First Edition: October 18, 2019

Kaiser Health News: Whistleblower Alleges Medicare Fraud At Iconic Seattle-Based Health Plan
Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected nonprofit health insurance plans, is accused of bilking Medicare out of millions of dollars in a federal whistleblower case. Teresa Ross, a former medical billing manager at the insurer, alleges that it sought to reverse financial losses in 2010 by claiming some patients were sicker than they were, or by billing for medical conditions that patients didn’t actually have. As a result, the insurer retroactively collected an estimated $8 million from Medicare for 2010 services, according to the suit. (Schulte, 10/18)

Kaiser Health News: Sen. Grassley Questions UVA Health On Findings From KHN Investigation
In response to a Kaiser Health News investigation into the University of Virginia Health System’s aggressive collection practices, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) sent a letter Thursday demanding answers to questions about UVA’s billing practices, financial assistance policies and even its prices. Over six years, the state institution filed 36,000 lawsuits against patients seeking a total of more than $106 million in unpaid bills, a KHN analysis finds.The Finance Committee oversees federal tax laws, and Grassley wrote that it is “my job to make sure that entities exempt from tax are fulfilling their tax-exempt purposes.” (Lucas, 10/17)

Kaiser Health News: In Hamburg, ‘Gesundheit’ Means More Than A Wish For Good Health
Researchers around the world hail Germany for its robust health care system: universal coverage, plentiful primary care, low drug prices and minimal out-of-pocket costs for residents. Unlike in the U.S., the prospect of a large medical bill doesn’t stand in the way of anyone’s treatment. “Money is a problem in [their lives], but not with us,” said Merangis Qadiri, a health counselor at a clinic in one of Hamburg’s poorest neighborhoods. (Luthra, 10/18)

Kaiser Health News: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: Democrats Do Drugs (Prices)
Despite the turmoil from the ongoing impeachment inquiry, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives are proceeding with work on a major prescription drug price bill crafted by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Meanwhile, broader health issues continue to be a point of contention among the Democratic presidential candidates.And courts around the country are dealing setbacks to many of the Trump administration’s health agenda items, including one that would make it harder for immigrants to get green cards if they use public programs. (10/17)

The New York Times: How Pending Decision On Obamacare Could Upend 2020 Campaign
A federal appeals court in New Orleans is preparing a ruling on the Affordable Care Act that could put the law’s future front and center in the presidential race, overwhelming the current Democratic debate over Medicare for all and reigniting the health care-driven worries that helped Democrats win back the House last year. Three judges on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals are weighing whether to uphold a Texas judge’s ruling that the law’s requirement for most Americans to have health insurance is unconstitutional, and that the rest of the sprawling law cannot function without it. (Goodnough, 10/18)

The Wall Street Journal: Medicare For All Loses Support Amid Lack Of Detail On Costs To Voters
Support for Medicare for All is showing signs of slipping as top-tier Democratic presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders struggle to sell the proposal without providing specifics on the financial costs for voters. Meanwhile, an abundance of other health proposals aired by the Democratic primary field is complicating messaging efforts as polls show many voters still don’t understand what specific plans would do. (Armour, 10/17)

The Hill: Abortion Rights Group To Host Presidential Forum On Reproductive Rights 
NARAL Pro-Choice America will host a presidential forum focused on reproductive rights and abortion, the group announced on Thursday. The forum will take place in the second to last week in January in Des Moines, Iowa, a key primary state. The abortion rights campaign group said the forum would feature Democratic presidential candidates, but did not provide a list of who is expected to attend. (Hellmann, 10/17)

The Associated Press: Pelosi Moves On Drug Prices Despite Falling-Out With Trump
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is plowing ahead with her bill to allow Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices despite a breakdown in relations with her chief bargaining partner on the issue — President Donald Trump. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated the legislation would save Medicare $345 billion over seven years, partly because some seniors would no longer have to skimp on costly medicines, and they'd stay healthier. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 10/17)

Stat: Democrats Will Name Marquee Drug Pricing Bill For Late Rep. Cummings
House Democrats’ signature legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs will be named for the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday. Cummings, a longtime Baltimore politician, who passed away early Thursday at age 68, chaired the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and was a longtime champion for lowering drug prices. (Facher, 10/17)

The New York Times: Juul Suspends Online Sales Of Flavored E-Cigarettes
Juul Labs announced on Thursday that it would temporarily halt online sales of flavored e-cigarettes like mango, products the company had already stopped distributing to retail stores as public outrage mounted over the soaring rate of teenage vaping. Facing multiple federal and state investigations into its marketing practices, Juul said it decided to discontinue the sales for now until the Food and Drug Administration had reviewed the device and flavor cartridges. But the suspension, which also includes crème, fruit and cucumber, does not extend to menthol or mint. (Kaplan, 10/17)

