Daily on Healthcare: Liberal think tank touts new single-payer plan, but doesn’t say how much it will cost

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Liberal think tank touts new ‘Medicare Extra for All’ plan. A liberal think tank introduced a single-payer healthcare program through Medicare as congressional Democrats remain divided over the issue. The Center for American Progress released the plan that would make Medicare available to everyone but also seeks to preserve employer coverage. “The Affordable Care Act was an historic accomplishment and a giant step toward universal health coverage,” said Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the think tank and close ally of Hillary Clinton. “The sustained political fight over the law shows that Americans want to expand coverage, not repeal it. Medicare Extra would take the next step by guaranteeing the right of all Americans to enroll in the same high-quality healthcare plan.” The plan, called “Medicare Extra for All,” likely won’t have a chance in the Republican-controlled Congress. However, it comes at a time when Democrats are divided over how much to press for a government-run healthcare system. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., released a new version of his “Medicare for All” plan in the fall. The plan received support from key 2020 Democratic hopefuls, including Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California. However, Democratic leadership did not support the bill, aiming instead to focus on working to preserve the Affordable Care Act amid GOP efforts to repeal the law.

But won’t say how much it would cost The Center for American Progress did not respond to a request for a specific cost estimate for Medicare Extra, but it does give some details on how it would be funded. The center aims to finance single payer through a “combination of healthcare savings and tax revenue options. Developed countries are able to guarantee universal coverage while spending much less than the United States because their systems use leverage to constrain prices,” a summary of the plan said. Changes include charging lower provider payment rates in noncompetitive areas where hospitals can set high prices because of little competition. It would raise provider rates in rural hospitals. It also would charge higher taxes on richer Americans including a tax on capital gains. The plan also would bring in revenue through a higher federal excise tax on cigarettes and sugary drinks. But the problem faced by many single-payer proposals is that either they constrain costs by reducing payments to providers, which leads to access problems, or they pay generously and costs spiral out of control. The liberal Urban Institute evaluated a single-payer program from Sen. Bernie Sanders, for instance, and estimated that it would require an additional $32 trillion in federal spending.

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FDA reduces regulations, approves record number of new generics. The Food and Drug Administration sharply reduced regulations in 2017 while approving a record-setting number of generic drugs, a new report found. The report released Thursday by the consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health Research Institute said the agency approved a record number of generic drugs and products to treat rare diseases in 2017. The report comes a little more than a year after President Trump directed all federal agencies to significantly roll back regulations. The FDA approved 763 generic drugs last year, a 14 percent increase from the 651 approved in 2016. A major reason for the spike in generic drug approvals has to do with a years-long effort to speed up the pipeline. In 2012, the agency established a generic drug user fee program similar to its user fee programs for drugs and devices. The FDA slowed its release of new regulations last year. The agency released 140 regulations in 2017, the lowest since 2012, when 113 proposed regulations were released.

House Democrats urge passage of bill to allow CDC to research gun violence. Democratic lawmakers sent a letter Wednesday, one week after the Florida school shooting, to House Speaker Paul Ryan asking him to bring a bill to the floor for a vote that would repeal the Dickey Amendment and to fund research on gun violence. The rule prohibits government funds from going toward advocating or promoting gun control, but the main reason that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t studied the issue is because it hasn’t been funded. The National Rifle Association in the past has accused the agency of stepping into advocacy territory. Democrats in their letter seized on comments Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar made during committee hearings last week, when he said that studying causes of violence, as well as mental health, was a priority. “Research on gun violence is one important way to help reduce the incidence of gun violence and unnecessary deaths of school children and all Americans,” they wrote.

Doctor shortage making it harder to fight opioid abuse, study finds. Eleven states and the District of Columbia don’t have enough doctors who are able to prescribe a treatment experts say is key to treating opioid addiction, according to a new report. The consulting firm Avalere Health, which counts pharmaceutical and life science companies among its clients, found that the states lack enough providers certified to prescribe buprenorphine, which helps prevent relapses among addicts. The findings highlight the importance of expanding the number of healthcare providers who can prescribe the treatment, Avalere said.

