First Edition: May 8, 2019
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Feds Want To Show Health Care Costs On Your Phone, But That Could Take Years
Federal officials are proposing new regulations that for the first time could allow patients to compare prices charged by various hospitals and other health care providers using data sent to their smartphones. Donald Rucker, who coordinates health information technology policy for the Department of Health and Human Services, said he expects that the rules, first proposed in March, will give patients new power to shop for care based on price and quality. (Schulte, 5/7)
Kaiser Health News:
Drug Industry Patents Go Under Senate Judiciary Committee’s Microscope
Congress isn’t making much headway in finding a solution to the problem of soaring prescription drug prices, but lawmakers from both parties are tinkering on the edges with legislation that aims to increase competition among drugmakers. A comprehensive piece of drug-pricing legislation is a high priority for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). And it could be introduced by mid-June, according to congressional staff. (Bluth, 5/7)
Politifact and Kaiser Health News:
The Money And Politics Of Prescription Drugs: What You Need To Know
If there’s one area of health care where Republicans and Democrats might strike a deal, it’s prescription drugs. President Donald Trump has floated a plan to cut drug prices. Democratic and Republican ideas abound in Congress, where lawmakers have put more than 40 bills on the table. In 2018, 39 states passed 94 laws targeting pricing and costs. Florida’s House recently approved a move backed by the state’s Republican governor to allow imports from Canada. So far, Vermont is the only state to take that step. (Greenberg, 5/8)
California Healthline:
A Plan To Cover Immigrants Would Divert Public Health Dollars
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants the state to provide health coverage to low-income young adults who are in the country illegally, but his plan would siphon public health dollars from several counties battling surging rates of sexually transmitted diseases and, in some cases, measles outbreaks. Public health officials describe the proposed reallocation of state dollars as a well-meaning initiative that nonetheless would have “dire consequences” to core public health services. (Young, 5/7)
Kaiser Health News:
Effects Of Surgery On A Warming Planet: Can Anesthesia Go Green?
It was early morning in an operating theater at Providence Hospital in Portland, Ore. A middle-aged woman lay on the operating table, wrapped in blankets. Surgeons were about to cut out a cancerous growth in her stomach. But first, an anesthesiologist — Dr. Brian Chesebro — put her under by placing a mask over her face. (Foden-Vencil, 5/8)
The New York Times:
Trump Administration Seeks To Redefine Formula For Calculating Poverty
The Trump administration is proposing regulatory changes that could result in cuts in federal aid to millions of low-income Americans. The proposal by the Office of Management and Budget on Monday would change how inflation is used to calculate the official definition of poverty used by the Census Bureau to estimate the size of the country’s poor population. The measure is also often applied to determine eligibility for government benefits. (Karni, 5/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Considers Poverty-Gauge Change That Could Trim Rolls On Aid Programs
The change in the poverty calculation would fit with other steps taken by the White House to reduce access to federal welfare programs, a policy shift that has alarmed consumer groups while appealing to conservatives who call for reducing spending on social programs. The administration has allowed states to impose work requirements in Medicaid. It has also backed a plan to make it harder for legal immigrants who use public assistance programs to come to the U.S. or stay permanently. The number of people affected by the change would be small at first but would grow over time, said Aviva Aron-Dine, vice president for health policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research and policy institute. She said it could affect the income thresholds used to determine Medicaid eligibility. (Armour, 5/7)
Modern Healthcare:
Tennessee Will Test CMS' Willingness To Block-Grant Medicaid
Tennessee Republicans have decided to test the Trump administration's willingness to radically restructure Medicaid by turning it into a state block grant program. The GOP-dominated legislature passed a three-page bill last Thursday ordering the governor to submit a Section 1115 waiver request to the CMS within six months. The waiver would seek the CMS' approval to transform TennCare, the state's $12 billion Medicaid program covering 1.3 million Tennesseans, from an open-ended entitlement program to one where the federal government makes fixed payments. (Meyer, 5/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