The Washington Post: E-Cigarette Giant Juul Suspends Online Sales Of Mango And Three Other Flavors
The flavors mango, crème, fruit and cucumber, which have helped fuel Juul’s popularity, have been available only on its website to people 21 and older since late last year. Three other flavors — mint, menthol and tobacco — will continue to be sold online and in retail outlets. The company said it is reviewing whether to suspend sales of mint and menthol flavors. The action comes ahead of expected action by the Trump administration against flavored e-cigarettes. Last month, President Trump announced the Food and Drug Administration would ban all flavored e-cigarettes — except tobacco-flavored ones — in an effort to stem the increase in youth vaping. The plan has not been issued yet. (McGinley, 10/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Juul Halts Online Sales Of Some Flavored E-Cigarettes
The FDA, which regulates tobacco, has given e-cigarette manufacturers until May 2020 to submit for review any products they want to keep on the market after that date. If the agency implements its proposed ban on most vaping flavors, manufacturers can seek the FDA’s authorization to renew selling sweet and menthol-flavored products. But first they must demonstrate that the products provide a net benefit to public health. (Maloney, 10/17)

The Associated Press: Juul Halts Sales Of Fruit, Dessert Flavors For E-Cigarettes
Still, the company's latest step is unlikely to satisfy its critics. The flavors affected by Thursday's announcement — mango, crème, fruit and cucumber — account for less than 10% of Juul's sales. The flavors had only been sold through Juul's website, after the company pulled them from stores last November. (Perrone, 10/17)

NPR: Juul To Stop Selling Most Vape Flavors, Except Tobacco And Menthol
At a time when 25% of high school seniors surveyed in the U.S. say they've vaped within the last 30 days, the company is also under pressure to limit marketing and advertising to youth. (Aubrey, 10/17)

Reuters: U.S. Ramps Up Testing In Search Vaping Illness Cause As Cases Near 1,500
U.S. health officials on Thursday reported another 180 cases of vaping-related lung illnesses and announced plans to start testing aerosols produced by e-cigarettes and vaping products as they search for the source of the nationwide outbreak that has so far killed at least 33 people in 24 states. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said it plans to start testing lung cells collected from people who became sick in the outbreak. (Steenhuysen, 10/17)

The Washington Post: Vaping-Linked Deaths, Illnesses Rise As Officials Expand Lab Testing, CDC Says
Announcing the latest increase in illnesses, the CDC reiterated its conclusion that products containing THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, are a main culprit and should be avoided. About 78 percent of patients say they used vaping products containing THC, according to the CDC, and nearly a third of patients reported using only THC products. Ten percent said they vaped only nicotine, although doctors caution that people may be reluctant to admit to using marijuana. (Knowles, 10/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Vaping-Related Injury Cases Near 1,500, With 33 Deaths
Many of the people who had vaped THC obtained their products from unregulated sources, leading some investigators to suspect that contaminants in illicit THC products are driving the illnesses. In its search for a cause, CDC said it is now testing lung-tissue samples from patients. The agency said it is figuring out how best to test blood, urine and other fluid samples that it has started to receive. (Abbott, 10/17)

Politico: E-Cig Industry Fractures Over Looming Laws As Big Tobacco Plays The Long Game
The Trump administration’s effort to ban flavored e-cigarettes and place other restrictions on the industry threatens to put thousands of small vaping concerns out of business nationwide while the biggest tobacco companies in the world — which already control the lion’s share of the vaping market — could only grow bigger. The high bar anticipated in forthcoming FDA requirements for e-cigarettes to stay on the market, combined with the Trump White House’s push to ban flavors in the meantime, threaten to whittle the e-cigarette industry down to just a few big players. (Owermohle, 10/17)

The New York Times: Judge Summons Drug C.E.O.S For Talks On Sweeping Opioid Settlement
A mayor of a small West Virginia city brought to its knees by opioids and representatives of large cities and counties left reeling by the epidemic will gather in federal court here on Friday morning, to sit side by side with chief executives from the country’s largest drug distributors. Along with platoons of lawyers, including representatives from four state attorneys general, they have been summoned by Judge Dan A. Polster, who is trying to wrest a far-reaching, last-minute agreement to resolve thousands of lawsuits before the start of the first trial on Monday. (Hoffman, 10/18)

