- California Healthline Original Stories 3
- How Will The Planned Repeal Of Obamacare Affect Californians?
- Medicare Failed To Recover Up To $125 Million In Overpayments, Records Show
- Only 20 Percent Of Americans Support Health Law Repeal Without Replacement Plan
- Covered California & The Health Law 6
- Health Law Repeal Could Cost California 334,000 Jobs, According To Analysis
- A Hint From GOP Leaders: Replacement Plan May Not Maintain Health Law’s Coverage Expansions
- Survey Finds Most Americans Don’t Support Repealing Health Law Without A Replacement
- Obama Calls GOP Plan To Delay Health Law Replacement ‘Reckless’
- Defunding Planned Parenthood Will Be Part Of Obamacare Repeal Bill, Ryan Says
- Trump's Pick For HHS Draws Democrats' Scrutiny Over Health Care Stock Trading
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
How Will The Planned Repeal Of Obamacare Affect Californians?
California Healthline’s Emily Bazar talks repeal, immigrant health coverage and Medi-Cal with Valley Public Radio. ( )
Medicare Failed To Recover Up To $125 Million In Overpayments, Records Show
Medicare overpaid five insurance plans by $128 million yet only recovered $3 million, audits show. (Fred Schulte, )
Only 20 Percent Of Americans Support Health Law Repeal Without Replacement Plan
A new poll shows that GOP lawmakers’ strategy lacks widespread support and most people are more concerned that health care is affordable and available. (Jordan Rau, )
More News From Across The State
Covered California & The Health Law
Health Law Repeal Could Cost California 334,000 Jobs, According To Analysis
The estimate is based on the assumption that income-based tax credits and federal funding to support states’ expansion of Medicaid are eliminated.
KPCC:
Study Says Health Law Repeal Could Cost California 334,000 Jobs
Repeal of the Affordable Care Act could spur the loss of an estimated 334,000 jobs in California, according to a new report from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University and The Commonwealth Fund. (Plevin, 1/5)
And in other news on the implications of the health law debate on California —
KPBS Public Media:
Medi-Cal Recipients Statewide Would Feel The Pain Of Obamacare Repeal
Republicans in Congress have promised to repeal Obamacare. And if they do so, Medi-Cal, California's health program for the poor, will suffer a massive body blow. The California Budget & Policy Center said it won't only be people in Democratic strongholds who will feel the pain. A report from the non-partisan group, which lists Medi-Cal enrollment by county and as a percentage of each county's population, shows the effects will be felt statewide. (Goldberg, 1/6)
The Sacramento Bee:
Congressional Democrats Push Back On GOP Plan To Repeal Obamacare
Congressional Republicans are moving quickly to pass legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act and follow through on President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promise. But with no plan detailing the specifics of how Obamacare may be replaced, their Democratic counterparts fear tens of millions of Americans will lose health care coverage. The Affordable Care Act extended coverage to 3.8 million Californians alone, and would cost the state more than $15 billion a year to maintain without federal support. (Luna, 1/6)
Sacramento Bee:
House GOP Leader Asks Jerry Brown: How Would You Replace Obamacare?
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has written to Gov. Jerry Brown and the leaders of other states soliciting their input for replacing Obamacare. ... Aides to Brown and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones confirmed receipt of the letter, and responses are due Jan. 13. It’s unclear whether Brown will respond, but Jones’ spokesman said he would be sending a reply. (Cadelago, 1/5)
A Hint From GOP Leaders: Replacement Plan May Not Maintain Health Law’s Coverage Expansions
In other news about the ongoing debate about the health law, House Speaker Paul Ryan says that a replacement plan will be completed in 2017. But some Republicans are voicing caution as the financial implications hit home. Ultimately, elements of the law may survive.
