White House Suggests Charging Older People More In Memo On How To Stabilize ACA Marketplaces

The Wall Street Journal: Trump Administration Pushes Conservative Goals In Health-Care Market Changes
The Trump administration wants any congressional plan to shore up the Affordable Care Act markets to include conservative goals, such as letting insurers charge higher premiums to older people, according to a memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The memo encourages lawmakers to pass measures including allowing insurers to charge older people five times as much as younger people, expanding access to health savings accounts and increasing the amount of money that people can contribute to them, as well as supporting a permanent congressional appropriation for subsidies to insurance companies who decrease deductibles and copays for lower-income consumers in exchange for explicit exclusions on abortion coverage by those insurers. (Armour and Radnofsky, 3/6)

In other national health care news —

The New York Times: In Battle Over Future Of Veterans’ Care, Moderation Wins, For Now
In an administration rife with intramural fights, the battle over the Department of Veterans Affairs has stood out, not only for its vitriol but also for its consequences. At stake is the future of the nation’s veterans health care system. For now at least, it appears moderation has prevailed, with the Veterans Affairs secretary, David J. Shulkin, thwarting a pitched conservative push to drive him out. (Fandos and Philipps, 3/6)

The New York Times: UnitedHealthcare Says It Will Pass On Rebates From Drug Companies To Consumers
In response to growing consumer frustration over drug prices, UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, said on Tuesday that it would stop keeping millions of dollars in discounts it gets from drug companies and share them with its customers. Dan Schumacher, the president of UnitedHealthcare, said the new policy will apply to more than seven million people who are enrolled in the company’s fully insured plans, beginning next year. “The benefit could range from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars to over a thousand,” Mr. Schumacher said. (Abelson, 3/6)

Politico: Abstinence Advocate Gets Final Say On Family Planning Dollars
A senior Trump health official who has promoted abstinence will be the final arbiter of which groups receive federal family planning funds — a change from prior years, when a group of officials made the decision, POLITICO has learned. Conservatives have long criticized the $286 million Title X program, which funds family planning services, mostly for low-income women, because it gives money to Planned Parenthood and other groups that provide abortions, even though there is a prohibition on using those dollars for abortions. (Haberkorn, 3/6)

The New York Times: Spooked By Trump Proposals, Immigrants Abandon Public Nutrition Services
Immigrants hoping for permanent residence are dropping out of public nutrition programs even before prominent elements of the Trump administration’s proposed policy changes are enacted, fearful that participating could threaten their citizenship eligibility or put them at risk for deportation, according to program administrators. Statistics on participation in state and local efforts show fewer people are using an array of food programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (called WIC) as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) and food banks. (Baumgaertner, 3/6)

The Associated Press: FDA Clears DNA Test To Spot Cancer Genes, But With Warnings
U.S. regulators have approved the first direct-to-consumer breast cancer gene test. But the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday it will require warnings about the limitations of the genetic information from California-based 23andMe. The test, which analyzes DNA from saliva, can only detect three out of more than 1,000 known inherited BRCA gene mutations. It cannot determine a person's overall risk of developing cancer. (3/6)

California Healthline: Oregon Couple’s Final Days Captured In Intimate Aid-In-Dying Video
On the last morning of their lives, Charlie and Francie Emerick held hands. The Portland, Ore., couple, married for 66 years and both terminally ill, died together in their bed on April 20, 2017, after taking lethal doses of medication obtained under the state’s Death With Dignity law. (Aleccia, 3/7)

The Hill: Aetna Donates $200K To Gun Protest March 
Aetna announced on Tuesday that it will donate $200,000 to the gun reform rally “March for Our Lives.” The health insurer said it wants to support action to stop gun violence, but doesn’t oppose responsible gun owners. “I want to emphasize that our actions are not an indictment of responsible, legal gun owners,” Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini said in a statement. “Instead, we are joining others who cannot sit by idly while mass shootings become a part of our everyday life.” (Sanchez, 3/6)

The Associated Press: Opioid Overdoses In ERs Up 30 Percent As Crisis Worsens
Emergency rooms saw a big jump in overdoses from opioids last year — the latest evidence the nation's drug crisis is getting worse. A government report released Tuesday shows overdoses from opioids increased 30 percent late last summer, compared to the same three-month period in 2016. The biggest jumps were in the Midwest and in cities, but increases occurred nationwide. (3/6)

California Healthline: Crowded Shelters And The Vicious Flu Brew Perfect Storm For The Homeless
The flu descended on Connie Gabaldon like a fog, she recalled, clouding her mind and compromising her judgment. It progressed to chest and back pain, the aches perhaps made worse by a fall the 66-year-old had while riding the bus in Santa Fe, N.M.Gabaldon is homeless. When she went to the emergency room in late January, doctors told her she also had pneumonia, a sinus infection and the flu. (Heredia Rodriguez, 3/7)