Viewpoints: States Need To Shore Up Obamacare After Congress Failed; ‘Right To Try’ Bill Undermines FDA, Fails Patients

The Washington Post: Maryland’s Ingenious Plan To Fix Obamacare
Now that Congress has failed to shore up Obamacare in the massive spending bill it is considering, it is all the more urgent for states to fill the gap. Maryland can lead the way, if state leaders embrace two critical Obamacare fixes under consideration in the General Assembly. (3/22)

Los Angeles Times: Bowing To Koch Brothers, House Passes Egregious 'Right To Try' Bill
Few Washington practices are creepier than the exploitation of the desperately ill for ideological ends. That hasn't stopped the sponsors of the egregious federal 'right to try' bill from scheduling the measure for a crucial House vote Tuesday. ... Fernandez Lynch and Steven Joffe, her colleague at Penn, warned in a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine that granting patients with life-threatening illnesses a "right to try" experimental drugs without FDA oversight is a steep, slippery slope. "This logic could ultimately extend to patients with serious chronic illnesses and… to all patients who find their approved treatment options unsatisfactory." (Michael Hiltzik, 3/22)

The Hill: If Congress Doesn’t Fix Health Care, Emergency Departments Will Soon Be A Mess
As a physician, I have worked hours in a row in Emergency Departments (ED) caring for patients, some of whom were seriously ill and waited hours to see me. Maybe some of them were like you. Unless Congress acts, that next trip you make to the ED may take even longer — if you can even get in the door. (Arthur Tim Garson, Jr., 3/22)

Axios: How The Senate's Bipartisan ACA Effort Went Off The Rails
Six months ago, the Senate had a bipartisan health care deal with a good chance of becoming law. But now that deal appears to be dead — derailed by abortion politics, policy disagreements and months of lawmakers dragging their feet while the health care landscape shifted underneath them. Why this matters: Premiums are almost certainly going up in October, and insurers will be deciding whether to keep participating in the marketplace. (Caitlin Owens, 3/22)

Stat: 340B Is A Well-Intentioned Drug Discount Program Gone Awry
Hospitals and clinics serving high-risk, high-need patient populations, including low-income and uninsured individuals, have long benefitted from a federal program that allows them to buy medicines from drug makers at a steep discount. But as a debate over drug pricing rages in Congress, there’s mounting evidence the 340B program has been exploited for profit under the guise of “doing good.” (Elsa Pearson and Austin Frakt, 3/22)

New England Journal of Medicine: Alzheimer’s Disease In Physicians — Assessing Professional Competence And Tempering Stigma
Dr. Redd, a 76-year-old practicing physician, sought help for memory loss at an Alzheimer’s disease research center. After being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, she became distressed when she was instructed to stop working immediately. Abrupt retirement would leave patients in her highly subspecialized practice without care. (Gayatri Devi, 3/22)

Sacramento Bee: Health Care Union’s Hardball Tactics Put California Dialysis Patients In The Crossfire
he union wants to use the threat of a ballot initiative to scare dialysis providers into complying with their demands. It is irresponsible and dangerous for UHW to use patients as pawns. The proposed measure would impose unprecedented limits on what health insurance companies are required to pay community dialysis clinics. (Bryan Wong, 3/22)

The Hill: Baltimore City Is Suing Trump Administration Over Cuts To Teen Pregnancy Prevention Education
Baltimore City joined a lawsuit brought by Healthy Teen Network against President Trump, challenging a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to cut funding from evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention education. ...This cut is not just cruel — it’s unprecedented. Funding for Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives (TPPI) was appropriated by an act of Congress — a statutory mandate — specifically dictating to HHS the parameters under which the funding was to be distributed. The funding appropriated is still available for the five-year grant period. (Leana S. Wen, 3/23)

RealClear Health: Technology Can Help Solve The Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis is being called the worst addiction epidemic in American history. The statistics tell a grim story: 33,000 drug overdoses in 2016 — equating to 91 American deaths every day and rising. ...For those who are already addicted, technology can help block difficult withdrawal symptoms and prevent overdoses. Innovation in medication management supports responsible stewardship, helping to prevent drug diversion and inappropriate access to opioids. Medical technology companies are also developing innovations that are minimally invasive, enabling patients to return to their daily lives quickly with less pain and discomfort after surgery. (Scott Whitaker, 3/22)

Sacramento Bee: Veterans Affairs Caregivers Need Funding And Support, Not Mere ‘Thank-Yous’
While the department has tried to prevent and manage disruptive behavior, these programs go only so far, and their effectiveness is undermined by the lack of funding, staffing and support from the president and VA and congressional leaders. The tragic events at Yountville present the nation and its leaders with an opportunity to finally thank VHA caregivers for their service. (Suzanne Gordon, 3/22)