Why And How Legislation To Fix VA Health System Has Faltered
The New York Times breaks down the law and examines if it was successful. For the most part, it hasn't been.
The New York Times:
Did Obama’s Bill Fix Veterans’ Health Care? Still Waiting.
When President Obama signed a sweeping $15 billion bill to end delays at Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals two years ago, lawmakers standing with him applauded the legislation as a bold response that would finally break the logjam. It has not quite worked out that way. Although veterans say they have seen improvement under the bill, it has often fallen short of expectations. (Philipps, 8/5)
Modern Healthcare:
Fixes To Obamacare Insurance Exchanges Appear Inevitable
Like basketball players who are sick of losing a game, many health insurers who ventured into the new marketplaces are sending a clear message: We're taking our ball and going home.And if the government wants them to play again, they want more of the rules changed.The large publicly traded insurers wrapped up second-quarter results last week. Adverse selection continued to weigh down the finances of health plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. (Herman, 8/6)
The New York Times:
Mike Pence’s Response To H.I.V. Outbreak: Prayer, Then A Change Of Heart
On the evening of March 24, 2015, Sheriff Dan McClain got an unexpected voice mail: “This is Gov. Mike Pence calling. I would welcome the opportunity to get your counsel on what’s going on in Scott County.”What was going on was unprecedented in Indiana and rare in the United States: H.I.V. was spreading with terrifying speed among intravenous drug users in this rural community near the Kentucky border. Local, state and federal health officials were urging the governor to allow clean needles to be distributed to slow the outbreak. (Twohey, 8/7)
The New York Times:
Immunotherapy Drug Opdivo Fails Clinical Trial To Expand Use
The hot new field of immunotherapy got a shock on Friday when a best-selling new drug failed as an initial treatment for lung cancer in a clinical trial.Bristol-Myers Squibb said Friday that the drug, Opdivo, had not slowed the progression of advanced lung cancer in the clinical trial, which compared it with conventional chemotherapy. That is likely to crimp the overall sales of the drug by a significant amount. (Pollack, 8/5)
Politico:
Anti-Abortion Advocates Seek Fresh Ammunition To Justify Restrictions
Seeking to arm themselves with new ammunition after losing a major Supreme Court battle, the anti-abortion movement is calling for a national database for abortion statistics and increased state reporting — moves likely to raise patient privacy concerns. The high court’s June decision in favor of Texas abortion providers in Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt is expected to have a chilling effect on state abortion restrictions, which had closed clinics in Texas and other parts of the country. (Haberkorn and Pradhan, 8/8)