State Highlights: Fire Warnings Return For Areas Of California, Power Outages Likely Again; Conn. Community Health Centers Warn Of Risks To Patients If Federal Funds Expire

Media outlets report on news from California, Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Missouri, District of Columbia, Georgia, Maryland and Texas.

The Wall Street Journal: California Faces Risk Of More Blackouts And Fires This Week

The National Weather Service issued high-level fire warnings for Southern California on Sunday, while PG&E Corp. warned of more power outages in Northern California where high winds and dry conditions also posed a fire risk. PG&E, California’s largest power company, said it might cut electricity starting Wednesday for roughly 180,000 homes and businesses around San Jose, Santa Rosa, and in the Sierra Foothills. All have already experienced preventive blackouts intended to reduce the danger of winds damaging power lines and igniting fires. (McWhirter and Carlton, 11/17)

Connecticut Public Radio: Funding Cliff For Community Health Centers Puts Staffing, Patients At Risk

Federal funding for community health centers is nearing expiration this year. And both health professionals and politicians are warning, that may have some impacts on Connecticut centers and patients. Laying people off of work isn’t something that CEO Nichelle Mullins wants to do just before the holidays. But if federal funding for Charter Oak Health Center in Hartford stops coming, she may have to. (Leonard, 11/17)

Modern Healthcare: 2,200 University Of Chicago Nurses Vote To Strike

About 2,200 University of Chicago Medical Center nurses represented by National Nurses United have voted to walk out on Nov. 26. The nurses, who went on strike Sept. 20, continue to protest alleged chronic understaffing that has impeded patient care. The University of Chicago claimed UCMC's staffing levels are the best in the state. UCMC's alleged proposal to eliminate 24 patient care support nurses fueled the latest strike threats, the union said. (Kacik, 11/15)

Columbus Dispatch: Over A 4-Year Period, 57% Of Pregnancy Deaths In Ohio Could Have Been Prevented, Report Says

More than half of all pregnancy-related deaths in Ohio from 2012 to 2016 could have been prevented, a new statewide study found. Over the four years, 57% of the state’s 89 pregnancy-related deaths were deemed preventable, according to the study released Friday by the Ohio Department of Health. That means nearly 51 deaths could have been avoided. (Filby, 11/15)

NH Times Union: In A Single Year, 14,000 Kids Were Affected By NH's Opioids Disaster

One year of the opioid epidemic touched the lives of 14,000 New Hampshire children, according to a report published this month by the United Hospital Fund. ...The report estimated 10,500 New Hampshire children were living with a parent who had an opioid use disorder in 2017. That year, 800 children were removed from their parents’ care because of opioids, and 1,500 children’s parents died or were imprisoned. That year, about 800 children and teenagers either accidentally ingested opioids, or struggled with an addiction of their own. (Albertson-Grove, 11/16)

New Hampshire Union Leader: NH Residents Stuck With Huge Health Care Bills From Suspended 'Insurance' Companies

Keith Meehan is on the hook for more than $230,000 in medical bills after his insurer denied his claims from back surgery earlier this year. After going without medical coverage for two years, the 49-year-old Rochester man signed up for a health care sharing ministry, an arrangement in which people with common ethical or religious beliefs share medical expenses, according to the federal government. Meehan thought the procedure, done in March in hopes of reducing his debilitating pain, was covered. But his providers, Aliera Healthcare and Trinity HealthShare, denied claims for the surgery and post-op treatments. The reason? A preexisting condition. (Phelps, 11/16)

The Associated Press: Football Brings Some Peace To Sioux Family After Suicide

Teenagers Jashawn and Jayton Pease embraced in the end zone while celebrating the 74-39 victory that made their Crow Creek Chieftains the champions of South Dakota’s tribal school league. But as they hugged, tears streamed down their faces. Jashawn, 15, pounded his fist against his chest and pointed toward the sky. “I’m playing for my brother because he left for the spirit world,” he said. (11/16)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia Medical Schools Try Alternative Therapies To Help Students Cope With Stressful Profession

For dozens of first-year students at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, an afternoon of stretching recently was a welcome break from their studies. The students, dressed in athletic shorts, leggings and T-shirts, unrolled yoga mats in front of a window showcasing the Philadelphia skyline and prepared for Yoganatomy, a yoga class that reinforces what they’re learning in anatomy. (Ao, 11/18)

