AWARD: From UCare via Instagram, VERBATIM: “We’re proud to share that @tcbmag has awarded us Gold in the Health Insurance category. This honor reflects the passion and dedication of our #PeoplePowered team and their commitment to serving our members with compassion and care every day.” PHOTO: https://fluence-media.co/45QZE7j (SPONSORED: UCare)
All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
POLL: Via Better Medicare Alliance, VERBATIM: “Voters are deeply concerned about potential Medicare Advantage cuts in budget reconciliation, according to a new poll conducted by Winston Group on behalf of Better Medicare Alliance. The poll found that voters oppose Medicare Advantage cuts as a reconciliation pay-for by a 34-45 margin, with 56% of seniors and 64% of Medicare Advantage seniors opposed. Meanwhile, seven out of 10 voters (72%) and 69% of Republicans agree that if the federal government cuts Medicare Advantage funding, seniors in Medicare Advantage will face higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Similarly, 70% of voters overall and 65% of Republicans agree that if the federal government cuts Medicare Advantage funding, seniors in Medicare Advantage will lose important benefits they count on.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HU4xT9
BP: Via Drugs.com, VERBATIM: “A good number of people don’t know that high blood pressure is a silent killer, increasing a person’s heart risk with no obvious symptoms, a new poll has found. More than a third of Americans (37%) erroneously think high blood pressure always has noticeable symptoms like dizziness or shortness of breath, according to a survey by the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg Public Policy Center. In truth, high blood pressure usually has no signs or symptoms to indicate its presence, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZYZl6K
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
CDC PANEL: Via Roll Call, VERBATIM: “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Wednesday announced eight members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, populated mainly by critics of the nation’s COVID-19 vaccine policies or those who don’t specialize in vaccine science. In a post on the social platform X, Kennedy said the members will attend the panel’s June 25 meeting, describing them as ‘highly credentialed scientists, leading public health experts, and some of America’s most accomplished physicians.’ The news comes after he abruptly fired the 17 former sitting members of the advisory panel as part of a ‘clean sweep’ the secretary said was necessary to restore confidence in public health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n0v9lx
MORE: Via Stat, VERBATIM: “The new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices include a psychiatrist who has studied the connection between pregnant women eating fish and autism, and a board member of an organization that raises alarms about vaccine safety. And while some of the new ACIP members have at times endorsed the protective power of immunizations, others have admitted they don’t have much vaccine expertise.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4401Uqu
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)
LAYOFFS: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reinstating more than 400 people who had received layoff notices, according to an email from CDC leadership to employees seen by POLITICO. The rehiring, announced internally Wednesday, marks the largest number of employees that the agency has asked back to date. Around half of those employees are in the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention, and around a third are in the National Center for Environmental Health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SOFTWn
CONTRACEPTIVES: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “In April, a small team that compiled information into what some consider the country’s ‘contraception bible,’ a set of guidelines used by physicians to assess which types of birth control are safe for their patients, was fired from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of mass layoffs from the agency. The eight-person team was responsible for evaluating research and recommending birth control methods for patients with various conditions, from sickle cell disease, kidney disease and lupus to those at risk for HIV. The guidelines, called the U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use, provided the latest research for doctors, including an app that recommended which contraceptive methods were safe.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4loslgL
PILL: Via Newsweek, VERBATIM: “Using the progestogen-only contractive pill ‘desogestrel’ for more than five years may increase the risk of developing a type of brain tumor known as an ‘intracranial meningioma,’ a new study has warned. The researchers noted that the risk is low—and is eliminated one year after desogestrel treatment is suspended—but that doctors' awareness of the possibility could eliminate the need for surgery in some cases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jPmGyO
ASTHMA: Via Stateline, VERBATIM: “Medical experts are dismayed over a federal report’s claim that kids are overprescribed asthma medications, saying it minimizes how many lives the drugs save. Safe treatment protocols for asthma management have been carefully studied over the years, said Dr. Perry Sheffield, a pediatrician and professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. ‘The federal government actually has some really beautiful and clear guidelines and strategies, and things that are vetted by and carefully edited by many experts in the field,’ said Sheffield, who co-directs a region of the federally funded Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units that serves New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mZdXwM
IMMIGRANTS: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “A trio of states with Democratic governors viewed as potential 2028 presidential candidates have taken steps in recent weeks to freeze or cut government-funded health care coverage for undocumented immigrants. Democratic Govs. Gavin Newsom of California, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Tim Walz of Minnesota have largely attributed the proposals to budget shortfalls stemming from original plans to expand health care to immigrants without legal status. But the moves also occur against the backdrop of broader debate within the Democratic Party over how to handle immigration, an issue that dragged it down in the last election and that President Donald Trump and the GOP have continued to try to capitalize on.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/403M5O9
