First Edition: December 5, 2017
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
‘I’ve Never Been This Busy’: As Marketplace Deadline Nears, Navigators Feel The Pinch
When Monica Spalding got the renewal letter from her health insurance company with premium details for the upcoming year, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The insurer estimated that the share of the monthly premium that she and her husband would owe for their marketplace silver plan would go up from the current $28 a month to $545. (Andrews, 12/5)
California Healthline:
CVS-Aetna Merger A Bid To Bring Down Costs, Gain Competitive Edge
Consumers might start to see some dramatic changes inside their neighborhood pharmacy. CVS Health Corp. announced that it has agreed to buy health insurance giant Aetna Inc. for $69 billion. The combined companies aim to put the retailer’s nearly 10,000 stores to better use delivering medical care that’s more convenient than what’s available from many doctors’ offices and hospitals. (12/4)
Kaiser Health News:
Dangling A Carrot For Patients To Take Healthy Steps: Does It Work?
Patricia Alexander knew she needed a mammogram but just couldn’t find the time. “Every time I made an appointment, something would come up,” said Alexander, 53, who lives in Moreno Valley, Calif. Over the summer, her doctor’s office, part of Vantage Medical Group, promised her a $25 Target gift card if she got the exam. Alexander, who’s insured through Medi-Cal, California’s version of the Medicaid program for lower-income people, said that helped motivate her to make a new appointment — and keep it. (Gorman, 12/5)
The New York Times:
Why Trump Is Right And Wrong About Obamacare Premiums
President Trump says that premiums for Obamacare are “going up, up, up.” He is partly correct and partly incorrect, according to a New York Times analysis of new data provided by the McKinsey Center for U.S. Health System Reform. (Park, 12/4)
The Hill:
Collins Doubles Funding Ask For ObamaCare Bill
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has doubled the amount of money she's requesting in her ObamaCare stabilization bill in exchange for her vote on the GOP's tax-reform plan. Collins, a key vote on tax reform, is pushing for the passage of two ObamaCare bills in an attempt to mitigate the effects of the tax bill's repeal of the individual insurance mandate. (Hellmann, 12/4)
The Associated Press:
Q&A: Tax Bill Impacts On Health Law Coverage And Medicare
The tax overhaul Republicans are pushing toward final votes in Congress could undermine the Affordable Care Act's health insurance markets and add to the financial squeeze on Medicare over time. Lawmakers will meet this week to resolve differences between the House- and Senate-passed bills in hopes of getting a finished product to President Donald Trump's desk around Christmas. Also in play are the tax deduction for people with high medical expenses, and a tax credit for drug companies that develop treatments for serious diseases affecting relatively few patients. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 12/5)
The New York Times:
How Will Consumers Fare If CVS And Aetna Merge?
When CVS Health and Aetna announced their merger on Sunday, their executives painted an image of a dawning health care utopia. The new company, combining one of the country’s biggest pharmacies with one of its largest health insurers, will create a world where patients will get the “human touch,” they said. Fewer people will fall through the cracks, they promised, and getting high-quality, low-cost medical care will be as close as your corner drugstore. (Abelson and Thomas, 12/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
The CVS-Aetna Gamble: A Health-Care Giant Not Built Around Doctors
CVS Health Corp. and Aetna Inc. are attempting to create something with little precedent: an integrated health-care enterprise that isn’t built around doctors. The combination of the two companies, in a deal valued at $69 billion and announced Sunday, is supposed to bring together Aetna’s patient data and CVS’s sprawling network of nearly 10,000 brick-and-mortar sites to squeeze out costs while improving care and convenience. (Wilde Mathews and Terlep, 12/4)
NPR:
With Aetna Deal, CVS Looks To Turn Stores Into Health Care Hubs
CVS Health is looking to create a national network of community medical clinics that will serve as "America's front door to quality health care." That's the goal, according to a statement by CEO Larry Merlo on his company's deal for Aetna. It's an ambitious one for CVS, a company better known as a quick stop for Tylenol and a Coke. (Kodjak, 12/4)
Bloomberg:
CVS-Aetna Deal Could Start A Health Takeover Run
CVS Health Corp.’s deal to buy insurer Aetna Inc. for about $67.5 billion could be just the start of a new wave of health-care takeovers. The merger announced Sunday will leave one less independent player in the complex web of insurers, retailers and other middlemen that sit between patients and their care -- and who are under pressure to reduce costs. (Langreth, 12/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS-Aetna Is More Tortoise Than Hare
Next on the corporate agenda at CVS Health Corp.: lightening up the balance sheet. CVS announced new financial details from its $69 billion agreement to buy Aetna Corp. on Monday morning. Investor reaction was lukewarm: CVS sold off 3% in early trading. That reaction is understandable since CVS will see little short-term benefit from the acquisition, which is set to close in the second half of next year. (Grant, 12/4)