Tennessee Becomes First State To Embrace Block Grants For Medicaid Funding
Republican Gov. Bill Lee is expected to sign legislation soon seeking Trump administration approval to turn federal funding for the state’s Medicaid program into a lump-sum grant. Currently, Tennessee, like other states, gets open-ended federal dollars because the government matches a percentage of state spending. A switch to block grants would essentially cap funding. The move comes as the Trump administration has encouraged states to explore block grants as part of a White House effort to overhaul Medicaid. The federal-state program covers about 74 million low-income and disabled people, including almost 30 million children, and several Republican-controlled states have already adopted or are requesting federal approval for work requirements and other ways to rein in costs. Growth in Medicaid means the program is making up a larger share of state budgets. (Armour, 5/7)
Politico:
Tennessee Will Ask Trump To OK First Medicaid Block Grant
Medicaid for decades has been an open-ended entitlement, without strict limits on how much the federal government pays to states as costs rise. Republicans have long championed Medicaid block grants, arguing that states could better manage their programs if the federal government gave them predetermined funding and significantly greater freedom to set eligibility and benefit rules. Tennessee Republicans spearheading the bill said they didn’t intend to cut coverage for low-income people. They have discussed the concept with the administration and the office of Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), who chairs the Senate health committee. (Pradhan, 5/3)
USA Today:
Pregnancy And Childbirth Deaths Are Largely Preventable, CDC Says
For every five mothers dying in the United States from pregnancy and childbirth, three could have been saved if they had received better medical care, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new report published Tuesday. The report details how mothers are dying needlessly before, during and up to a year after giving birth from pregnancy-related complications and health conditions aggravated by childbirth. The agency's latest analysis of national maternal mortality data adds to the growing body of evidence that more than half of deaths are preventable. And it further illustrates how delayed and missed diagnoses by medical providers, failures to recognize warning signs, and a lack of patient access to healthcare are all fueling this country's status as the most dangerous place to give birth among developed nations. (Young, 5/7)
The New York Times:
Huge Racial Disparities Found In Deaths Linked To Pregnancy
African-American, Native American and Alaska Native women die of pregnancy-related causes at a rate about three times higher than those of white women, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Tuesday. The racial disparity has persisted, even grown, for years despite frequent calls to improve access to medical care for women of color. Sixty percent of all pregnancy-related deaths can be prevented with better health care, communication and support, as well as access to stable housing and transportation, the researchers concluded. (Rabin, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
US Pregnancy Deaths Are Up, Especially Among Minorities
"An American mom today is 50% more likely to die in childbirth than her own mother was," said Dr. Neel Shah, a Harvard Medical School obstetrician. Separately, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released new guidelines saying being black is the greatest risk factor for these deaths. The guidelines say women should have a comprehensive heart-risk evaluation 12 weeks after delivery, but up to 40% of women don't return for that visit and payment issues may be one reason. (Stobbe and Marchione, 5/7)
The Washington Post:
Hundreds Of Women Die Each Year From Pregnancy Issues. Most Of The Deaths Could Be Prevented
The leading cause of death was cardiovascular conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, which accounted for 33 percent of pregnancy-related deaths. Infections accounted for nearly 13 percent, and obstetric hemorrhage accounted for 11 percent. A cause of death could not be determined in nearly 7 percent of the cases, according to the report. (Bever, 5/8)
Stat:
Pharma Companies Court Pro-Business Democrats
Facing hostility from nearly every corner of Capitol Hill, drug makers have spent recent weeks aggressively courting a group of business-friendly Democrats. PhRMA and BIO, the two major drug industry trade groups, met last week with the New Democrat Coalition, according to multiple Democratic aides. The group, which includes more than 100 members and describes itself as politically moderate and “pro-growth,” has also scheduled meetings with the drug companies Pfizer and Genentech, as well as the California Life Sciences Association (CSLA), which represents drug makers including AbbVie and Allergan. (Facher and Florko, 5/8)
