The Hill: Sanders Says New Health-Care Plan Shows Dems Moving Toward 'Medicare For All'
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Monday that he thinks a new health-care plan from a Democratic think tank shows that the party is moving toward his position on health care. Asked if he thinks the plan from the Center for American Progress (CAP), which comes very close to Sanders’s signature idea of "Medicare for all," shows the Democratic Party is moving his way, Sanders told The Hill, "Yes, I do." (Sullivan, 3/5)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

CQ: Blunt: Policy Issues Bedevil Labor, Health, Education Bill
Extra funding for health, education and labor programs in the fiscal 2018 omnibus package depends on whether lawmakers can iron out policy differences between the House and Senate bills, a top GOP negotiator said Monday. ... CQ reported last week that a dispute over about $3 billion in offsets known as changes in mandatory programs, or "CHIMPs," to free up more discretionary spending in the Labor-HHS-Education bill remains an outstanding issue for lawmakers working to construct a catchall omnibus spending bill for fiscal 2018. (Mejdrich, 3/5)

The Hill: Jon Stewart Makes Capitol Hill Appearance For 9/11 Bill
Former late-night host Jon Stewart joined New York lawmakers on Monday to call on the White House to withdraw a proposal to reorganize the health-care program for 9/11 first responders. ... The Trump administration is considering a reorganization that would move the 9/11 health-care program from oversight by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), a worker safety agency. (Sullivan, 3/5)

The Hill: Trump's Health Chief Warns Hospital Execs About Health Care Costs: 'Change Is Coming' 
President Trump’s new health secretary issued a warning Monday to a room of hospital executives about soaring health care costs: change is coming, whether you like it or not. Speaking at the Federation of American Hospitals convention in D.C., Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar laid out a series of actions the administration will take that are aimed at lowering health care costs, and warned that it wouldn’t be deterred by powerful special interests. (Hellmann, 3/5)

Politico Pro: Azar lays out four-prong approach to value-driven care
“Change is possible. Change is necessary. And change is coming,” Azar told the Federation of American Hospitals annual policy conference. “This administration, and this president, are not interested in incremental steps. ... We are unafraid of disrupting existing arrangements simply because they’re backed by powerful special interests.” (Pittman, 3/5)

In other news from the administration —

Stat: FDA Makes Two High-Level Hires In 'Strategic Initiatives'
A management shuffle at the Food and Drug Administration Monday moved two officials into high-ranking positions, giving them more authority over the agency’s strategy. Theresa Mullin is moving up from being the director of the office of strategic programs at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research — starting Monday, she’s working directly in the office of the CDER Director, Janet Woodcock, as the associate director for strategic initiatives, according to an email that Woodcock sent to her staff. (Swetlitz, 3/5)

Kaiser Health News: At New Health Office, ‘Civil Rights’ Means Doctors’ Right To Say No To Patients
The Trump administration is embarking on a sweeping effort to redefine civil rights in health care, with critics accusing the Department of Health and Human Services of sidestepping the rights of patients to soothe a far smaller constituency: conservative nurses, hospitals and other caregivers. The department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been greatly strengthening and expanding protections for health care providers who have religious- or conscience-based objections to procedures such as abortion. (Huetteman, 3/5)

The New York Times: Bring Back The Asylums? Critics Fear A New Wave Of Abuse
In the wake of the horrific school shootings in Parkland, Fla., President Trump has called repeatedly for building or reopening mental institutions. Strangely, perhaps, he has echoed an argument made by some experts who study the mental health care system. It’s not that they believe that having more institutions would somehow prevent spree killings, as Mr. Trump apparently does. The majority of these murderers appear to be angry, antisocial individuals — with access to guns — whom the mental health system probably could not have spotted in advance. (Carey, 3/5)

Meanwhile, states are moving to pass gun legislation in the wake of the shooting —

The Associated Press: Florida Senators Pass Gun Restrictions; House Yet To Act
In response to a deadly Florida school shooting last month, the state's Senate narrowly passed a bill that would create new restrictions on rifle sales and allow some teachers to carry guns in schools. The 20-18 vote came Monday evening after three hours of often emotional debate. Support and opposition crossed party lines, and it was clear many of those who voted for the bill weren't entirely happy with it. (Spencer and Fineout, 3/6)