Bloomberg:
GOP Won’t Say If People Will Lose Insurance In Obamacare Repeal
Top Republicans in Congress are refusing to promise that their plans to replace Obamacare won’t result in more uninsured Americans, putting them on a possible collision course with President-elect Donald Trump. "Look, I’m not going to get ahead of our committee process," House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters Thursday when asked if he can guarantee a GOP replacement would cover as many people as the Affordable Care Act. "We’re just beginning to put this together." House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was also reluctant to make that commitment when asked on Tuesday, saying, "There’s a lot of areas that you want to look at." (Kapur, 1/5)
The Associated Press:
Ryan: Lawmakers Will Act This Year On Replacing Health Law
Lawmakers will act this year on bills not simply repealing President Barack Obama's health care law but replacing it as well, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Thursday. The remarks by Ryan, R-Wis., suggested a faster schedule than some had expected on reshaping the nation's health care system. While Republicans have said they plan to vote this year on dismantling Obama's law, Ryan went a step further, saying they also would write legislation to replace it in 2017. It won't be easy. (Fram, 1/5)
Bloomberg:
Senate GOP Jitters Grow On Obamacare Repeal With No Replacement
Republican plans to repeal Obamacare without detailing a replacement are hitting resistance from at least three GOP senators, which would be enough to scuttle the strategy party leaders devised to deliver quickly on a central promise from President-elect Donald Trump. Only one of the senators -- Rand Paul of Kentucky -- has so far said he plans to vote against the procedural gambit that sets up Obamacare repeal, citing unrelated budget concerns. Paul and two others are concerned that Republicans haven’t said yet how they would replace the health insurance scheme after repeal, with one of them also opposing the plan to defund Planned Parenthood as part of the repeal. (Dennis and Kapur, 1/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Republicans Face Pressure For Push To Repeal Affordable Care Act
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday reiterated the need to move swiftly to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, as Republicans face growing questions about the turmoil that might ensue and the viability of crafting a replacement. ... But there are increasing signs that the final result of the intensifying battle over health care will be more complicated, and that the final health plan may retain or restore parts of the Affordable Care Act. (Armour and Hackman, 1/5)
The Washington Post:
Conservatives Ready To Support $1 Trillion Hole In The Budget
Some of the most conservative members of Congress say they are ready to vote for a budget that would — at least on paper — balloon the deficit to more than $1 trillion by the end of the decade, all for the sake of eventually repealing the Affordable Care Act. In a dramatic reversal, many members of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus said Thursday they are prepared later this month to support a budget measure that would explode the deficit and increase the public debt to more than $29.1 trillion by 2026, figures contained in the budget resolution itself. (Snell and Weigel, 1/5)
The Los Angeles Times:
7 Things You Need To Know About The Future Of Obamacare
In case it’s been a while since you read about the Affordable Care Act and the GOP replacement plans, here’s a refresher on the biggest Obamacare issues. (Levey, 1/5)
Survey Finds Most Americans Don’t Support Repealing Health Law Without A Replacement
The poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation also finds that nearly half the country does not favor repeal at all.
Los Angeles Times:
Americans Don't Want To Scrap Obamacare Without Something To Replace It, New Poll Shows
The vast majority of Americans do not support Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act without enacting a replacement, a new nationwide poll finds. Nearly half the country does not want the law, commonly called Obamacare, to be repealed at all. Even among those who want to see the law rolled back, most say Congress should wait to vote on repeal until the details of a replacement plan have been announced. (Levey, 1/5)
Bay Area News Group:
Obamacare: Poll Finds Few Americans Want Law Repealed Right Away
As President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress this week began to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, a new poll shows that most Americans either don’t want the health care law repealed, or prefer to delay killing the law until details of the GOP’s substitute are revealed. (Seipel, 1/6)
NPR:
Americans Say: Don't Repeal Obamacare Without A Replacement Plan
An overwhelming majority of people disapprove of Republican lawmakers' plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without having a ready replacement for the health care law, according to a poll released Friday. And judging by the letter-writing and lobbying in the first week of the new Congressional session, many health care and business groups agree. (Kodjak, 1/6)
Obama Calls GOP Plan To Delay Health Law Replacement ‘Reckless’
In a commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine, the president acknowledges that the Affordable Care Act has problems but says if Republicans' don't have a firm plan for replacing it when they seek to repeal the law, they could do immense damage to consumers. Meanwhile, Democrats ask their Republican colleagues to compromise on modifying the existing law.
