First Edition: August 1, 2019
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Biden-Harris Debate Rematch Highlights Health Plan Differences
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio puzzled over the “mythology that people are in love with their private insurance.” Washington Gov. Jay Inslee boasted that his state just became the first to provide its citizens with a public option. Biden boldly repeated his version of a claim very similar to the one that once earned President Barack Obama PolitiFact’s 2013 Lie of the Year. At times the back and forth was fast and furious, and it seemed even the candidates were lost in the numbers they were firing across the stage. (Huetteman, 7/31)
Kaiser Health News:
Trump Administration ‘Open For Business’ On Drug Imports From Canada
In May 2018, Azar said the prospect of importing drugs from Canada was just a “gimmick” because that country is not large enough to meet all the drug needs of the United States. But lowering drug prices has been a key promise of President Donald Trump, and a few months later, Azar said he was forming a work group that would explore allowing certain drugs that had seen major price hikes to be imported. (Galewitz, 7/31)
Kaiser Health News:
The Talk Seniors Need To Have With Doctors Before Surgery
The decision seemed straightforward. Bob McHenry’s heart was failing, and doctors recommended two high-risk surgeries to restore blood flow. Without the procedures, McHenry, 82, would die. The surgeon at a Boston teaching hospital ticked off the possible complications. Karen McHenry, the patient’s daughter, remembers feeling there was no choice but to say “go ahead.” It’s a scene she’s replayed in her mind hundreds of times since, with regret. (Graham, 8/1)
California Healthline:
California Bill Would Fight Deals That Delay Generic Drugs
California’s attorney general touted a legal victory this week against drugmakers who he said made secretive, backroom deals to keep less expensive drugs off the market. In nearly the same breath, Xavier Becerra also lamented that he didn’t have enough legal tools to go after all the companies that engage in the practice of “pay for delay,” in which brand-name drugmakers pay off generic manufacturers to keep the more affordable generic versions of their medications off the market. (Ibarra, 7/31)
Reuters:
Democratic Debate Highlights: Biden The Favored Target
Democratic front-runner Joe Biden was again the main target of his rivals at the second presidential debate on Wednesday, as many of the nine other candidates on stage took aim at his track record on race, criminal justice, immigration and healthcare. "Go easy on me, kid," the former vice president told Senator Kamala Harris of California with a smile as they greeted each other on stage before the debate began in Detroit. But neither one had any plans to go easy, and they went after each other in a series of tough exchanges. (Becker and Renshaw, 8/1)
The New York Times:
Biden Under Fire From All Sides As Rivals Attack His Record
In the opening moments of the debate, Mr. Biden took particular aim at Ms. Harris, accusing her of peddling “double talk” on health care and insisting that a range of liberal plans to displace the private health insurance system were too disruptive and too costly. He chided Ms. Harris for her proposal of a decade-long transition to a version of single-payer health care, urging voters to be skeptical “anytime somebody tells you you’re going to get something good in 10 years.” “My response is: Obamacare is working,” said Mr. Biden, who has proposed the creation of an optional, government-backed health insurance plan. (Burns and Martin, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Democratic Debate: 8 Key Moments From Night 2 As Rivals Went After Biden
“To be very blunt, and to be very straightforward, you can’t beat President Trump with double-talk on this plan,” Biden said. Harris responded in general terms, saying health care is a right and that “the cost of doing nothing is far too expensive.” She also challenged Biden for touting the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, noting that Kathleen Sebelius, Obama’s secretary for health and human services, was supporting her plan. (8/1)
Los Angeles Times:
Joe Biden Takes Fire From All Sides In Democratic Debate
“You will lose your employer-based insurance,” Biden said of the Harris plan. He was playing to the political sensitivities of the issue because more than 150 million Americans currently have job-based health coverage, and many are wary of change, polls show. But Harris counterpunched by saying Biden’s plan, which would build on the existing Affordable Care Act, would still leave millions of Americans without affordable healthcare coverage. “We will ensure that everyone has access to healthcare,” Harris said. (Halper, Mehta and Beason, 7/31)
The Associated Press:
Debate Takeaways: Democratic Divisions Intensify
Harris' rising profile made her a target for the first time. Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet derided her recently released "Medicare for All" plan, which he said was not "honest" and would raise taxes to the middle class "to the tune of $30 trillion." (8/1)
