The CBS Evening News (9/9, story 9, 2:25, Pelley) reported on some of the health problems experienced by first responders who survived the 9/11 attacks. CBS News’ Dr. Jon LaPook, MD, said, “In a study of more than 800 first responders, more than 12 percent had cognitive impairment.” He added that “responders…with a diagnosis of PTSD with flashbacks were three times as likely to have impairment.”

Meanwhile, the New York Post (9/9, Fears) reported, “The city Health Department released on Friday new findings from the World Trade Center Health Registry that illustrate the long-term physical and mental effects that 9/11 survivors and recovery workers are suffering.”

Related Links:

— “9/11 survivors continue battling long-term health effects,” Danika Fears, New York Post, September 9, 2016.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune (9/10, Olson) reported, “Veterinarians have the third-highest risk of suicide as a cause of death when compared to other US occupations,” the Star Tribune found after examining data from the CDC’s National Occupational Mortality Surveillance database. Included in that database are “death records from 24 states in a recent seven-year period.” The suicide rate for veterinarians is surpassed only by that of “podiatrists and dentists.”

Related Links:

— “Veterinarians at high risk for suicide, and job could play a role,” Jeremy Olson, Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 10, 2016.

The Hill (9/9, Disipio) reported that on Sept. 9, “members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health pushed for insurers to do more to ensure parity so that those with mental health or substance abuse issues don’t face tougher obstacles to receiving care as those with other medical conditions.” According to The Hill, “Since the passage of the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996, Congress has pressed to improve upon making mental health and substance use treatment as accessible as other treatments.” Meanwhile, lawmakers in the Senate “are still struggling to reach a deal” on mental healthcare reform legislation.

Related Links:

— “Lawmakers push insurers on mental health access,” Joe DiSipio, The Hill, September 9, 2016.

The AP (9/8, Murphy) reports on persistent “glaring differences in insurance coverage” for children with autism, amputees, “and others in need of certain expensive treatments even after the Affordable Care Act set new standards as part of its push to expand and improve coverage.” The article says these disparities “stem from random factors like what state someone lives in or who happens to provide their coverage – and often people can do nothing about it,” because the ACA allows states and employers to determine what should be covered. According to the AP, these differences can result in significant debt for patients, or they can push consumers to skip medical care.

Related Links:

— “WHY INSURANCE DENIES YOUR CLAIM, BUT PAYS YOUR NEIGHBOR’S,” TOM MURPHY, Associated Press, September 8, 2016.

Healio (9/8, Oldt) reports researchers found “insufficient evidence for accuracy of depression screening tools for major depressive disorder [MDD] in children and adolescents.” The findings of the 17-study review were published online May 27 in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Study questions accuracy of depression screening tools for youth,” Healio, September 8, 2016.