First Edition: June 30, 2017
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
California Joins States That Protect Patients Against Nasty Surprise Bills
Before Kevin Powers underwent lung cancer surgery last October, his girlfriend, Agi Orsi, meticulously checked and double-checked to be sure his Santa Monica, Calif., hospital and surgeon were in his health plan’s network. They were.Even in the hospital, Orsi dutifully wrote “No out-of-network doctors” across the top of Powers’ admission paperwork. Her diligence was for naught. (Bazar, 6/30)
The New York Times:
Projected Drop In Medicaid Spending Heightens Hurdle For G.O.P. Health Bill
Projected Medicaid spending under a Senate Republican bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act would be 35 percent lower after two decades, the Congressional Budget Office said on Thursday in a new report, which detailed how Medicaid changes would cut more deeply as they go fully into force. The budget office analysis created a fresh challenge for Republican leaders as they tried to muster support for their bill, even as senators scattered to their home states for a 10-day July 4 recess. (Pear and Kaplan, 6/29)
Reuters:
Senate Republican Bill Would Slash Medicaid By 2036, Complicating Talks
The Congressional Budget Office report, requested by Senate Democrats, provides a longer-term look at how the Republican plan would affect Medicaid spending as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell searches for a formula to win over the conservative and moderate elements of his Republican caucus. ( Cornwell and Abutaleb, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
Senate Democrats Shine Light On Health Bill’s Longer-Term Effect On Medicaid
The Better Care Reconciliation Act relies on the time-honored political strategy of pressing a bill’s most profound effects years into the future — in this case, in severely constricting the main source of public health insurance for poor and vulnerable Americans. Until Thursday, that scenario had been cloaked in arcane legislative language about per-capita caps and varying inflation adjustments. What Congress’s nonpartisan budget scorekeepers did, at the prodding of the Senate Finance Committee’s senior Democrat, is make clear that the GOP legislation would squeeze federal Medicaid spending by 35 percent by the end of two decades, compared with current law. (Goldstein, 6/29)
Politico:
CBO: Medicaid Spending Falls 35 Percent In 20 Years Under Senate Health Bill
The drop-off stems from stricter limits Republicans want to enact beginning in 2025 to control the entitlement's growth. Under the Senate bill, federal Medicaid outlays would be 26 percent less in 2026 compared to current law. The gap widens to 35 percent in 2036. (Pradhan, 6/29)
The Washington Post Fact Checker:
President Trump’s Claim Medicaid Spending In Senate Health Bill ‘Actually Goes Up'
The White House is defending changes to Medicaid financing in the Senate health-care overhaul bill by saying that the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) actually increases Medicaid spending. In the tweet, Trump included a graph that showed the spending increases from 2017 to 2026. ... But that’s quite misleading. (Lee, 6/30)
The Associated Press:
GOP May Keep Some Obama Tax Increases To Save Health Bill
Senate Republican leaders considered keeping one of former President Barack Obama's big tax increases on wealthier Americans and using the money to fatten proposed subsidies for the poor in a bid Thursday to placate moderate GOP lawmakers and salvage their struggling health care bill. (Fram, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
Why Republicans Are Thinking Of Keeping An Obamacare Tax On The Rich
The details of which taxes would be scaled back and by how much haven't been officially released, but The Washington Post reported that Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was rewriting the bill to preserve a tax on investment income for families that made more than $250,000 a year or individuals who made more than $200,000. Over a decade, that tax is projected to add up to $172 billion by the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation. (Johnson, 6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Some Senators In Health Talks Would Keep Tax On Investment Income
Leaving the tax in place would give Republicans two potential benefits as they try to put together a health-care bill that can attract 50 of their 52 members. First, it provides up to $172 billion Republicans can use to make health insurance more affordable to low-income households. Second, it could blunt attacks from Democrats that their bill undermines health care for the many in exchange for tax cuts for a few. (Rubin and Hughes, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
GOP Health-Care Talks Center On Stark Question: Help Vulnerable Americans Or Help The Rich?