MAYO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “In a bold step to transform cancer care, Mayo Clinic is bringing new hope for patients diagnosed with the most aggressive and treatment-resistant cancers. Today, Mayo Clinic opened the new 228,000-square-foot Duan Family Building at its Jacksonville, Florida location. The building will house the first carbon ion therapy program in the Americas, and advanced technology that can seamlessly deliver both carbon ions and protons to treat the same tumor.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kPgVlW
IMPROV: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “On a recent afternoon, a group of Mayo Clinic medical residents were pretending to toss around an imaginary ball. It was a goofy scene for these newly minted doctors who are at Mayo to specialize in family medicine. The rules are simple, said improv comedy coach and Mayo Clinic Artist in Residence Tane Danger. ‘It can be any kind of ball you want. It could be like a big, giant beach ball, or a little ping pong ball, whatever you like,’ he said . . . The whole point of this improv game called ‘Loser Ball’ was to have fun failing. Danger's been teaching similar workshops to Mayo Clinic doctors since 2017. He uses improv theater techniques to help physicians be comfortable using humor, curiosity and empathy in their interactions with patients and each other.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FMxMH2
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)
LIGHTS: From MDH via X, VERBATIM: “Did you see these lights around MN last week? Landmarks lit up for CMV Awareness Month to raise awareness about cytomegalovirus (CMV)–the most common infectious cause of birth defects and childhood hearing loss in the U.S.” PHOTOS: https://fluence-media.co/3TjJEDk
ALCOHOL: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “The U.S. death rate from alcohol-related liver disease roughly doubled over two decades and was exacerbated by the pandemic, with women, young adults and Indigenous people experiencing the sharpest rise, a study in JAMA Network Open found. Why it matters: The increase continued past the acute phase of the pandemic, suggesting lasting changes in alcohol consumption patterns when deaths from other liver diseases like hepatitis C were falling, researchers wrote.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4mU4O8J
SEA CUCUMBERS: From University of Mississippi via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Sea cucumbers are the ocean's janitors, cleaning the seabed and recycling nutrients back into the water. But this humble marine invertebrate could also hold the key to stopping the spread of cancer. A sugar compound found in sea cucumbers can effectively block Sulf-2, an enzyme that plays a major role in cancer growth, according to a University of Mississippi-led study published in Glycobiology.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3FSKQuu
HEALTHCARE: Via news release from ResearchAndMarkets.com, VERBATIM: “HMO profitability plunged in 2024, as HMOs and County-Based Purchasing plans reported lower revenues, higher medical expenses and large losses on operations. The number of enrollees in Medicaid managed care plans dropped by about 207,000 in 2023 and 2024, although it is still higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n5bIZ8
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)
MEDICARE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Senate Republicans appear less likely to try to make changes to Medicare Advantage as part of their massive tax and spending bill, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said Wednesday. Cramer raised the idea of targeting Medicare Advantage for additional savings last week after a closed-door caucus meeting, saying the program is ideal for reform because it is rife with waste, fraud and abuse. The House-passed bill would cut more than $800 billion from Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, but some GOP lawmakers argue that other mandatory spending programs, such as Medicare, should also be reviewed for “waste” to further reduce the cost of the bill.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/442VZB2
DOCS: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Physicians are divided over how the massive Republican budget bill moving through Congress would insulate doctors from future Medicare cuts without continuing financial incentives to provide better care through alternative payment models. Why it matters: The ‘doc fix’ championed by the American Medical Association, among other groups, would solve a long-standing complaint about the way Medicare pays physicians. But some physician groups worry it would maintain a system long criticized for tying pay to the volume of procedures delivered and the number of patients seen.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45lBUrP
RECALL: Via CBS News, VERBATIM: “Zicam nasal swabs and Orajel baby teething swabs are being recalled due to potential microbial contamination, according to federal health officials. In an alert from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., the brands' manufacturer, voluntarily issued the recall after the potential contamination was discovered, which was identified as fungi in the cotton swab components of the products.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43YMPFo
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
HUNGER: From USC via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Scientists have discovered a specific group of brain cells that create memories of meals, encoding not just what food was eaten but when it was eaten. The findings, published today in Nature Communications, could explain why people with memory problems often overeat and why forgetting about a recent meal can trigger excessive hunger and lead to disordered eating.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43U2K7Z
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