First Edition: August 9, 2017
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
Taking A U-Turn On Benefits, Big Employers Vow To Continue Offering Health Insurance
The shrinking unemployment rate has been a healthy turn for people with job-based benefits. Eager to attract help in a tight labor market and unsure of Obamacare’s future, large employers are newly committed to maintaining coverage for workers and often their families, according to new research and interviews with analysts. (Hancock, 8/8)
Kaiser Health News:
Lag In Brain Donation Hampers Understanding Of Dementia In Blacks
The question came as a shock to Dorothy Reeves: Would she be willing to donate her husband’s brain for research? She knew dementia would steadily take Levi Reeves’ memories of their 57-year marriage, his remaining lucidity and, eventually, his life. But to let scientists take his brain after he died? That seemed too much to ask. “I didn’t want to deal with the idea of his death,” said Reeves, 79. “I certainly didn’t want to deal with brain donation.” (Hancock, 8/9)
Kaiser Health News:
Colon Cancer Rates Rising Among Younger White Adults — And Falling Among Blacks
When Crawford Clay discovered blood on his shorts at the end a routine run in the spring of 2014, he did not know the stains were a symptom of a condition that also afflicted his family. His doctor said it was likely hemorrhoids, but as a precaution, the physician scheduled a colonoscopy. (Heredia Rodriguez, 8/8)
California Healthline:
California Funds Nonprofits To Serve Food As Medicine
Federico Guzmán moved from Mexico to San Francisco in 1992, fleeing anti-gay sentiment and searching for AIDS treatment. He couldn’t find a job and sometimes went hungry until friends introduced him to Project Open Hand, a nonprofit organization that began serving free, nutritious meals to HIV patients in 1985. (Browning, 8/9)
USA Today:
Sen. Tom Carper Cast As Governors' Lobbyist In Health Care Debate
When Sen. Tom Carper was shopping for votes to block GOP health care bills, he didn’t just turn to his fellow senators. He turned to their governors. A self-described “recovering governor,” himself, the Delaware Democrat carried out a communications blitz — calling, texting, emailing — and made contact with up to half of them. He skipped out on a Democratic campaign retreat to make a case at the National Governors Association summer meeting in Rhode Island. (Gaudiano, 8/8)
Reuters:
Trump Vows To 'Win' Against Opioid Epidemic, Offers No New Steps
President Donald Trump promised to win the fight against a U.S. epidemic of opioid drug use, but offered no new steps to do so and did not act on a recommendation made by a presidential commission that he declare a national emergency. Trump spoke at an event he had billed as a "major briefing" on the opioid crisis during a two-week "working vacation" at his private golf club in New Jersey. He also used the appearance to unexpectedly issue a stern warning to North Korea over its threats to the United States. (Chiacu and Oliphant, 8/8)
USA Today:
Trump Calls Opioid Deaths 'A Tremendous Problem' But Doesn't Declare National Emergency
President Trump on Tuesday stressed the importance of prevention and law enforcement in a briefing on the opioid crisis at his New Jersey golf course, but stopped short of declaring the state of national emergency that his own opioid commission has recommended. Health Secretary Tom Price told said the administration has the resources it needs to combat the epidemic without invoking the emergency powers. (Korte, 8/8)
The New York Times:
Vowing Again To Tackle Opioid Crisis, Trump Faults His Predecessor
Meeting with top advisers during his working vacation in New Jersey, Mr. Trump cited statistics saying that deaths stemming from opioid overdoses had skyrocketed in recent years and had become the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. He spoke generally about better health care and law enforcement action as well as guarding the southern border. “It’s a tremendous problem in our country, and I hope we get it taken care of as well as it can be taken care of — hopefully better than any other country that also has these same problems,” he told reporters at his golf club in Bedminster, N.J. “Nobody is safe from this epidemic that threatens all — young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural communities. Everybody is threatened.” (Baker and Shear, 8/8)
The Washington Post:
Trump Holds Off On Declaring Opioid Crisis A National Emergency
[Trump] said the “best way to prevent drug addiction and overdose is to prevent people from abusing drugs in the first place.” “If they don’t start, they won’t have a problem. If they do start, it’s awfully tough to get off,” Trump told reporters at the clubhouse at his private golf club. “So if we can keep them from going on — and maybe by talking to youth and telling them: ‘No good, really bad for you in every way.’ But if they don’t start, it will never be a problem.” (Johnson and Wagner, 8/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Pledges Tough Law-Enforcement Response To Opioid Crisis
Mr. Trump cited a dramatic rise in opioid overdose deaths in the past two decades and a decline in federal drug prosecutions and drug offender prison sentences in recent years. “They looked at this scourge and they let it go by,” the president said, referring to the Obama administration. “We’re not letting it go by.” (Radnofsky and Campo-Flores, 8/8)
