Harris-Walz Platform Includes Effort To Wipe Out Americans’ Medical Debt
Details about how the plan would work are few, and bringing it to fruition would require Congress and the states to work together. Also in the news from the Capitol: FDA delves deeper into Ecstasy studies; a judge blocks an EPA pollution effort; and more.
The Hill:
Kamala Harris, Tim Walz Lean Into Erasing Medical Debt
The economic plan Harris released last week called for Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), to work with states to erase medical debt for millions of Americans “to help them avoid accumulating such debt in the future, because no one should go bankrupt just because they had the misfortune of becoming sick or hurt.” (Weixel, 8/24)
The New York Times:
Care Policies Take Center Stage In Harris’s Economic Message
The “care economy” — a broad set of policies aimed at helping parents and other caregivers — was the great unfinished work of President Biden’s domestic agenda. Vice President Kamala Harris has made it a central aspect of her campaign to succeed him. Ms. Harris, the Democratic nominee, has spoken frequently on the campaign trail about making it more affordable to raise children. She chose a running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, whose signature policy accomplishments include the creation of a paid family leave program. (Ngo and Casselman, 8/24)
The Wall Street Journal:
Kamala Harris Is Proposing A $6,000 Baby Bonus. Would It Make A Difference?
The first year of a baby’s life is costly and stressful for new parents, who often lose income as well as sleep as the bills mount. Vice President Kamala Harris proposes giving families of newborns a $6,000 bonus in the form of a tax credit to support their finances and well-being—an approach used in a handful of other countries. (Brown, 8/24)
KFF Health News:
For Pharma, Trump Vs. Harris Is A Showdown Between Two Industry Foes
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have a rare point of agreement in their otherwise bitter and divisive contest: It’s up to the government to cut high U.S. drug prices. Harris cast the tie-breaking Senate vote in 2022 for legislation that allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices for its more than 60 million beneficiaries. ... As president, Trump would likely retain Medicare price negotiations unless the pharmaceutical industry can come up with something more compelling that they’d put on the table, people close to him say. (Armour, 8/26)
Also —
The Wall Street Journal:
Exclusive | FDA Widens Probe Of Ecstasy-Based Drug Studies
The Food and Drug Administration is ramping up its investigation of the clinical trials that tested an Ecstasy-based therapy, after the agency earlier rejected the application for its approval. FDA investigators this week interviewed four people about the clinical trials sponsored by company Lykos Therapeutics, people familiar with the matter said. Investigators asked about whether side effects went unreported. (Essley Whyte, 8/23)
Reuters:
US FDA Classifies Recall Of Inari's Catheter Devices As 'Most Serious'
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday classified a recall of Inari Medical's (NARI.O) ClotTriever catheter that helps capture and remove large clot from big vessels as "most serious". The affected products include all devices and lot numbers with labeled dates prior to Aug. 1, 2024, whose use might cause serious adverse health consequences, including device entrapment, vessel damage, and/or blockage of lung arteries and death, the FDA said. (8/24)
The New York Times:
Judge Blocks E.P.A. From Using Civil Rights Law In Pollution Case
A federal court in Louisiana has dealt a serious blow to the Biden administration’s effort to protect communities heavily affected by toxic industrial pollution. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana ruled on Wednesday that the Environmental Protection Agency is barred from using the federal civil rights law to prevent Louisiana from granting permits for numerous polluting facilities in minority and low-income communities. (Friedman, 8/23)
AP:
Federal Lawsuit Challenges Mask Ban In Suburban New York County, Claims Law Is Discriminatory
A disability rights organization is challenging a suburban New York ban on wearing masks in public except for health and religious reasons, arguing it is unconstitutional and discriminates against people with disabilities. The federal class action lawsuit, filed by Disability Rights of New York on behalf of individuals with disabilities, seeks a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to immediately stop enforcement of Nassau County’s Mask Transparency Act. (8/24)