The Associated Press:
Obama Derides 'Reckless' Plan To Repeal Now, Replace Later
Obama sought to dispel the notion that Republicans could fulfill their campaign promises to gut the Affordable Care Act immediately without risking devastating consequences for consumers. Calling that approach "irresponsible," Obama urged Republicans to do the work now to develop an alternative. "Given that Republicans have yet to craft a replacement plan, and that unforeseen events might overtake their planned agenda, there might never be a second vote on a plan to replace the ACA if it is repealed," Obama wrote. "And if a second vote does not happen, tens of millions of Americans will be harmed." (Lederman and Lucey, 1/6)
The New York Times:
Democrats Appeal For Compromise: Alter, But Don’t Gut, The Health Law
With Republican leaders pressing to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, possibly within weeks, moderate Senate Democrats reached out on Thursday to Republicans, appealing for them to slow down the repeal efforts and let lawmakers try to find acceptable, bipartisan changes to make the existing law work better. Democrats also had new reason to hope for possible Republican defections after Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin said that the repeal measure would cut off federal funds for Planned Parenthood. But for now, Republican leaders are holding firm. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, denounced the law, President Obama’s signature domestic achievement, as “a lesson to future generations about how not to legislate.” (Kaplan and Pear, 1/5)
Defunding Planned Parenthood Will Be Part Of Obamacare Repeal Bill, Ryan Says
The House speaker pledges that Republicans will strip the women's health organization of federal money as part of its effort to repeal the health law, and opponents of the move react.
The Wall Street Journal:
GOP Makes Fresh Effort To End Federal Funding For Planned Parenthood
That bill will use a budget maneuver known as reconciliation, which allows the Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes typically needed. A similar clause stripping hundreds of millions of dollars away from Planned Parenthood appeared in a similar 2015 reconciliation bill, which passed both chambers of congress but which President Barack Obama vetoed. (Hackman, 1/5)
KCRA:
What’s At Stake In California If Planned Parenthood Loses Funding
Planned Parenthood has been battling Congressional Republicans for years. President and CEO of the California affiliates, Kathy Kneer, said the fight won't be so easy. "Now with Trump as the president-elect, they know they can pass it and it'll go to his desk and he'll sign it," Kneer said. “So, for this time it's for real for American women and women in California. This time they want to take away your birth control." (Griffin, 1/6)
The Hill:
Top Dem Senator To Trump: Weigh In On Planned Parenthood Fight
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) is calling on President-elect Donald Trump to weigh in on a looming fight over Planned Parenthood. "I would ask the president elect to Twitter very loudly tomorrow morning ... that he stands behind women and that he wants to see the House back down," the No. 3 Senate Democrat told reporters. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said earlier Thursday that the House's ObamaCare repeal bill will defund the organization, though federal dollars are already prohibited from being used to cover abortions. (Carney, 1/5)
The Hill:
Planned Parenthood Launches National Campaign To Take On Trump, GOP
Planned Parenthood on Thursday launched a national effort aimed at pressuring the incoming Donald Trump administration and GOP to abandon efforts to "defund" the organization. Planned Parenthood, which has long been opposed by conservatives because it provides abortions in addition to other women's healthcare services, has planned nearly 300 events in 47 states that will include marches, rallies, letter-writing campaigns and other activities over the next few months. (Hellmann, 1/5)
A Trump administration health care adviser will play a role in the debate —
Stat:
What Trump’s New Health Policy Aide Says About Abortion And Birth Control
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to help lead health policy in the White House is a Senate aide with a record of strong rhetoric against birth control and abortion. Trump’s transition team announced Thursday that Katy Talento would work on health care policy for the White House Domestic Policy Council, which coordinates domestic policy-making. She was most recently legislative director for Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a Republican who is a fierce opponent of abortion. (Scott, 1/5)
Trump's Pick For HHS Draws Democrats' Scrutiny Over Health Care Stock Trading
Senate Democrats call for a delay in the confirmation hearings for Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., who has been tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to head the Department of Health and Human Services. Democrats want to investigate trades he made while handling legislation in Congress that could impact the value of those shares.