The Hill:
Graham: Doing Nothing On Drug Prices 'Unacceptable'
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Tuesday that he expects Congress to take action this year to lower drug prices by cracking down on drug companies that delay the patent system to extend their monopolies. “I expect us to do something on patents and prescription drugs this year,” Graham said at a Judiciary Committee hearing. “I don’t know where the sweet spot is but doing nothing is unacceptable.” (Sullivan, 5/7)
The Hill:
Trump Directs Health Chief To Work On Allowing Florida To Import Cheaper Drugs
President Trump has directed his health chief to work on a proposal for Florida to import cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, and signaled his desire to approve the plan, according to a GOP lawmaker from the state. Trump met with officials including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) at the White House on Monday to discuss the governor’s proposal to lower drug prices by importing cheaper drugs from Canada. (Sullivan, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Opponents Of Georgia Abortion Ban Promise Court Challenge
Opponents of a Georgia law banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected vow to take their fight from the state Capitol to the courthouse. Signed Tuesday by Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, the measure is one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws and would effectively ban the procedure around six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. (Nadler, 5/8)
The Washington Post:
Georgia Governor Signs ‘Heartbeat Bill,’ Giving The State One Of The Most Restrictive Abortion Laws In The Nation
Separately, the Alabama Senate is poised to vote this week on legislation that could become the nation’s strictest abortion law, making it a felony to receive an abortion, with no exception for rape or incest. In a countermove, lawmakers in a growing number of states are racing to amend state constitutions to provide a backstop for the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that established a woman’s right to an abortion. (Wax-Thibodeaux and Cha, 5/7)
The Hill:
Abortion Battles Heat Up With Kavanaugh On Supreme Court
Abortion rights advocates and opponents are racing to pass some of the most aggressive laws in recent history as each side prepares for coming legal fights that are likely to culminate in a new challenge to Roe v. Wade. Those involved in the fight say Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation last year has spurred both sides to action. (Wilson, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Wisconsin Republicans Defend Born-Alive Abortion Bill
Wisconsin Republicans moved quickly Tuesday to advance a bill that would require abortion providers to care for babies who survive abortion attempts or face prison, pushing it through a public hearing and preparing for a floor vote as early as next week. Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke and Senate President Roger Roth urged the Assembly Health Committee to pass the bill during the hearing, saying it would leave no doubt that health care providers must do everything they can to keep babies alive if they are born during a failed abortion attempt. (Richmond, 5/7)
The Washington Post:
Non-Doctors Can Perform First-Trimester Abortions In Virginia, Federal Judge Rules
Requiring a doctor to perform most abortions in Virginia violates the Constitution, a federal judge in Richmond ruled Monday. The decision from U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson is a victory for abortion rights advocates locally and nationally, who have long argued that first-trimester abortions are simple and safe enough to be performed without a physician. (Weiner and Vozzella, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Lawmaker Vows To 'Do Better' After Abortion Clinic Video
A Pennsylvania state lawmaker who has drawn criticism for a recording of himself berating a woman who was protesting abortion outside a Philadelphia clinic promised Tuesday to "do better." Democratic state Rep. Brian Sims posted a two-minute video on Twitter that said "two wrongs don't make a right." (Scolforo, 5/7)
Reuters:
77% Of Americans Say Kids Should Get Measles Shot Even If Parents Object: Reuters Poll
Three out of four Americans believe children should be vaccinated against measles even if their parents object, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, showing little sympathy for the anti-vaccination movement that U.S. officials blame for the ongoing outbreak. Some 764 cases of the disease have been confirmed in the United States so far this year, the most seen in 25 years, in an outbreak that public health officials have called "completely avoidable" and largely linked to misinformation campaigns against the vaccines. (5/7)
