First Edition: June 15, 2018
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
As Medicaid Costs Soar, States Try A New Approach
Sandy Dowland has been to the emergency room 10 times in the past year and was hospitalized during four of those visits. She has had a toe amputated and suffers from uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, major depression, obesity and back pain. But her health is not high on the 41-year-old woman’s priority list. “I have a lot going on,” said the unemployed mother of five who lives in a homeless shelter. She said it’s a struggle just to get herself and children through each day. (Galewitz, 6/15)
Kaiser Health News:
Most Texans Want State To Expand Medicaid And Help Poor Get Health Care
Texans think the Legislature should expand Medicaid to more low-income people and make health care more affordable, according to a survey released Thursday. Researchers surveyed 1,367 Texans between March and May of this year about topics ranging from Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, maternal mortality and the role of government in tackling health care issues. (Lopez, 6/14)
Kaiser Health News:
Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ California Here We Come
Health care is a big political issue, but no place more than in California. In San Francisco last week, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure upholding a ban on flavored tobacco products — over the vehement objections of the tobacco industry. And the state’s activist attorney general, Xavier Becerra, is leading a group of Democratic officials from more than a dozen states defending the Affordable Care Act in a case filed in Texas. That is important given that the Trump administration’s Justice Department decided not to defend the law in full from charges that changes made by Congress in last year’s tax law invalidates the health law. (6/14)
Kaiser Health News:
In New Hampshire, Even Mothers In Treatment For Opioids Struggle To Keep Children
Jillian Broomstein starts to cry when she talks about the day her newborn son Jeremy was taken from her by New Hampshire’s child welfare agency. He was 2 weeks old. “They came into the house and said they would have to place him in foster care and I would get a call and we would set up visits,” she said. “It was scary.” Broomstein, who was 26 at the time, had not used heroin for months and was on methadone treatment, trying to do what was safest for her child. (Gotbaum, 6/15)
The Washington Post:
Broad Health-Care Coalition Opposes Administration Stance In Anti-ACA Lawsuit
A broad swath of health-care constituencies weighed in on Thursday to oppose a lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act, forming an uncommonly united front against a decision by the Trump administration not to defend significant parts of the law. Hospitals, doctors, medical schools, patient-advocacy groups, the health insurance industry and others filed briefs in a federal court in Texas, disputing the argument of 20 Republican-led states and the Justice Department that all or part of the 2010 law is unconstitutional. In all, 11 friend-of-the-court briefs were filed. From various vantage points, each argues that a ruling in favor of this latest challenge to the ACA’s constitutionality would “have a devastating impact on doctors, patients, and the American health care system as a whole,” as a brief from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry puts it. (Goldstein, 6/14)
The Wall Street Journal:
Federal Government Doesn’t Have To Pay Billions To Health Insurers, Court Rules
The federal government doesn’t have to pay insurers billions of dollars under an Affordable Care Act program aimed at enticing them into the markets by helping cover their financial risks, a divided federal appeals court ruled Thursday. In a case brought by Moda Health Plan Inc., the ruling is a blow to insurers hoping to recoup money they say they were owed under the 2010 health law. (Armour and Kendall, 6/14)
Politico:
Court: Federal Government Doesn’t Owe Insurers Obamacare Payments
A divided three-judge panel rejected claims from two Obamacare insurers that the federal government was required to make good on payments from a program meant to protect insurers who attracted customers who were sicker and more expensive than anticipated. The two insurers were seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in payments from Obamacare’s risk corridor program, and at least three dozen other insurers have filed similar lawsuits. In all, insurers say they’re owed more than $12 billion from the risk corridor program, a shortfall they have partially blamed for skyrocketing premiums and dwindling competition in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. (Demko, 6/14)
The Hill:
Court Rules Insurers Not Entitled To ObamaCare Payments
“Congress clearly indicated its intent here,” the court ruled. “It asked GAO [the Government Accountability Office] what funding would be available to make risk corridors payments, and it cut off the sole source of funding identified beyond payments in. It did so in each of the three years of the program’s existence.” The insurers are likely to appeal and seek a review by the full court, rather than just a panel. If that doesn’t succeed, the next step would be an appeal to the Supreme Court. (Weixel, 6/14)
The Wall Street Journal:
Medicaid Expansion Gains Popularity In Red States
The push to expand Medicaid is gaining traction in some Republican states that previously rejected the idea, thanks to grass-roots efforts to let voters weigh in directly on the issue and recent changes in the program that make it more friendly to conservatives. States including Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, and North Carolina are weighing expanding their programs, and the debate is also playing a central role in the midterm contests in Florida, Georgia, and Kansas. All were won by President Donald Trump in the 2016 election. Traditional Medicaid typically covers such groups as low-income families who qualify for Social Security and pregnant women and children meeting income requirements. Medicaid expansion, part of the Affordable Care Act, enables states to cover more low-income adults up to age 65. (Armour, 6/14)
The Hill:
Lawmakers Ask For Increase In Suicide Prevention Funding