Los Angeles Times:
Biden And Harris Play Defense: Five Takeaways From Night 2 Of The Democratic Debate
Like in the first night of the second set of debates, the moderators spent a hefty chunk of time focusing on healthcare policy. But Wednesday’s candidates seemed clumsy in discussing the intricacies of healthcare, contrasting with the mostly policy-fluent discussion the previous night. ... The sharpest critique came from Bennet, who said Harris’ plan would essentially ban employer-based healthcare, which is how most working Americans get their insurance today. Harris countered by saying her plan would decouple employers from healthcare — which she touted as making benefits more flexible for workers — but her answer lacked the crispness that characterized her June debate performance. (Mason, 7/31)
The Hill:
De Blasio Accuses Bennet Of Fearmongering On How To Pay For 'Medicare For All'
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) criticized Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) during Wednesday's Democratic presidential primary debate, accusing him of "fearmongering" when he talks about tax increases being needed to pay for "Medicare for All." "I don't understand why Democrats on this stage are fearmongering about universal health care. It makes no sense," de Blasio said. (Jagoda, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Joe Biden, Kamala Harris Muddle Through Confusing Health Policy In Debate
Health-care experts said both candidates strained to explain key details. Biden misled viewers when he said during a heated exchange that his proposal would cover everyone — even though by his own plan’s admission, it would leave out 3 percent of Americans, or about 10 million people. Harris downplayed the impact of her proposal on employer-sponsored plans in an exchange with Sen. Michael F. Bennet (D-Colo.), according to health experts. (Stein and Abutaleb, 8/1)
Politico:
5 Revelations From The Biden Pile-On In Detroit
The issue is not only top-of-mind for voters, but also nuanced enough that it will likely feature prominently in every future debate. Candidates who have dodged the tax implications of their health care plans will be pressed on the cost. And candidates who have taken more moderate positions will be pressed on gaps in coverage. (Siders and Shepard, 8/1)
The New York Times:
Debate Fact Check: What Were They Talking About, And What Was True?
Mr. Biden and Senator Kamala Harris of California squared off over differences in their approaches to expanding access to health insurance. Ms. Harris said: “Your plan, by contrast, leaves out almost 10 million Americans.” Mr. Biden said: “Your plan, no matter how you cut it, costs $3 trillion when it is in fact employed.” These statements are mostly true. Neither Ms. Harris nor Mr. Biden are backing the “Medicare for all” plan being promoted by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, which would replace all private insurance coverage with a government plan. Mr. Biden wants to expand the Affordable Care Act by offering a public option. He says his plan would cover 97 percent of Americans — a figure that Ms. Harris appeared to seize on to justify her statement that his plan would leave 10 million people uncovered. (7/31)
The Washington Post:
Fact Check Of The Second Democratic Debate
“The [Harris] plan … it will require middle class taxes to go up, not down," said former vice president Joe Biden. Biden’s claim that middle-class taxes would go up under Sen. Kamala D. Harris’s (Calif.) plan is better aimed at the Bernie Sanders version. Harris tried to inoculate against this type of attack by making a significant change earlier this week. Sen. Sanders (I-Vt.) would propose a 4 percent income-based premium paid by households. Sanders estimated that this would raise $3.5 trillion over 10 years, but the “typical middle-class family” would save more than $4,400 a year. But it would kick in on income of more than $29,000 for a family of four. (Kessler, Rizzo and Kelly, 7/31)
Politico:
Biden Bites Back: Key Moments From The Second Dem Debate
“I don’t know what math you do in New York. I don’t know what math you do in California,” he said, talking to de Blasio and Harris. “But I tell ya, that’s a lot of money, and there will be a deductible. The deductible will be out of your paycheck because that’s what we require.” “Yeah, let’s talk about math,” Harris responded, highlighting the $72 billion the pharmaceutical and insurance companies made last year. She told Biden that under his plan, the “status quo, you do nothing to hold the insurance companies to task for what they have been doing to American families.” (McCaskill, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Democrats Pull No Punches On Second Night Of Primary Debate
