Health Care

...litigation against manufacturers, marketers, and distributors of opioid pain medications who have irresponsibly spread this terrible epidemic....

...In 2016, Hawaii had the highest life expectancy at birth (81.3 years) and Mississippi had the lowest (74.7 years), a 6.6-year difference....

...Congress’ gutting of the individual mandate tax penalty last year leaves the law unconstitutional....

...Bills that would have (1) established a task force to reduce suicides in Hawaii by 25% (HB2278 HD1), (2) designate September as Suicide Prevention Month (HB1703) and (3) create an application for smartphones designed to provide resources to Hawaii's youth (HB1704) all perished....

...We can learn a lot about the folly of this path if we look to other places here and abroad where assisted suicide already is legal. A quick survey turns up countless instances of the failures of these laws to safeguard the most vulnerable....

...the other night at 1AM, my 7 year old woke up moaning about not feeling well. She was running a 104 degree fever....

...“Assisted suicide is dangerous public policy with potentially deadly consequences for everyone, but especially people with disabilities, the sick, the poor, and the elderly"....

...United States District Court Judge J. Michael Seabright sentenced Cody Joslin, age 32, to 18 months in prison today for theft of funds from the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs....

The Senate Chambers will have HB2739 HD1 on the agenda (we have no idea where it will be on the agenda) when session opens tomorrow, March 29, 2018, at 11:30 a.m....

...but has the 5th-least punative Medical Board....

...Below are the 2018 rankings of the top 500 Healthiest Communities nationwide, and how they scored across each of the 10 categories....

...people would never tolerate those levels of cigarette smoke in a public place anymore. So why were they OK with pot smoke?....

...The assisted suicide bill passed 4-1 unamended by the Senate Judiciary Committee....

...the State is the senior partner in the tobacco business.  Just ask the vapers....

...On Friday, March 23, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. in room #016....

...our annual County Health Rankings show that where we live makes a difference in how well and how long we live....

...results of 20 years of tobacco prevention and control policies and programs with an estimated total savings of $1 billion in health care costs to the state....

...WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 18 key indicators of weight-related problems....

...Friday, March 16, 2018,  8:30 – 11:25 a.m., Conference Room 229, State Capitol....

...186 communities ranked based on their Well-Being Index scores....

“...We are increasing the number of school resource officers, improving background checks and more aggressively prosecuting those who illegally attempt to purchase a firearm, and reviewing and enhancing the way our law enforcement agencies respond to tips from the public...." 

...HB2739 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection & Health and Senate Judiciary....

...will they believe us if we blame Trump?...

... stop Trump from "provid(ing) new, more affordable options to Americans in the individual market who are getting hammered by skyrocketing premiums” ....

... Rep. Tupola offers amendments to HB 2739 ....

...View Details of all Hawaii Goals, Targets, & Indicators....

...Thousands of files have been digitized at the state’s disability compensation program. However, they need hardware with capacity for more storage to continue progress....

...We will have more opportunities to voice our concerns in the remaining half of this session....

...All members of the committees voted “yes” on the bill, except Rep. Andria Tupola and Rep. Bob McDermott .... We were asked to vote without our members having seen a written draft of the revised bill....

...Committee members asked some very telling questions that identified loopholes that still remain in the bill.  The Attorney General's representative couldn't definitively state that all their concerns from the 2017 version were resolved in this current version that is supposed to have more robust protections.... 

...House Bill 4135 passed the Oregon Senate 17-12. While the stated intent of the bill’s authors was to update the advance directive, it also paves the way for healthcare representatives to remove access to food and water for vulnerable Oregonians with dementia and Alzheimer’s....

... Insurance companies denied treatment to patients, offered to pay for assisted suicide ....

...Hawaii ranks as 4th most expensive state for aging parents, study finds....

...once a child molester turns your son gay, it will be illegal to obtain counseling which might lead to the molester/s being identified....

...A tentative settlement between Kamehameha Schools and the survivors of Dr. Browne’s abuse has been reached....

...this report examines well-being across the nation, including how well-being varies by state and which states lead and lag across the five elements of well-being....

...data set ranges from cost of doctor visit to fruit and vegetable consumption to fitness clubs per capita....

...Three suicide bills that were introduced this session by House members have been assigned to a JOINT committee hearing of the Health & Judiciary committees....

...Ige Admin testimony shows that OHA rent-seeking is driving up hospital bills, public housing rents, and University of Hawaii tuition for everybody—including native Hawaiians.... 

...25 key indicators of dental wellness....

...$140M for 144 beds....

...since the facility closed on October 19, 2017, new physicians have been trained in hyperbaric techniques. HTC reopened on January 15, 2018....

...these three health-related taxes would have taken $31.25 billion over the ten-year period from 2018 to 2027....

...Connecticut and New York share the highest tax rate with $4.35 per pack, trailed by Rhode Island ($4.25), Massachusetts ($3.51), and Hawaii ($3.20)....

...Last Friday, Hawaii’s state senate introduced a bill that threatens to make it much harder to open a new vape shop. Now it’s emerged that another bill put forward at the same time could ban all online sales of vapor products....

...Missed Opportunities: Do States Require Screening of Children for Health Conditions that Interfere with Learning....

...highest cost of living in USA....

...Smoking doesn’t just ruin your health. It can also burn a nasty hole through your wallet....

...Medicare covers a wide variety of such services, in both hospital inpatient and outpatient settings....

"...for demonstrating ongoing compliance with performance standards to ensure safe, effective patient care...." (No kidding.  They really said this.)