FREE: From UCare via Facebook, VERBATIM: “Join us every Thursday this month for a free community health clinic at the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center in St. Paul from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be free health coaching, dental screening, and community resources.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4iqzlrz (SPONSORED: UCare)
All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
MEDICAID: Via Healthcare Dive, VERBATIM: “Potential cuts to Medicaid under consideration by congressional Republicans are broadly unpopular, including with people who voted for President Donald Trump, according to a recent survey by a GOP pollster. More than 50% of surveyed Trump voters oppose cutting Medicaid to pay for tax cuts, and two-thirds of surveyed swing voters said they’re against slashing the safety-net program, according to the survey conducted by the firm of Tony Fabrizio, who ran polls for Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4crVP9S
POLITICS: Via Morning Consult, VERBATIM: “Based on a survey of 2,201 U.S. adults, this report illuminates the different information systems and gaps in institutional trust that lead to disagreements about health policy. Both parties agree on the basics. Eat your vegetables, get some exercise and sleep well: There’s little disagreement that these are the foundations for individual health for most people. Controversial issues court disagreement. Fluoride in drinking water, vaccines and milk pasteurization see strong divided opinions by party.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/44ignQg
TARIFFS: From Black Book via Newswire, VERBATIM: “A new national survey conducted by Black Book Research reveals a worsening outlook for U.S. healthcare providers, payers, and patients as double-digit tariffs issued by President Donald Trump slam the healthcare supply chain.” QUOTE: "The second wave of tariffs is no longer a theoretical threat-it's a full-blown disruption with immediate consequences," said Doug Brown, Founder of Black Book Research. "Healthcare organizations are shifting budgets, freezing projects, and forming crisis response teams to manage this economic shock." READ: https://fluence-media.co/42mu6mw
MEDS: From Lumicera via Business Wire, VERBATIM: “New research from Lumicera Health Services, the specialty pharmacy subsidiary of Navitus Health Solutions, reveals a dual challenge in healthcare today: many Americans are feeling the strain of prescription costs, yet most aren't taking full advantage of the pharmacists they trust. A survey of 2,000 Americans aged 18+ found that 75% have been surprised by the cost of a medication – but few are initiating conversations that could lead to solutions. 74% of respondents have never discussed financial challenges with their doctor or pharmacist.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Rfu62F
PSYCHIATRY: Via Psychiatric Times, VERBATIM: “Last month, leading psychiatric organizations addressed Executive Order 14212 in a large joint statement, which called for an assessment of the risks associated with psychotropic medications, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and stimulants. The statement pushed back against concerns that could lead to misinformation and reduced access to evidence-based treatments . . . Following this statement, we asked you if psychiatry is doing enough to address federal doubt of the field.” POLL RESULTS: https://fluence-media.co/4j4W39u
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
AI: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Allina Health is using artificial intelligence to improve decision-making in cancer cases, doublechecking doctors’ reads of lung scans and guiding them on murky treatment decisions for prostate cancer. The Minneapolis-based health care system reported success over the past year through a contract with Ferrum Health, which helped it select and validate an AI tool that discovered abnormal growths, or nodules, in five patients that had been missed when doctors reviewed their lung scans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/429bgk7
FAIRVIEW: Via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Fairview Health Services is reporting an operating profit for 2024 that shows a major financial turnaround, including increased hospital admissions and surgery volumes as well as strong performance in its pharmacy business. Minneapolis-based Fairview has had a string of annual operating losses dating back to 2019. The red ink has been the financial backstory to the health system’s ill-fated merger attempt with South Dakota-based Sanford Health and long-running negotiations for a new affiliation agreement with the University of Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43KdKqh
MAYO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic has opened a patient information office in Monterrey to assist patients and their families, referring physicians, insurance companies and brokers and others interested in connecting with Mayo. The office is Mayo Clinic's second in Mexico, joining a patient information office in Mexico City that opened in 1998.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iYT5Dz
MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)
RFK JR: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “In his first network TV interview since becoming Health and Human Services secretary under the Trump administration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke with CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook about the measles vaccine, major government cuts and health care costs. LaPook met with Kennedy in Mesa, Arizona, where he visited a native health center as part of a three-state tour to promote the Trump administration's ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda, which includes overhauling standards for food processing.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4iZlGZm