If the first night was a showcase of the liberal-vs.-moderate split within the party, the second night put on display other divides and a thirst to have a nominee who represents the party’s growing diversity. Half of the 10 candidates onstage Wednesday at the Fox Theatre were minorities, making it a historically diverse lineup. “Mr. President, this is America,” Biden said, addressing President Trump, pointing to the diversity in race and experience onstage. “And we are stronger together because of this diversity. Not in spite of it, Mr. President. We love it, we are not leaving it. We are here to stay. And we’re certainly not going to leave it to you.” (Viser, Olorunnipa and Wang, 8/1)
The Wall Street Journal:
Biden, Harris Weather Attacks In Combative Debate
In the early segments of the debate in Detroit, the former vice president stammered several times. But his performance, which grew stronger throughout the night, may help silence some questions about his viability as a potential nominee and chief foil of Mr. Trump. The session was the most combative of four debates held so far, two this week and two a month earlier. It exposed deep divisions among the candidates over how far the federal government should reach into the lives of Americans. (McCormick, Day and Collins, 8/1)
NPR:
Biden, Harris Spar Over Hyde Amendment
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s past support for the Hyde Amendment resurfaced as an opportunity for his Democratic rivals to paint him as lacking in progressive credentials. California Sen. Kamala Harris asked Biden if he regrets his past support for the prohibition on federal funding for abortion in most cases. Harris said the rule “directly impacted so many women in our country,” particularly low-income women seeking abortions. Harris asked Biden why he waited to change his position until he was running for the 2020 Democratic nomination. (McCammon, 7/31)
Vox:
Democratic Debate: Joe Biden Recently Flipped On The Hyde Amendment. Kamala Harris Asked Him Why.
“You made a decision for years to withhold resources to poor women to reproductive health care, including women who were the victims of rape and incest. Do you now say that you have evolved and you regret that?” the California senator and presidential candidate asked. Harris’s question immediately followed a heated exchange between Biden and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, when he implied that the New York lawmaker was attacking a former argument he’d made about women working outside the home, simply because she was now running for president. Harris appeared to suggest that Biden’s updated position on the Hyde Amendment was pretty much for the same reason. (Zhou, 7/31)
NPR:
Debate Touches On Flint Water Crisis
Candidates were asked about how they would prevent a crisis like the one that unfolded in Flint, Michigan, 70 miles from the debate stage in Detroit. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro said he worked to get water filters to Flint residents during his time in the Obama administration, and he promoted his plan to invest $50 billion to eliminate the threat of lead contamination. (Rascoe, 7/31)
CNN:
Flint Water Crisis: As Democrats Debate In Nearby Detroit, A Deep-Seated Distrust Remains In Flint
Trash bags still cover the water fountains at First Trinity Missionary Baptist Church to keep thirsty congregants from drinking from them. At another church, the pastor only performs baptisms with bottled water. Every Thursday, a line of cars stretches for more than a mile down Dort Highway, as Flint residents wait hours for bottled water because they are afraid to drink from their faucets. It's hard to grasp the distrust that forms when people fear the water that comes from their tap could make them ill -- or worse. (Kann, 7/30)
USA Today:
'You’re Dipping Into The Kool-Aid' And The Other Top Moments From Wednesday's Spirited Debate
Obama's former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro also took aim Biden on immigration. In a heated back and forth over decriminalizing crossing the U.S. border, Castro argued why it was necessary for reducing crossings to a civil offense. But Biden questioned why Castro hadn't brought up his qualms while serving in Obama's administration. Castro shot back. "One of us has learned the lessons of the past and one hasn’t," he said. "What we need is politicians who actually have some guts on this issue." (Hayes, 7/31)
The Fix:
Transcript Of Second Democratic Debate Night 2
Democratic presidential candidates debated Wednesday for the second night in a row in Detroit. [Here] is a transcript from it. (7/31)
The Hill:
Biden Campaign Starts Selling ObamaCare 'BFD' Stickers
Former Vice President Joe Biden sought to gin up support for his presidential campaign's health care policy during Wednesday night's Democratic presidential primary debates. Biden's campaign sent a press release to supporters advertising the gift of a sticker reading "Obamacare: It's a BFD" after his fellow 2020 contenders attacked his health care policy that seeks to "protect and build on Obamacare." (Bowden, 7/31)
The Wall Street Journal:
Health Insurers Walk Delicate Line Against Democrats’ Health Proposals