The Washington Post: Landmark Opioid Trial Could Be Averted If Friday Meeting Ends In Settlement
CEOs of the major companies are expected be present — an unusual circumstance for a settlement conference. Attorneys general of North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Tennessee also will participate, along with the lead lawyers for the counties, cities, Native American tribes and other groups that have filed suit against the drug companies. They will discuss a settlement currently valued at about $50 billion in cash and drug treatment medications, according to those close to the negotiations who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the talks are at a critical stage. (Benstein, Higham, Horwitz and Davis, 10/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Talks To Settle Opioid Lawsuits Intensify
Reaching a truly comprehensive resolution has proved challenging for the drug companies because of the many plaintiffs’ competing agendas. In addition to 2,500 lawsuits filed by cities, counties, hospitals and Native American tribes in federal court, virtually every state attorney general has filed their own lawsuit in state courts. Attorneys general in Tennessee, Texas, North Carolina and Pennsylvania are leading the current round of talks, causing tension with some other states that feel cut out of the process. Some plaintiffs’ lawyers representing cities and counties don’t support the deal currently under discussion, a person familiar with the matter said. (Randazzo and Hopkins, 10/17)

The Associated Press: Jury Seated In Opioid Case, But Settlement Talks Go On
A jury was seated Thursday for the first federal trial on the opioid crisis, but the push to settle the case before opening arguments next week continued, with company officials expected to gather for further talks. (Gillispie and Mulvihill, 10/17)

Los Angeles Times: Opioid Addiction Can Be Overcome With Mindfulness, Study Suggests
The ancient practice of mindfulness may be a powerful tool in fighting the modern-day epidemic of opioid addiction, new research suggests. In a series of studies, an eight-week course in mindfulness techniques appeared to loosen the grip of addiction in people who had been taking prescription painkillers for years and experienced powerful cravings for the drugs. (Healy, 10/17)

The Associated Press: Border Patrol's Growing Presence At Hospitals Creates Fear
An armed Border Patrol agent roamed the hallways of an emergency room in Miami on a recent day as nurses wheeled stretchers and medical carts through the hospital and families waited for physicians to treat their loved ones. The agent in the olive-green uniform freely stepped in and out of the room where a woman was taken by ambulance after throwing up and fainting while being detained on an immigration violation, according to advocates who witnessed the scene. (Gomez Licon, 10/17)

Politico's Pulse Check: When Immigration And Health Care Collide, With Mark Greenberg And Scott Lloyd
President Donald Trump has repeatedly relied on HHS to help carry out his sweeping immigration agenda, and a new order that would limit visas to people who aren't "health care burdens" could be the latest dramatic change. Mark Greenberg, who served as the acting assistant secretary for children and families during the Obama administration, sits down with POLITICO's Dan Diamond to discuss HHS' role in immigration and why he's so worried about Trump's recent order. (10/17)

ProPublica: We Found Over 700 Doctors Who Were Paid More Than A Million Dollars By Drug And Medical Device Companies
Back in 2013, ProPublica detailed what seemed a stunning development in the pharmaceutical industry’s drive to win the prescription pads of the nation’s doctors: In just four years, one doctor had earned $1 million giving promotional talks and consulting for drug companies; 21 others had made more than $500,000. Six years later — despite often damning scrutiny from prosecutors and academics — such high earnings have become commonplace. (Ornstein, Weber and Jones, 10/17)

The Associated Press: J&J Agrees To $117M Settlement Over Pelvic Mesh Devices
Johnson & Johnson has agreed to a $117 million multistate settlement over allegations it deceptively marketed its pelvic mesh products, which support women's sagging pelvic organs. Ohio's attorney general said Thursday an investigation found that J&J, the world's biggest health products maker, violated state consumer protection laws by not fully disclosing the devices' risks. (Johnson, 10/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Johnson & Johnson To Pay $117 Million Over Surgical Device Marketing
J&J and its subsidiary were allegedly aware of the possibility for medical complications from the devices but didn’t adequately warn consumers or surgeons, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said Thursday about the multistate settlement. The settlement involves no admission of liability or misconduct on the part of Ethicon, a spokeswoman said in an email, adding that the company “remains focused on meeting the significant surgical care needs of health care providers and patients. (Sebastian, 10/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Public-Health Puzzle: Young People Having Less Sex, Contracting More STDs
It sounds contradictory: Young people, we’re told, are having less sex than older generations did at the same age. But they’re also contracting more sexually transmitted diseases than any other group, and the rates of infection are accelerating at an alarming pace. Last year, combined cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia reached an all-time high with half the reported infections occurring in adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 24. (McGinty, 10/18)

Stateline: CBD May Be Natural, But Is It Safe? 
Hemp cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabis extract largely unknown a few years ago, has become so popular that some Americans take a spoonful every day. People are vaping CBD, drinking CBD-infused coffee and snacking on CBD-infused chocolates in the hopes of easing their aches, pains and anxiety. But the health benefits of cannabidiol are unclear, and many products hitting the market haven’t been made in clean, permitted facilities or tested for toxic pesticides, heavy metals and bacteria, according to state officials, hemp businesses and news reports. (Quinton, 10/19)

