Civil War Over Partial Medicaid Expansion Rages In Administration, But Trump Tables Discussion Until After Midterms
Some governors, as well as health officials in the Trump administration, are pushing to allow partial expansion of states' Medicaid program so that they can control it rather than be subject to ballot initiatives going for full expansion. But several top advisers for the White House aren't convinced it's the way to go.
The New York Times:
Trump Spurns Medicaid Proposal After Furious White House Debate
Hoping to head off a full expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, some senior officials in the Trump administration and Republican governors have been pushing hard for a smaller expansion to satisfy a growing political demand in their states. But President Trump decided on Friday to shut down the debate until after the midterm elections, administration officials said. The debate has divided the Trump administration between top officials at the Department of Health and Human Services and hard-liners, mainly at the White House, more determined to snuff out the Affordable Care Act. (Pear, 7/30)
The New York Times:
Manchin Is First Democrat To Meet With Kavanaugh As Parties Intensify Feud
Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia broke with his party on Monday to become the first Democrat to meet with Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Supreme Court pick, as the two parties escalated their feud over access to documents relating to the nominee. Mr. Manchin, who faces a tough fight for re-election in a state that Mr. Trump won handily in 2016, is central to the Democrats’ uphill battle to defeat Judge Kavanaugh’s nomination, and is under intense pressure at home from both sides. If he votes to confirm Judge Kavanaugh, he will infuriate Democratic voters. But if he votes against confirmation, he risks his own Senate seat. (Stolberg and Shear, 7/30)
The Associated Press:
States Suing Trump Administration, Company Over 3D Guns
Eight states are filing suit against the Trump administration over its decision to allow a Texas company to publish downloadable blueprints for a 3D-printed gun, contending the hard-to-trace plastic weapons are a boon to terrorists and criminals and threaten public safety. The suit, filed Monday in Seattle, asks a judge to block the federal government’s late-June settlement with Defense Distributed, which allowed the company to make the plans available online. Officials say that 1,000 people have already downloaded blueprints for AR-15 rifles. (Rubinkam, 7/30)
Reuters:
Democratic Candidates Embrace Gun Control Despite Political Risks
Aftab Pureval, a Democrat seeking to unseat a Republican congressman in Ohio, knows the political risks in calling for gun restrictions – and taking on the powerful National Rifle Association, which has spent more than $115,000 supporting his opponent over the years. But after a spate of school shootings, including February's massacre at a high school in Parkland, Florida, Pureval believes voters in the Republican-leaning district have had enough of congressional inaction. (7/30)
The New York Times:
Vaginal Laser Treatments Can Cause Burns And Scarring, The F.D.A. Says
The Food and Drug Administration on Monday announced that it had warned several companies to stop marketing laser devices for procedures billed as “vaginal rejuvenation,” saying they were dangerous and deceptive treatments. The agency originally permitted the lasers and related energy-based devices onto the market for treatment of serious conditions, like cancer, genital warts, or surgery including hysterectomies. (Kaplan, 7/30)