First Edition: October 10, 2018
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
No More Secrets: Congress Bans Pharmacist ‘Gag Orders’ On Drug Prices
For years, most pharmacists couldn’t give customers even a clue about an easy way to save money on prescription drugs. But the restraints are coming off. When the cash price for a prescription is less than what you would pay using your insurance plan, pharmacists will no longer have to keep that a secret. (Jaffe, 10/10)
Kaiser Health News:
Doctors Give Medicare’s Proposal To Pay For Telemedicine Poor Prognosis
The Trump administration wants Medicare for the first time to embrace telemedicine across the country by paying doctors $14 for a five-minute “check-in” phone call with their patients. But many physicians say the proposed reimbursement will cover a service they already do for free. And the Medicare reimbursement — intended to motivate doctors to communicate with patients outside the office — could have a chilling effect on patients because they would be required to pay a 20 percent cost-sharing charge. (Galewitz, 10/10)
California Healthline:
GOP Gubernatorial Candidate John Cox: Limit Government In Health Care
John Cox stood on a presidential debate stage and told the audience that he was glad abortion wasn’t legal in 1955. If it had been, he said, he wouldn’t have been born. “I wouldn’t be standing here before you today. This is personal to me,” Cox said in the 2007 GOP presidential primary debate, explaining that his biological father walked out on his mother. (Young, 10/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Counter Trump Push For Cheaper, Limited Health Plans
Democrats are fighting to derail the White House’s push for cheaper, less-robust health plans, seeking to leverage the issue for advantage over the Republicans ahead of the mid-term elections. The fight over shorter-term plans—which went on sale this month and are free from many Affordable Care Act requirements—is emerging as a proxy for the broader battle over health care. Democrats say the proliferation of such plans will raise premiums for older and less healthy people by letting healthier consumers out of coverage that complies with the ACA. Republicans say the effect won’t be significant and that all consumers will benefit by having more choice. (Armour, 10/9)
The Hill:
Dems To Force Health Care Vote Weeks Before Nov. Midterms
The measure appears headed for defeat after Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), a key swing vote, said she would oppose the Democratic measure, with her office noting that while short-term plans are “not ideal” she wants Alaskans to have options for cheaper coverage. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is undecided, but Democrats would need another Republican vote beyond Collins. Democrats maintain that even a failed vote will help them bring the issue of pre-existing conditions to the fore ahead of next month’s elections. The legislation is sponsored by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who is up for reelection this year, and has the support of all 49 members of the Senate Democratic Caucus, meaning supporters need two GOP votes to pass it. (Sullivan, 10/10)
The Hill:
Trump Officials Plan Maintenance Downtime For Healthcare.Gov During ObamaCare Sign-Ups
The Trump administration is planning hours-long downtimes for maintenance on healthcare.gov during the coming ObamaCare sign-up period. The administration drew criticism for a similar move last year from advocates who said the downtime would hinder efforts to sign people up for coverage, but the administration counters that maintenance downtime happens every year and is designed to occur during the slowest periods on the site. (Sullivan, 10/9)
The Washington Post:
How Eight Years – And President Trump – Have Changed The GOP's Tune On Medicare
Four weeks from today, Republicans will try to hold on to the House of Representatives with a message that buries the tea party movement deep underground: Keep us in charge, and we won't touch Medicare or Social Security. In TV spots, Republican candidates promise that they'll protect entitlements and save the most popular parts of the Affordable Care Act. In attack ads, the National Republican Congressional Committee warns that Democrats "support cutting $800 billion from Medicare." In debates, Republican candidates argue that Democrats who favor Medicare-for-all would bring about "Medicare for None." (Weigel, 10/9)
The New York Times:
Democrats Are Ignoring One Key Voting Group: Veterans
With control of Congress at stake in next month’s midterm elections, Democrats have a rare opportunity to gain a foothold against President Trump’s Republican Party. But if they come up short, it may be in part because of a failure to pursue a key group of voters. It’s a constituency that makes up 13 percent of the voting population, enjoys high voter turnout and is especially concentrated in some decisive swing states. That group is military veterans — and in the battle for their votes, the Democratic Party lags far behind the Republicans. According to organizers on both sides of the contest, the Democratic National Committee seems to be pursuing a strategy that focuses on running veterans as candidates instead of organizing to reach veteran voters — the D.N.C. tried that approach more than a decade ago, and it didn’t work. (Craven, 10/10)
The Associated Press:
Tennessee Governor Candidates Square Off In Second Debate
Democrat gubernatorial candidate Karl Dean said Tuesday he would happily sign Medicaid expansion into law in Tennessee, while his opponent Republican Bill Lee countered he would oppose such efforts. The two top candidates detailed their positions during the second gubernatorial debate at the Toy F. Reid Employee Center in Kingsport. Similar to the first debate, Dean and Lee refrained from aggressively attacking each other in an overall tame event — with Lee even making a point to thank Dean’s positive tone throughout the campaign during the opening remarks. (Kruesi, 10/9)