Republican negotiations over how to overhaul the Affordable Care Act centered sharply Thursday on a divisive and ideological question: How much money should the Senate health-care bill spend on protecting vulnerable Americans, and how much on providing tax relief to the wealthy? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), in an effort to strike a balance between centrists and conservatives, is now making concessions to both factions of his caucus, according to lawmakers and aides. (Snell, Eilperin and Sullivan, 6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Clash Again Over Senate Health-Care Bill
New divisions opened among Senate Republicans on Thursday over their proposed health-care legislation even as they edged closer to hammering out some agreements to shore up support for the bill. The bill’s status appeared shaky as lawmakers left Washington for a week-long break, its fate likely vulnerable to home-state pressures they may face and any deals they can make over the vacation. (Peterson, Rubin and Hughes, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
If These Two Republicans Can’t Agree, The Senate Can’t Pass Its Health-Care Bill
They came to the Senate together amid less fanfare than some of their 2010 classmates, with lower profiles that didn’t lead to presidential bids. But Sens. Rob Portman (Ohio) and Patrick J. Toomey (Pa.) were intellectual forces inside the Republican caucus from the moment they took the oath in January 2011. (Kane, 6/29)
Los Angeles Times:
Healthcare Issue Delivers Nothing But Pain For Nevada's Embattled Sen. Dean Heller
Dean Heller is Stephanie Diaz-Gonzalez’s problem now. She’s never met Nevada’s Republican senator and hadn’t had much time to familiarize herself. How could she? The 25-year-old is holding down a full-time job and raising a 7-year-old son, who keeps her busy with soccer games, math homework and those too-often terrifying moments when he can’t breathe. (Montero and Barabak, 6/30)
Los Angeles Times:
Hopes Fade For Friday Revise Of Senate Republican Health Bill With No Quick Fix In Sight
Senate Republicans appeared unlikely to hit a self-imposed Friday deadline for revising their healthcare bill, as negotiators considered scaling back promised tax cuts for the wealthy in order to provide more insurance assistance to the poor. Vice President Mike Pence led a White House push by meeting Thursday with divided Republican senators, but conservatives and centrists have been unable to resolve their differences. “We’re working,” Pence said as he dashed through the halls, followed by reporters shouting questions. (Mascaro, 6/29)
Politico:
Dazed GOP Bolts Washington In Health Care Disarray
Senate Republicans skipped town on Thursday afternoon facing stiff internal opposition to their health care proposal and a Fourth of July recess in which critics will pummel their effort to repeal Obamacare. Though the Senate whirred to life with deal-making between Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his members, senators were dazed by the up-and-down week and nowhere near a plan that could get 50 votes. The GOP is planning to write new language to be analyzed by Friday, but were far from reaching a broad agreement as senators had hoped. (Everett, Kim and Karlin-Smith, 6/29)
NPR:
Senate Democrats Don't Have The Votes To Block The GOP Health Care Bill, So What Can They Do?
When Senate Republican leaders delayed the vote on their bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was quick to not declare victory. "We're not resting on any laurels, nor do we feel any sense yet of accomplishment," Schumer said at his weekly press conference, shortly after the surprise GOP decision to punt on a vote. "Other than we are making progress, because the American people are listening to our arguments." (Detrow, 6/30)
The Washington Post:
Americans Watch A Health-Care Bill That Could Upend Many Lives Again
Millions of Americans of all ages and needs would be affected if Republicans in Congress succeed in overhauling major parts of the Affordable Care Act. And the latest maneuvering is only intensifying concerns. But with Senate GOP leaders trying to retool parts of their bill — which was pulled back this week after support for a fast vote eroded — it isn’t easy sussing out exactly how an individual might benefit or lose. Would an uninsured home-care worker in Ohio get a tax credit that would make private health coverage affordable? Would the big changes envisioned for Medicaid funding cut out a New Mexico house painter with emphysema? What about the medical services a young West Virginia boy might require for the rest of his life? (Somashekhar, McGinley, Sun and Bernstein, 6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
How The Proposed Health-Care Bill Would Affect Your Taxes
There is no question your taxes will change if Republicans pass a new health-care bill. Earlier this week, Senate leaders delayed a vote on the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 until after July 4. The bill seeks to repeal or replace large swaths of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. (Saunders, 6/30)
The Wall Street Journal:
Senate Health Bill Could Hit Employer-Sponsored Plans
Little-noticed provisions in the Senate Republican health bill could have a significant impact on employer-provided health plans, removing four million more people from such coverage in 2018, compared with current law, according to one projection. These provisions could pave the way for higher out-of-pocket costs for many workers. (Armour and Hughes, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
Republicans’ Health-Care Efforts Would Set Black Women Back, Report Says
Black women were one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Affordable Care Act, but a new report argues that the Republican efforts to dismantle parts of the law threaten to undo many of the gains made, putting low-income women and women with chronic health conditions most at risk. Under the ACA, the report found more black women were able to access to health care, including preventive screenings and treatment for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, HIV and hypertension. (Lewis, 6/29)
Los Angeles Times:
Less Coverage, More Uninsured: Here's What The Latest Republican Healthcare Plan Could Mean For Women
Women’s health advocates have assailed the plans put forward by congressional Republicans to replace the Affordable Care Act, saying they would cause disproportionate harm to half the adult population. “Both bills are nothing short of an all-out attack on women’s health,” said Janel George, director of federal reproductive rights and health at the National Women’s Law Center. (Zavis, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
Why The Senate Health Care Bill Is Even Harsher Than It Looks, In One Chart
The Congressional Budget Office laid out a stark picture of what would happen over the next decade if the Senate health-care bill were implemented as written: 22 million fewer Americans would have insurance than under current law in 2026, driven largely by cuts to federal spending on Medicaid. But by focusing only on the next decade, the report fails to capture how rapidly Medicaid funding would continue to erode, according to a new analysis by the consulting firm, Avalere Health. (Johnson, 6/29)
NPR:
How The Senate GOP Health Care Bill Could Affect The Midterms And Beyond
One provision of the Senate's health care bill stands to be quite popular: the Better Care Reconciliation Act would eliminate the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate. That would be repealed immediately. Another would likely please the Republican base: defunding Planned Parenthood for a year. Those funds would disappear right away, too. (Kurtzleben, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
40 Arrested As Health-Care Bill Protesters Swarm Capitol Hill This Week
It seems everyone at the various health-care protests in Washington this week brought a story. The Pennsylvania man who relied on the Affordable Care Act for his dialysis and was willing to get arrested so his senator understood the legislation was life and death. The D.C. woman who feared that her 27-year-old, nonverbal, autistic brother would be forced into an institution without Medicaid. And the Arlington father, Rick Hodges, who wondered if the Republican-proposed health-care bill would afford his teenage daughter with Down syndrome the opportunity to live a semi-independent life as an adult. (Stein, 6/29)
The New York Times:
Trump Nominates Indiana Health Commissioner As Surgeon General
President Trump has nominated Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the health commissioner for Indiana and a strong advocate of needle exchanges to avoid the spread of disease, to be the surgeon general of the United States. Dr. Adams, 42, was first appointed to the Indiana post in October 2014 when Vice President Mike Pence was governor. Shortly after Dr. Adams took office, there was an unusual H.I.V. outbreak in Scott County, a rural Indiana community near the Kentucky border. (Kaplan, 6/29)