Reuters:
Democrats Demand Probe Of Trump Health Nominee
Senate Democrats on Thursday demanded an ethics probe into Tom Price, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for U.S. health secretary, following a report that the fierce Obamacare critic traded in healthcare company stocks while pushing legislation in Congress that could affect those shares. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and others made their comments as congressional Republicans moved ahead with their long-desired effort to dismantle President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, and signaled the vehemence with which Democrats will fight to protect the 2010 law. (Cornwell and Heavey, 1/5)
In other Trump administration news —
Modern Healthcare:
Trump Vets Former Henry Ford CEO Nancy Schlichting For VA Post
Nancy Schlichting, the recently retired CEO of the Henry Ford Health System who last year chaired a commission tasked with finding ways to revamp the Veteran Affairs Department's health system, Thursday met with the Trump transition team in New York. President-elect Donald Trump is considering her for a post he's had trouble filling— VA secretary. Cleveland Clinic CEO Toby Cosgrove withdrew from consideration for that post earlier this week. Luis Quinonez, the other rumored pick, reportedly backed out over the weekend. Quinonez is the president of MAQ Diversified, a Virginia-based physician staffing company. (Barkholz, 1/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
Trump Defense Nominee James Mattis Resigns From Theranos Board
The retired Marine Corps general President-elect Donald Trump has picked to lead the Defense Department resigned from the board of embattled Theranos Inc., people familiar with the matter said. The move distances Gen. James Mattis from a blood-testing startup embroiled in scandal ahead of his confirmation hearings. (Weaver, 1/5)
Amidst Uncertain Health Care Landscape, State Budget Expected To Be Conservative
Implications for Medi-Cal and other health initiatives will be closely watched when Gov. Jerry Brown releases his budget next week.
Los Angeles Times:
California Voters Just Approved More Taxes, But The New State Budget Could Still Be Lean On Cash
Proposition 56 offers an intriguing test for 2016’s campaign rhetoric in light of current conditions. Although the measure specifically promises new tobacco tax revenues as a way to “increase funding” for healthcare services under the state’s Medi-Cal system, the program’s existing dollars could now be at risk. The net effect could be a smaller boost than the ballot measure’s proponents had hoped for. In fact, Medi-Cal’s reliance on federal dollars may be the most worrisome part of the budget year ahead, given its dramatic expansion with dollars provided by the Affordable Care Act. President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to repeal Obamacare could affect the more than 3.8 million Californians who have enrolled in Medi-Cal. (Myers, 1/6)
Flu Cases Spiking In Northern California
The state reports three influenza-related deaths this season.
Calaveras Enterprise:
Flu Now Widespread In Northern California
Influenza is now “widespread” in Northern California, according to the California Department of Public Health. By at least one indicator, the number of patients presenting themselves at clinics with influenza-like symptoms, the infection is now at epidemic levels. (1/5)
KCRA:
First Flu-Related Death In Solano Co. Reported
The first flu-related death of the season in Solano County was reported by health officials on Wednesday. An adult younger than 65, who had a medical condition that made the patient at risk to severe illnesses, died last week, the Solano County Public Health Department said. Three people in California have died so far during the 2016-2017 season due to flu-related illnesses, according to the state’s public health department. (1/4)
In other public health and disease news —
The Washington Post:
Ebola Virus Found Hiding In Lungs Of Health-Care Worker
Ebola has proven itself a tricky foe to get rid of in the human body. In numerous cases in which it was thought to be gone and patients fully recovered, the virus has been found in the eyes, semen, amniotic fluid, placenta, breast milk and central nervous system. Now a paper published in the journal PLOS Pathogens describes another possible hiding place for the virus: the lungs. (Cha, 1/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
In The Fight Against Zika, Insecticides Hit A ‘Dead End’
Health workers have a thinning arsenal of insecticides capable of killing mosquitoes that carry Zika and similar viruses as the Southern Hemisphere’s summer begins and as outbreaks persist in other areas. One reason: Eliminating disease-carrying mosquitoes is a niche business with costly barriers to entry. “We may be hitting a dead end,” said Doug Carlson, director of the Indian River Mosquito Control District in Vero Beach, Fla. “In the not-too-distant future, we may very well not have chemicals that are effective.” (Bunge and McKay, 1/5)
Dignity Health To Introduce Personalized Maternity Care
Other hospital news comes from Orange County, the East Bay and Castro Valley.