Sacramento Bee: Hundreds Say Farewell To Kaiser CEO Bernard Tyson In Oakland

Nabrissa Valovage followed Kaiser Permanente CEO Bernard Tyson’s post on LinkedIn as a graduate student in public health, and so much of it resonated with her that she applied for and landed a job with the health care giant a few months ago. Tyson, 60, died unexpectedly Nov. 10. His family will say farewell in an invitation-only memorial service Monday, but on Sunday, they hosted a public visitation at the Rotunda in Oakland. (Anderson, 11/17)

Modern Healthcare: Feds Charge Three Former Outcome Health Staffers

Three former Outcome Health employees were criminally charged in connection with allegations of fraud by the healthcare-advertising company that was once one of the most-watched startups in Chicago. The U.S. attorney's office in Chicago charged Ashik Desai, a former vice president, with wire fraud; former analysts Kathryn Choi and Oliver Han were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud advertisers and investors in the company. (Pletz, 11/15)

Los Angeles Times: New Satellite Measurements Show How Dirty Los Angeles’ Air Really Is

Scientists who scanned the skies above dozens of U.S. cities have made a surprising discovery about the smog that’s suspended over Los Angeles: one of its key ingredients isn’t disappearing as fast as it once did. The finding may help explain why the once-steady improvements in air quality have come close to stalling out here even though nitrogen oxide emissions have continued to decline. It also suggests that the particular chemistry of L.A.'s air may complicate future cleanup efforts. (Khan, 11/15)

St. Louis Public Radio: As Missouri Aligns Education And Job Training, St. Louis Community College Homes In On Health Care

Everything around Painter looks exactly as it would in a hospital, but this is a simulation room at St. Louis Community College’s new health care facility on the Forest Park campus. It’s designed to prepare first-year respiratory care students like Painter for clinicals, which start in the spring. By the end of the two-year program, students will clock 1,000 hours of work in hospitals around the region. (Ruff, 11/18)

The Washington Post: One Homeless Man’s Death Possibly Tied To Severe Cold Weather; D.C. Officials Fear More Cold-Related Deaths May Come This Winter

The death of a homeless man whose body was found this week at Freedom Plaza in downtown Washington may be linked to the recent cold snap and temperatures that have dropped below freezing on some nights, according to authorities. D.C. police said the man was 77 years old. His body was found early Wednesday in the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, across the street from the John A. Wilson Building, the seat of District government. (Hedgpeth and Hermann, 11/15)

Georgia Health News: 3 More Measles Cases Confirmed In Cobb, Increasing State Toll To 11

Public health officials said Friday that three more cases of measles have been confirmed in Cobb County. The Department of Public Health confirmed a separate case in Cobb over the weekend. (Miller, 11/15)

The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Is Bringing Subsidized Lyft Rides To People Who Live In ‘Food Deserts’

Through a new partnership with Lyft, Baltimore officials are hoping to make it easier and cheaper to connect people in low-income neighborhoods with healthy food. Starting Monday, people in areas of South and West Baltimore can register online with the ride-share company and get subsidized trips to participating grocery stores. Up to 200 people can participate in the pilot program, which will provide one-way rides for $2.50 each. Each rider can take up to eight such trips per month through April. (Richman, 11/18)

KQED: From Working In Tech To Homelessness: The Challenges Facing A Senior Veteran

A University of Pennsylvania study estimates the aging homeless population will triple by 2030. In 1990, only 11% of the nation’s homeless population was over the age of 50, today more than 50% are.A UC San Francisco study shows homeless people in their 50s face more geriatric conditions than those living in homes who are decades older. According to the study, nearly half of the growing population of unhoused seniors became homeless after they turned 50-years-old. (Hossaini, 11/17)

Texas Tribune: Homeless Shelters Near Me And How To Help

Gov. Greg Abbott has waged a social media war this year with Austin officials over homelessness in the state capital. He then tapped state resources to clean up encampments under highway overpasses and provide land where people experiencing homelessness can camp. The ongoing feud and government responses to homelessness have brought the issue to the forefront of public discussion. (Woodard, 11/18)

This is part of the KHN Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription