Monthly Archives: July 2017

Early this morning the so-called "skinny" or partial ACA repeal package was defeated in the Senate by a vote of 49-51. Thanks in large part to the countless calls, emails and social media posts from advocates just like you, the Senate narrowly averted passing legislation that would have cut access to quality, affordable care.   …

Yesterday afternoon Senate leadership overcame the first legislative hurdle in their attempt to pass potentially devastating health care legislation.  With the motion to proceed vote deadlocked at 50-50, the Vice President cast the deciding vote in favor of moving forward. This is serious!  The Senate will now take votes over the next few days in…

We expect the U.S. Senate to force a vote TODAY on health care legislation that could take away quality coverage from millions of Americans. It is critical that you contact your U.S. Senators now – make your voice heard via email, social media and phone! – our online action center makes it easy and the…

Despite overwhelming grassroots pressure, the U.S. Senate continues to flirt with health care legislation that could have disastrous consequences. The latest plan being considered, the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), could have resulted in 22 million Americans losing their coverage by 2026, but lacked the necessary votes to pass and effectively sent Senate leadership back…

Primary care physicians play a key role in caring for patients with chronic pain. But many clinicians — and insurers — fail to emphasize the value of nonopioid alternatives. Full Story

The number of total drug overdose deaths in Michigan increased by 18 percent in 2016 and the majority of overdoses were related to opioids, according to new provisional data announced today by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. As part of the efforts to reverse this trend, MDHHS has launched a media campaign…

Schedule required health visits early: Children entering licensed childcare programs, preschool, kindergarten or seventh grade, or who are new to a school district, must have up-to-date immunizations records or waivers before entering school in the fall. Hearing and vision screenings are also required for children starting preschool or kindergarten. Call Washtenaw County Public Health at…

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and local public health officials are continuing to investigate an outbreak of hepatitis A cases in the city of Detroit, and Macomb, Oakland, Wayne, and St. Clair counties. From August 1, 2016 to June 26, 2017, there have been nearly 190 cases of confirmed hepatitis A…

  By Craig Musgrave, CIO, The Doctors Company On May 12, 2017, the world's biggest ransomware attack nearly crippled Britain's public health system and forced doctors to turn patients away. The WannaCry worm, which experts believe to have come from U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) hacking tools released by Wikileaks, spread quickly to companies and…

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is encouraging local organizations across the state to apply for $15 million in Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) grants to provide services to crime victims. Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, these awards will help expand and enhance services by supporting the response to immediate…