NPR: Genetic Tests For Psychiatric Drugs Now Covered By Some Insurers
As a teenager, Katie Gruman was prescribed one mental health drug after another. None seemed to help her manage symptoms of anxiety and bipolar disorder, so she self-medicated with alcohol and illicit drugs. It would take five years, and trying more than 15 different medications, before she found meds that actually helped. (Dangor, 10/17)

The New York Times: Parents Should Limit Sports Participation For Children, Trainers Say
Too many children are risking injuries, even lifelong health problems, because they practice too intensively in a single sport, and parents should set limits on their participation, according to a leading organization of athletic trainers. New recommendations issued by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association urge parents to ensure that children and adolescents postpone specializing in one sport for as long as possible, that they take at least two days off each week for rest and that they not play a single sport for more than eight months a year. (Rabin, 10/17)

The New York Times: A Nazi Version Of DDT Was Forgotten. Could It Help Fight Malaria?
What if, after the Allies won World War II, world health officials had employed a Nazi version of DDT against mosquitoes that transmit malaria? Could that persistent disease, which still infects more than 200 million people a year and kills 400,000 of them, have been wiped off the planet? That is one of the musings of chemists at New York University who came across an insecticide that had been developed by German scientists during World War II in the course of conducting abstract research on another topic. (Chang, 10/17)

The Washington Post: How The Baby Food Industry Hooks Low-Income Toddlers On Sugar, Salt And Fat
Leading health organizations recently released their first consensus recommendations about what young children should be drinking: only breast milk or, if necessary, infant formula until a baby is six months old, with water introduced around then, and plain cow’s milk at around their first birthday. That’s it. No juice, no flavored or plant-based milks, no caffeinated beverages or sodas. The good news is parents of infants seem to be on the right track — breastfeeding is on the rise. But once children get into the toddler zone, it’s pandemonium. (Reiley, 10/17)

The New York Times: You’re Only As Old As You Feel
Not long ago, Stephanie Heller, a New Jersey realtor, was leaving her gym after a workout when she noticed a woman in the parking lot struggling to bend down. “I don’t know if she dropped something and had to pick it up, or if her shoe was untied,” Ms. Heller said, but she eagerly bounded over to help. The woman blamed old age for her incapacity, explaining that she was 70. But Ms. Heller was 71. (Laber-Warren, 10/17)

The New York Times: Can Personality Affect Dementia Risk?
Your personality in high school may help predict your risk of dementia decades later. Researchers reached this conclusion using a 150-item personality inventory given to a national sample of teenagers in 1960. The survey assessed character traits — sociability, calmness, empathy, maturity, conscientiousness, self-confidence and others — using scores ranging from low to high. For their study, in JAMA Psychiatry, scientists linked the scores of 82,232 of the test-takers to Medicare data on diagnoses of dementia from 2011 to 2013. (Bakalar, 10/17)

The New York Times: Union Says G.M. Strike Won’t End Until Workers Vote On Deal
The longest strike against General Motors in half a century isn’t over yet. Leaders of union locals voted Thursday to approve a tentative contract agreement with the automaker, but said the strike — already a month old — would continue until workers voted to ratify the deal. After meeting for more than five hours in Detroit, the group said voting by the 49,000 members of the United Automobile Workers at G.M. plants would begin on Saturday and be completed within a week. (Boudette, 10/17)

Los Angeles Times: Cheating Scandal Causes Uproar Among Pharmacists
Cheating, protests and outrage have upended the otherwise buttoned-up world of pharmacy in California. California officials have invalidated more than 1,000 pharmacists’ test scores because of cheating on a state exam, a move that has caused an uproar among pharmacists who say they have lost wages and job opportunities as a result. Layla Mina, 28, of Anaheim said her job offer to be a pharmacist at CVS was rescinded because she could not become licensed without her exam scores. (Karlamangla, 10/17)

The Associated Press: Michael Jordan Opens First Of 2 Medical Clinics In Charlotte
An emotional Michael Jordan unveiled the first of two medical clinics he and his family funded to provide care to underprivileged members of the community. The six-time NBA champion and Hornets owner was on hand Thursday for the grand opening of the $7 million Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic. Tears streamed down Jordan's cheeks as he said, "This is a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that has supported me over the years." (10/17)

The Associated Press: Suit: Hospital Mishandled Infection That Killed 3 Babies
The parents of a newborn who died in a Pennsylvania hospital's neonatal intensive care unit allege in a lawsuit that hospital officials failed to protect their son from a lethal bacterial infection that had already killed two other premature babies. Geisinger knew the neonatal intensive care unit of its flagship hospital in Danville was "dangerous, defective and contaminated" but continued filling its beds with premature infants and hid the obvious danger from parents, according to a wrongful death suit filed Thursday. (10/17)