Los Angeles Times: Florida State Senate Passes A Marjory Stoneman Douglas Gun Control Act — And Some Call It An Insult To Its Namesake
Senate Bill 7026, named the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act, would raise the age to purchase a firearm from 18 to 21, require a three-day waiting period for most gun purchases, and ban the sale or possession of "bump stocks," which allow semiautomatic rifles to fire faster. (Jarvie, 3/5)

The Associated Press: Oregon Governor Signs First Gun Law Since Florida Massacre
A bill prohibiting domestic abusers and people under restraining orders from owning firearms became America's first new gun control law since the Feb. 14 Florida high school massacre. "Well done Oregon," Democratic Gov. Kate Brown exclaimed Monday after signing the law on the steps of the state Capitol as some 200 people, including victims of domestic abuse and high school students, applauded and cheered. (Selsky, 3/6)

The Miami Herald: Teen Shot Five times At Stoneman Douglas High Plans To Sue BSO, School System
A 15-year-old Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting survivor and his family have put Broward County authorities on notice that they will sue to seek money damages to help cover the cost of his recovery. (Teproff, 3/5)

The New York Times: Can This Judge Solve The Opioid Crisis?
Here are a few choice mutterings from the scrum of lawyers outside Courtroom 18B, about the federal judge who summoned them to a closed-door conference on hundreds of opioid lawsuits: “Grandstander.” “Pollyanna.” “Over his head.” And the chorus: “This is not how we do things!” (Hoffman, 3/5)

The Wall Street Journal: Opioid Maker Insys Still Has Fans On Wall Street
Insys Therapeutics has lost its former CEO and co-founder, John Kapoor, and several top executives, all charged with conspiracy to illegally distribute an addictive prescription painkiller. The company has lost more than 80% of its market cap since its peak price in 2015 amid declining sales and multiple lawsuits from states over how it marketed Subsys, a mouth-spray version of the potent opioid painkiller fentanyl that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer-related pain. (Prang, 3/5)

Meanwhile, the Trump administration and lawmakers want to crack down on opioids delivered through the mail, while a proposed limit on prescriptions draws some last-minute opposition. And a look at America's continuing cocaine problem —

The Washington Post: FDA Chief Wants More Mail Inspectors To Stem Opioid Influx
The head of the Food and Drug Administration wants to more than double the number of packages his agency inspects for illicit drugs, an effort to stem a deadly flow of opioids that increasingly runs through the international mail supply. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said Monday he needs more staffers to intercept opioids that are being disguised as other drugs and supplements. (Perrone, 3/5)

The Hill: Manchin Unveils Bill To Change Controversial Opioid Enforcement Law
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) unveiled legislation Monday aimed at helping the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) improve its ability to stop suspicious shipments of opioids from flooding communities. Manchin’s bill changes a law that drew a firestorm of criticism after an explosive "60 Minutes"–Washington Post joint investigation reported the bill made it harder for the DEA to freeze opioid shipments from drug companies in the midst of a full-blown crisis. (Roubein, 3/5)

Stat: Proposed Limits To Opioid Prescriptions Draw Opposition From Docs, Patients
In the final hours of public input on a controversial new rule limiting opioid prescriptions, a last-minute coalition emerged on Monday to oppose it. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule would restrict opioid doses to Medicare patients to the equivalent of 90 milligrams of morphine per day. (Facher, 3/6)

The New York Times: Overshadowed By The Opioid Crisis: A Comeback By Cocaine
The opioid epidemic just keeps getting worse, presenting challenges discussed at length at a White House summit last week. But opioids are not America’s only significant drug problem. Among illicit drugs, cocaine is the No. 2 killer and claims the lives of more African-Americans than heroin does. In a recent study published in The Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that drug-related deaths have grown across all racial groups and among both men and women. The analysis found that between 1999 and 2015, overdose deaths of any kind of drug for Americans 20 to 64 years old increased 5.5 percent per year. (Frakt, 3/5)