San Francisco Business Times:
Dignity Partners With Startup To Personalize Maternity Care
San Francisco’s Dignity Health has partnered with Boston-based Docent Health to personalize care for moms. Dignity will introduce this service from Docent Health at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria and at Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler, Ariz., with expansion across its system in the future. Rich Roth, chief strategic innovation officer, is heading up the partnership at Dignity as part of its Run, Run, Jump innovation strategy. Dignity in the last four to five years has been working with three to five “emerging” companies per year to test and launch pilots with the goal of scaling those solutions. A few recent partnerships include pilots with AirStrip, Augmedix and Go Health. (Siu, 1/5)
Orange County Register:
3 Orange County Hospitals Among 14 Fined By State For Putting Patients At Risk
The California Department of Public Health has slapped 14 California hospitals, including three in Orange County, with penalties totaling $913,550 for failing to comply with licensing requirements, putting patients at risk of serious injury or death. (Bharath, 1/5)
East Bay Times:
Eden Health District Seeks Time To Develop Dublin Gateway
Eden Health District administrators have at least another year to develop plans for either a new medical office building or a hospital near Hacienda Crossings Shopping Center and craft a deal that could eventually pave the way for its construction. Though many details are being worked out, the East Bay healthcare district is turning to Denver-based National Healthcare Development Corporation to make the longtime project at Dublin Gateway Medical Center happen, according to public documents and Eden Health District administrators. (Moriki, 1/6)
East Bay Times:
Castro Valley: Mixed Views On Eden Health District's Future
An Alameda County-backed study analyzing the often criticized Eden Health District’s operations and management and possible options to dissolve it is getting mixed feedback from the special district’s leaders and East Bay lawmakers. Eden Health District administrators say the 82-page study by Berkson Associates of Berkeley was unnecessary, since the results vary little from 2013 and 2015 reviews by the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission. (Moriki, 1/6)
Mylan Hopes To Sell EpiPens Directly To Consumers And Bypass Pharmacies
Bloomberg reports on the company's plans to expand its market and set up its own distribution network. In other health industry news, Walgreens' CEO talks to analysts about plans for the merger with Rite Aid, a judge rules against Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi on a patent dispute and traders are optimistic about biotech sector.
Bloomberg:
Mylan’s EpiPen Sales Plan: Schools Today, Everywhere Tomorrow
Mylan NV made a fortune, and stirred controversy, while getting EpiPen allergy shots stocked in schools across America. Now the drugmaker wants to sell EpiPens to restaurants, sports venues and potentially even Boy Scout troops -- by setting up its own pharmacy to cut out middlemen and lobbying for new laws that could expand sales of its biggest product. The plan, obtained by Bloomberg News through public records requests, would bypass small-town pharmacists and chains like CVS and Walgreens and let Mylan sell the drug directly to public places. (Hopkins and Langreth, 1/6)
The Wall Street Journal:
Walgreens Boots CEO: No Plan B For Rite Aid Merger
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. has no backup plan should U.S. antitrust regulators reject a $9.4 billion tie-up with Rite Aid Corp. that has been held up amid scrutiny from the Federal Trade Commission, the drugstore giant’s chief executive said Thursday. “We don’t want even to think the deal could not be approved after so many months, after we have given so much information and have had a good relationship with the people of the FTC,” Walgreens CEO Stefano Pessina said during a call with analysts. (Terlep and Steele, 1/5)
Reuters:
Walgreens Profit Beats Estimates On PBM Partnerships
Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit as recent partnerships with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurance companies helped boost sales of prescription drugs as well as non-drug items. The largest U.S. drugstore chain also raised the lower end of its adjusted profit forecast for the year ending August 2017. (1/5)
Reuters:
Regeneron, Sanofi To Appeal U.S. Judge's Ban On Cholesterol Drug Sales
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA said on Thursday they would appeal the U.S. District Court ruling which banned the two companies from selling their cholesterol drug, Praluent, on grounds of patent infringement. A federal judge had earlier blocked Sanofi and Regeneron from selling the drug after Amgen Inc accused them of infringing its patents. (Pierson, 1/5)
WSJ:
Biotech Stocks Find Reprieve In Options
After the worst year for American biotechnology stock since 2002, options traders are optimistic about the group, according to data compiled by Goldman Sachs Group. In a note Thursday, the firm showed how options positioning for two biotech exchange-traded funds was among the most positive. (Banerji, 1/5)
Stories Of Addiction Show Communities Searching For ‘Way Out’ Of Opioid Epidemic
The New York Times reports from multiple states, including California, on patients and families dealing with a wrenching crisis. In related news, hospital "cuddlers" help soothe dependent newborns.