CUTS: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “Amid the hard-to-follow cutbacks at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a little-known but important office was eliminated — and the implications will be felt not only by drugmakers, but consumers. The Division of Policy Development in the Office of Generic Drug Policy, which was created more than a decade ago, was responsible for a host of activities that were central to ensuring generic drugs were approved properly for the American market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4cwUfUq
MINNEAPOLIS: Via KMSP-TV, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis health officials held a news conference on Wednesday to discuss the cuts that are impacting its vaccine clinics. In a news release Wednesday morning, officials say the cuts have halted the clinics.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4j2S2lU
MYTHS: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “As measles cases rise across the United States, misinformation about the life-threatening infection can put people at risk. Nationwide, cases have surpassed 600, with infections confirmed in 21 states. The majority of cases have been reported in Texas, where more than 500 people have been infected and two children have died. Here's what to know about some of the common measles myths.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Rcl9Hh
MEDICAID: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “Some Americans who rely on Medicaid to pay for their health care don’t realize their insurance is funded by that very program, which congressional Republicans are looking to shrink. One reason is that state programs aren’t always called ‘Medicaid.’ Many states have rebranded their programs with consumer-friendly names such as SoonerCare in Oklahoma, Apple Health in Washington, Medi-Cal in California or TennCare in Tennessee. And nearly all states now use private insurance companies such as UnitedHealth or Blue Cross Blue Shield to run their Medicaid programs. That means Medicaid enrollees may hold an insurance card and paperwork with the name of a commercial insurance company.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jfMHI0
JUNE: From MDH via X, VERBATIM: “Register today to attend the 25th Minnesota Rural Health Conference on June 9-10 in Duluth! Conference sponsorships and exhibitor opportunities are also available, along with a limited number of scholarships.” TWEET: https://fluence-media.co/3XStuDP MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4j1inkl
IMMIGRATION: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Aggressive deportation tactics have terrorized farmworkers at the center of the nation’s bird flu strategy, public health workers say. Dairy and poultry workers have accounted for most cases of the bird flu in the U.S. — and preventing and detecting cases among them is key to averting a pandemic. But public health specialists say they’re struggling to reach farmworkers because many are terrified to talk with strangers or to leave home.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42rP3MS
IDAHO: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Idaho will enforce a first-in-the-nation ban on vaccine mandates in businesses and schools this summer after legislators on the last day of their session passed a revised ‘medical freedom’ bill. Why it matters: The ban reflects a growing distrust of immunizations among Americans that helped install vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the nation's top health official. More than a dozen states have introduced bills to ban medical intervention requirements or restrict the use of certain vaccine types, sometimes singling out mRNA shots, according to Bloomberg Law.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/425OVDY
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TARIFFS: Via ABC News, VERBATIM: “At a political fundraising dinner on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump said he plans to announce tariffs on pharmaceuticals soon. ‘We're going to tariff our pharmaceuticals, and once we do that, they come rushing back into our country, because we're the big market,’ Trump said at the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington, D.C. ‘And when they hear that, they will leave China, they will leave other places, because ... most of their product is sold here, and they're going to be opening up their plants all over the place in our country -- we're going to be announcing that,’ he continued. Although Trump recently implemented a 90-day pause on some tariffs, he said Wednesday he's still serious about putting tariffs on pharmaceuticals to boost U.S. drug manufacturing.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3R8Dc18
SUPPLY CHAINS: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “With President Trump’s latest tariffs underway, a group of House Democrats are calling on the administration to try to protect medical supply chains from the ‘devastating consequences’ the mounting trade war could inflict on patients. Led by Democratic Reps. Doris Matsui (Calif.) and Brad Schneider (Ill.), 26 House Democrats signed a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick warning that ‘reckless tariffs’ are a threat to already fragile medical supply chains.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4crXPPJ