FluMist to make a comeback. Federal health officials are opening the doors for doctors to once again administer the flu vaccine through a nasal spray beginning next flu season. The spray, known as FluMist, had been largely unused in the U.S. beginning in 2016 because officials determined it was less effective than the flu shot. The FluMist option was particularly popular among children and adults who are afraid of needles. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, voted 12-2 Wednesday to recommend reversing the decision.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy restores millions in funding to Planned Parenthood. New Jersey’s new Democratic governor signed a bill Wednesday that restores $7.5 million in family planning funds to Planned Parenthood and other medical facilities, reversing a longstanding veto of his predecessor, Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards stood next to Gov. Phil Murphy as he signed the bill and thanked him for passing it in “lightning speed.” The bill was the first for Murphy since taking office Jan. 16. He then signed another bill into law that would allow Medicaid funds to go to Planned Parenthood to help pay for contraception, cancer screenings, and testing of sexually transmitted diseases.

FDA cracks down on kratom. The Food and Drug Administration is overseeing the recall and destruction of dietary supplements containing the herb kratom. The agency said in a notice Wednesday that manufacturers should take their products off the market. The FDA’s announcement comes on the heels of a warning of a salmonella outbreak across 28 states linked to the herb, which is used in products to treat chronic pain. “The extensive scientific data we’ve evaluated about kratom provides conclusive evidence that compounds contained in kratom are opioids and are expected to have similar addictive effects as well as risks of abuse, overdose and, in some cases, death,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said. “At the same time, there’s no evidence to indicate that kratom is safe or effective for any medical use.”

Alcohol, drug and suicide deaths increased at a record pace in 2016. Deaths from these causes accelerated at a rate of 11 percent in 2016, representing more than 14,000 additional deaths over 2015, according to a report released today by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health. The driving reason for the increase was overdose deaths involving potent opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil, which are often mixed in with other drugs without a user’s knowledge. In all, 142,000 people in the U.S. died from alcohol-related fatalities, drug overdoses and suicide, which averages out to one death every four minutes. The organization’s recommendations to reverse the trend include expanding access to other options for pain management and educating students about substance abuse and mental health.

Trump pick to lead Indian Health Service backs out. Robert Weaver, who was nominated by President Trump to head the Indian Health Service, the agency that offers care to millions of Native Americans, has removed his name from consideration, according to a report. The acting director of the agency, Michael Weahkee, told tribal leaders of an Indian Health Service advisory panel on Wednesday that Weaver was no longer in consideration, according to the Wall Street Journal. The paper previously reported that Weaver embellished some of his previous professional experience. For example, he said he maintained leadership positions at a hospital, but former colleagues and supervisors said he served as a registration clerk. Weaver was nominated for the position in October. He is a member of the Quapaw tribe.

RUNDOWN

Axios Pharma’s $50 billion tax windfall for investors

NPR A new survey finds 81 percent of women have experienced sexual harassment

Baltimore Sun Bon Secours Health System to merge with Mercy Health of Ohio

New York Times Complaints about nursing home evictions rise, and regulators take note

Stateline Overdose deaths fall in 14 states

Associated Press Court: Kansas can’t cut Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood

Politico The myth of what’s driving the opioid crisis

Calendar

THURSDAY | Feb. 22

Feb. 22-24. Gaylord National Resort. National Harbor. Conservative Political Action Conference. Details.

FRIDAY | Feb. 23

Feb. 23-26. National Governors Association winter meeting. Details.

TUESDAY | Feb. 27

10 a.m. 430 Dirksen. Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on “The Opioid Crisis: The Role of Technology and Data in Preventing and Treating Addiction.” Details.

10 a.m. 1225 I St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center event on “The Future Role of Government in Health IT and Digital Health.” Details.

WEDNESDAY | Feb. 28

10 a.m. Rayburn 2123. House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing on “Combating the Opioid Crisis: Helping Communities Balance Enforcement and Patient Safety.” Details.

 

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