Officials Report U.S. Zika Infections In 234 Pregnant Women And 6 Cases Of Birth Defects
The government did not give much information about the six pregnancies, except to say three children had been born with abnormalities and three had died before birth.
The New York Times:
C.D.C. Reports 234 Pregnant Women In U.S. With Zika
The number of women infected with the Zika virus during their pregnancies in the continental United States has risen to 234, health officials said on Thursday. Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declined to say how many of the women had given birth, citing confidentiality concerns for the women and their families. But they did cite six cases with abnormalities — three babies with birth defects and another three who died before birth with evidence of defects. (Tavernise, 6/16)
In other national health care news —
Reuters:
Lifting U.S. Curbs On Gay Blood Donors Seen Years Away: Experts
U.S. health regulators are under increasing pressure to remove restrictions keeping most gay and bisexual men from donating blood, but experts say any change would require years of research to guarantee the safety of the blood supply. (Seaman and Young, 6/17)
The New York Times:
Online Tools To Shop For Doctors Snag On Health Care’s Complexity
Need a dermatologist? Today, online tools can show you which doctors are in your plan’s network as well as rank them by the likely cost of a visit. Still not sure which one to pick? The tools also show whether you have already met your plan’s deductible and offer Yelp-like reviews of the doctors. The idea behind these web tools, which have been available from health insurers and start-ups for several years, is to harness the power of so-called big data. ... Yet the limits of this data are becoming increasingly clear. (Abelson, 6/16)
Modern Healthcare:
Industry, Policymakers Have Eyes On Upcoming Medicare Trustees' Report
Policymakers are keeping their eyes on the 2016 Social Security and Medicare trustees' report expected to be unveiled Wednesday to see if the White House will stand by its projection that Medicare will be solvent until 2030. The Congressional Budget Office estimates funds for the program will dry up in 2026. Also of interest is whether the trustees will call for the creation of an Independent Payment Advisory Board called for in the Affordable Care Act to reign in Medicare costs if they grew faster than a set rate. But the board, called the death panel by ACA opponents, has not yet been created. There hasn't been the need, and some say, the willingness to expend the political capital. (Dickson, 6/16)
Politico:
Why A Medicare Drug Fight Is Roiling Washington
A proposed Medicare experiment encouraging doctors to use cheaper meds is either a necessary fix for America's high drug prices — or the first step to President Donald Trump dismantling Obamacare. It all depends whom you ask. And experts interviewed for POLITICO's "Pulse Check" podcast showed the sides couldn't be further apart. (Diamond, 6/16)