Politico:
Aetna-CVS Behemoth Would Nudge Patients Toward The Drug Store Counter
The proposed $69 billion merger between pharmacy giant CVS and health insurer Aetna would create a new type of health care behemoth. (Tahir and Demko, 12/4)
The Hill:
Five Questions For The CVS-Aetna Deal
It’s not clear that antitrust regulators will look favorably on the $69 billion merger. Earlier this year, Aetna ended its attempt to acquire Humana, another insurance company. The deal would have created the largest private Medicare insurer in the country. Aetna had faced significant obstacles. Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch sued Aetna to prevent the deal, and it was eventually blocked by a federal court. (Weixel, 12/4)
Bloomberg:
Aetna’s CEO Could Leave With $88 Million In CVS Deal
Aetna Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Bertolini could walk away with at least $88.3 million if he’s terminated after CVS Health Corp. buys the insurer. Bertolini holds equity awards valued at $71.9 million at the CVS deal’s $207 offer price that would vest immediately if he’s let go within two years of a transaction, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. He’s also entitled to about $6.72 million in severance and had accumulated $9.72 million in deferred compensation and pension as of Dec. 31. (Melin, 12/4)
Los Angeles Times:
CVS And Aetna Stocks Slide On News Of Merger Deal
CVS Health Corp. shares dropped Monday as investors expressed uncertainty about the pharmacy giant’s $69-billion deal to acquire health insurer Aetna Inc. CVS stock was down 4.9% at $71.45 around 9:45 a.m. PST. Meanwhile, shares of Aetna were down 0.5% at $180.40 after an early-morning jump. (Masunaga, 12/4)
The Hill:
Funding Bill Could Provide Short-Term CHIP Relief
The legislation to fund the government for two weeks could also provide some short-term relief to help states keep their Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) afloat. The bill, which would fund the government through Dec. 22, would temporarily lift certain spending constraints to allow states to get more money for CHIP from the federal government. (Weixel, 12/4)
Stat:
Arizona Becomes The Latest State To Seek To Limit Medicaid Drug Coverage
Arizona has become the latest state to seek permission from the federal government to limit the number of medicines that would be covered by its state Medicaid program, which is currently required to provide coverage for all treatments. In a Nov. 17 letter to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, state officials argued they should be allowed to use the same tools that commercial insurers rely on to contain drug costs. And they insist such a move is needed in order to preserve the larger mission of providing adequate health coverage. Massachusetts made the same request in late September. (Silverman, 12/4)
Stat:
Colorado Lifts Medicaid Restrictions For Treating Hepatitis C
Amid ongoing criticism that some states continue to curb access to hepatitis C drugs, Colorado officials have lifted restrictions that determined when patients could receive treatment. Going forward, Medicaid beneficiaries will no longer have to demonstrate an advanced stage of liver disease to be treated. In explaining their decision, state officials pointed to declining costs for the medicines, which have dropped in price recently as more new drugs become available. (Silverman, 12/4)
Stat:
Pregnant Women Who Need Medications Face A Risky Guessing Game
Congress last year created a task force through the National Institutes of Health to study why so few women can get reliable answers on medication use during pregnancy — and to recommend solutions. Members have been holding public meetings and reviewing the women’s comments. Experts say it’s long overdue. Few drugs have been approved as safe and effective to use during pregnancy, and most of those are for conditions specific to pregnancy. As a result, almost every medicine given to a pregnant woman, from prescription antacids for acid reflux to biologic drugs to prevent epileptic seizures, is considered an off-label use. Some doctors even take women off medications as basic and important as those that help control blood pressure, because there’s no way of knowing if they’re safe. (Thielking, 12/5)
Stat:
5 Ways To Improve Research On Medication Use During Pregnancy
For decades, it’s been taboo to test medications on pregnant women. But doctors, patients, and public health officials are increasingly arguing that it’s unethical not to include them in research. So new ideas for changing the research culture are emerging. Doctors, ethicists, and drug industry leaders laid out several concrete suggestions for addressing the problem in interviews with STAT and in presentations to a federal task force studying the issue. (Thielking, 12/5)
The Washington Post:
Liver Transplant Distribution Changed After Years Of Debate
After years of debate, the organization that oversees the allocation of livers for transplant took steps Monday to address a long-standing geographic disparity in supply of the scarce organs. The policy approved by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network will make more livers available in some places — including cities such as New York and Chicago — where the shortage is more severe than it is in regions such as the southeastern United States. (Bernstein, 12/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Could Crispr Help To Knock Out Superbugs?