The New York Times:
Snapshots Of An Epidemic: A Look At The Opioid Crisis Across The Country
Public health officials have called the current opioid epidemic the worst drug crisis in American history, killing more than 33,000 people in 2015. Overdose deaths were nearly equal to the number of deaths from car crashes. In 2015, for the first time, deaths from heroin alone surpassed gun homicides. And there’s no sign it’s letting up, a team of New York Times reporters found as they examined the epidemic on the ground in states across the country. From New England to “safe injection” areas in the Pacific Northwest, communities are searching for a way out of a problem that can feel inescapable. (1/6)
Stat:
Call In The Cuddlers: Volunteers Soothe Opioid-Dependent Babies
And they need calm. These are newborns born dependent on opioids, the youngest victims of an epidemic that’s touched every corner of the country. Even when mothers seek treatment for their addictions early in pregnancy, they are typically urged to stay on methadone to minimize the risk of miscarriage. That means babies are often born experiencing symptoms of withdrawal — such as twitching and tremors, trouble feeding, and difficulty sleeping...Many babies born dependent on opioids get methadone to ease their symptoms, but this program puts an emphasis on non-pharmacologic care for babies suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS. Often, that starts with skin-to-skin contact. (Thielking, 1/6)
With Treatment Advances, Cancer Death Toll Drops 25% Over Last Quarter-Century
The numbers show a continuing gender gap though, with death rates 40 percent higher for men than women. In other cancer news, spending on oncology eclipses other diseases for first time.
The Los Angeles Times:
Death Rate From Cancer Now 25% Lower Than It Was 25 Years Ago, Report Says
In the year to come, an estimated 1,688,780 people in the United States are expected to get a cancer diagnosis, and cancer will claim the lives of a projected 600,920. That death toll, however grim, represents a death rate from cancer that is 25% lower than it was a quarter-century ago — a drop driven by steady reductions in smoking rates and advances in early detection and treatment. Between 1991 and 2014, that boost in cancer survivorship translates to approximately 2,143,200 fewer cancer deaths than might have been expected if death rates had remained at their peak. (Healy, 1/5)
Time:
Here’s Why The Cancer Death Rate Has Plummeted
The drop is fueled by decreasing death rates from the four largest types of cancer: lung, breast, prostate and colorectal. “It’s pretty exciting for us that the cancer death rate continues to decline,” says Rebecca Siegel, strategic director of surveillance information services at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the annual report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. “We’re making a lot of progress.” (Oaklander, 1/5)
The Washington Post:
Cancer Death Rate Has Dropped Again. But It’s Still Higher For Men Than Women.
That gender disparity reflects differences in the kind of cancers that men and women develop. For example, liver cancer, which is often lethal, is three times more common in men, largely because of their higher rates of hepatitis C infection, smoking and excess alcohol consumption. The largest gender disparities are for cancers of the esophagus, larynx and bladder; incidence and death rates are four times higher in men, the report said. (McGinley, 1/5)
Bloomberg:
Cheating Death Can Cost $200,000 As Cancer Tops Pharma Sales
That cancer angst, combined with prices that have surpassed $200,000 a year for revolutionary new treatments, is poised to give oncology medicines the biggest share of the $519-billion global pharmaceuticals market this year, eclipsing drugs for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases for the first time. And while drugmakers claim the revenue will propel innovation, the costs are stoking patients’ distress and creating a rift between manufacturers, health authorities and payers in many markets. (Kresge, 1/5)
Public Health Roundup: New Peanut Guidance For Babies; Affording Nutritious Food
New outlets report on food and diet challenges. And PBS Newshour looks at the national birth rate decline.
