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Scientists Identify Autism Signpost That Could Eventually Lead To Treatment For The Disorder
Researchers found a correlation between a hormone and autism-like behavior in monkeys, which could be used to diagnose the disorder. The hormone could also become a drug target if future studies show boosting its levels can assuage social impairments. In other public health news: cancer screenings, gene-editing, tick-borne diseases, empathy, strokes, and more.
E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Romaine Lettuce Turns Deadly, Sends More Patients To Hospitals
The weeks-long outbreak has claimed the life of a person in California and has spread to 25 states. Health officials have warned consumers to avoid romaine grown in Yuma, Ariz.
The facilities are also concerned that the new patient categories proposed in the rule won’t actually improve pay accuracy.
CVS Making ‘Good Progress’ On Getting Regulatory Approval For Aetna Deal
CVS’s proposed takeover of Aetna, which would bring together around 10,000 CVS stores and the health insurer’s 22 million customers, is undergoing antitrust scrutiny.
First-Of-Its-Kind Lawsuit Claims Pharma’s Role In Opioid Crisis Led To Higher Premiums For Everyone
The industry is already defending itself against hundreds of lawsuits filed by cities and states, but this challenge takes a different route. “Insurance companies factored in the unwarranted and exorbitant healthcare costs of opioid-related coverage caused by defendants and charged that back to insureds in the form of higher premiums, deductibles, and co-payments,” the complaints allege. Meanwhile, experts weigh in on the opioid package moving through Congress.
Trump’s Former Doctor Claims His Office Was ‘Raided’ — Is That Even Legal?
The Associated Press takes a look at the laws surrounding medical records and patients’ rights to obtain them.
HHS Secretary Says Trump Wants To ‘Go Further’ Than Previous Plans To Tackle High Drug Costs
President Donald Trump is expected to give a speech on drug pricing next week, but there have been few hints on any concrete ideas to lower the cost of pharmaceuticals.
Iowa House Passes 6-Week Abortion Ban Teeing Up An Aggressive Challenge To Roe V. Wade
With the so-called “heartbeat” bill, Republicans in the state shift away from the strategy of more incremental changes recently embraced by the anti-abortion movement. Instead, they have their eye on the Supreme Court and midterm elections.
Trump Administration Sued Over Shift Toward Abstinence-Focused Programs For Family Planning Funding
The lawsuit centers around recently released HHS guidelines for the next round of Title X grant applications, projected to total about $260 million. The agency said it would favor programs that promote “natural family planning” and ones “that do not normalize sexual risk behaviors, but instead clearly communicate the research-informed benefits of delaying sex or returning to a sexually risk-free status.”
Former Chair Of House Veterans’ Committee Rises To Top Of Short List For VA Nominee
A senior administration official confirmed President Donald Trump’s interest in former Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) but said a decision is not expected before next week. Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie is also being considered for the role. Meanwhile, the leadership turmoil exacerbates ongoing staffing and morale issues at the agency.
A Year Later, Democrats See House Republicans’ Gleeful Repeal Victory As Political Gift
Republicans in the House shoved through a repeal bill a year ago, capping the day with a Rose Garden celebration. The measure ultimately failed in the Senate. While Republican lawmakers say they don’t regret their vote, some Democrats plan on using the issue as a talking point in the coming midterm elections. Meanwhile, former HHS Secretary Tom Price walks back his remarks on the individual mandate.
Longer Looks: ER Bills; Opioid Fortunes; And The Golden State Killer
Each week, KHN’s Shefali Luthra finds interesting reads from around the Web.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
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Perspectives: States Should Be Able To Demand Fair Price On What They Pay For Drugs
Read recent commentaries about drug-cost issues.
News outlets report on stories related to pharmaceutical pricing.
Media outlets report on news from Massachusetts, Missouri, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, New Hampshire, Arizona, Minnesota, Tennessee, Connecticut, Oregon, California, Wisconsin, New York and Iowa.
