OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is reporting the first locally acquired human case of the tick-borne disease anaplasmosis in a Washington resident discovered on August 8. A Whatcom County man in his 80s was hospitalized with severe disease, and is now in recovery, after working in the brush in Mason County where he was likely bitten by an infected tick.
Human cases of anaplasmosis have been identified in Washington before, though all previous cases involved travel outside of the state. Until now, only dogs have been diagnosed with locally acquired anaplasmosis in Washington.
Anaplasmosis usually causes mild to moderate symptoms in people, including fever, headache, muscle aches, and nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite. Symptoms typically begin 1 to 2 weeks after being bit by an infected tick. The disease is treatable with antibiotics. If treatment is delayed, or if a person has other pre-existing medical conditions, anaplasmosis can cause severe illness.
In Washington, the disease is spread by the western blacklegged tick which are mainly found in the western part of the state as well as along the eastern slopes of the Cascades. Western blacklegged ticks infected with Anaplasma spp. bacteria, which causes the disease, have previously been found in Washington at very low levels.
“Not all tick bites will cause disease,” said Scott Lindquist, MD, MPH, State Epidemiologist for Communicable Diseases. “However, people across Washington are at risk for tick-borne illnesses and should take precautions to prevent tick bites.”
DOH recommends the following to protect people and pets against tick bites:
When possible, avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and fallen leaves, which are where ticks typically live.
When in tick habitats, wear light-colored clothing and long-sleeved shirts and pants, so that ticks can be more easily spotted and to help prevent them from attaching to skin.
Apply EPA-registered insect repellants to clothing and skin, following label instructions.
Carefully check yourself, family members, and pets for ticks after being in potential tick habitats.
Shower soon after being outdoors to wash off any unattached ticks.
If ticks are found, promptly remove them with fine-tipped tweezers, then clean the area with antiseptic.
There is no vaccine to prevent anaplasmosis. Illness can only be prevented by avoiding tick bites. People that have anaplasmosis symptoms after spending time in a tick-infested area should talk to their health care providers immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Pet owners should also talk to a veterinarian about preventing ticks on pets.
IN OTHER STATE NEWS HEADLINES.
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Unemployment rate falls to historic low in July; payroll employment continues to grow
Federal grant moves Aberdeen levee project forward
Office of Chehalis Basin commits $17 million in state funds.
Commission to decide on land transaction, commercial ticketing application at August webinar
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Grant provides funding for marine patrol vessels across Washington
NEWS FROM OUR COGRESSIONAL DELECATION DC
Senator Murray Discusses Supporting Servicemembers’ Transition to Civilian Life in Washington State.
Senator Murray Celebrates Grand Opening of a Seattle Indian Health Board Clinic in Pioneer Square.
WORLD NEWS HEADLINES.
Guterres: World Humanitarian Day salutes ‘the best of humanity’
WFP scales up support for millions who ‘cannot wait’ for food aid amid Horn of Africa drought.
WHO recommends two new lifesaving medicines to treat Ebola.
Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield on World Humanitarian Day.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield’s Interview with Dr. Tami Hultman of All Africa.
$775 Million in Additional U.S. Military Assistance for Ukraine--US STATE DEPT.
On the Occasion of World Humanitarian Day.
NATIONAL & BUSINESS HEADLINES.
Midcourse Defense, Guam, Hypersonics Lead Issues at Missile Defense Agency--DOD
CDC assisting Michigan and Ohio with E. coli O157 outbreak with unknown food source.
FDA Warns Manufacturer for Marketing Illegal Flavored Nicotine Gummies.
HUD AWARDS $41 MILLION TO BOOST LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS HEADLINES.
USDA Announces First Three Lenders for Heirs’ Property Relending Program.
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FTC undertakes inquiry into commercial surveillance practices and wants your insights.
IN FOCUS!
California County Organized Health System and Three Health Care Providers Agree to Pay $70.7 Million for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid Program.
Ventura County Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission doing business as Gold Coast Health Plan (Gold Coast), a county organized health system (COHS) that contracts to arrange for the provision of health care services under California’s Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) in Ventura County, California; Ventura County, which owns and operates Ventura County Medical Center, an integrated health care system that provides hospital, clinic, and specialty services; Dignity Health (Dignity), a not-for-profit hospital system that operates two acute care hospitals in Ventura County; and Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. (Clinicas), a non-profit health care organization located in Ventura County, have agreed to pay a total of $70.7 million pursuant to three separate settlements to resolve allegations that they violated the federal False Claims Act and the California False Claims Act by submitting or causing the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal related to Medicaid Adult Expansion under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Pursuant to the ACA, beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Adult Expansion” population – adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Pursuant to contracts with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), if a California COHS did not spend at least 85% of the funds it received for the Adult Expansion population on “allowed medical expenses,” the COHS was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government.
The three settlements resolve allegations that Gold Coast, Ventura County, Dignity, and Clinicas knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medi-Cal for “Additional Services” provided to Adult Expansion Medi-Cal members between Jan. 1, 2014, and May 31, 2015. The United States and California alleged that the payments were not “allowed medical expenses” under Gold Coast’s contract with DHCS; were pre-determined amounts that did not reflect the fair market value of any Additional Services provided; and/or the Additional Services were duplicative of services already required to be rendered. The United States and California further alleged that the payments were unlawful gifts of public funds in violation of Article IV, section 17 of the California Constitution.
