NOTABLES: Via UCare, VERBATIM: “The February/March Twin Cities Business Notables rankings honor high-achieving BIPOC executives across local industries and metro area leaders in health care. Two members of UCare’s Executive Leadership team were included in these elite groups.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3QHh8ua (SPONSORED: UCare)
POLL: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Five years after the COVID pandemic began, its legacy is as much political as epidemiological, according to a comprehensive new Axios-Ipsos poll, with Americans' views of what happened cleaved by partisanship and media preferences. The big picture: 39% say they know someone who died. Everybody wants to leave the era behind. Yet two-thirds of Americans don't believe the nation is adequately prepared to deal with another pandemic or widespread health crisis, according to the Axios-Ipsos American Health Index.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Dut6V9
MORE: Via Ipsos, from the poll results:
SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3klg1Uo
MORE: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic forced nationwide closures of businesses and schools in the U.S., a steady three in five Americans say the pandemic is over, while almost as many worry that there will be another global pandemic in their lifetime . . . When it comes to their current feelings about catching COVID-19, one in five Americans continue to say they are worried, but relatively few say they are wearing a mask regularly. About half of U.S. adults say they have received a COVID-19 vaccine in the past six months or plan to get one soon.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Du6W5n
MEDICAID: Via KFF, from an overview of recent polling:
MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3XLGmeL
BIRD FLU: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “With soaring egg prices and ongoing bird flu headlines, many parents are uncertain about the risks and facts surrounding the virus, a national poll suggests. Most parents say they don’t know if there have been cases of bird flu in their state, and less than half feel that they are able to find accurate and current information about it, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s health.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iGZKSd
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
VACCINES: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pledged to purge conflicts of interest from the government agencies he's now in charge of, alleging close ties between employees and the pharmaceutical industry.
In his confirmation hearings for the role, he took aim at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention committee that plays a key role in setting policies around vaccine schedules and access, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.
Kennedy said on Jan. 29 of the committee…” KENNEDY: "I think 97% of the people on it had conflicts. I think we need to end those conflicts and make sure that scientists are doing unobstructed science." LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/41VG5Z8
MEASLES: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “In a sweeping interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health and human services secretary, outlined a strategy for containing the measles outbreak in West Texas that strayed far from mainstream science, relying heavily on fringe theories about prevention and treatments. He issued a muffled call for vaccinations in the affected community, but said the choice was a personal one. He suggested that measles vaccine injuries were more common than known, contrary to extensive research. He asserted that natural immunity to measles, gained through infection, somehow also protected against cancer and heart disease, a claim not supported by research.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ieZytE
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)
HEALTHCARE: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “The Trump administration is proposing to shorten ObamaCare’s annual open enrollment period by a month, a move the administration said is aimed at helping consumers pick the right plan. According to a proposed rule released Monday, open enrollment would run from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, instead of through Jan. 15 . . . In addition to the shortened enrollment period, the CMS on Monday proposed ending ObamaCare coverage for immigrants that came into the U.S. illegally as children, also known as ‘Dreamers.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/43D3Iad
COVID: Via ABC News, VERBATIM: “Five years ago, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a pandemic, leading to stay at-home orders and shutdowns across the U.S. and world. The nation looks much different since then, and scientists and researchers have learned a lot about the virus, including how it infects people, the best forms of treatment and what puts someone at risk for long COVID. There are still many questions, however.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3XK0ldM
MORE: Via MPR, five charts that show how Minnesota has been impacted. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4hvoNqq
MORE: Also via MPR, a look back at the pandemic with University of Minnesota infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Osterholm. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4kK0p7d
THURSDAY: The American Heart Association announced it’s holding a Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 13. Per a release, attendees can “learn hands-only CPR and support our efforts toward passing CERP legislation” via HF 1175 and SF 1457. The event is at 10:00 a.m.
