Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trade Deal Jeopardizes Access To Affordable Medicine, Health Groups Tell Congress
The Washington Post: More Than 50 Health, Religious And Labor Groups Urge Congress To Reject TPP Trade Deal
More than 50 public health, religious and labor groups — including Doctors Without Borders, the Catholic lobby group Network and the Communications Workers of America — are urging Congress to reject the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation free trade agreement between the United States and Pacific Rim nations. In a letter sent to Congress on Tuesday, the groups argue that the intellectual property and pharmaceutical provisions in the pact would make it more difficult for people in TPP countries to access affordable medicine. (Ho, 4/12)
Meanwhile, the gun control fight threatens to bring down a bipartisan mental health bill and a House Appropriations Committee report warns of financial hurdles when it comes to the VA health program —
The Hill: Gun Provisions Snag Mental Health Reform Bill
The fight over gun control is threatening to scuttle a bipartisan mental health reform effort in the Senate as lawmakers rush to get the issue to the floor. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) is in talks with leaders of the Senate health committee to combine his mental health bill with one that passed the committee last month. (Sullivan, 4/12)
Morning Consult: Time Is Running Out For Mental Health Measure
The Senate is steamrolling into the annual appropriations process without yet addressing mental health, one of the year’s most popular legislative efforts. That’s partly because behind the scenes, there is still widespread disagreement over whether a mental health bill should be Democrats’ big opportunity to force votes on gun control. (Owens, 4/12)
CQ Healthbeat: House Appropriators See Financial Ills For VA Health Program
A House Appropriations Committee report on the fiscal 2017 Military Construction-VA spending bill released Tuesday shed new light on problems with veterans' health care facing the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report suggests that provision of health care outside agency facilities could present a financial hurdle in the years ahead. (Mejdrich, 4/13)