The Associated Press:
Health Officials Say NYC Measles Cases Reach 466
The number of measles cases in New York City has reached 466 since the outbreak began in October. The city's health department said Tuesday that 43 new cases were recorded since it last reported figures in April. (5/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
Measles Cases In New York City Climb To 466
The newly reported cases continue to be concentrated in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Eight cases were added to the tally for the Borough Park area, a neighborhood where health officials had seen declines. The majority of cases continue to be among children under 4 years of age. Though the outbreak has primarily occurred within insular Orthodox Jewish communities, three of the new cases are among residents of the Sunset Park area of Brooklyn who aren’t members of the Orthodox Jewish community, health officials said. (West, 5/7)
Reuters:
WHO Issues Warning As Measles Infects 34,000 In Europe This Year
More than 34,000 people across Europe caught measles in the first two months of 2019, with the vast majority of cases in Ukraine, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday as it urged authorities to ensure vulnerable people get vaccinated. The death toll among 34,300 cases reported across 42 countries in the WHO's European region reached 13, with the virus killing people in Ukraine - which is suffering a measles epidemic - as well as in Romania and Albania. The risk is that outbreaks may continue to spread, the WHO warned. (5/7)
The New York Times:
School Shooting In Colorado Leaves 1 Student Dead And 8 Injured
Last month, as the 20th anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting approached, STEM School Highlands Ranch joined hundreds of schools near Denver in closing temporarily amid security concerns. The anniversary came and went, and schools returned to their routines. But on Tuesday afternoon, the STEM school’s worst fears were realized when nine of its students were shot, one fatally, and two fellow students were being held as suspects. (Healy and Stack, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Texas Seeks More Armed School Personnel After Mass Shooting
Nearly a year after a mass shooting at a Texas high school in which eight students and two substitute teachers were killed, lawmakers in the gun-friendly state are close to passing measures that they say would harden campuses by adding more armed school personnel, beefing up security plans and boosting student mental health resources. As for restricting gun sales or access to weapons, there's likely no chance of that happening in a state where the Republican leadership has long pledged to protect gun rights. Texas allows the licensed carry of handguns and the unlicensed open carry of long guns, such as assault-style rifles. (5/7)
The New York Times:
E.P.A. Leaders Disregarded Agency’s Experts In Issuing Asbestos Rule, Memos Show
Senior officials at the Environmental Protection Agency disregarded the advice of their own scientists and lawyers in April when the agency issued a rule that restricted but did not ban asbestos, according to two internal memos. Because of its fiber strength and resistance to heat, asbestos has long been used in insulation and construction materials. It is also is a known carcinogen. Last month’s rule kept open a way for manufacturers to adopt new uses for asbestos, or return to certain older uses, but only with E.P.A. approval. (Friedman, 5/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
Sacklers Discussed Selling Purdue In 2000
Members of the billionaire Sackler family, who own OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma LP, discussed selling the company in 2000, according to a court filing made public on Tuesday. It is unknown what prompted the discussion, and the Sacklers never sold their stake. The new details emerged in portions of a complaint previously filed by Connecticut by Attorney General William Tong against the company and certain family members. The lawsuit is one of more than 1,600 from cities, counties and states against Purdue and other companies for their alleged role in sparking the opioid crisis through deceptive and aggressive marketing. (Hopkins, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Emails: Purdue Executive Cast Blame On Opioid Victims
A member of the family that owns Purdue Pharma, maker of the painkiller OxyContin, cast blame on victims of the opioid epidemic in nearly 20-year-old emails, saying “abusers aren’t victims,” according to a court filing announced Tuesday in Connecticut. The emails from Richard Sackler were made public through a complaint brought by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, one of about 2,000 lawsuits that have been filed around the country against the Connecticut-based pharmaceutical giant. (Melia and Mulvihill, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