As a result of the settlements, Gold Coast will pay $17.2 million to the United States; Ventura County will pay $29 million to the United States; Dignity will pay $10.8 million to the United States and $1.2 million to the State of California; and Clinicas will pay $11.25 million to the United States and $1.25 million to the State of California.
“Federal health care funds are not intended to serve as a blank check,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Health systems and health care providers will be held accountable when they misuse such funds, including funds intended to support Medicaid expansion programs.”
“We will pursue every health plan and provider that prioritizes profits over patients,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephanie S. Christensen for the Central District of California. “The money at issue in this case was designated by the federal government to pay for services to treat Medicaid expansion patients, and it never should have been used to double-pay for services that already had been reimbursed or to pay for services that simply were never provided. Medicaid is a taxpayer-funded program that exists to help patients afford health care, and it never should be used to line the pockets of health care providers through fraudulent schemes.”
“Medicaid expansion programs were created to ensure access to coverage for those in need of health care services. Anyone who illegitimately diverts Medicaid funding for their own financial gain prevents valuable taxpayer dollars from being used for their intended purpose,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy DeFrancesca of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will not hesitate to investigate and pursue all forms of health care fraud.”
“Medi-Cal props up our communities by providing access to free or affordable health care services for millions of Californians and their families. Those who attempt to cheat the system are cheating our communities of essential care,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “I want to express my gratitude to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles for their extensive efforts throughout the course of this investigation. The California Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable those who defraud the Medi-Cal program, and protect those it serves.”
Contemporaneous with the False Claims Act settlement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agreed to release its right to exclude Gold Coast and Ventura in exchange for their agreements to enter into five-year Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs). The CIAs require, among other things, that Gold Coast and Ventura County each implement centralized risk assessment programs as part of their compliance programs and each hire an Independent Review Organization to complete annual reviews. Gold Coast’s annual reviews will focus on its calculation and reporting of medical loss ratio data under Medi-Cal, while Ventura County’s annual reviews will target hospital claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid, including claims submitted to Medicaid managed care organizations.
The civil settlements include the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Atul Maithel, Gold Coast’s former controller, and Andre Galvan, Gold Coast’s former director of member services. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The whistleblowers also alleged claims under the California False Claims Act. The qui tam case is captioned United States, et al. ex rel. Maithel, et al. v. Ventura Co. Medi-Cal Managed Care Commission d/b/a Gold Coast Health Plan, et al., No. 15-7760AB TJH (JEMx) (C.D. Cal.).
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the California Department of Justice, with assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
Trial Attorneys Alison Rousseau and Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack D. Ross for the Central District of California handled this case.
LOCAL MEETINGS.
CLALLAM COUNTY MEETINGS:
Clallam County work session for 8/22/22
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1329
Clallam County Board meeting for 8/23/22
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=7331
Port of Port Angeles Commission meeting 8/23/22
https://www.portofpa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_08232022-618
City of Forks Council meeting for 8/22/22
https://forkswashington.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Agenda-20220822.pdf
Clallam County PUD for 8/22/22
https://clallampud.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/8-22-22-WEB-Packet.pdf
Special Board Meeting on Monday, August 22, 2022
There will be a quorum of the PASD Board of Directors attending a Special Board Meeting on Monday, August 22, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Center in room 208.
This Special Board Meeting (Executive Session) is to consider the position to be taken in collective bargaining in Executive Session. This meeting is open to the public, and no action will be taken.
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS:
Jefferson County Commission meeting for 8/22/22
https://media.avcaptureall.cloud/meeting/6989cfd7-f6bf-4b49-a4e1-bbaf77d018c1
Weekly devotional
BIBLE VERSE: Psalm 16:8 (New King James Version)
I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Weekly Bible Study
It's Greek To Me, by Roger Blackwelder
Some questions were raised recently about the value of having a knowledge of New Testament Greek. Some have used arguments based on the translations of words to authorize immorality that the Bible clearly condemns.
http://lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVarticles/ItsGreekToMe.html
Free bible studies (WBS)
https://www.worldbibleschool.org/
Learn English using the bible as text (WEI)
http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org/
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This Week's Video:
Are China & Russia WARNING us that the dollar may COLLAPSE?
60,339 views Aug 19, 2022 The strength of the U.S. dollar is in incredible danger, especially as more countries around the world take BIG moves to distance themselves from relying on it. In fact, a new alliance of nations — which includes both China and Russia and which calls itself the ‘Axis of Good’ — even is WARNING America of their plans. In this clip, Glenn describes their 75 point plan that President Xi encouraged Westerners to read. If this leads to a COLLAPSE of the U.S. dollar, today’s inflation would become much, much worse. Russia and China are warning us of what’s on the horizon, so where is our U.S. leadership? Prepare for impact, Glenn says…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUEF5LMWMm4
HEADLINES FROM OTHER SOURCES:
Biden’s disgraceful withdrawal from Afghanistan
Weakness led to the deaths of 13 U.S. service members--WT
America is experiencing a self-censorship epidemic, study reveals--WE
A Surprise Turn in the Trump Search-Warrant Case--NR