And in news from the states —

The Associated Press: Mom Who Had Heroin-Addicted Baby Gets 30 Years For His Death
A Baltimore woman whose baby was likely born addicted to heroin and survived only nine days will serve 30 years in prison. The Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City said in a Monday release Anne Kirsch was sentenced to 75 years in prison, with 45 suspended, after she was convicted of manslaughter and child abuse resulting in death in 2017. (3/5)

Health News Florida: Senate Backs Expansion Of Needle Exchange Program
Senate Minority Leader Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, agreed Friday to scale back his efforts to take a needle-exchange program statewide. (3/5)

The Kansas City Star: Greitens Announces Opioid Crackdown That Could Affect 8,000 Missouri Doctors
Gov. Eric Greitens' administration said Monday it was cracking down on 8,000 Missouri doctors who aren't following best practices for prescribing opioids within the state's Medicaid program. (Marso, 3/5)

The Washington Post: Many Type 2 Diabetics Can Relax Their Blood Sugar Control, Doctors Group Says
Many of the nation’s 29 million people with Type 2 diabetes should relax their blood sugar control, an influential physicians group recommended Monday, arguing that the current standard is causing substantial harm without commensurate benefits. But the American Diabetes Association, the leading organization in the fight against the condition, said it disagrees with the new recommendation from the American College of Physicians and would not change its advice that Type 2 diabetics pursue tighter blood glucose control. (Bernstein, 3/5)

NPR: The American College Of Physicians Recommends A1C Levels Between 7 And 8 Percent
Half a dozen medical groups have looked carefully at the best treatment guidelines for the 29 million Americans who have Type 2 diabetes and have come up with somewhat differing guidelines. The American College of Physicians has reviewed those guidelines to provide its own recommendations, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. It has decided that less stringent goals are appropriate for the key blood sugar test, called the A1C. "There are harms associated with overzealous treatment or inappropriate treatment focused on A1C targets," says Dr. Jack Ende, president of the ACP. "And for that reason, this is not the kind of situation where the college could just sit back and ignore things." (Harris, 3/5)

The Wall Street Journal: Common ‘Superbug’ Found To Disguise Resistance To Potent Antibiotic
Some common “superbugs” appear to harbor a little-known type of resistance to a last-resort antibiotic, a new study shows, suggesting a worrying new way in which dangerous bacteria can evade one of the few remaining treatment options. Bacterial populations are normally viewed as either totally impervious to an antibiotic, or totally treatable. But researchers from Emory University identified a different pattern in a certain type of drug-resistant bacteria, in which some cells in a bacterial colony are resistant to a last-resort antibiotic called colistin. This “heteroresistance” isn’t easily detectable in standard lab tests because most of the cells are susceptible to the drug. (McKay, 3/6)

The New York Times: Americans Might No Longer Prefer Sons Over Daughters
Around the world, parents have typically preferred to have sons more than daughters, and American parents have been no different. But there are signs that’s changing. It may be because there’s less bias against girls, and possibly more bias against boys. Gallup surveyed Americans 10 times from 1941 to 2011, and their answers remained virtually unchanged: If they could have one child, 40 percent would prefer a boy and 28 percent a girl (the rest showed no preference). (Miller, 3/5)

The Wall Street Journal: How To Spot Teenage Depression
Is your child’s moodiness a sign of typical teenage angst—or the beginning of a depression that needs professional attention? Statistics show that teen depression is on the rise. In 2016, around 13% of U.S. teenagers ages 12-17 had at least one major depressive episode in the past year, compared to almost 8% in 2006, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which collects this information. Rates for teenagers ages 18 and 19, which are tracked separately, grew as well: More than 11% had a major depressive episode in 2016, compared with 9-10% in 2006. (Bernstein, 3/5)

The New York Times: For Heart Disease Patients, Think Exercise, Not Weight Loss
For people with coronary heart disease, losing weight will not prolong life, a new study reports, but increasing physical activity will. To their surprise, Norwegian researchers found that in some coronary heart disease patients — those of normal weight — weight loss actually increased the risk for death. (Bakalar, 3/5)