Louisiana Tests Unapproved Anti-Addiction Implant On Inmates
Some Louisiana inmates struggling with opioid addictions may soon find themselves sporting addiction fighting implants that haven't yet been approved by federal regulators. The Advocate reports prison officials announced the pilot program last week and the first implant was inserted Wednesday. Officials say the surgical implant releases the opioid and alcohol addiction fighting drug naltrexone and is slowly metabolized by the body over several months. (5/8)
The Associated Press:
Electronic Implants Studied For Treatment Of Drug Addition
Patient Number One is a thin man, with a scabby face and bouncy knees. His head, shaved in preparation for surgery, is wrapped in a clean, white cloth. Years of drug use cost him his wife, his money and his self-respect, before landing him in this drab yellow room at a Shanghai hospital, facing the surgeon who in 72 hours will drill two small holes in his skull and feed electrodes deep into his brain. (5/7)
Reuters:
Mylan Gives No Clear View On Strategic Options, Shares Plunge 17 Percent
Drugmaker Mylan NV on Tuesday reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue and failed to provide greater clarity on a potential revamp of the company's strategy, sending its shares down 17 percent to a more than six-and-a-half year low. The company in August announced that its board had launched a strategic review, citing tough pricing environment for generics and said last quarter that the review was nearing completion. (Joseph and B, 5/7)
Reuters:
In Canada, A Little-Known Drug Regulator Shows Its Teeth
A tiny, little-known government agency is ramping up regulation of Canada's pharmaceutical industry, seeking to rein in prices for patented drugs that are among the highest in the world, according to industry sources and a Reuters analysis of government data. The federal Patented Medicine Prices Review Board is targeting an increasing number of expensive drugs, including a rare-disease medication made by Horizon Pharma that can cost $253,409 a year, documents reviewed by Reuters shows. (Martell and Mehler Paperny, 5/8)
NPR:
For Domestic Violence Survivors, Finding Strength To Leave Abusers Is A Process
Many women have a hard time admitting — even to themselves — that they're being abused by their husband or partner. Suzanne Dubus' first husband hit her, but still, she didn't initially identify herself as a victim of abuse. "I attributed it to alcohol," Dubus says. "I knew that his father abused his mother. And I thought, 'Well, this is just poor learning, and I can help him with this.' " (Gross, 5/7)
The New York Times:
What To Say (And Not To Say) To Someone Grieving A Suicide
It can be hard to know what to say to a person in the thicket of grief; when someone is grieving a loved one’s suicide, the right words — any words, even — can feel all the more elusive and fraught. Suicide can leave survivors racked with anger, confusion and guilt, and in this state, sometimes even well-intentioned words can hurt. (Brandeis, 5/8)
USA Today:
Mental Health: Talking To Your Pets Is Good, Combats Loneliness
Owning a pet increases human interaction and combats the increasing health concerns around loneliness, prompting some researchers Tuesday to suggest the government should do more to encourage it. Researchers released new data Tuesday that show about 40% of people support a government push to increase interaction with pets. The research was presented at the first Summit on Social Isolation and Companion Animals by Mars Petcare and its Human Animal Bond Research Institute. (O'Donnell, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
NFL Concussion Fund Pays Out $485M, But Legal Fights Resume
The NFL concussion fund has paid out nearly $500 million in its first two years, but some players’ lawyers say there aren’t enough doctors in the approved network to evaluate dementia claims. They went to court Tuesday to oppose a rule to require retired players to be tested by doctors within 150 miles of home to prevent “doctor shopping” and suspected fraud. Fund administrator Orran Brown said ex-players from around the country had flocked to four doctors now dismissed from the program who had “high-volume” traffic and some suspect findings. (Dale, 5/7)
The New York Times:
Track And Field Tries To Understand New Rules For Intersex Athletes
The 800-meter women’s race in the Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar, on Friday included only the best of the best female middle-distance runners. And it was the last chance for athletes affected by a new ruling on testosterone levels to run in a women’s race without medical intervention. That ruling, which requires these athletes to take hormone-suppressing drugs and goes into effect Wednesday, began a week unlike any other in track and field history when it was delivered on May 1. (Kolata, 5/8)