As Democratic presidential candidates take aim at the health-insurance industry, companies are striking a delicate balance, trying to fight the plans without attracting the political spotlight or sparking investor alarm. The health insurers are deploying a two-pronged approach. Collectively, a number of insurers are putting their might into a coalition mounting an aggressive campaign against Democratic health-care proposals billed as “Medicare for All.” Television ads began running during Tuesday night’s presidential debate. But individual companies are mostly staying out of the public fray. (Wilde Mathews and Armour, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
White House Races To Come Up With Health-Care Wins For Trump’s Campaign
White House advisers, scrambling to create a health-care agenda for President Trump to promote on the campaign trail, are meeting at least daily with the aim of rolling out a measure every two to three weeks until the 2020 election. One of the initiatives would allow states to import lower-priced drugs from Canada and other countries and another would bar Medicare from paying more than any other country for prescription drugs, according to two senior administration officials and lobbyists — controversial ideas in line with Democratic proposals. Yet it remains unclear whether the administration has the legal authority to execute some of these policies without Congress’s approval. (Abutaleb and Dawsey, 7/31)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump To Sign Medicare Order As Part Of Attack On Democrats’ Health-Care Message
President Trump is preparing to sign an executive order next week on Medicare and moving ahead with allowing some drug imports from Canada, part of the administration’s effort to engineer a response to Democratic proposals that candidates say would expand health coverage to all Americans. The executive order would aim to strengthen Medicare for 44 million Americans and portray the president as defending it against Democrats who want to expand it nationwide under their Medicare for All strategy, a White House official said Wednesday. (Armour, Restuccia and Lucey, 7/31)
The New York Times:
Medicare For All? For More? Here’s How Medicare Works
Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people who are 65 or older, has become something of a panacea in the Democratic presidential race. Some candidates, including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, want to give it to everyone and even expand its benefits. Others, like former Representative Beto O’Rourke, want to give it automatically to people who don’t have other health insurance. Many, including former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, want to give people the right to buy into a Medicare-like public health insurance program. Whatever their positions, Medicare is what most of the candidates are holding up as a model for universal coverage, a goal they all embrace. (Goodnough, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Once Considered A Far-Left Idea, ‘Public Option’ Insurance Swerves Into The Mainstream
In one of the most heated exchanges over health care during the first of this week’s Democratic presidential debates, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock derided the idea of Medicare-for-all as “wish-list economics” that “rips away quality health care for individuals.” “We can get there with a public option,” Bullock declared, using shorthand for letting people buy into a government health plan. That endorsement from a candidate positioned toward the right in the crowded Democratic field reflects a remarkable migration: The notion of a government health plan that many Americans could buy into has gone from being a polarizing liberal wish to a centrist policy favorite within the party. (Goldstein, 7/31)
The New York Times:
Trump Administration Weighs Allowing Drug Imports For Cheaper Prescriptions
The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it was taking steps to make it easier to import less expensive prescription drugs from other countries, particularly Canada. The move has long been supported by progressives but has encountered fierce opposition from the pharmaceutical industry. The proposal would permit pilot programs developed by states, pharmacies or drug distributors that sought to safely import prescription medications from Canada. (Thomas, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Outlines Plans For Eventual Importation Of Cheaper Drugs
The plan would allow state governments, pharmacies and drug manufacturers to come up with proposals for safe importation and submit them for federal approval. Top officials at Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration outlined two measures the administration could take to allow Americans to purchase lower-cost, Canadian versions of some medicines. That could potentially include insulin — whose price rose about 300 percent from 2002 to 2013 — as well as drugs for rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disorders, HHS said. (Abutaleb and McGinley, 7/31)
The Associated Press:
US To Set Up Plan Allowing Prescription Meds From Canada