RARE: From Eagan-based TeleRare via PRNewswire, VERBATIM: “TeleRare Health launched a partnership today with a leading community health system in Maryland, with a focus on expanding patient access to genetic testing, diagnosis, and knowledgeable care for rare and genetics-based diseases. In the United States, a disease is considered rare if it affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), there are approximately 10,000 rare diseases, impacting over 30 million Americans.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bHUMSV
ESSENTIA HEALTH NURSES ARE A VALUED PART OF OUR PATIENT CARE: Acute care nurses in the Duluth area earn $100,000 on average, working just four days a week. In fact, 94% of these nurses choose to work part-time because Essentia Health offers full benefits starting at 24 hours a week. Our nurses overwhelmingly choose to remain at Essentia Health, bucking national turnover trends. To join our team at Essentia Health, search for openings HERE: https://fluence-media.co/3D5rO2s (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
JAIL: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “A former nurse at the Beltrami County Jail is facing charges in the 2018 death of Hardel Sherrell, who was incarcerated at the time. Attorney General Keith Ellison filed charges in Beltrami County on Friday against Michelle Skroch. At the time of Sherrell’s death, Skroch was the director of nursing for MEnD Correctional Care, the former healthcare provider at the jail. The complaint alleges Skroch failed to do basic nursing checks on Sherrell after learning he’d been hospitalized.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41TgGPT
LIST: According to GOBankingRates, Minnesota is one of the ten worst states for nursing home affordability. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4ijo38V
SENIOR CARE: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “Representatives from various community resources attended a listening session Monday with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s staff. They addressed some concerns they are seeing when it comes to senior care in Minnesota. Discussions ranged from lack of transportation for those who can’t drive to engaging seniors in online resources. However, a big concern revolved around potential federal cuts to health care seniors tend to rely on.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4kzmbKS
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)
KIDNEYS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “More than 90,000 people are on the waiting list for a kidney in the U.S. Unfortunately, less than a third of those waiting for a kidney transplant can expect to get one this year. This comes as rates of chronic kidney disease, which can lead to kidney failure, continue to climb across the globe. But there is a way to help. Healthy people can donate one of their kidneys, giving someone a much-needed second chance.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hvFbah
PHARMACIES: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “The Cub pharmacy on West Broadway Avenue is one of the few pharmacies left in north Minneapolis. Not long ago, however, there was a Walgreens only a short walk away, which closed in February 2023, leaving behind a still-shuttered building. Minneapolis Ward 4 Council Member LaTrisha Vetaw was working at NorthPoint Health and Wellness during the civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd. At that time, the Walgreens shut down and Vetaw, who was working with senior citizens, witnessed the impact of the closure firsthand.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hl4Lic
GOLDEN VALLEY: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “People in the west metro looking for a place to seek urgent care will soon have another option later this summer. Work is underway in Golden Valley on The Urgency Room. The company is renovating a building located at 6100 Golden Hills Drive. Once it’s up and running this August (there’s a projected opening date of Aug. 18), the clinic will be staffed by emergency room physicians, nurses and skilled staff who are equipped to handle almost any injury or illness.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3XLLZcT
NURSES: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “After a recent vote, Essentia’s union nurses in Sandstone have ratified their new contract. The three-year deal covers 28 nurses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bKu7Vu
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
ADHD: Via University of Michigan, VERBATIM: “For nearly five years, people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder have had the option of getting their stimulant medications prescribed and renewed by doctors they see only over a computer screen, despite the risks that these stimulant drugs can pose if misused. But with expiration dates coming up for the telehealth rules that made this possible, a study offers key evidence about the safety of virtual ADHD care that could inform policymakers. Published in the journal Health Affairs by a team from the University of Michigan, the study shows people aged 12 to 64 who started getting stimulant medications via telehealth were slightly more likely to develop a substance use disorder (SUD, also sometimes called addiction) within the next year than those who started getting the medications via in-person care.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bHrfsA
INSULIN: From Washington State University via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “New research from Washington State University in collaboration with five other institutions suggests that automated insulin delivery (AID) systems are safe and effective for use by older adults with type 1 diabetes. The findings counter common assumptions that older adults would struggle to use the more advanced technology employed in the medical devices.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/41Jk5PW
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