Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Legal Challenges Ahead For Medicaid Work Rules, Medicare Drug Pricing
The Hill: Supreme Court To Hear Case On Trump's Push For Medicaid Work Requirements
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case over the Trump administration’s push for Medicaid work requirements, though the issue could be moot when President-elect Joe Biden takes office. The Trump administration earlier this year had appealed lower court rulings that found the requirements adopted by New Hampshire and Arkansas to be unlawful. (Williams, 12/5)
Stat: BIO To File Lawsuit Today To Block Trump International Drug Pricing Policy
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization will file a lawsuit today to block implementation of President Trump’s new policy to lower drug prices, the organization tells STAT. The “most favored nations” policy, which was unveiled late last month, would peg what Medicare pays for 50 pricey injectable drugs to the lowest price paid in countries like Japan and Belgium. The change could cut reimbursement for some of the best-selling drugs in America, in half, or more. (Florko, 12/4)
In other news from the Trump administration —
CNN: More Than 1,000 Migrant Children In US Government Custody Have Tested Positive For Covid-19
More than 1,000 migrant children in US government custody have tested positive for coronavirus since March, according to the federal agency charged with their care. In total, there have been 1,061 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases among unaccompanied migrant children in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a federal agency run by the Department of Health and Human Services. (Alvarez, 12/4)
KHN: Trump Rule Gives Small Companies A New Tool To Help Workers Buy Health Coverage
Until October, Andrea LaRew was paying $950 a month for health insurance through her job at the Northwest Douglas County Chamber & Economic Development Corp. in the metro Denver area. Her company didn’t contribute anything toward the premium. Plus, LaRew and her husband had a steep $13,000 deductible for the plan. But the coverage and the premium cost were in line with other plans available to the company since options for such a small work group — just LaRew and another employee wanted to enroll — weren’t plentiful. (Andrews, 12/7)
