PUBLIC HEALTH WEEKLY
March 16, 2017
NEWS
  • ASTHO released a statement responding to President Trump's budget proposal. 
  • Minnesota could lose $80 million in public health funding under the American Health Care Act, says state health commissioner Ed Ehlinger.
  • The Senate confirmed Seema Verma as administrator of CMS.
  • HHS Secretary Price and CMS Administrator Verma issued a letter to governors outlining plans to give states greater flexibility in redesigning their Medicaid programs.
  • President Trump nominated Scott Gottlieb as commissioner of FDA and Eric Hargan as deputy secretary of HHS. 
  • Jewel Mullen (alumna-CT), HHS acting assistant secretary for health and principal deputy assistant secretary for health, will present on the Healthy Aging in Action report.
  • CDC authored an article on population-based pregnancy and birth defects surveillance in the era of Zika virus.
  • The American Hospital Association released a report on the role health system governing boards and executive leadership teams can play in creating healthier communities.
CONGRESSIONAL CORNER
This morning, the Trump administration released its FY18 skinny budget—a preview of the president’s full budget, which will be sent to Capitol Hill in the next 7-10 weeks. 
HEALTH POLICY UPDATE
ASTHO is currently tracking bills from six states (Idaho, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, Minnesota, and Texas) that would allow pharmacists to provide tobacco cessation therapies. 
DID YOU KNOW?
Research shows that when public health, healthcare, and patient care providers take steps to prevent infections, healthcare-associated infections can decrease by more than 70 percent. 
LEADING
STATE HEALTH
ASTHO spoke with Kaye Bender, PhD, president and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board, to discuss the importance of performance and quality improvement related to accreditation standards and measures.

ASTHO RESOURCES
ASSOCIATION OF STATE AND TERRITORIAL HEALTH OFFICIALS