Politico:
Trump Says He'll Beat Opioid Epidemic With Law-And-Order Approach
"Strong law enforcement is absolutely vital to having a drug-free society," Trump said. "I'm confident that by working with our health care and law enforcement experts we will fight this deadly epidemic and the United States will win." The remarks echoed similar comments made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions earlier this summer. (Ehley, 8/8)
Los Angeles Times:
Trump Emphasizes Tough Law Enforcement In Comments On Opioid Epidemic
The commission Trump appointed to study the epidemic, headed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, recommended last week that Trump declare a national emergency, but its report emphasized medical solutions, not law enforcement. “We must act boldly to stop it,” the commission wrote. “The opioid epidemic we are facing is unparalleled.” The interim report, which the authors said would be updated in the fall, included several recommendations to lift restrictions on the use of federal funds. Current rules limit states’ use of Medicaid money for residential addiction treatment. (Bierman and Levey, 8/8)
The Washington Post:
Here’s What Happens If Trump Declares Opioid Abuse A National Emergency
From a strictly practical standpoint any emergency declaration would have two main effects, according to Keith Humphreys, an addiction specialist at Stanford University (and frequent Wonkblog contributor) who worked in the federal Office of National Drug Control Policy under President Barack Obama. “First, it lets states and localities that are designated disaster zones to access money in the federal Disaster Relief Fund, just like they could if they had a tornado or hurricane,” Humphreys said. States and cities would be able to request disaster zone declarations from the White House, which would enable them to use federal funds for drug treatment, overdose-reversal medication and more. “Second, declaring an emergency allows temporary waivers of many rules regarding federal programs,” Humphreys said. “For example, currently Medicaid can't reimburse drug treatment in large residential facilities (16 or more beds). That could be waived in an emergency.” (Ingraham, 8/8)
The Associated Press:
New Hampshire Is Latest State To Sue OxyContin Manufacturer
The attorney general's office sued Purdue Pharma on Tuesday, alleging that the drug manufacturer has continued its deceptive marketing of OxyContin in a state that has been called the "ground zero" of the opioid epidemic. In a civil complaint, the state alleges that Purdue Pharma has downplayed the drug's risk of addiction, overstated its effectiveness, claimed it is nearly impossible to abuse and failed to report suspicious prescribers. It's the latest in a string of lawsuits by state, county and local governments accusing prescription opioid manufacturers of fraud and deceptive marketing. (8/8)
The Associated Press:
High-Tech Ideas To Fix Opioid Crisis Compete For Ohio Grants
A call by Republican Gov. John Kasich for scientific breakthroughs to help solve the opioid crisis is drawing interest from dozens of groups with ideas including remote controlled medication dispensers, monitoring devices for addicts, mobile apps and pain-relieving massage gloves. The state has received project ideas from 44 hospitals, universities and various medical device, software and pharmaceutical developers that plan to apply for up to $12 million in competitive research-and-development grants. The grant money is being combined with $8 million for an Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge, a competition similar to one spearheaded by the NFL to address concussions. (8/8)
NPR:
Nashville Mayor, Mourning Son's Overdose Death, Aims To Save Other Children's Lives
The epidemic of drug overdose deaths has hit home for the mayor of Nashville, Tenn. Her 22-year-old son, Max Barry, died last month of an overdose near Denver. And for the first time since tragedy struck her family, Mayor Megan Barry spoke publicly Monday to call on families to have frank and difficult conversations about addiction. (Gonzalez, 8/8)
NPR:
Naloxone Prices Are Up As Demand Has Increased
In Prince George's County, Md., every first responder carries naloxone, the drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. "We carry it in our first-in bags," says Bryan Spies, the county's battalion chief in charge of emergency services. "So whenever we arrive at a patient's side, it's in the bag, along with things like glucose, aspirin and oxygen." (Kodjak, 8/8)
The Washington Post:
A Secret, Supervised Place Where Users Can Inject Drugs Has Been Operating In The U.S. For Three Years
Somewhere in a U.S. city, a small nonprofit organization has been hosting a secret site where users can inject drugs under the supervision of trained staff who provide clean needles and guard against overdoses, researchers said Tuesday. The site, which is illegal under federal law, has been operating for three years, according to a paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. It is part of the “harm reduction” strategy adopted by 98 facilities in 10 other countries where supervised injection sites operate legally. (Bernstein, 8/8)
The New York Times:
Generic Drug Prices Are Falling, But Are Consumers Benefiting?