ESSENTIA HEALTH INVESTS IN TWIN PORTS NURSES: Total payroll for Essentia Health Duluth-Superior nurses is $164 million, with $53 million paid in salary increases over the past 3 years. Essentia Health has also increased clinical support staff by 10% over the past 3 years, providing additional support for those nurses. Over half of Duluth area nurses have been with us for over 5 years and enjoy exceptional work-life balance. To join our team at Essentia Health, search for openings HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3FzLe0i (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
MATERNAL HEALTH: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “A new U.S. government paper documenting an increase in maternal mortality from 2018 to 2022 does not hedge in its conclusion, calling the issue ‘an urgent public health priority.’ That it was published amid massive job and funding cuts at federal health agencies charged with reducing these deaths has not escaped notice. A week ago, much of the department tasked with monitoring and improving maternal and child health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was placed on leave, while some researchers who study maternal mortality have had their funding rescinded.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42zufTY
EGG: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Regular exposure to X-rays can pose significant health risks, including cancer. Lead aprons have long been used as protection, but they’re heavy, not foolproof, and carry occupational risks of their own. [Arden Hills-based Egg Medical’s Dr. Robert Wilson believes] he’s found a better way through a product he’s called the EggNest, a carbon-fiber protective shield that surrounds a patient during an X-ray-guided procedure. His studies show that it reduces ‘scatter’ X-ray exposure by upwards of 90%. As Wilson sees it, there’s a big ‘unrecognized market’ for Egg Medical’s products.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GheWHJ
ALCOHOL: From Minneapolis-based American Academy of Neurology via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Heavy drinkers who have eight or more alcoholic drinks per week have an increased risk of brain lesions called hyaline arteriolosclerosis, signs of brain injury that are associated with memory and thinking problems, according to a study published on April 9, 2025, online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that heavy drinking causes brain injury; it only shows an association.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3RfycYB
ACA: Via KFF Health News, VERBATIM: “Because of past fraud by rogue brokers, some Affordable Care Act policyholders may get an unexpected tax bill this season. But that isn’t the only potential shock. Other changes coming soon — stemming from proposals by the administration of President Donald Trump — could affect their coverage and its cost. And sorting out related problems and challenges may take longer as federal workers are laid off and funding for assistance programs is cut.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3GiyJXe
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
PR: Via The Minneapolis Egotist, VERBATIM: “True Rx Health Strategists, Ergotron, and Apothecary Products have chosen Minneapolis-based agency Maccabee as their public relations agency.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3E3GH6b
HEART: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in women in the U.S. African American women have an even higher risk of dying from heart disease ― and at a younger age ― than white women, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Each year, more African American women die from heart disease than breast cancer, lung cancer and strokes — combined.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YpddX8
CYCLING: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “North Memorial offered a bike helmet fitting event at its Maple Grove Hospital on Wednesday. Parents and their children could pick up helmets at a reduced cost just in time for warmer weather. Almost half of the sports head injuries in young children come from biking, skateboarding or skating incidents, according to Stanford Medicine.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jqNm9g
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HOCKEY GM: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “A general manager of a professional sports team is a job that inherently comes with a high amount of stress, difficulty and demand — making important decisions that affect the future of a franchise. But recently at Mayo Clinic, Chicago Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson made a crucial choice about his personal health that affects his own future — undergo another open-heart surgery or have a less invasive procedure to repair his heart.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/428eg01
BRAIN: From Allen Institute via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “From a tiny sample of tissue no larger than a grain of sand, scientists have come within reach of a goal once thought unattainable: building a complete functional wiring diagram of a portion of the brain. In 1979, famed molecular biologist, Francis Crick, stated that it would be ‘[impossible] to create an exact wiring diagram for a cubic millimeter of brain tissue and the way all its neurons are firing.’ But during the last seven years, a global team of more than 150 neuroscientists and researchers has brought that closer to reality.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43NJ9YU
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