Two House lawmakers are asking for more funds for suicide prevention efforts in the wake of a report that showed rising rates across the country. Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.), co-chairs of the bipartisan House Suicide Prevention Task Force, noted Wednesday that funding for suicide prevention programs has remained flat or decreased in recent years. (Hellmann, 6/14)
Stat:
Bill To Encourage Generic-Drug Development Passes A Key Hurdle
With little fanfare and minimal debate, a key Senate committee voted Thursday to advance legislation that aims to spur the development of new generic drugs and in turn, lower drug prices. A bipartisan majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee overwhelmingly passed the legislation, known as the CREATES Act, by a 16-5 vote. The legislation seeks to give generic companies a way to sue brand- name drug makers when they inappropriately deny access to samples of their products, which generic makers need to develop their competing drugs. (Mershon, 6/14)
Politico:
Birth Control And Beer Kegs: How Trump’s Tariffs Will Hit Middle America
Birth control pills, lawnmowers and flat-panel televisions are among a long list of goods that could get more expensive after President Donald Trump slaps 25 percent tariffs on a list of Chinese imports. The final list of items facing penalties is due out Friday, and a wide range of U.S. consumer favorites is likely to be on it, despite a scramble by many affected businesses to get their items removed – or to get competitors’ products on. (Palmer, 6/13)
Bloomberg:
The Women’s Libido Pill Is Back, And So Is The Controversy
Addyi, the brand name for flibanserin, hit the market in 2015 and the buzz was instant. Inevitably, the media dubbed it “female Viagra.” But Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., which had just bought Sprout for $1 billion, almost immediately faced a distribution scandal having nothing to do with Addyi, and the drug was dragged down with the rest of the company. It’s languished ever since. In a typical month, about 600 prescriptions are filled, compared with almost 800,000 for erectile dysfunction drugs Cialis, Viagra, and Viagra’s generic equivalent. (Koons, 6/14)
The New York Times:
Sex And Drugs Decline Among Teens, But Depression And Suicidal Thoughts Grow
One in seven high school students reported misusing prescription opioids, one of several disturbing results in a nationwide survey of teenagers that revealed a growing sense of fear and despair among youth in the United States. The numbers of teenagers reporting “feelings of sadness or hopelessness,” suicidal thoughts, and days absent from school out of fear of violence or bullying have all risen since 2007. The increases were particularly pointed among lesbian, gay and bisexual high school students. Nationally, 1 in 5 students reported being bullied at school; 1 in 10 female students and 1 in 28 male students reported having been physically forced to have sex. (Hoffman, 6/14)
Los Angeles Times:
U.S. Teens Are Taking Fewer Risks With Their Health, Though Drinking And Unsafe Sex Are Still Common
“The overall prevalence of most health-risk behaviors has moved in the desired direction,” wrote a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health. However, they added, “many high school students are engaged in health-risk behaviors associated with the leading causes of death” for their age group. (Kaplan, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
Fewer US Teens Smoking, Doing Drugs ... And Drinking Milk
Last year's survey asked about 100 questions on a wide range of health topics, including smoking, drugs and diet. Researchers compared the results to similar questionnaires going back more than 25 years. One trend that stood out was the drop in drinking milk, which started falling for all Americans after World War II. In recent decades, teens have shifted from milk to soda, then to Gatorade and other sports drinks and recently to energy drinks like Monster and Red Bull. (6/14)
The Hill:
Poll: 14 Percent Of High School Students Admit To Misusing Opioids
Only 14 percent of high school students admitted to misusing opioids, according to a recently released National Youth Risk Behavior Survey report. The survey found that 14 percent of students said they had used opioids, including OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin, without a prescription or medical advice. (Manchester, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
FDA Clears 1st Generic Film Strip Of Addiction Drug Suboxone
U.S. regulators have approved the first generic version of an under-the-tongue film for treating opioid addiction. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a generic version of Suboxone, a film strip that dissolves under the tongue. Used daily, it reduces withdrawal symptoms, cravings for opioids and the high from abusing them. (Johnson, 6/14)
The Hill:
Kentucky Sues Walgreens Over Opioid Epidemic
Kentucky’s attorney general sued Walgreens Thursday, alleging that the company contributed to the state’s opioid epidemic. Attorney General Andy Beshear, a Democrat, sued Walgreens for its role as both a distributor and a pharmacy. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to report suspicious shipments of opioids to authorities and that it dispensed large quantities of the painkiller. (Roubein, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
Texas Abortion Clinics Sue To Undo Laws Dating Back Decades
Texas abortion providers who won a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2016 that blocked a new wave of anti-abortion efforts are now using that decision to try to undo laws on the books for decades in a lawsuit filed Thursday. In suing over anti-abortion measures that stretch back 20 years in some cases, Texas clinics are putting a new spin on what has become a recurring cycle in GOP-controlled states — legislatures passing new abortion laws, followed by opponents rushing to court before they can take effect. (6/14)
Politico:
Dozens Of Abortion Curbs Challenged In Lawsuit By Texas Clinic
The move led by the Whole Woman’s Health Alliance comes two years after the abortion provider successfully challenged two provisions of a Texas abortion law at the Supreme Court. The decision marked the most significant abortion rights ruling in a generation and paved the way for groups to challenge abortion laws in other states. (Rayasam and Haberkorn, 6/14)
