Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl

Skip to main content

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.

Subscribe Follow Us
  • Trump 2.0

    Trump 2.0

    • Agency Watch
    • State Watch
    • Rural Health Payout
  • Public Health

    Public Health

    • Vaccines
    • CDC & Disease
    • Environmental Health
    All Public Health
  • Audio Reports

    Audio Reports

    • What the Health?
    • Health Care Helpline
    • Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Minute
    • An Arm and a Leg
    • Health Hub
    • HealthQ
    • Silence in Sikeston
    • Epidemic
    All Audio
  • Special Reports

    Special Reports

    • Bill Of The Month
    • The Body Shops
    • Broken Rehab
    • Deadly Denials
    • Priced Out
    • Dead Zone
    • Diagnosis: Debt
    • Overpayment Outrage
    • Opioid Settlement Tracking
    • Eleven Minutes
    All Special Reports
  • More Topics

    More Topics

    • Elections
    • Healthcare Costs
    • Insurance
    • Prescription Drugs
    • Health Industry
    • Immigration
    • Reproductive Health
    • Technology
    • Rural Health
    • Race and Health
    • Aging
    • Mental Health
    • Affordable Care Act
    • Medicare
    • Medicaid
    • Children’s Health
    All Topics

  • Vaccine Policy in Colorado
  • Family Separation
  • Shakeup at U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
  • Ebola
  • ACA Enrollment

WHAT'S NEW

  • Vaccine Policy in Colorado
  • Family Separation
  • Shakeup at U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
  • Ebola
  • ACA Enrollment

Morning Briefing

Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

  • Email

Monday, Aug 16 2021

Full Issue

California Boy Dies From Rare Brain Amoeba After Lake Swim

The 7-year-old died Aug. 7, suffering from the rare condition called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. In other news, 650,000 Georgians in the State Health Benefit Plan will see no health insurance increase next year; a rare bourbon collection is raffled for cystic fibrosis; and a Mississippi city tries to collect on $1.8 million in ambulance fees.

A child infected with an extremely rare brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a Northern California lake died in a hospital, his family confirmed Friday. David Pruitt, 7, of Tehama County, died from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, on Aug. 7, said his aunt, Crystal Hayley. The boy was rushed to the emergency room on July 30 and then flown to UC Davis Medical Center where he was on life support with severe brain swelling, Hayley said in a fundraising site she created for the family to raise funds for his care and funeral. (8/13)

In other news from Georgia, Indiana and Mississippi —

For the third time in four years, hundreds of thousands of Georgia teachers and state workers won’t see their health insurance premiums increase. The Department of Community Health board approved rates for 2022 on Thursday for the more 650,000 Georgians covered by the State Health Benefit Plan. The vote came a year after the board raised premiums an average of 5% for teachers and state employees. (Salzer, 8/12)

An Indiana man with a collection of rare bourbon is teaming up with the Kentucky Derby Museum to raffle it off in an effort to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The collection consist of five limited-edition bottles of Pappy Van Winkle bourbon, which are valued at $18,250, the Kentucky Derby Museum said in a statement. The winner of the raffle will also receive a VIP Kentucky Derby Museum experience and a one-night stay at Hotel Distil. (8/16)

A city in Mississippi has hired a firm to collect more than $1.8 million in ambulance bills unpaid since as early as 2013. The Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday to retain Franklin Collection Services Inc. of Tupelo to reduce or eliminate the backlog, The Vicksburg Post reported. The city’s fire department has run emergency medical service in Vicksburg since 1969, because the local ambulance company went out of business. It also sends ambulances to Warren County residents under an agreement with the county’s board of supervisors. (8/15)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
Newsletter icon

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Stay informed by signing up for the Morning Briefing and other emails:

Recent Morning Briefings

  • Today, June 12
  • Thursday, June 11
  • Wednesday, June 10
  • Tuesday, June 9
  • Monday, June 8
  • Friday, June 5
More Morning Briefings
RSS Feeds
  • Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl
  • Special Reports
  • Morning Briefing
  • About Us
  • Republish Our Content
  • Contact Us

Follow Us

  • RSS

Sign up for emails

Join our email list for regular updates based on your personal preferences.

Sign up
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy

© 2026 KFF