Contributed

Air pollution was significantly associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for several neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias, in a long-term study of more than 63 million older U.S. adults. The research was conducted by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and colleagues at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.

On Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a report showing the trend of lower premiums and increased issuer participation for HealthCare.gov will continue for 2021 year. The average premium for the second lowest cost silver plan (also called the benchmark plan) dropped by 2% for the 2021 coverage year and, when looking at states that are using HealthCare.gov in both 2020 and 2021, 22 more issuers will offer coverage in 2021, for a total of 181 issuers delivering more choice and competition for consumers.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced today that Riverside County will move back to the state’s purple tier, which is the most restrictive tier that requires several types of businesses and places of worship to move outside. These places will need to change operations to outside only within 72 hours.

epartment of Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie released the following statement after President Trump signed the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act:

Our Department is saddened to announce the death of 48-year-old Sergeant Harry Cohen, most recently assigned to the Special Enforcement Bureau – Canine Unit. Sergeant Cohen passed away on Sunday, October 18, 2020, after suffering a heart attack while on-duty. He began his service with our Department on September 30, 1996. As a deputy, he worked assignments at the Banning Station, Lake Elsinore Station, and Southwest Station.