The move is a step toward fulfilling a 2016 campaign promise by President Donald Trump. It weakens an import ban that has stood as a symbol of the political clout of the pharmaceutical industry. But it’s unclear how soon consumers will see benefits, as the plan has to go through time-consuming regulatory approval and later could face court challenges from drugmakers. And there’s no telling how Canada will react to becoming the drugstore for its much bigger neighbor, with potential consequences for policymakers and consumers there. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 7/31)
Stat:
Trump Administration Unveils Plan To Allow Drug Importation From Canada
Only certain drugs could be imported under those state-based plans. Insulin, in particular, which has become a symbol of the striking price differences between the U.S. and Canada, couldn’t be imported under these programs. On a press call Wednesday, Azar emphasized that insulin, which is a biologic, can’t be imported under existing law. Nevertheless, a number of states have already expressed interest in doing just what Trump is proposing: Trump has vocally supported a plan from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and has publicly directed Azar to find a way to make Florida’s plan work. Colorado and Vermont have also both passed similar laws supporting importation of prescription drugs. (Florko, 7/31)
Politico:
Drug Industry Lashes Trump For Canada Importation Plan
The pharmaceutical industry swiftly attacked the plan, citing Azar’s own words from just last year, when he called drug importation a “gimmick.” "Rather than surrender the safety of Americans by importing failed polices from single-payer countries, we should work on solutions here at home that would lower patient out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy counter," said Stephen Ubl, CEO of Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, in a statement. (Owermohle and Allen, 7/31)
The Associated Press:
Advocates: 'Horrible Deja Vu' In Continued Family Separation
In the first couple of months after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration last year to stop separating most parents and children at the U.S.-Mexico border, the number of children sent to New York fell. Then, advocates say, the children started coming again in a steady stream, many too young to understand their circumstances or how to find their parents. (7/31)
Stat:
The Latest CRISPR Patent Fight Is On. So Is The Mudslinging
The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard lied about who invented the use of CRISPR genome editing in animal cells, and its lead CRISPR scientist Feng Zhang made statements to the patent office that he knew were “untrue,” attorneys for the University of California and its partners claim in legal documents filed Tuesday night with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In strikingly tough language, the lawyers accused the Broad of trying to “deceive the Office” in order to win patents on the revolutionary technology, claimed another Broad scientist made a “materially false declaration” about when Zhang’s lab got CRISPR to work, and argued that Zhang didn’t know what molecules the genome editor needed until he read a rival’s key paper — all of which makes Zhang’s work “unpatentable.” (Begley, 7/31)
The Wall Street Journal:
Google Algorithm Aims To Identify At-Risk Kidney Injury Patients
Google’s artificial-intelligence unit says it has developed an algorithm that can predict who is at high risk of developing a common kidney condition. The algorithm, developed by the DeepMind Health laboratories at Google parent company Alphabet Inc., marks a new application of machine learning in health care. Yet it also shows the shortcomings of many such efforts so far, in this case partly because the algorithm is accurate a little more than half the time. (Olson and Abbott, 7/31)
The New York Times:
Anemia May Increase Dementia Risk
A new study confirms earlier reports that anemia — a condition caused by having too little hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells — increases the risk for dementia. It found that having high hemoglobin levels does so as well. Dutch researchers looked at 12,305 people without dementia at the start of the study, measuring their hemoglobin levels and following them for an average of 12 years. Over the period, 1,520 developed dementia, including 1,194 with Alzheimer’s disease. The study is in Neurology. (Bakalar, 7/31)
The New York Times:
Why Standing Often Feels Even Harder Than Running
I’ve been a runner for 25 years and have been practicing yoga for 10. So why do I find it so much less painful to run for an hour than stand for an hour? Even the thought of standing for extended periods makes my back ache, especially during the summer, where standing is part of the fabric of the season, from waiting in line at amusement parks to standing in the security checkpoint queue at the airport. “The way we stand is so important. Our body can only handle so much strain in one position,” said Dr. Diane Koshimune, a podiatrist. When standing, most people’s tendency is to assume a “relaxed” stance, with the arch of the foot collapsed and your foot rolled in slightly, she said. (Ketteler, 8/1)
The New York Times:
The Boxing Champion Who Battles O.C.D.