USA Today:
Trump Nominates Indiana Doctor For Surgeon General
During his time in office, Adams presided over a major health crisis — an HIV outbreak in Scott County associated with intravenous drug use that eventually stretched to more than 200 cases. Although Pence had first expressed reservations about needle exchange programs, the state's response eventually included such a program among other measures. People who have worked in Indiana with Adams praised him for his tireless energy as well as his finely honed people skills and ability to listen. (Rudavsky, 6/30)
The Washington Post:
Trump Picks Indiana Health Commissioner For Surgeon General
If confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans, Adams would become another prominent health official from Vice President Pence’s home state to take a high-profile post in the Trump administration. Seema Verma, a former health policy consultant who crafted Indiana’s unusual Medicaid expansion rules, now heads the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. (Bernstein, 6/29)
Politico:
Trump Nominates Indiana Health Official For Surgeon General
Trump abruptly fired the previous surgeon general Vivek Murthy without explanation. Murthy had been a supporter of Obamacare, an advocate for comprehensive treatment of addiction and had argued for treating gun violence as a public health problem. (6/29)
The Associated Press:
GOP Gov. John Kasich Faces Health Care Clash At Home In Ohio
Republican legislators in Ohio are bracing for a veto fight with GOP Gov. John Kasich as the national health care debate hits the 2016 presidential contender on his home turf. Conservatives have called on the outspoken Kasich to set a national example by leaving in place a state budget provision calling for freezing new enrollment under Medicaid expansion starting July 1, 2018. Kasich must decide by midnight Friday. (Carr Smyth, 6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Aetna To Move Corporate Headquarters To New York City
Aetna Inc. will move its corporate headquarters along with 250 jobs to Manhattan by late 2018, from Hartford, Conn., the latest company to abandon a smaller city for a major urban center.The company said it chose New York as its new location to tap a more robust pool of talent at a time when Aetna is repositioning itself as a consumer-oriented health company. (De Avila and Morris, 6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Walgreens, Rite Aid End $9.4 Billion Merger
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Rite Aid Corp. scrapped their $9.4 billion merger agreement, the latest in a series of high-profile deals to be derailed by antitrust enforcers. Instead, Walgreens said it would seek to buy half of Rite RAD -26.46% Aid’s stores for $5.18 billion in cash. Executives said they had crafted the smaller deal to address regulatory issues, but antitrust experts said it doesn’t eliminate competition concerns. (Terlep and Kendall, 6/29)
NPR:
Breast Cancer Test May Identify Low-Risk Tumors That Don't Require Treatment
For years, doctors have focused on detecting breast cancer at the earliest possible moment after a tumor develops so treatment can start right away. But more and more studies are showing many small, early tumors don't present a danger. So, when is it safe to remove a tumor but skip additional treatments like tamoxifen, chemotherapy and radiation? (Neel and Neighmond, 6/29)
The Washington Post:
The U.S. Fertility Rate Just Hit A Historic Low. Why Some Demographers Are Freaking Out.
The United States is in the midst of what some worry is a baby crisis. The number of women giving birth has been declining for years and just hit a historic low. If the trend continues — and experts disagree on whether it will — the country could face economic and cultural turmoil. (Cha, 6/30)
NPR:
After Decades On The Rise, C. Diff Infections Are Finally Falling
The risk of getting a deadly, treatment-resistant infection in a hospital or nursing home is dropping for the first time in decades, thanks to new guidelines on antibiotic use and stricter cleaning standards in care facilities. (Chen, 6/29)
Reuters:
Judge Halts Indiana Abortion Law Targeting Minors
Indiana may appeal a U.S. court ruling that blocked parts of the state's latest abortion law that critics said would deter girls under 18 from getting an abortion without parental approval, the state attorney general's office said on Thursday. U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker issued a preliminary injunction late on Wednesday against portions of measure signed in April by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. (Kenning, 6/30)
The Associated Press:
South Dakota Sued For Using Catheter In Toddler Drug Screen
The American Civil Liberties Union sued South Dakota on Thursday over the forced use of a catheter to take a urine sample from a 3-year-old boy who was being tested for exposure to drugs as part of a child-neglect investigation. (6/29)
The Wall Street Journal:
Cyberattack Forces West Virginia Hospital To Scrap Computers
Princeton Community Hospital in rural West Virginia will scrap and replace its entire computer network after being struck by the cyberattack paralyzing computers globally. The cyberattack, known as Petya, froze the hospital’s electronic medical record system early Tuesday, leaving doctors unable to review patients’ medical history or transmit laboratory and pharmacy orders, said Rose Morgan, the hospital’s vice president of patient care services. (Evans, 6/29)