Health

6 HE ALTH • Fall 2022 Health Care Br iefs Continued from Page 5 Luis Pedraja, in the school's announcement The money will go toward equip- ment for the nurse education lab, as well as the simulation lab and prac- tical nursing lab. Specifically, QCC plans to buy simulation manikins, a medication dispensing system, hos- pital beds, patient lifts, and an EKG machine. The Skills Capital Grant program has funded career education tech- nology since 2015. Boston Scientific investigating corruption, bribery allegation in Vietnam arlborough medical device manu- facturer Boston Scientific Corp. has received a whistleblower letter say- ing the company violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in its dealings in Vietnam. Boston Scientific received the complaint in March and disclosed the matter in its second quarter financial report to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, which was filed on Aug. 4. The company's disclosure didn't provide any further details on the matter, except to say Boston Scientific is cooperating with gov- ernment agencies while investigat- ing the whistleblower complaints. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which was created in 1977, prohibits companies from bribing government officials in foreign countries, in efforts to benefit their business. Boston Scientific doesn't list any Vietnam facilities on its website. However, it does list Vietnam as one of 20 emerging markets where it believes the company has strong growth potential based on the countries' economic conditions, according to its second-quarter financial report. Other countries on that list are Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey. In the first six months of 2022, Boston Scientific's revenue from those 20 markets combined was $817 million, which is up 21% from the first six months of 2021. Those emerging markets made up 13% of the company's $6.3-billion total revenue in the first six months of this year. Worcester launches monkeypox informational website The City of Worcester has had seven confirmed monkeypox cases as of Aug. 15, the City said in a press release announcing the launch of an informational website designed to help residents learn about ongoing local responses to the disease's spread. As of Aug. 16, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported 228 mon- keypox cases in Massachusetts, a number much higher than any other state in New England. The second highest state in the region was Connecticut, which has 69 reported cases. In announcing the website's launch, Worcester officials urged residents to take the disease's spread seriously. Although monkeypox does not spread as easily as COVID- 19, Worcester's website warns some who contract it may experience severe pain, as well as a rash, blis- ters, and f lu-like symptoms. Monkeypox typically spreads through close, skin-to-skin contact. Massachusetts mental health bill becomes law Gov. Charlie Baker signed Aug. 10 a mental health access bill that had factored into the State House debate around sports betting. While the House was eager to see the Senate take up sports betting, Senate President Karen Spilka made clear that she had other priorities and reg- ularly pointed to the importance of the Senate's mental health care bill when asked about sports betting. A breakthrough on sports betting talks was announced at about 5:10 a.m. on Aug. 1 and word that a final mental health bill had been signed off on got out at the same time. Senate President Karen Spilka said Aug. 9 that the mental health bill "is already being heralded as a landmark, first-in-the-nation bill." The new law seeks to rein in the emergency department boarding crisis, eliminates a prior authoriza- tion requirement for mental health acute treatment, and requires com- mercial insurers to cover emergency service programs. "Today I am pleased to sign legis- lation that expands access to behav- ioral health services, enhances our understanding of behavioral health challenges and takes steps to ensure our health care system treats mental health the same way we do physical health," Baker said. "The COVID-19 pandemic underscored long-standing challenges in this area, which is why our administration has made signifi- cant investments to increase access through our Behavioral Health Roadmap. The new law signed today will build on that work and affirms the shared commitment of our administration, the Legislature and our health care community to better support our residents' behavioral health needs." Baker vetoes healthcare premium assistance pilot program The Massachusetts Legislature's slow-developing plans for a two-year pilot program to expand eligibility for healthcare premium assistance and subsidies came crashing down Aug. 10 with a veto from Gov. Charlie Baker, who said he prefers maximizing uptake in plans already offered through the Commonwealth Connector Authority. The Legislature included the pilot, which would have extended aid to applicants at or below 500% of federal poverty guidelines, in its fiscal 2023 budget. Baker returned the proposal with an amendment, which was rejected. In his veto message, Baker said there are a "significant number of people" who are eligible for affordable health plans through the Connector. "Rather than piloting an expansion of eligibility, I believe maximizing the uptake in the affordable plans currently offered through the Connector should be a priority," he wrote. The governor also alluded to unknown impacts of the pilot program, repeating the same arguments he made to the Legislature when he sent their plan back with his amendment. "The potential impact on carriers and enrollees, availability of enhanced federal funding and subsidies, and Connector systems changes needed to support such a program are all critical factors that need to be fully understood to minimize market disruption and ensure fiscal and operational viability," Baker wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "The unknown impacts of such a pilot are, as you know, the reason this provision was returned with an amendment requiring the Health Connector to study these important issues." Boston Scientific's headquarters in Marlborough Gov. Charlie Baker PHOTO | TMS AERIAL SOLUTIONS

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