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Florida has the second highest number of for-profit stem cell clinics in the United States, and a new proposal by a Tampa lawmaker would crack down on those that prey on elderly and vulnerable Floridians. These procedures take stem cells harvested from patients’ belly fat, bone marrow or blood and re-inject them into the body to try to cure a range of diseases. (Miller, 1/11)

Gov. Nathan Deal, in his final State of the State address, announced Thursday that he is recommending $22.9 million in additional funding for children’s mental health services. ...In contrast, a year earlier, Deal had laid out several health care initiatives in his annual address. (Miller, 1/11)

Mayor Megan Barry is delaying a controversial proposal to eliminate inpatient care at Nashville General Hospital. In a letter to the Metro Council members late Thursday, Barry proposed a "reset" on the plans at the recommendation of Vice Mayor David Briley. Barry said she would delay decisions on the fate of the hospital until the end of 2018. Barry had initially proposed closing inpatient care at the city's only public hospital by June in an announcement that took hospital officials, the oversight board, city officials and community leaders by surprise. (Wadhwani, 1/11)

Brown University said Thursday that it is joining with a California for-profit hospital chain in an attempt to buy Care New England Health System of Providence, adding an unexpected twist to efforts by Partners HealthCare of Boston to acquire the Rhode Island company. In a letter issued campus-wide, Brown President Christina Paxson warned that the acquisition of Care New England by Partners would put at risk “the vision of an integrated academic health system in and for Rhode Island,” and likely increase the cost of care in the state. (Conti, 1/11)

A dental management company with multiple Texas clinics has been fined nearly $24 million for submitting false claims to state Medicaid programs - including Texas' - and performing unnecessary dental work on children. The fine against Benevis LLC - as well as its affiliated Kool Smiles clinics - was announced Thursday by the U.S. Justice Department. (Downen, 1/11)

Marietta-based Benevis, the company that operates Kool Smile dental clinics in low-income communities, has agreed to pay nearly $24 million to settle accusations of Medicaid fraud. Prosecutors said Wednesday that for years the company had performed medically unnecessary dental procedures like root canals on children and billed taxpayers for the work. (Brasch, 1/11)