As a practicing physician in Boston, Timothy Lu cared for very sick patients who returned repeatedly to the hospital with stubborn, serious infections that wouldn’t respond to antibiotics. He grew increasingly perplexed. “Why can’t we tackle this?” he wondered. Dr. Lu, who also holds degrees in computer science and electrical engineering, turned to the lab to develop better treatments. Yet his goal isn’t another antibiotic like the chemical compounds prescribed today. Instead “we are re-engineering the genetic code that underpins life” to help defeat superbugs, he said. (Evans, 12/5)
The Washington Post:
The Moral Differences Between Pro- And Anti-Vaccine Parents
When it comes to persuading parents in the United States who are hesitant about vaccinating their children, the public health messages often rely on facts and science to explain how immunization not only protects those children but also shields other vulnerable people from dangerous infectious diseases. But information campaigns that emphasize fairness or preventing harm sometimes backfire and can worsen vaccine hesitancy, research has shown. A study published Monday in Nature Human Behaviour suggests a more effective way to reach vaccine-hesitant parents may be to focus on two potentially powerful moral values that underlie people’s attitudes and judgments: individual liberty and purity. (Sun, 12/4)
The New York Times:
Two Hidden Cancer Causes: Diabetes And Obesity
Does a widening waistline put you at risk for cancer? Apparently so. According to a new study, nearly 6 percent of cancers are attributable at least in part to obesity and diabetes. Researchers compared incidence data for 12 cancers in 175 countries in 2012 with body mass index and diabetes prevalence figures from 2002, on the assumption that it takes at least ten years for cancer to develop. (Bakalar, 12/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Eating For Your Health Is Also Better For The Environment, Study Shows
So, you want to reduce your carbon footprint? You might consider improving your diet. It turns out that healthy eating isn't just good for your body, it can also lessen your impact on the environment. Scientists say that food production including growing crops, raising livestock, fishing and transporting all that food to our plates is responsible for 20% to 30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. (Netburn, 12/4)
NPR:
Teenagers Embrace JUUL, Saying It's Discreet Enough To Vape In Class
Mil Schooley, an 18-year-old student in Denver, Colo., says most of her friends have a JUUL — an e-cigarette that can vanish into a closed fist. When asked roughly how many, she stumbles a bit. "I wanna say like 50 or 60 percent? I don't know. Maybe it's just the people I know. All my friends in college have one," she says. "It just blew up over the summer." (Chen, 12/4)
Stat:
Could This Be The First Prescription Video Game? It Shows Promise In ADHD
Akili Interactive Labs on Monday reported that its late-stage study of a video game designed to treat kids with ADHD met its primary goal, a big step in the Boston company’s quest to get approval for what it hopes will be the first prescription video game. In a study of 348 children between the ages of 8 and 12 diagnosed with ADHD, those who played Akili’s action-packed game on a tablet over four weeks saw statistically significant improvements on metrics of attention and inhibitory control, compared to children who were given a different action-driven video game designed as a placebo. The company plans next year to file for approval with the Food and Drug Administration. (Robbins, 12/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Montana Is Latest State To Sue Purdue Pharma Over Opioid Crisis
Montana has become the latest state to sue Purdue Pharma LP for its alleged role in the opioid crisis, as the pharmaceutical company presses for joint talks with states to resolve widespread accusations that its aggressive marketing contributed to addiction rates. “The epidemic began not with an outbreak, but with a business plan,” Montana Attorney General Timothy Fox said in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Lewis and Clark County state court. (Randazzo, 12/4)
The Hill:
Warren Questions Conway's Role In Curbing Opioid Epidemic
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is asking for clarification on White House counselor Kellyanne Conway’s role in combating the opioid epidemic. In a letter sent Monday to John Kelly, President Trump’s chief of staff, Warren noted, in response to confusion on Conway's role last week, that “according to a report by CBS news, the White House later stated that her role was ‘not expanding and opioids has always been part of her policy portfolio,’ after multiple news outlets reported that she would be the White House's ‘drug czar.’ ” (Roubein, 12/4)
The New York Times:
‘Opiophobia’ Has Left Africa In Agony
Pain is only the latest woe in John Bizimungu’s life. Rwandan by birth, he has lived here as a refugee since his family was slaughtered in the 1994 genocide. A cobbler, Mr. Bizimungu used to walk the streets asking people if he could fix their shoes. Now, at 75 and on crutches, he sits at home hoping customers will drop by. But at least the searing pain from the cancer that has twisted his right foot is under control. (McNeil, 12/4)
The Associated Press:
State Enlists Recovering Addicts To Help Fight Drug Crisis
Virginia is enlisting recovering addicts in its battle against the opioid epidemic. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Sunday that more than 1,000 peer recovery specialists have been trained by the state’s Office of Recovery Services. They’re beginning to work in opioid treatment centers, emergency rooms and recovery centers. (12/4)
Los Angeles Times:
Study Finds L.A. County Saves Money By Housing Sick Homeless People
Los Angeles County’s marquee program to provide housing for very sick homeless people saved taxpayers thousands of dollars by reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits, a three-year Rand Corp. study released Monday found. Considered a national model, Housing for Health uses county and federal money to subsidize rents and intensive case management for acutely ill homeless people. (Holland, 12/4)