CANCER: From UCare via Instagram, VERBATIM: “Say BOO to 6 types of cancer this #Halloween. The #HPVvaccine helps protect against HPV and related cancers. Don’t wait, ask your health care provider about the HPV vaccine today!” POST: https://fluence-media.co/3KI07Au (SPONSORED: UCare)
All Fluence tipsheets are now available to read and share online at our website, The Daily Agenda:
POLL: Via Newsweek, VERBATIM: “Nearly seven in 10 Medicare recipients would drop their health care plans if they experience price increases, according to a new poll of about 1,000 patients conducted by SeniorLiving.org. Nearly 70 million Americans rely on Medicare for health insurance, with roughly half on Medicare Advantage, or privatized Medicare plans run by health insurers. Multiple insurers have announced they are decreasing their Medicare Advantage options for next year as the health insurance industry navigates lower government reimbursement rates.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4n7KyiZ
MORE: Via SeniorLiving.org, from the poll:
SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3W67TX9
EMOTIONS: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Gallup’s inaugural State of the World’s Emotional Health report shows that negative emotions worldwide remain far above levels from a decade ago, even after easing from their pandemic-era highs. These elevated negative experiences matter because they reflect more than emotional wellbeing — they are also tied to peace and health. Distress is more common in less peaceful societies, with anger and sadness, in particular, tied to independent measures of global peace and negative emotions overall associated with life expectancy at birth.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4nOhRIO
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
CUTS: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “Hundreds of federal employees working on mental health services, disease outbreaks and disaster preparedness were among those hit by the Trump administration’s mass firings over the weekend, current and laid-off workers said Monday, as the administration aimed to pressure Democratic lawmakers to give in and end the nearly two-week-long government shutdown. The government-wide reduction-in-force initiative that began Friday roiled the massive U.S. Department of Health and Human Services just six months after it went through an earlier round of cuts and as many staffers already were disconnected from work because of the shutdown.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3IZD2c0
MTG: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that he and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) had a ‘thoughtful conversation’ in recent days regarding the latter’s concerns over health care premiums. During an interview with Shannon Bream on Fox News Sunday, Johnson said he told Greene that ‘there are many Republicans in Congress that have been working around the clock on this.’” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WER99C
SOCIAL MEDIA: Via NPR, VERBATIM: “Preteens using increasing amounts of social media perform poorer in reading, vocabulary and memory tests in early adolescence compared with those who use no or little social media. That’s according to a new study that suggests a link between social media use and poorer cognition in teens.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3W5CdkU
INSTAGRAM: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “A year ago, Instagram made sweeping changes to the account settings of its teenage users after growing scrutiny from parents and lawmakers over child safety issues. On Tuesday, it took them a step further. Instagram, which is owned by Meta, said it would begin limiting the content its teenage users can see, based on the PG-13 ratings system used by the film industry. The policy, which will roll out by the end of the year, will also apply to conversations with the company’s artificial intelligence chatbots, which lawmakers are investigating for having inappropriate sexual chats with children.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KIabJM
ENROLLMENT: Via MNsure, VERBATIM: “Minnesotans who need health insurance for 2026 can get an early start on health plan shopping with MNsure. Starting now, consumers can go to MNsure.org to check 2026 options and get a free, anonymous cost estimate. MNsure’s annual open enrollment period starts November 1.” QUOTE: “The One Big Beautiful Bill did not extend enhanced tax credits for private health insurance, which means higher premiums next year for tens of thousands of Minnesotans,” said MNsure CEO Libby Caulum. “However, even without the enhanced tax credits, eligible Minnesota families can still save an average of $600 per month – more than $7,000 a year – on private health plans through MNsure.”
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)
NURSING HOMES: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s end-of-life care economy has long been lauded as providing relatively comprehensive services, and its staff turnover rate — around 36%, according to data self-reported to the state — is lower than the national industry average of around 50%. Nonetheless, replacing more than a third of the workforce each year is a persistent challenge, particularly in rural communities. State officials are now preparing to implement a plan two years in the making to stabilize the industry’s workforce. However, nursing home operators and some Republican lawmakers warn that the changes — including higher minimum wages for all employees — could be the final, wobbly Jenga block that knocks the entire precarious industry down.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3WC8Arr
DRUG PRICES: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “President Trump on Friday announced a deal with the British drugmaker AstraZeneca to lower drug prices, his second pact with a major pharmaceutical company in an effort to make prescription drugs more affordable. Under the deal, AstraZeneca agreed to sell its drugs to Medicaid, the health insurance program for lower-income Americans, at about the same prices that it offers to wealthy countries in Europe. The agreement, along with one with Pfizer last week, is the product of a Trumpian brand of horse-trading.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/42IFydk
EMS: Via Compeer, VERBATIM: “Fifty-three emergency response departments supporting rural communities across Minnesota received up to $4,000, for a total of $200,447, to fund much needed equipment and technology upgrades. Through its Fund for Rural America, Compeer Financial awarded a total of 160 Emergency Response Equipment Grants accounting for more than $600,000 to departments across Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The grants are intended to help volunteer fire, rescue and ambulance departments improve their operational efficiency, safety and response times.”
