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Opioid epidemic quiets GOP calls for food stamps drug testing. Republican leaders say they will reject a drug testing requirement when they consider food stamp legislation this week, a dramatic change in position that’s mostly a response to the nation’s opioid epidemic. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway said he will vote against any drug testing amendment to the Agriculture and Nutrition Act, otherwise known as the Farm Bill, which is set for committee markup Wednesday. “Given the heightened awareness today of the opioid crisis in this country as well as other drug addictions, punishing people at this point in time when we are working to get them off these programs may be counterproductive,” Conaway said. Conaway’s announcement counters an expected move by the Trump administration to give states more authority to require drug testing for food stamps. Using drug testing as a way to decide eligibility for welfare benefits is currently prohibited, but 15 states have challenged the law and have passed their own legislation requiring drug screening for people seeking public assistance, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The Trump administration plan would allow states to require drug testing for certain able-bodied people without children. While some Republicans have supported that kind of idea, the GOP-led Congress is now at odds with Trump on the matter. Despite including in the Farm Bill a measure bolstering a federal work requirement for some able-bodied food stamp recipients, Conaway wants to steer clear of adding a drug testing requirement.

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States race to stabilize Obamacare after Congress fails. States are hurriedly pursuing legislation to try to stabilize Obamacare’s insurance exchanges and bring down prices next year after congressional efforts to do so collapsed. The most common approach states are taking is to set up a reinsurance program, which covers an insurer’s sickest claims and gives the company an incentive to lower premiums overall. Other states are pursuing efforts to expand competition on the Obamacare exchanges, and a handful want to bring back the requirement that everyone has insurance, which was repealed in Congress’ tax legislation. Read more in this week’s magazine.

VA committee chairman mum on Trump’s pick for VA chief, notes they share a hobby. Seate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., met with Dr. Ronny Jackson Monday to discuss Jackson’s nomination to lead the VA. Isakson called his time speaking with Jackson, the White House physician, a “fine meeting,” saying he would not get into details and that the hearing for the nomination is scheduled for April 25. “He’ll have the time to answer his own questions without the peanut gallery chipping in right now,” Isakson said. The senator then turned to an interest that he and Jackson share: scuba diving. “He’s got a nice smile, smart, and he knew my question: How many feet of water are there in an atmosphere? I’m a scuba diver and he is too.” Asked whether he had decided whether to support Jackson, Isakson replied: “I’m going to get all my facts first. I’ll talk about that later on.”  

Naloxone: Lifesaver or opioid enabler? A drug that reverses an opioid overdose and prevents death is often cited by public health experts as a bridge that would connect people to addiction treatment. But evidence suggests it is acting more akin to a revolving door of continued substance abuse. The overdose-reversal drug naloxone has historically been administered by first responders such as police officers. Now that the drug comes in easy-to-use devices, including an auto-injector and a nasal spray, health officials are urging laypeople carry them to save lives. In the midst of a massive wave of overdose deaths involving opioids such as heroin, they hope it will be a first step in getting people into treatment. But that treatment often doesn’t occur. Addiction treatment can be costly or unavailable, doctors aren’t certified to prescribe medications that treat addiction, and some drug users don’t want to participate. Read more in this week’s magazine.

Justice Department takes down multi-state heroin and fentanyl network. The Justice Department today announced a “major takedown” of a “multi-state heroin and fentanyl network.” The takedown was in Huntington, W.Va. — a city U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart called the “epicenter of the opioid crisis.” “Huntington has become ground zero,” he told reporters. “The highest per capita overdose death rate for opioids is in Southern District of West Virginia.” The arrests were ongoing, he said, and wouldn’t necessarily end today. The takedown targeted the Peterson Drug Trafficking Organization and charged at least 15 individuals with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia, Another 15 were indicted in county court Monday, and additional members are expected to be charged in Detroit. The operation took at least 450 grams of fentanyl off of the streets — enough to kill more than 250,000 people.