The Washington Post:
Giving Babies Eggs And Peanuts May Prevent Later Allergies To Those Foods
Having kids eat eggs and peanuts early in life may reduce their risk of developing allergies to these foods later, a new analysis suggests. Researchers analyzed information from nearly 150 studies involving more than 200,000 children. These studies looked at exactly when certain foods were introduced to children during their first year of life. (Rettner, 9/23)
KPCC:
Panel Says US Should Help Poor New Moms Buy More Fish And Produce
Low-income mothers of infants and small children who receive federal nutrition aid should be given more vouchers to buy fish, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, an independent panel recommended Thursday. It also called for expanding the cultural variety of foods in the program and for giving new mothers access to more produce. (Browne, 1/5)
KPCC:
It Can Be Hard To Give Away Money To Buy Fruit And Vegetables
On a recent Saturday, Daniel Rizik-Baer stands watch outside of Sam’s Corner Market in MacArthur Park. He's with a nonprofit that has recruited participants in a new program that gives up to $50 a month in extra assistance to some low-income people to buy fruits and vegetables here. (Browne, 1/5)
PBS NewsHour:
The Nation’s Birth Rate Declined In 2015, New Data Says
Fewer babies were born in the United States, the latest government data show, and new mothers relied less on cesarean deliveries. Women gave birth to nearly 4 million babies in the United States in 2015, down 1 percent from a year earlier, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That means the nation’s fertility rate saw a small but noteworthy drop with 62.5 births for every 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (Santhanam, 1/5)
Perspectives On Health Law: President Obama Is 'First To Say We Can Make Improvements'
Read recent commentaries about the future of the Affordable Care Act.
The New England Journal of Medicine:
Repealing The ACA Without A Replacement — The Risks To American Health Care
I am proud that my administration’s work, through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and other policies, helped millions more Americans know the security of health care in a system that is more effective and efficient. At the same time, there is more work to do to ensure that all Americans have access to high-quality, affordable health care. What the past 8 years have taught us is that health care reform requires an evidence-based, careful approach, driven by what is best for the American people. That is why Republicans’ plan to repeal the ACA with no plan to replace and improve it is so reckless. ... This approach of “repeal first and replace later” is, simply put, irresponsible — and could slowly bleed the health care system that all of us depend on. (And, though not my focus here, executive actions could have similar consequential negative effects on our health system.) If a repeal with a delay is enacted, the health care system will be standing on the edge of a cliff. (President Barack Obama, 1/6)
Los Angeles Times:
Obamacare Repeal: A Bad Goal That’s Proving Hard To Achieve
Repealing the law is bad enough, but doing so without an alternative that could preserve coverage for the estimated 20 million Americans who gained it through Obamacare would be reckless and irresponsible. And that’s just one problem. Here’s another: Some Republicans are now questioning whether it’s wise to revoke all the tax increases in the Affordable Care Act, which offset some of the cost of the healthcare subsidies for lower-income and elderly Americans. In fact, there are at least two compelling reasons to leave those tax hikes in place. (1/5)
Orange County Register:
The Life Or Death Fight To Preserve Medicaid Expansion
California is one of 32 states that now extend Medicaid benefits to all adults who meet income eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Since 2014, California has expanded enrollment from 8 million individuals to 13.5 million individuals, more than a third of the state’s population. California has the highest Medicaid enrollment in the country. (Ellen Rothman, 1/1)
The New England Journal of Medicine:
The End Of Obamacare
Donald Trump’s triumph in the 2016 presidential election marks the beginning of an uncertain and tumultuous chapter in U.S. health policy. In the election’s aftermath, the immediate question is this: Can Republicans make good on their pledge to repeal Obamacare? The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has persisted largely thanks to President Barack Obama’s protection. With Trump in the White House and Republicans maintaining House and Senate majorities, that protection is gone. (Jonathan Oberlander, 1/5)
Los Angeles Times:
Some Obamacare Advice For Republicans: First Do No Harm
[House Speaker Paul] Ryan promised “bold action” to make things better, but he and other Republican lawmakers can’t be more specific about their plans because they don’t know themselves. All they’re saying now is that they’ll take apart Obamacare in bits and pieces, and they’ll come up with a replacement in perhaps a few years. The insurance industry and most major medical groups say this is crazy. They’ve warned that all this uncertainty will destabilize insurance markets and will push many insurers to stop selling coverage to individuals, putting lives at risk. (David Lazarus, 1/5)
