Likely Chairman Of House Judiciary Committee To Probe Justice Department’s Decision Not To Defend Health Law
The Justice Department's decision earlier in the year not to defend the ACA against a suit challenging the law's constitutionality prompted three Justice Department career attorneys to withdraw from the case. Now Rep Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) says the House Judiciary Committee will investigate the department's refusal to defend a federal statute.
Reuters:
House Democrats Target DOJ Decision Not To Defend Obamacare
Democrats will scrutinize the Trump administration's decision not to defend Obamacare in federal court, when Democrats take control of the U.S. House of Representatives next year, a leading Democrat said on Monday. In June, the Department of Justice declared the healthcare law's individual mandate unconstitutional in federal court, which threatened to undermine insurance protections for people with preexisting conditions, and helped make healthcare a winning issue for Democrats in House elections on Nov. 6. (11/19)
In other national health care news —
CQ:
Democrats Weigh Path Forward On 'Medicare-For-All'
Progressives in the House are calling for a vote on a single-payer “Medicare-for-all” bill in the next Congress, but the expected chairmen who will set the agenda for next year say they have other health priorities. Still, the progressives’ push could earn more attention over the next two years as Democratic candidates begin vying to take on President Donald Trump in 2020. A handful of potential presidential candidates expected to declare interest have already co-sponsored “Medicare-for-all” legislation, an issue that was also a flashpoint in Democratic primaries over the past year. (McIntire, 11/19)
The Wall Street Journal:
FDA Menthol Ban Will Be A Slow Burn
The Food and Drug Administration’s war on menthol cigarettes could take years. Investors have time to sift the ashes and decide which tobacco stocks are best prepared for tougher U.S. regulations and a shift to alternative forms of smoking. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb last week said he wants to ban menthol brands, which are more addictive than regular tobacco, but didn’t give a timeline. He will immediately restrict sales of flavored e-cigarettes to fight rocketing use among young Americans—3.6 million middle- and high-school students are now e-smokers, up from 2.1 million in 2017. (Ryan, 11/20)
Stat:
FDA Proposes New Regulations For Some Health Smartphone Apps
The Food and Drug Administration wants to ramp up the way it regulates smartphone apps linked to prescription drugs — like medication reminders or symptom trackers. In a new proposal released Monday, the agency said it may treat some apps like drug advertisements — which would allow companies to distribute apps without going through a review process with every update. Right now, the apps aren’t covered by existing regulations. (Sullivan, 11/19)
The New York Times:
Chicago Hospital Shooting Leaves 4 Dead
This city’s hospitals have grown all too accustomed to receiving victims of gunshot wounds from unrelenting violence on the streets, but on Monday, one hospital became the scene of a shooting that left four people dead and sent health workers and patients alike scrambling for safety. As a frantic scene played out inside and outside Mercy Hospital, south of Chicago’s downtown, four people were shot and killed, Superintendent Eddie Johnson of the Chicago Police said. Among the dead, according to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, were a police officer, a doctor and a pharmacy employee. (Smith, 11/19)
The Associated Press:
3 Killed When Air Ambulance Crashes In North Dakota
An air ambulance on its way to pick up a patient crashed shortly after taking off in North Dakota, killing all three people on board, and military officials involved in the response said the plane may have broken up in midair. The twin-engine Bismarck Air Medical airplane took off about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and crashed shortly after in a field about 20 miles (32 kilometers) northwest of Bismarck. Air traffic control officials lost contact with the plane about 11 p.m., county spokeswoman Maxine Herr said. (11/19)
USA Today:
Alcohol Taxes And Restrictions Could Curb Problem Drinking, But Are Hard To Sell
When health officials wanted to reduce deaths from tobacco, they spread messages about the proven cancer risks, pushed to ban smoking in public places and worked to raise taxes on cigarettes. Alcohol, which causes 88,000 deaths a year in the United States, is a similarly grave public health concern. But the way forward is less clear. What worked with smoking may not work with drinking, which still enjoys broad social acceptance. Nearly all the potential solutions are hitting considerable roadblocks. (O'Donnell, 11/19)
CNN:
One-Third Of US Parents Plan To Skip Flu Shots For Their Kids
Thirty-four percent of US parents said their child was unlikely to get the flu vaccine this year, according to a report published Monday by C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. The online poll, which was administered in October, looked at 1,977 parents who had at least one child, whether parents would get their children the flu vaccine and their reasoning, among other things. Of parents polled, 48% said they usually followed the recommendations of their child's health care provider when making choices about the flu vaccine. (Thomas, 11/19)