The New York Times: Football’s Brain Injury Crisis Lands In Family Court
In this city with a deep and proud relationship with football, a custody dispute has pushed the debate about the sport’s safety into a new arena: family court. A father, John Orsini, has gone to court to prevent the youngest of his three sons from playing high school football because, he said, scientific studies have revealed the perils of repeated blows to the head — especially for an athlete, like his son, who has a history of concussions. The boy’s mother, Mr. Orsini’s ex-wife, believes he should be allowed to continue playing because he understands the risks. (Belson, 3/5)

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Clinical Trial Offers Hope To Adults With Sickle Cell Disease
Forty sites are participating in the first of its kind National Institutes of Health-funded trial, including the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University, the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, and the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University Health. (Vejnoska, 3/5)

Kaiser Health News: From The ER To Inpatient Care — At Home
Phyllis Petruzzelli spent the week before Christmas struggling to breathe. When she went to the emergency department on Dec. 26, the doctor at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital near her home in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood said she had pneumonia and needed hospitalization. Then the doctor proposed something that made Petruzzelli nervous. Instead of being admitted to the hospital, she could go back home and let the hospital come to her. As a “hospital-at-home” patient, Petruzzelli, 71 this week, learned doctors and nurses would come to her home twice a day and perform any needed tests or bloodwork. (Andrews, 3/6)

The Washington Post: Babies With Down Syndrome Are Put On Center Stage In The U.S. Abortion Fight
Karianne Lisonbee stepped up to the lectern to talk about what she called “a terrible form of discrimination. ”The Republican state representative in Utah had just introduced a bill that would make it a crime for a doctor to perform an abortion if a woman is seeking one “solely” because the fetus has Down syndrome. “In recent years, there has been a shocking increase in abortions performed for no other reason than because a prenatal test identified the potential for a trait a parent didn’t like,” she said at the news conference last month.  (Cha, 3/5)

In other news —

The Associated Press: West Virginia House Opposes Constitutional Abortion Rights
West Virginia lawmakers say the main goal of a constitutional amendment they are proposing is to end Medicaid funding for abortions — but opponents say the change could lead to a future ban on abortions altogether. The House on Monday voted 73-25 to pass the resolution, which was approved by the Senate a month ago and will now go before voters in a November referendum. (Virtanen, 3/5)

Stat: Authors Of Premier Medical Textbook Didn't Disclose Millions From Industry
It’s a textbook that has graced the shelves of untold thousands of medical students going back decades. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, now in its 20th edition, is a must-read for medical students and young internists. It has been called “the most recognized book in all of medicine.” It’s also a case study in hidden conflicts of interest. So says a group of researchers who found that Harrison’s and several other leading medical texts failed to disclose financial interests the authors had in the subject matter as well as payments they’d accepted from industry groups. (Marcus, and Oransky, 3/6)

Concord (N.H.) Monitor: N.H. Proposal Aims To Cut Down On Surprise Hospital Bills
The practice is known as “balance billing,” and thousands across the country have suffered it: hidden fees added by in-network hospitals quietly employing out-of-network specialists. It could be a urine or blood test sent to a facility not covered by the insurance plan. It could be an anesthesiologist assisting an in-network surgeon and charging for the service later. ...A new bill heading to the House floor this week seeks to address the trend, banning the billing practice for New Hampshire consumers and forcing carriers and hospitals to sort out the unpaid costs themselves. (DeWitt, 3/5)

And in news out of state capitols in Minnesota and Florida —

The Associated Press: Lawmakers Want Say In 3M Settlement Dollars
Republican lawmakers on Monday questioned the structure of a multimillion-dollar settlement between the state of Minnesota and 3M Co., arguing they should have a say in how the money is used to ensure it doesn't become "consumed by bureaucracy." The company agreed to pay the state $850 million last month to resolve a massive lawsuit in which the state alleged some of the company's chemicals damaged natural resources and groundwater in the Twin Cities' eastern metropolitan area. (3/5)

