun legislation – but only if Senate Republicans will agree in advance to at least hold hearings and take a vote…With hundreds of protesters demanding action in the wake of multiple mass shootings this past weekend, Walz again renewed his calls for universal background checks and a so-called “Red Flag” law that would keep guns out of the hands of people deemed a risk. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia have passed similar laws, and an increasing number of Republicans – including President Trump – have signaled some support for them.” READ/WATCH: https://kare11.tv/2M6lZWz
DHS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Two Minnesota tribes are pushing back on what the Department of Human Services calls overpayments of more than $25 million over the last five years for chemical dependency treatments covered by Medicaid…Emails shared with MPR News show the Human Services Department advised tribes as recently as February of this year to bill at the rate DHS now says was unauthorized…On Wednesday, Faron Jackson, chairman of Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, sent the state agency a letter asking officials to withdraw their claim of overpayment. JACKSON: “After years of the same billing practices in accordance with our billing agreements, in accordance with guidance from DHS, it’s disconcerting that as they change their interpretation, they want the band to be on the hook going so far back,” Jackson said in a press release. “We simply will not pay because we are not at fault.” READ: http://bit.ly/2YV5Wg1
DHS: via Theo Keith at Fox 9, VERBATIM: “The former medical director at Minnesota’s Department of Human Services says he’s disappointed that agency officials have dismissed his concerns about the silencing of doctors and the need for stronger oversight...Dr. Jeff Schiff, who was fired in June, said in an interview that DHS needed an independent oversight board because lawmakers and the governor’s office were incapable of overseeing Minnesota’s largest agency and its $18 billion budget…Pam Wheelock, the interim DHS commissioner, was dismissive of Schiff’s concerns and said the agency already has significant clinical expertise and multiple advisory boards. WHEELOCK: “Some have suggested that an independent entity oversee DHS. That is of questionable value for the taxpayer resources it would require,” Wheelock said in an emailed statement, which was almost identical to a previous comment provided last week…However, Gov. Tim Walz struck a more accommodating tone than Wheelock when asked about Schiff’s request for more medical input and stronger oversight. WALZ: “He’s not wrong. I agree,” Walz told FOX 9. “My charge to my agencies is, surface all of these things. Every large organization has these challenges. The problem we have many times in government is, we fail slowly.” READ/WATCH: http://bit.ly/2ZDQK8t
INSULIN: via WCCO, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota-based health care company is promising financial relief to patients who rely on insulin. The price of insulin, a life-saving drug for diabetics, tripled between 2002 and 2013. Since 2008, three top manufacturers raised the list price of insulin at least 10 times. Tuesday, Medica announced it’s capping the cost for patients. Starting Jan. 1, its members will pay no more than $25 for a 30-day supply of insulin. More than 30 million Americans need the life-saving drug.” READ: https://cbsloc.al/2yFxU4S
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