Not all drug prices are going up. Amid the public fury over the escalating costs of brand-name medications, the prices of generic drugs have been falling, raising fears about the profitability of major generic manufacturers. Last week, Teva Pharmaceuticals reported that it had missed analysts’ earnings estimates in the second quarter and planned to lay off 7,000 workers. Its share price plummeted 24 percent in one day as investors worried there was no end in sight. (Ornstein and Thomas, 8/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
CVS Moves Deeper Into Doctors’ Turf
CVS Health Corp. hit by slower store sales and the defection of some big insurance providers, is moving ever more onto doctors’ turf in a bid to win back business. The company said Tuesday that it intends to expand a program in which it marshals pharmacists, hundreds of on-site medical clinics and its vast data network to help people manage chronic diseases including asthma and high blood pressure. (Terlep, 8/8)
The Washington Post:
Death Rates From Colon Cancer Are Increasing For White Americans Under 55
Earlier this year, researcher Rebecca Siegel of the American Cancer Society published a startling report showing that colon and rectal cancer incidence is rising among Gen X and millennials while falling in older generations. On Tuesday, after delving further into the data, she and her co-authors identified “a true and perplexing escalation in disease occurrence.” In a paper in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, they report that deaths from colorectal cancer are increasing for young and middle-aged Americans — though the increase appears, at least so far, to be confined to white men and women. (Cha, 8/8)
The Washington Post:
Your Brain Can Form New Memories While You Are Asleep, Neuroscientists Show
A sleeping brain can form fresh memories, according to a team of neuroscientists. The researchers played complex sounds to people while they were sleeping, and afterward the sleepers could recognize those sounds when they were awake. The idea that humans can learn while asleep, a concept sometimes called hypnopedia, has a long and odd history. It hit a particularly strange note in 1927, when New York inventor A. B. Saliger debuted the Psycho-phone. (Guarino, 8/8)
The Wall Street Journal:
Healthier Workers Are More Productive, Study Finds
Healthy employees are more productive employees, according to new research bolstering the case for corporate wellness programs. While that might seem like an obvious conclusion, the connection has been tough to establish with data to link workers’ job performance and their personal health information. (Weber, 8/8)
The New York Times:
Tai Chi May Help Prevent Falls
Practicing tai chi helps older people improve their balance and avoid falls, a review of studies has found. Tai chi is a form of Chinese martial arts now practiced as exercise. It involves a specific program of graceful movements, accompanied by deep breathing and mental focus, that slowly move the center of balance from one leg to the other. (Bakalar, 8/8)
The Associated Press:
Texas Urges Reversal In Planned Parenthood Medicaid Case
Texas' attorney general is urging a federal appeals court to overturn an order halting the state from cutting Medicaid dollars to Planned Parenthood over videos anti-abortion activists secretly recorded in 2015. In a 5th Circuit Court brief, Ken Paxton accused Planned Parenthood of "breaches of medical and ethical standards." (8/8)
The Associated Press:
Texas House Votes To Require Separate Insurance For Abortions
The Texas House has given preliminary approval to a bill requiring women to purchase separate insurance policies for coverage of abortions, except during medical emergencies. Amarillo Republican Rep. John Smithee’s proposal passed 95-51 after hours of tense debate Tuesday. A final House vote Wednesday sends it to the Texas Senate, which already approved similar rules. (8/8)
The Associated Press:
DC Orders Hospital To Suspend Baby Deliveries, Prenatal Care
The Department of Health in Washington, D.C., has ordered a hospital to stop delivering babies and offering prenatal care for the next 90 days. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that district officials declined to say what prompted the suspension at United Medical Center. But the hospital is implementing a plan to improve those services. (8/8)
The Washington Post:
D.C. Shuts Down Obstetrics Ward At United Medical Center For 90 Days
The D.C. Health Department is restricting United Medical Center’s license that allowed it to perform obstetrics and nursery care while the hospital implements a plan to improve those services, a spokeswoman for the agency said Tuesday. Regulators could lift the restrictions before the 90-day mark if the hospital makes the required improvements and passes an inspection. Other services at the long-troubled public hospital, which serves some of the city’s poorest residents, are unaffected by the move. (Nirappil, 8/8)
The Associated Press:
Judge: Board Erred In Punishing Doctor For Retrieving Pills
A judge has overturned a Delaware medical licensing board’s disciplinary decision regarding a doctor accused of misconduct after allegedly allowing prison medical workers to give an inmate expensive pills that had been thrown into a syringe-filled “biohazard” medical waste box. The board last year ordered 90 days of probation and a $1,000 fine for Dr. Laurie Ann Spraga after an incident in which 12 prescription hepatitis pills — costing $1,000 each — were discarded in a “biohazard” medical waste box after being spilled onto the floor. The pills were later retrieved and given to an inmate at the maximum-security prison in Smyrna. (Chase, 8/8)
The Associated Press:
First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opening In Hawaii
Dispensary sales of medical marijuana in Hawaii are beginning after patients waited 17 years for a legal way to purchase the drug. Maui Grown Therapies received approval from the Department of Health to begin selling medical cannabis Tuesday. (8/8)
The Washington Post:
A Woman Had Stomach Pains. Doctors Discovered It Was Something She Swallowed — A Decade Ago.
Doctors at a hospital in Australia were bewildered when a 30-year-old woman showed up with intense stomach pains. Her heart rate was faster than normal, and the membrane lining her abdominal wall was inflamed, one of her doctors wrote in a medical article published Monday by BMJ Case Reports. But her vital signs, laboratory tests, ultrasound and a scan of her liver, gallbladder and bile ducts were all normal. (Phillips, 8/8)