The Washington Post: Irma Nursing Home Deaths: Backup Power Rule OK’d In Florida
Florida’s Legislature has approved a rule requiring backup power sources in the state’s nursing homes, prompted by the deaths of several residents at a sweltering nursing home in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The state House and Senate both unanimously okayed the measure Monday and it now heads to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott, who is expected to sign it. The measure would require facilities to have a generator capable of keeping facilities at 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) or lower for at least four days. It also requires them to keep 72 hours of fuel on site. (Reedy, 3/5)

The Connecticut Mirror: Dwindling Oversight Heightens Concern Over Medical, Mental Health Care For Inmates
Early one recent morning, an inmate at the state’s lone women’s prison gave birth in her prison cell. That incident – as well as large budget cuts, a lack of outside oversight and a history of complaints – have fueled concerns among some legislators and civil rights groups about the quality of medical and mental health care being provided to inmates. (Rabe Thomas, 3/5)

The Associated Press: 3 Day Care Workers Charged With Giving Children Melatonin
Police in suburban Chicago say three day care workers are charged with giving children gummy bears containing the sleep aid melatonin. Des Plaines police said Monday that officers were called to Kiddie Junction on Friday. Police said the children were given the melatonin "in an effort to calm them down before nap time." Authorities say parents hadn't given permission for their children to receive the melatonin. Police contacted parents and no children were sickened. (3/5)

Chicago Sun Times: Des Plaines Day Care Teachers Charged With Drugging Kids With Sleep Aid 
Three teachers at a day care center in northwest suburban Des Plaines have been charged with drugging children with melatonin, a sleep aid. Officers were called at 12:48 p.m. Friday to Kiddie Junction, 1619 E. Oakton St. in Des Plaines, according to a statement from Des Plaines police. When they arrived, investigators learned that some of the teachers had been giving children gummy bears containing melatonin “in an effort to calm them down before nap time.” (Wilusz, 3/5)

KCUR: Some Healthcare Providers May Lose Under Kansas City's Proposed Budget 
The proposed budget for Kansas City, Missouri, keeps overall funding for safety net health care providers steady at $31.9 million, but the majority of those programs would see budget cuts. Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center is facing the biggest cut. The city has proposed cutting their funding by just over half a million dollars for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The proposed reallocation of money from the city’s health levy would also reduce funding for Kansas City Health Clinic, Northland Health Care and Swope Parkway Health, which faces the second biggest cut of nearly $30,000. (Tudhope, 3/5)

The Associated Press: Judge Delves Into Science Behind Roundup Cancer Claim
A federal judge on Monday waded into the arcane science behind claims that the widely used weed killer Roundup can cause cancer. The expected weeklong testimony is intended to help him determine whether a jury should hear from doctors who link the product to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria heard from an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles about how she evaluated scientific studies of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup, to arrive at her conclusion that it can cause cancer. (Thanawala, 3/5)

Wyoming Public Media: State Health Officials Announce New Vaccine Rules
The Wyoming Department of Health has added two vaccines to the list of those required for children to attend school or daycare in the state. (Elder, 3/5)

Minnesota Public Radio: What Help Is Available For Minnesota Kids Struggling With Mental Health?
A proposed first-of-its-kind mental health treatment facility for children and teenagers is on hold in Forest Lake after the city council delayed action on the plan last week. (3/5)

Modern Healthcare: HCR ManorCare Files For Bankruptcy, Proposes Ownership Transfer 
Struggling nursing home provider HCR ManorCare's parent company filed for bankruptcy Sunday, and plans to shift ownership and leadership to its landlord, the real estate investment trust Quality Care Properties. Under the arrangement, which must be approved by a bankruptcy court in Delaware, Bethesda, Md.-based QCP will assume ownership of HCR ManorCare's more than 500 skilled-nursing and rehabilitation centers, assisted-living facilities, and hospice and home health agencies. The announcement comes at a tumultuous time for the skilled-nursing industry, which is challenged by low government reimbursement, declining occupancy and high labor expenses. (Bannow, 3/5)