The Hill:
Abortion Provider Files New Suit Against Texas Restrictions
“For years, Texas politicians have done everything in their power to push abortion out of reach for Texans. Today, we join communities and advocates across the state to send the message that we have had enough,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, President of Whole Woman’s Health Alliance. (Hellmann, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
US Renews Call For Cuba To Probe Cause Of Health 'Attacks'
The United States on Thursday renewed calls for the Cuban government to determine the source of health "attacks" on U.S. diplomats in Cuba that have affected some two dozen people. Cuba again denied any involvement or knowledge of any such attacks. At a senior-level meeting with Cuban officials in Washington, the State Department said it had again raised the issue, which has prompted a significant reduction in staffing at the U.S. Embassy in Havana. It reiterated "the urgent need to identify the source of the attacks on U.S. diplomats and to ensure they cease." (6/14)
The New York Times:
Using Harpoon-Like Appendages, Bacteria ‘Fish’ For New DNA
Two bacteria are sitting near free-floating DNA. Suddenly, one bacterium shoots out a long appendage, latches onto a DNA fragment and reels in its catch. It happens fast, but it’s clear: this organism had just gone fishing. Biologists at Indiana University recently captured this maneuver on camera for the first time. (Yin, 6/14)
Bloomberg:
Deleting Your Online DNA Data Is Brutally Difficult
Your genetic code includes details about not only your own health and family, but also similarly intimate information about your relatives. When police recently used a genetic genealogy website to find a suspect in the case of the Golden State Killer, it illuminated the unexpected ways that your genetic data can be used by people you had no idea you were sharing it with. Recently, I started feeling uneasy about how freely my DNA data flowed. So I decided to try to erase my DNA data footprint from all the websites and databases and laboratories in which it was stored. It turns out that isn’t so easy. (Brown, 6/15)
The Washington Post:
Higher Vitamin D Levels Linked To Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk, Study Finds
Higher concentrations of vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream are linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer, according to a large international study published Thursday. The researchers said the results strengthen the evidence that the vitamin may play a protective role against the disease, which is the third-most common cancer in the United States, killing more than 50,000 people a year. Previous studies exploring a possible link were inconclusive, they said. The latest research, which appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, was conducted by scientists from NCI, the American Cancer Society, the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and 20 other medical centers and organizations around the world. (McGinley, 6/14)
NPR:
Low Vitamin D Levels Associated With Increased Risk Of Colorectal Cancer
To determine what role vitamin D might be playing, researchers looked at participants' blood samples collected in the years before their cancer diagnosis. They also considered the established risk factors for colorectal cancer, including smoking, low physical activity and high body mass index. "Our findings suggest what's optimal for bone health may not be optimal for colorectal risk reduction," McCullough says, which could mean higher doses are needed to prevent cancer. Current recommendations for vitamin D supplementation are based solely on studies showing conclusively that it does preserve bone health. (Neighmond, 6/14)
Los Angeles Times:
LAPD Raids Home Of Ex-USC Gynecologist Accused Of Sexually Mistreating Patients
Police detectives on Thursday served search warrants at the Los Angeles home of a former USC gynecologist and a storage facility as they investigate allegations that he sexually mistreated patients. Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Billy Hayes said sex-crimes detectives talked to George Tyndall and seized evidence during the search but did not provide further details. The LAPD has been in contact with 135 women about Tyndall, who served as the campus’ gynecologist for nearly 30 years. More than 400 women have called a university hotline since a Times investigation detailed how USC allowed Tyndall to continue practicing at a student health clinic on campus despite a record of complaints that spanned more than two decades. (Winton, 6/14)
The Hill:
CDC Investigates Hepatitis A Outbreak In Six States
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning public health officials in six states about an outbreak of Hepatitis A among drug users and the homeless. From January 2017 to April of this year, the CDC has received more than 2,500 reports of infections from California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah and West Virginia. (Hellmann, 6/14)
The Associated Press:
Michigan Enacts Toughest Lead Rules In US After Flint Crisis
Michigan on Thursday began enforcing the nation’s strictest rules for lead in drinking water, a plan that eventually will result in replacing all 500,000 lead service pipes statewide in the wake of the contamination of Flint’s supply. The lead and copper rules will drop the “action level” for lead from 15 parts per billion, the federal limit, to 12 in 2025. Underground lead service lines connecting water mains to houses and other buildings will be replaced by 2040, unless a utility can show regulators it will take longer under a broader plan to repair and replace its water infrastructure. (6/14)
The Associated Press:
Report: Minneapolis Cops Urged EMS To Sedate Subjects
A city report shows Minneapolis police officers have repeatedly requested that Hennepin County medical responders sedate people with ketamine, a powerful tranquilizer known as a "date rape drug." The draft report obtained by the Star Tribune says that in multiple instances, the ketamine caused heart or breathing failure and suspects had to be revived or intubated. (6/14)