(DISCLOSURE: Compeer is a Fluence sponsor)
DETECTORS: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “With the heating season getting started in Minnesota, the state Fire Marshal’s office is urging residents to make sure they have working carbon monoxide detectors. This, after a Douglas County couple had to be hospitalized after being exposed to dangerously-high levels of the gas just this past weekend with authorities saying the leak was caused by a faulty water heater and furnace.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/43bxMbW
DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF RURAL HEALTH CARE, ESSENTIA IS RECOGNIZED FOR PROVIDING TOP CLINICAL CARE: According to the latest report from Minnesota Community Measurement, a statewide resource on health care quality, costs and equity, Essentia ranked as a high performer with 19 of 20 clinical quality metrics scoring above statewide averages. According to Dr. Maria Beaver, chief quality and patient safety officer at Essentia: “This is a testament to the amazing care provided by all our clinical care teams and all our colleagues who support them.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4dCxy1D (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
MN CUP: Via Twin Cities Business, VERBATIM: “Not many businesses are dedicated to pediatrics, says CEO Dori Jones. ‘A lot of companies view it as a small market.’ Jones’ business doesn’t, which is one reason she says AcQumen Medical stands out. The Golden Valley-based company also just won the $50,000 grand prize at this year’s MN Cup. It earned $100,000 total. AcQumen netted $25,000 by winning in the ‘Life Science & Health IT’ division of the annual statewide startup competition. And Jones won another $25,000 in the category of women-led businesses.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48vfaY4
STARTUPS: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate has announced its latest cohort of health tech startups, including national and international businesses. They will participate in an immersive, 30-week program that offers participants access to expert mentors, industry-leading technologies and millions of de-identified, longitudinal clinical records to develop and validate their artificial intelligence (AI)-driven healthcare solutions.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3KPxi5e
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)
THIS MONTH: Via WCCO-Radio, VERBATIM: “Hazelden Betty Ford is encouraging people to embrace a Sober October. Hazelden Betty Ford’s Lydia Burr says people tend to pick October for the same reason they pick dry January.” QUOTE: “It’s the start of a new season here in Minnesota, and it’s heading into the holidays,” says Burr. “So people want to try out something new, potentially, and see how it goes for them and and I think that’s great.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3KUjjLc
TYLENOL: Via The Wall Street Journal, VERBATIM: “Trump’s warning to pregnant women—in which he repeatedly told them ‘Don’t take Tylenol’—has sparked reflectiveness and some confusion among expectant mothers. Some are also feeling alarmed, as are healthcare providers who have long regarded Tylenol as one of the few safe pain relievers during pregnancy—as well as for treating a fever, which can carry high risk for pregnant women. Within hours of Trump’s announcement, online discussion boards for pregnant women were rife with comments questioning the veracity of the president’s claims. Weeks later, those discussions remain both active and animated.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/48viPFi
CIRCUMCISION: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed Friday that ‘mainstream media’ had mischaracterized his remarks about circumcision and autism rates, doubling down on the Trump administration’s assertion that Tylenol could be a potential cause of the neurological and developmental disorder.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qc0dAy
STUDY: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “When a person’s lungs are damaged, that organ’s survival depends on a small but powerful set of cells that must choose whether to repair the tissue or fight infection. A new Mayo Clinic study has uncovered the molecular ‘switch’ that directs these cells down one path or the other, a discovery that could inform regenerative therapies for chronic lung diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/491PORB
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BRAIN: From Shibaura Institute of Technology via Science Daily, VERBATIM: “Researchers have synthesized enhanced vitamin K analogues that outperform natural vitamin K in promoting neuron growth. The new compounds, which combine vitamin K with retinoic acid, activate the mGluR1 receptor to drive neurogenesis. They also efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier and show stability in vivo. This discovery could pave the way for regenerative treatments for Alzheimer’s and related diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hbqBpV
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