New Hampshire Public Radio: Merger Between Elliot Hospital & Southern N.H. Health Can Move Ahead, State Says
The state Attorney General's office will allow a proposed affiliation between two New Hampshire hospital systems to move forward. (3/5)

Pioneer Press: Nurse Practitioner At St. Paul Allina Clinic Accused Of Reusing Syringes On 161 Patients 
Liz Lightfoot was in a work meeting when she got a phone call from Allina Health. She wasn’t expecting the call and wondered if she’d missed a bill payment or — worse — was receiving bad news from a dermatology appointment last year. Instead, Allina informed Lightfoot that a nurse practitioner at a dermatology clinic at Bandana Square in St. Paul had reused a syringe — but not the needle — during an injection on Lightfoot during a recent appointment. The health care system told Lightfoot that she should be tested for HIV and hepatitis. (Chavey, 3/5)

The Orlando Sentinel: What Was Inside The Abandoned Sanford Burnham-Florida Hospital Contract?
Sanford Burnham was planning to transfer $25 million in cash to Florida Hospital when the two were on track to close a transition deal last year, according to draft documents obtained by the Orlando Sentinel. (Miller, 3/5)

Georgia Health News: Flu Lingers But Is Dropping Significantly
The latest Georgia data continue to show the flu epidemic trending downward in the state. (Miller, 3/5)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Ochsner, Chamberlain University Create Nursing Program At Ochsner Medical Center On Jefferson Highway 
Ochsner Health System has partnered with Chamberlain University to create a new nursing program on the West Campus of Ochsner Medical Center on Jefferson Highway. Chamberlain University is a global education provider that offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing as well as a Master of Science in Nursing and Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program. (Clark, 3/5)

California Healthline: User-Friendly Or Error-Ridden? Debate Swirls Around Website Comparing Nursing Homes
Earlier this year, the state Department of Public Health launched a new website, Cal Health Find, intended to help people compare the quality of nursing homes and other health care facilities. Now, California nursing home advocates are calling on the state to take it down, saying the new site is incomplete, inaccurate and “a huge step in the wrong direction.” (Wiener, 3/5)

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: Marquette President Mike Lovell Championing New Ideas To Address Core Milwaukee Problem: Trauma
Marquette University President Mike Lovell wants to inject new intellectual muscle into Milwaukee’s efforts to break the cycle of poverty, crime and joblessness with programs that focus directly on the city's crippling epidemic of trauma. (Schmid, 3/5)

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Miss. Doctor Convicted In $400 Million Pharmacy Scheme: Report 
A Mississippi doctor was found guilty of 16 fraud counts in connection with a $400 million scheme to defraud health care providers by prescribing medically unnecessary compounds, the Hattiesburg American reported. Dr. Albert Diaz, 78, an obstetrician and gynecologist whose practice is in Biloxi, admitted on the witness stand Thursday (March 1) in Hattiesburg he signed several prescriptions for compounded pain and scar creams without ever seeing the patients, the newspaper reported. Compounded drugs are the mixture of two or more drugs by a pharmacist to meet a patient's specific needs. (Chatelain, 3/5)

Boston Globe: A Path Forward For Experimental Drug Treatments
Matthew Bellina, a retired Navy pilot, knows time is running out. Now 34, Bellina was diagnosed in 2014 with Lou Gehrig’s disease, a fatal disorder that attacks the central nervous system and gradually steals life and livelihood: the ability to speak, eat, and breathe. Bellina wants to try NurOwn, an experimental adult stem cell therapy, because he wants to stick around awhile longer to see his three young sons thrive. He is pinning his hopes on a bill in Congress that would give terminally ill patients access to investigational drugs that have passed a Phase I clinical trial but have not yet gone through the full multiyear approval process required by the federal Food and Drug Administration. (3/6)

The Wall Street Journal: Reagan’s Cure For America's Debt Disease
Shrinking future deficits without an economy-damaging tax increase means slowing the growth of government spending. Policy makers looking for savings must focus on two programs. Excluding interest on the debt, Social Security and Medicare account for two-thirds of the projected increase in outlays during the next decade. (Martin Feldstein, 3/5)

