Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Postal Changes Led To 'Significant' Delays Of Medications, Senate Report Finds
The Washington Post: Mailed Prescription Drug Deliveries Via USPS May Have Had 'Significant' Delays, Senate Report Finds
Patients who rely on the U.S. Postal Service for their prescription drugs may have experienced “significant” delays in their deliveries, according to a Senate report released Wednesday, which accused Postmaster General Louis DeJoy of jeopardizing the “health of millions of Americans. ”Several major U.S. pharmacies told the two Democratic senators leading the investigation — Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Robert P. Casey Jr. (Pa.) — that average delivery times have ticked up since the spring, leading to a flood of angry calls from customers and costly requests to resend their medications. (Romm, 9/9)
AP: Dem Report: Postal Service Changes Delay Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug orders filled by mail have risen by one-fifth during the coronavirus pandemic, the report found, and delivery times for medications generally increased by as much as one-third. That means deliveries that previously took two days or three days now take an extra day, the report said. Some delays were much longer. One mail-order pharmacy, not identified in the report, said there was “a marked increase in July in the number of patients experiencing shipment delays of seven days or more.” A different pharmacy reported that orders taking over five days have “risen dramatically.″ (Daly and Izaguirre, 9/9)
In updates about the COVID-relief bill —
Politico: Senate Paralyzed Over Coronavirus Relief
With the coronavirus pandemic still battering the United States, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asked his fellow senators on Wednesday whether they “want to do something? Or do you want to do nothing?” The answer looks to be … nothing. (Bresnahan, Levine and Desiderio, 9/9)
The Washington Post: White House Looks At More Executive Actions As Coronavirus-Relief Talks Appear Finished
With the Senate poised to vote Thursday on a slender GOP coronavirus relief bill that’s certain to fail, chances for a bipartisan deal on new economic stimulus look more remote than ever. This impasse has prompted top White House officials to consider a new round of executive actions that they hope could direct funding to certain groups amid fears that the nascent economic recovery could fail to gain momentum. White House officials have discussed efforts to unilaterally provide support for the flagging airline industry while also bolstering unemployment benefits, according to two people aware of the deliberations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal policy discussions. (Werner and Stein, 9/9)
The Hill: Pessimism Grows As Hopes Fade For Coronavirus Deal
Lawmakers are growing increasingly pessimistic about the chances of passing another coronavirus relief package, warning they don’t believe there will be a deal in the final weeks before the election. The dimming hopes for a sweeping agreement come even as Senate Republicans plan to vote Thursday on their slimmed-down bill, which won’t garner the 60 votes needed to advance, and as stalled talks between congressional Democrats and the White House show no signs of a breakthrough. (Carney, 9/9)
Also —
Fox News: Pelosi’s San Francisco Salon Going Out Of Business, Owner Describes Receiving 'Nothing But Negativity'
San Francisco hair salon owner Erica Kious is shutting her doors for good after controversy over a visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last week destroyed her business, she told “Tucker Carlson Tonight" Wednesday. “I am actually done in San Francisco and closing my doors, unfortunately,” she announced. (Stabile, 9/9)