Politico:
Dems Line Up To Take On Collins After Kavanaugh Vote
Republican Sen. Susan Collins landed herself at the top of Democrats’ 2020 target list when she voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Now, Democrats just have to find someone who can beat her in Maine. Whoever runs against Collins in the next election will be well-funded, thanks to a small-dollar rage-donating spree that put over $4 million in escrow for Collins’ 2020 opponent since she supported Kavanaugh. But that support is about to run up against the unique record of New England’s last remaining Republican senator, who has won by increasing margins in three straight reelection campaigns with a broad centrist coalition, including independents and Democrats who appreciate Collins’ bipartisan streak on issues such as Obamacare repeal. (Arkin, 10/9)
Politico:
Former Planned Parenthood Head Leaves Door Open To Elected Office
Cecile Richards is keeping the door open to a bid for public office. When asked whether she’s ever thought about running, the former Planned Parenthood president told POLITICO’s Anna Palmer that she has “thought about it.” (Flores, 10/10)
Los Angeles Times:
California GOP Spends Nearly $6 Million Against Two Ballot Measures
The California Republican Party spent $5.8 million against two November ballot measures that would expand rent control and limit profits for dialysis clinics after accepting a similar amount of money from business interests. The money paid for “member communication” opposing Propositions 8 and 10, according to campaign reports filed over the last few weeks. (Luna, 10/8)
The Hill:
Bipartisan Group Of Senators Ask Trump To Increase Focus On Maternal Deaths
A bipartisan group of Senators on Tuesday asked the Trump administration to focus more on reducing deaths caused by pregnancy complications. The 14 senators, led by Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar asking that the agency "focus on strategies to reduce maternal mortality rates in the United States." (Hellmann, 10/9)
The New York Times:
Vigorous Exercise, Even A Trek Up Everest, May Be Safe During Pregnancy
Female athletes seem to be able to exercise safely and intensively both before and during pregnancy without increasing their risk for birth-related complications, even if they are trekking up Mount Everest, according to two eye-opening new studies. Together, the new research undercuts widely held beliefs about strenuous physical training and pregnancy. (Reynolds, 10/10)
NPR:
Don't Delay After Dilation To Push Baby Out
If you're a first-time mother and you opt for epidural anesthesia during labor, your doctor may suggest you wait about an hour after your cervix is completely dilated before you start trying to push the baby down the birth canal. But a study published Tuesday in JAMA, the flagship journal of the American Medical Association, suggests that might not be the best advice. (Neighmond, 10/9)
The New York Times:
Trapped By The ‘Walmart Of Heroin’
The first time Mark shot up “Philly dope” was in the summer of 2017, with his girlfriend, Sarah. They had been on their way from Massachusetts to South Carolina, hoping to get clean there and find someplace cheap to live. The plan was to detox slowly on the way. In New Jersey, they needed to buy more drugs, just enough to make it to Myrtle Beach. Mark got out his phone and Googled “really bad drug areas.” A neighborhood in Philadelphia came up: Kensington. (Percy, 10/10)
The Baltimore Sun:
As A Candidate, Gov. Larry Hogan Vowed To Take On Maryland's Opioid Epidemic. Since Then, Deaths Have Soared
When Larry Hogan ran for governor four years ago, he vowed to urgently address what he called Maryland’s “heroin epidemic.” ...But upon taking office in January 2015, Hogan did not immediately declare a formal emergency. Instead, he set up a statewide task force that worked for a year to deliver 33 recommendations. As administration officials rolled out the strategies during 2016, opioid fatalities mounted to 1,856 people that year — a death count that ranked Maryland fourth among the 50 states for such per-capita drug fatalities. In all, 5,533 Marylanders died of opioid-related overdoses from the start of Hogan’s term through March 2018, a period of three years and three months. That’s more than the 5,019 who died during [Former Gov. Martin] O’Malley’s eight years in office. (Donovan, 10/10)
The New York Times:
Retraining Workers For New Jobs And New Lives After Prison And Addiction
Tony Simpson, an entrepreneurial engineer, had grown increasingly concerned about Campbell County, Tenn., where he grew up and still lived. Despite a reasonably solid manufacturing base, as well as scenic lakes and hills that attract tourists, the Appalachian region he calls home was beset by a depressed economy and high rates of incarceration, largely fueled by drug and alcohol addiction. (Rosen, 10/9)
The Hill:
Juul Boosts Lobbying Amid FDA Scrutiny
E-cigarette maker Juul is ramping up its Washington lobbying operation as it tries to head off potential regulatory threats from the Trump administration and Congress. The company has been under scrutiny from Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators and lawmakers from both parties amid a massive surge in popularity for its products among teens. (Weixel, 10/10)
Stat:
McKesson Failed To Follow Procedures When Notified Of Illegitimate Products
Amid regulatory concerns over counterfeit medicines, one of the largest U.S. wholesalers failed to follow proper procedures after being notified by customers that illegitimate products had been shipped, according to a recent inspection by the Food and Drug Administration. Specifically, McKesson (MCK) failed to identify and then quarantine “suspect or illegitimate” products. The wholesaler also did not retain samples or promptly notify other customers there was reason to believe illegitimate products were shipped. (Silverman, 10/9)