Senators pursue bill to inform families of overdoses. Two senators are seeking legislation to help ensure that families know that a relative had a nonfatal overdose in an attempt to get help. Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., introduced the Saving Lives Through Proper Notification of Overdoses Act. It would ensure healthcare providers have clear guidelines from Health and Human Services to inform a patient’s family about a nonfatal overdose to ensure that patient gets help. “Those struggling with addiction are brought back from the brink of death in the emergency room, and then often released to battle their addiction alone and in secret,” Cassidy said. “We can save lives by ensuring doctors see something and say something when patients’ lives depend on it.”

Utah voters to weigh Medicaid expansion on November ballot. An advocacy group has collected enough signatures to put Medicaid expansion on the November ballot in Utah. Organizers from the pro-expansion coalition Utah Decides Healthcare obtained 165,000 signatures from registered voters, which is 52,000 more than it needed to win the ballot spot. If the ballot measure passes, Utah would expand the Medicaid program to cover people making less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or roughly $16,000 a year. As a result, more than 150,000 people are expected to be enrolled. Similar petitions are underway in Idaho and in Nebraska. Under Obamacare, the federal government paid for the full cost of Medicaid expansion beginning in 2014 but gradually dwindles its support to 90 percent of the cost by 2020.

Maine Gov. Paul LePage plans to veto marijuana bill. Maine Gov. Paul LePage plans to veto a bill that would allow recreational marijuana use in the state, according to a report. The Republican governor has complained the bill would not combine Maine’s medical and adult-use marijuana programs, according to a report in the Portland Press-Herald. Medical marijuana is already legal in Maine, and the bill would tax recreational marijuana use by 20 percent. The governor’s office did not return a request for comment. LePage already vetoed a recreational marijuana bill last November. Only eight states and the District of Columbia legalize recreational marijuana, according to Governing magazine. Thirty states and D.C, have laws broadly legalizing marijuana, the vast majority approve its use for medical purposes.

Donated organs should go to U.S. residents first, says new GOP bill. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., has introduced legislation that would give legal U.S. residents preferred status over people in the country illegally for receiving donated organs. Posey’s bill, which was filed Friday, would amend the Public Health Service Act to “give preference to individuals who are lawfully present in the United States over individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States.” An aide to Posey said that means illegal residents could still apply to receive donated organs, but “will not receive organs until all legal residents have been satisfied.” Recent press reports indicate the issue of whether to allow illegal immigrants access to donated organs is coming up more frequently in the U.S. A report from ProPublica last year said some U.S. hospitals are allowing them to jump the line and receive donated organs. And last February, a hospital in Oregon said it would not give a women a liver transplant because she immigrated to the U.S. illegally.

McCain undergoes surgery for intestinal infection, in stable condition. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., underwent surgery Sunday for an intestinal infection related to diverticulitis and is in stable condition, according to his office. “On Sunday, Senator McCain was admitted to Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and underwent surgery to treat an intestinal infection related to diverticulitis” said McCain’s office in a statement. “He is in stable condition.” According to the statement, McCain continues to rehabilitate and take part in physical therapy as part of his ongoing treatment for brain cancer. The Arizona Republican has been recovering from glioblastoma since he was diagnosed and has remained in Arizona since the Christmas holiday. “

HHS chief leaves hospital after treatment for infection. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar has left the hospital where he was being treated for an infection during an overnight stay. On Sunday, Azar was treated with antibiotics at St. Vincent hospital in Indianapolis. HHS officials disclosed the visit to reporters Sunday but didn’t provide details about the infection other than to say it was “minor.” The agency also didn’t report how long Azar had been ill. Azar is scheduled to return to HHS offices today.

RUNDOWN

The Hill GOP N.H. governor confronted White House over lack of opioid funding: report

Axios Pharma’s biggest concern is a Trump surprise

Reuters Google unveils vetting process for drug rehab ads

Bloomberg Sanofi to sell generics business for $2.4 billion to focus on biotech

Washington Post These are the top priorities for the nation’s top cancer doctor

CNBC Amazon has shelved a plan to sell drugs to hospitals, and insiders say there are two reasons why

STAT News Nursing homes routinely refuse people on addiction treatment, which some experts say is illegal

Kaiser Health News Barbara Bush’s end-of-life decision stirs debate over ‘comfort care’

Los Angeles Times Some Republican lawmakers once critical of marijuana now think highly of it. Here’s why