As John Sebastian once sang, “Welcome back”. I’m excited you’re here and I think you’re going to be excited too with all the news that I have gathered this week. In fact, this week I have found so much fascinating stuff that I am not even going to continue this introduction after the next sentence because I want you to start reading. So please, read on and let the smooth sounds of John Sebastian be your soundtrack.
Did you know: Open Enrollment has been shortened to 45 days this year.
Did you know: Government assistance will be reduced for those who are looking for new health plans.
Did you know: Forbes recently ran an article about how to navigate through this Open Enrollment season?
Dr. Maria Rodriguez and her team at Oregon Health and Science University this week released some powerful results about access to healthcare: undocumented immigrant mothers who seek prenatal care are more likely to have healthier babies. These results are part of a wider examination of the impact of Oregon’s decision to allow undocumented mothers access to health insurance. Read about the results and the study here.
A new study out of the William’s Institute at UCLA is being called the “most comprehensive survey of transgender demographics ever conducted in California.” The researchers collected demographics from 92,000 transgender adults living in California and the results ranged from expected to surprising. What are the results? Read them over at SF Gate.
Here is a piece of good news in all the tragedy that is the opioid epidemic: Walgreens is now going to start carrying Narcan opioid overdose spray in all its pharmacies. The move is an important step in combating a situation what has been declared a national tragedy. In a statement, Walgreen’s Vice President Rick Gates said, “By stocking Narcan in all our pharmacies, we are making it easier for families and caregivers to help their loved ones by having it on hand in case it is needed,” Head on over to OPB to learn more.
About the Author
William Jacob Amadeus Pinnock is a Research Coordinator at OCHIN where he assists with the creation, execution, and dissemination of research projects. He graduated with an MS in Communication from Portland State University where he focused on health communication, rural mass media, and qualitative research methods. He has experience working in commercial health insurance, healthcare research, and radio broadcasting. In his spare time, he is an Adjunct Instructor at Portland State University helping students master the art of public speaking.