Virginia Fuchs announced herself to the boxing world at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials, where she twice upset Marlen Esparza, a world champion. In 2017, Fuchs went 18-0. In 2018, she claimed a bronze medal at the world championships by attacking her flyweight opponents, on average, every four seconds during nine minutes of boxing. “That’s an engine!” said Billy Walsh, the head coach for the American team. “She’s a supreme athlete. We joke and call her Seabiscuit because she’s like a racehorse.” (Berg, 7/31)
The Washington Post:
Frozen Fruits And Vegetables Can Carry Foodborne Illnesses. Here’s How To Avoid Them.
When North Carolina State University microbiologist Benjamin Chapman makes a smoothie, he like many of us uses frozen berries. But first, Chapman microwaves his frozen berries to boiling and then refreezes them again before tossing them into the blender. Why the extra steps? Chapman wants to be sure that there are no pathogens in the frozen berries that could cause a foodborne illness for him or his family. (Squires, 7/31)
The Associated Press:
Jail Officials Faulted Over Epileptic Trans Woman's Death
A lawyer for the family of a transgender woman who died from an epileptic seizure at New York City's Rikers Island says she never should have been placed in a solitary unit. Lawyer David Shanies said Wednesday that medical records provided to the family show that jail officials knew 27-year-old Layleen Polanco had epilepsy, but decided to put her in a restrictive housing unit anyway. (7/31)
The Associated Press:
Connecticut Launches Investigation Into Vaping Health Claims
Connecticut launched an investigation Wednesday into the marketing practices of Juul Labs, becoming the latest state to probe the vaping product manufacturer’s health claims and appeal to young people. State Attorney General William Tong said his probe is part of a national effort to curb youth vaping, which has included congressional hearings, a lawsuit in North Carolina over Juul’s marketing practices and similar investigations in states such as Massachusetts. (Eaton-Robb, 7/31)
The Associated Press:
Texas Firm Accused Of Medicare Fraud Files For Bankruptcy
A blood-testing company filed for bankruptcy and says it's cutting jobs because Medicare payments have been withheld over allegations of fraud. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports True Health Diagnostics LLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week and notified officials of impending layoffs. (7/31)
The Washington Post:
Ousted Iowa Director To File Whistleblower Case, Lawyer Says
The ousted Iowa Department of Human Services director will pursue a wrongful termination lawsuit, alleging he was let go after objecting to a pay arrangement for the governor’s deputy chief of staff, his lawyer said Wednesday. Jerry Foxhoven, a 67-year-old legal scholar known for his frequent workplace praise of the late rapper Tupac Shakur, will file a whistleblower claim with the State Appeal Board, his attorney Tom Duff said. That’s the first step toward pursuing a lawsuit against state government. (Foley, 7/31)