The Los Angeles Times:
Republicans Call Obamacare A 'Failure.' These 7 Charts Show They Couldn't Be More Wrong
Congressional Republicans, evidently hoping that by repeating an untruth they’ll convince American voters, and perhaps themselves, that it’s a truth, on Wednesday said the Affordable Care Act has “failed.” (Michael Hiltzik, 1/4)
The New York Times:
A Bipartisan Reason To Save Obamacare
The A.C.A. is more than insurance. As the Times reported yesterday, the law is leading a transformation of America’s health care system. It’s a change that nearly everyone, Republicans and Democrats, agrees is desperately needed — and for it to happen, the relevant parts of the A.C.A. must be preserved. The transformation moves health care away from a fee-for-service model, which pays doctors and hospitals according to the number of procedures they do, toward value-based care, which pays based on what helps patients get better. (Tina Rosenberg, 1/4)
Bloomberg:
Republicans Really Can Pretend To Repeal Obamacare
The Republicans may have a way out of their "repeal and replace" Obamacare position, which is proving a lot more difficult than they realized. The catch is that their alternative may be even more phony. It could phonier than the "repeal and rename" strategy I anticipated. For years, I've said that Republicans could simply rename the Affordable Care Act and its various components -- so we might have, for example, "Ronald Reagan Freedom Insurance Choices" instead of the current Obamacare marketplaces. The reasoning is that while Republicans have hated "Obamacare" as a symbol of the president they can't stand, few of them are particularly upset about the law itself. (Jonathan Bernstein, 1/5)
Bloomberg:
Republicans Should Save These 3 Unpopular Parts Of Obamacare
As Republicans consider repealing Obamacare, what bits should they be looking to keep? A lot of people will have different answers to this, of course, but to my mind the most important and unobjectionable bits of Obamacare are payment reform, comparative-effectiveness research and the tax on gold-plated health-care plans. These are not, you will notice, the most popular bits of Obamacare, the one that President-elect Donald Trump seems to favor. Nor are they the most famous. But all three attempt to tackle the biggest problem with our health-care system: its exorbitant cost. (Megan McArdle, 1/5)
Viewpoints: Fake News Impacts Health Debates; The Cost Of Growing Old
A selection of opinions on health care issues.
Los Angeles Times:
It's Not Just Politics: 2016 Was An Epidemic Year For Fake News In Science, Too
One of the watchwords of politics in 2016 was the epidemic of “fake news” — a catch-all term encompassing propaganda, misinformation, disinformation and hoaxing — impinging on the presidential campaign. But let’s not overlook its spread in the spheres of science and medicine. That point is made in a recent article by Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus. ... The No. 1 episode of scientific fake news must be what Oransky and Marcus termed the “cage match of credulity” staged by that noted purveyor of pseudoscience, Dr. Mehmet Oz, and then-presidential candidate Donald Trump in September. The encounter was billed as an inquiry into Trump’s health. But it was a grotesquely misleading program. (Michael Hiltzik, 1/3)
The Los Angeles Times:
Not Rich, Not Poor And Not Ready For The Cost Of Growing Old
Caroline from Sierra Madre wrote to me about the “five-year-long funeral” that followed her father’s stroke, saying “he retired a member of the middle class and died impoverished after all the family funds were spent on care.” (Steve Lopez, 1/4)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Stress Is Making Our Children Ill; Here Is What We Can Do About It
In the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, 1 in 3 high school juniors reported feeling chronically sad. An astonishing 1 in 5 freshmen and juniors reported contemplating suicide. The causes of student distress vary, but 1 in 3 teens told the American Psychological Association that stress was a primary driver, and the single biggest cause teens named was school. (Rep. Ro Khanna, Vicki Abeles and Tarun Galagali, 1/2)
Los Angeles Times:
How Trump Can Help Working-Class Americans: Keep Funding Planned Parenthood
Can Congress stop harassing Planned Parenthood? That would be my wish for the new year. Unfortunately, the harassment may increase in a Trump administration. But it doesn’t have to. It is within President-elect Donald Trump’s power to put a stop to it. (Carla Hall, 12/30)
The Los Angeles Times:
Obama's Enduring Legacy: The Concept Of Universal Coverage
President Obama has embarked on his final campaign, this one aimed at making sure we miss him once he’s gone. He’s giving a speech in Chicago next week to talk about his legacy. “I couldn’t be prouder of the work that we’ve done,” he said in a recent preview. “I can say without equivocation that the country is a lot better off: the economy is stronger, the federal government works better, and our standing in the world is higher.” (Doyle McManus, 1/4)