The New York Times:
The Stoner As Gym Rat
Defying stereotypes, many people who frequently use cannabis also seem to be people who frequently exercise, according to the first large study of legal marijuana and exercise habits. The study finds that many people who report using cannabis in the hours before or after a workout believe that it makes their exercise more enjoyable and may help motivate them to get out and be active. Fewer of those who exercise and use pot maintain that it actually improves their physical performance while exercising. (Reynolds, 5/8)
The New York Times:
Eating Nuts During Pregnancy Tied To Brain Benefits In Baby
Eating nuts during pregnancy may lead to improved cognitive ability in children, Spanish researchers report. Their study, in the European Journal of Epidemiology, included 2,208 children. Mothers filled out food questionnaires during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy, and researchers administered tests of motor and intellectual ability when the children were 1 and a half, 5 and 8 years old. (Bakalar, 5/7)
The Baltimore Sun:
UMMS Scandal: Medical System Board Chairman, Two Others Resign As Additional Contract Revealed
The chairman of the embattled University of Maryland Medical System board of directors announced his resignation Tuesday — along with two other board members — as an additional contract with one of the departing board members was revealed. Board Chairman Stephen Burch, who attended a contentious meeting in March with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and Democratic state Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller over the board’s contracting practices, announced his resignation effective July 1. (Broadwater and Rector, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
3 More Maryland Medical Board Members Resign Amid Scandal
(Catherine) Pugh resigned as mayor last week amid investigations into whether she sold self-published children's books to disguise hundreds of thousands of dollars in kickbacks. She's called her book deal with the medical system a "regrettable mistake." The FBI and IRS agents raided Pugh's homes and City Hall offices last month. Pugh has not been charged with a crime. Roughly one-third of more than two dozen of the system's board members received compensation through the medical system's arrangements with their businesses. (5/7)
The New York Times:
Ordeal Of Woman Who Gave Birth In Florida Jail Cell Prompts Internal Investigation
The ordeal of a woman who gave birth in an isolation cell in a Florida jail has prompted an internal investigation, and has set off a wave of outrage after her lawyers said her repeated cries for help were ignored. The woman, Tammy Jackson, 35, woke up with painful contractions around 3 a.m. on April 10 and started to bang on the door of her Broward County jail cell, screaming for help, said a lawyer representing her, Gordon Weekes Jr. She ended up spending seven hours without medication or seeing a doctor, he said. (Garcia, 5/7)
The Associated Press:
California Set To Change Sex Education Guidance For Teachers
California is close to overhauling its guidance for teaching sex education in public schools, offering teachers a framework for talking to kindergarteners about gender identity, discussing masturbation with middle-schoolers and recommending books that teach healthy practices for LGBT high schoolers. The proposal the California State Board of Education is scheduled to consider Wednesday offers advice on teaching health topics including nutrition, injury prevention and alcohol and tobacco use. (5/8)
The Associated Press:
Proposed Tobacco Ban Sparks Fiery Debate In Beverly Hills
A fiery debate is breaking out across Beverly Hills as people at tony hair salons, gas stations and stores weigh in on whether the city of the rich and famous should become the first in the U.S. to outlaw the sale of tobacco products everywhere except a few cigar lounges. The council decided Tuesday night to make some changes to the proposal, such as allowing guests in the city's luxury hotels to acquire cigarettes through their concierge or room service. (5/7)
NPR:
Denver Considers Telling Law Enforcement To Let 'Magic Mushrooms' Be
Douglas rattles around a collection of glass jars in the storage closet of his Denver apartment. They're filled with sterilized rye grains, covered in a soft white fungus — a mushroom spawn. Soon, he'll transplant it in large plastic bins filled with nutrients such as dried manure and coconut fiber. Over the course of two weeks, a crop of mushrooms that naturally contain psilocybin, a psychoactive ingredient, will sprout. The species he grows include psilocybe cubensis. (Honig, 5/7)