The Wall Street Journal:
Pfizer Prepares For CEO Transition With Executive Suite Changes
Pfizer Inc. assigned new leadership roles and jobs to a range of top executives, as the drugmaker prepares for Albert Bourla to begin his tenure as chief executive in January. Earlier this month, Pfizer said its CEO, Ian Read, would leave the job after eight years to make way for Mr. Bourla, who currently serves as chief operating officer. (Maidenberg, 10/9)
Stat:
Celgene Shutters Blood Cancer Trial, Possibly Dimming Hopes For Promising Therapy
A promising but controversial new approach to treating blood cancer could be in trouble in the earliest innings of human testing after Celgene pulled the plug on a trailblazing clinical trial. On Monday, Celgene (CELG) terminated a Phase 1 study of CC-90002, which targets a protein that helps cancer cells stay out of the immune system’s crosshairs. In an update to ClinicalTrials.gov, Celgene said it canceled the CC-90002 study because early results “did not offer a sufficiently encouraging profile” to move forward. (Garde, 10/9)
Stat:
Congress Ramps Up Its Scrutiny Of Drug Compounding, Putting FDA In A Bind
It’s been five years since Congress gave FDA sweeping authority to regulate compounding, but lawmakers — many of whom wrote that law — still don’t think FDA is properly regulating the growing industry. The problem is, lawmakers can’t seem to agree on the tack the agency should take. And they’re not the only ones pulling FDA in different directions. (Florko, 10/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
Hear, Hear: The WHO Gives Lower Volumes A Ringing Endorsement
Sshh, turn down the volume. The World Health Organization wants to make the planet a quieter place and says taking out those earbuds is a good place to start. For the first time, the WHO has released guidelines on how noise from leisure activities, especially listening to music through earbuds, can be harmful to health. (Sugden, 10/9)
CNN:
Noise: The Other Pollution Hurting Our Health
Environmental noise is among the "top environmental risks to health," according to the WHO report. More than 100 million Europeans are affected by road traffic noise alone each year. "Noise continues to be a concern," noted Dr. Dorota Jarosińska, program manager for living and working environments at the WHO regional office for Europe. Is air pollution tied to higher dementia risk? The new guidelines are "an important update," given the evidence and links to health problems, said Stephen Stansfeld, professor at Barts and Queen Mary University of London and chair of the Guideline Development Group, an independent organization that advised WHO on the guidelines. (Avramova, 10/9)
NPR:
After Prison, People Living With HIV Struggle To Get Medical Care
When people living with HIV walk out of prison, they leave with up to a month's worth of HIV medication in their pockets. What they don't necessarily leave with is access to health care or the services that will keep them healthy in the long term. That is one of the findings of a study published Tuesday in PLoS Medicine. The study was among the first to follow people with HIV from jail or prison back into the community. What they found was that most people — more than half — fell out of care within three years of leaving prison. (Boerner, 10/9)
NPR:
Dementia Sometimes Starts In A Hospital's ICU
Doctors have gradually come to realize that people who survive a serious brush with death in the intensive care unit are likely to develop potentially serious problems with their memory and thinking processes. This dementia, a side-effect of intensive medical care, can be permanent. And it affects as many as half of all people who are rushed to the ICU after a medical emergency. Considering that 5.7 million Americans end up in intensive care every year, this is a major problem which, until recently, has been poorly appreciated by medical caregivers. (Harris, 10/10)
The New York Times:
A Suicidal Nanny, An Underground Industry And 3 Babies Stabbed
Dark circles formed like warning signs beneath Yu Fen Wang’s eyes as she worked 12-hour graveyard shifts in a Queens maternity center that operated on the margins of legality. Her family said she had grown gaunt, could not sleep and told her husband she no longer wanted to live. (Robbins and Goldbaum, 10/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
People Can Now Choose Male, Female Or X On NYC Birth Certificates
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday signed into law a bill that will create a third gender option on birth certificates. Under the new law, birth certificates can list gender as “male,” “female” or “X,” allowing people who don’t identify as either male or female to better reflect their identities. (Honan, 10/9)
The Associated Press:
Jury's $289M Award In Roundup Cancer Suit Heads To Court
A San Francisco jury's $289 million verdict in favor of a school groundskeeper who says Roundup weed killer caused his cancer will face its first court test Wednesday. Agribusiness giant Monsanto will argue at a hearing that Judge Suzanne Bolanos should throw out the verdict in favor of DeWayne Johnson. Attorneys for the company say Johnson failed to prove that Roundup or similar herbicides caused his lymphoma, and presented no evidence that Monsanto executives were malicious in marketing Roundup. Bolanos was not expected to rule immediately. (10/10)
The Associated Press:
4 States To Decide On Marijuana Ballot Initiatives This Fall
Nine states have legalized marijuana for so-called recreational use since 2012, including eight at the ballot box. Thirty-one states have authorized the drug for medical purposes. Four states have marijuana ballot questions this fall . Here's a look at them. (10/9)