Plus new restrictions on kratom
A new healthcare scorecard shows Florida 36th overall among the United States, purchasing kratom in Florida is now restricted just like alcohol or tobacco, and HCA Healthcare has become the latest victim of a data breach by cyber-criminals. It’s all in this week’s Healthcare Digest.
Healthcare Scorecard: A new report has ranked healthcare systems in each of the 50 states and D.C. on 58 measures of health outcomes, equity, and affordability. The report by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit that promotes expanded health insurance coverage, has Florida ranked 36th overall. It found that 29% of women in Florida and Texas did not receive early prenatal care, compared to 11% in Vermont. It also has a state-by-state breakout and the Florida section includes “The Best and Worst in Florida” on different measures.
Source: The Commonwealth Fund, June 2023
The report uses federal health data from 2021, the latest year available. On a national level, it found a surge in avoidable, premature deaths of those under age 75, with the US maternal mortality rate nearly doubling between 2018 and 2021, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It noted that many Americans with mental health needs face barriers to obtaining proper care and that millions of people, particularly in the South, struggle to pay off medical debt.
The report also has recommendations by subject area, including one labeled “Insurance Coverage and Affordability of Care.” Among them: that Congress fill the Medicaid coverage gap for people in Florida and the nine other states that haven’t expanded Medicaid.
Mitragyna speciosa leaves, by Uomo vitruviano is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Kratom Restriction: Effective July 1, Florida joined Georgia, Utah, and Arizona is restricting the use of kratom to those 21 or over. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is part of the coffee family and comes from Southeast Asia. The leaves contain two psychoactive ingredients and can be chewed, brewed in tea, or taken by capsule. Consuming kratom in small amounts can produce a stimulant effect and in larger amounts, acts as a sedative.
Violation of the law is a second-degree misdemeanor with a fine up to $500 and jail time up to 60 days. Kratom is outright illegal in next door Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Vermont and Wisconsin. Rhode Island just legalized it after banning it five years ago.
Data Breach: HCA has become the latest healthcare provider to be hit by cyber-criminals. The company reports that up to 11 million patient records had been leaked to an online forum. That would make it the largest known healthcare data breach. HCA, the largest for-profit operator of hospitals and clinics in the US, said the data included patient names and contact details but did not include payment and personal clinic information.
LMA Newsletter of 7-24-23