The Hill: Federal Vacancies And Faulty Beliefs Exacerbate HIV Prevention Efforts
Is HIV even still a problem? The answer is yes and that is part of the problem because we don’t talk about it. Abstinence-only education ignores the realities of how both teens and adults express themselves sexually and is partly the blame, starving out funding for comprehensive sex education grounded in reality. In the revolving door that is the Trump White House, the fact the president fired remaining members of his Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS is another reason. (Liesl Nydegger, 3/5)

The San Antonio Express News: Cut Health Care Access, Jeopardize Lives
While lawmakers debate Americans’ health care on the state and local level, my family — and thousands like us — face fear and uncertainty for our loved ones’ lives. (Tony Guerra, 3/5)

The New York Times: The Teachers Revolt In West Virginia
The obvious impetus for the strike lies in the state’s terrible treatment of its teachers, whose pay ranked 48th in the nation in 2016. In the past, solid health care benefits helped make up for low wages, but because West Virginia hasn’t been putting enough money into the state agency that insures public employees, premiums and co-payments have been increasing significantly. (Jenny) Craig, who is in her 10th year of teaching, said that because of the cost of insurance, she takes home less money now than she did six or seven years ago. Her husband, who is on her insurance plan, is a diabetic, and she said the monthly charge for his insulin has gone from $25 four years ago to over $180 today. (Michelle Goldberg, 3/5)

Des Moines Register: Preventive Care Is Critical To America's Health Security
When it comes to our health, preventive care is often overlooked in favor of the alternative: treatment. In today’s busy world, it is easy to eat fast food or put your daily walk off until tomorrow. However, just like a budget, if you overspend in the short term, you will fall short in the long run. Likewise, saving today will yield dividends in the end. In fact, for every dollar we invest in evidence-based prevention services, we see $5.60 in savings, according to the Trust for America’s Health. Support for health care strategies that lead to better outcomes at lower costs to taxpayers should be a no-brainer for elected officials on both sides of the aisle. (Tom Harkin, 3/5)

The Hill: GOP’s Proposed Medicare Voucher Program Would Lead To Demise Of The System
A request for public comment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has caught the eye of a group of Democratic Senators, alarmed about its implications for the future of Medicare. In February, 15 Senators sent a letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma expressing concern over a Fall, 2017 Request for Information (RFI) regarding a “new direction” for Medicare’s Innovation Center — and the agency’s subsequent failure to make public the more than 1,000 comments it received. At the heart of the Senator’s concerns is ambiguous language in the RFI that suggests a shift toward converting Medicare into a voucher program, which would, “fundamentally restructure the guaranteed benefit traditional Medicare provides to older adults and people with disabilities.” (Max Richtman, 3/5)

The Hill: The End Of Abortion? In Your Dreams, Mike Pence
Vice President Pence has predicted that legal abortion would end in the U.S. “in our time,“ echoing his promise during the 2016 campaign to consign Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that upheld legal abortion in the U.S., to the “ash heap of history.” Unfortunately, we’re already seeing glimpses of the future evoked by Pence’s cruel promise. In many places in the U.S., especially in rural areas, a woman has few or no nearby options for abortion care, due in large part to politically-motivated restrictions that force clinics to shut down. (Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, 3/5)

Wichita Eagle: KU Med Impacts Wichita Workforce
One of the reason our students receive a well-rounded education at the Wichita campus is because of the knowledge and experience our faculty are sharing with them through time-tested courses and programs, but also because the faculty isn’t afraid of change and embraces innovation. ...In 2005, the board members of the Guadalupe Clinic were presented with an opportunity to increase the number of uninsured and medically underserved members of our community that they could help by partnering with our medical students and later our pharmacy students. According to David Gear, the clinic’s executive director, he and the board answered with a “resounding approval.” That was the beginning of the JayDoc Community Clinic. Today, students provide care under faculty supervision at two locations for four different types of programs: diabetes, women’s health, homeless outreach and general healthcare. During 2017, the students oversaw nearly 500 patient visits — about one in every 16 patient visits. (Garold Minns, 3/5)