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Emergency doctors lay out ideas for surprise medical bills. The American College of Emergency Physicians wants Congress to ensure that patients pay no more for medical care in network than they do for care out of network, among five additional proposals it laid out publicly this morning to combat the issue of patients facing high medical expenses they didn’t expect. In a call with reporters, the group shared that it has met with senators and was actively involved in the debate over how Congress should tackle the issue of what has become known as “surprise medical bills.” President Trump and senators have indicated they are ready to prioritize the issue during this Congress. ACEP believes most of the changes should occur on the side of the insurance industry, including undoing balance billing, when a provider bills the patient for out-of-network care; requiring insurers to be more clear about what is covered in a health plan; and creating a simpler process for patients to follow up on billing.  “I do think there is going to have to be some giving on all sides,” said Dr. Vidor Friedman, president of ACEP. “The important thing is to keep patients in the center of conversation.”

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CMS launches ‘What’s Covered’ Medicare app. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has developed a mobile app called “What’s Covered” where beneficiaries on original Medicare can see what services or items are covered through the program. “President Trump is delivering on his commitment to Medicare by modernizing tools that deliver health information in the most convenient way possible,” CMS administrator Seema Verma said in a statement. “This new app is the next in a suite of products designed to give consumers more access and control over their Medicare information.”

Trump proposal on drug prices would decrease drug companies’ revenue: Study. The Trump administration’s plan to peg drug reimbursements in Medicare Part B to what other countries pay would cause five drug companies to lose $500 in revenue per year, and cause another six companies to lose between $100 million and $500 million, found an analysis out this morning by PwC’s Health Research Institute. The drugs in Medicare Part B are those administered in a doctor’s office, such as chemotherapy, rather than those dispensed at the pharmacy counter. PwC projected that the proposal would “have multiple implications for life sciences companies, including the need to reassess commercial launch strategies, revenue targets and operations.”  

A plurality of voters want Congress to tackle healthcare costs: Poll. The largest proportion of voters polled for a recent survey from the pro-Obamacare group Protect Our Care said they believe Congress should work to make healthcare more affordable. Thirty-six percent of respondents to the survey said that should be the first priority, followed by 12 percent who said that lowering drug costs should be the priority. Respondents were split nearly evenly on what the priority of Congress should be on Obamacare, with roughly a quarter going in each direction. Twenty-four percent said Congress should keep the current law in place, with changes to make it work better; 24 percent said Congress should expand the current law to provide more coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, and other public programs; 27 percent said Congress should pass a new law such as the Medicare for All Act; and 25 percent said that Congress should repeal the current law, and replace it with a system that relies more on the free market, with less government involvement. Protect Our Care is working to make the case that Congress should work to improve the current system rather than go in the direction of an overhaul at this time. The poll was conducted by the Democratic polling firm Hart Research, using responses from 1,002 voters surveyed Jan. 8-11.

Gottlieb welcomes back staff FDA affected by partial shutdown. Food and Drug Commissioner Scott Gottlieb welcomed back furloughed staff from the agency that were returning to work on Monday, saying that he understood it would take them a while to be able to catch up on the work they had missed. “I look forward to being outside Building 1 today to greet ALL my colleagues as we return to our posts TOGETHER,” Gottlieb tweeted this morning. “I know there will be additional challenges ahead as we catch up on missed work and deadlines. I’ll support you in all of these efforts as we forge ahead as ONE #FDA.” The night before Gottlieb had tweeted out instructions for workers who had concerns about benefits pay, IT issues, badging, or other issues related to the shutdown. HHS Secretary Alex Azar echoed similar sentiments of gratefulness to staff, “To the entire @HHSGov team: I join @POTUS in thanking you for your patience and commitment to service over the past month,” he tweeted Saturday. “I want to especially recognize the admirable hard work and devotion to our mission demonstrated by our colleagues at #FDA, #ATSDR, @NIEHS, and @IHSgov.”

Border Patrol struggles with flood of sick migrants. Border Patrol agents have spent nearly 20,000 hours since October driving asylum seekers to and from hospitals for medical evaluations, according to newly released Department of Homeland Security data. Since Oct. 1, 2018, the Border Patrol, which works in rural areas between border crossings, has “seen an increase in the numbers of apprehended individuals requiring medical assistance.” A total of 2,224 migrants, primarily from Guatemala and Honduras, have been hospitalized due to health issues that could not be treated on site in the last month alone, according to a CBP statement. The department said the spike in illnesses among migrants is forcing federal law enforcement to spend less time focused on serious threats because they are facilitating hospital and urgent care trips. It’s also affecting communities that are trying to help with medical emergencies but are severely short-staffed.

Trump donates $100K of salary to alcoholism research. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism received a $100,000 donation from Trump. The money, which came from Trump’s third quarter salary in 2018, will assist the NIAAA with its mission to conduct research on alcoholism and alcohol-related problems. The NIAAA falls under the National Institutes of Health. The donation, reportedly announced by the White House, also carries personal significance for Trump, who does not drink. His older brother, Fred Trump, died of alcoholism in 1981. “To this day, I’ve never had a drink,” Trump said in 2017, discussing the impact his brother had on his life. Trump vowed during the 2016 campaign to donate his $400,000 annual salary if elected.

Grassley presses HHS, CMS on Medicare overcharges. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Finance Committee, is pressing HHS and CMS about an increase in charges to Medicare for lab services. The increase was previously brought to light in November by the Government Accountability Office, showing ballooning rates in spending because of changes in payment rates. The administration ought to be doing all it can to ensure fiscal responsibility prevails when it comes to Medicare payments. It’s the right thing to do for patients, taxpayers and for the preservation of Medicare for future generations,” said Grassley, R-Iowa.

Kiss of salmonella? Snuggling with hedgehogs linked to outbreak, CDC warns.  The worst part about owning a hedgehog might seem to be be getting poked by its porcupine-like quills.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the mammals are linked to something far sinister: salmonella. Eleven people across eight states have been infected with a strain of salmonella linked to hedgehog droppings as of Friday, with one person hospitalized. Ten reported having been in contact with a hedgehog, although a common supplier has not been identified in the multistate outbreak. Missouri leads the list with three outbreaks reported, followed by two in Minnesota and one each in Colorado, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, Texas, and Wyoming. No deaths have been reported. “Don’t kiss or snuggle hedgehogs,” CDC recommends in an investigation notice posted to its site, adding that the spiked creatures should not be allowed to “roam freely in areas where food is prepared or stored, such as kitchens.”

GOP Rep. Walter Jones, longtime champion of US Marines, moved to hospice care. Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., is in hospice care, his office said in a statement Saturday. The congressman’s health declined after he suffered a broken hip last week. “The family asks for your prayers and for their privacy to be respected during this difficult time,” a statement read. Jones, 75, has been fighting an undisclosed illness for several months, which has kept him from casting votes in the House since September, according to reports. The 12-term congressman has represented North Carolina’s 3rd Congressional District since 1995. He ran for the House after serving 10 years in the North Carolina General Assembly. Jones currently lives in Farmville, N.C., with his wife Joe Anne. They have one daughter.

Washington declares state of emergency over measles outbreak. Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency Friday after at least 35 people tested positive for the illness. People infected live primarily in Clark County, which is close to Portland, Ore. Officials are particularly concerned because rates of vaccinations are low in Oregon. Inslee had previously declared a state of emergency only in the county but has now extended it to the entire state of Washington. The Washington Military Department is working with the Department of Health and local officials to contain the spread of the illness, which is highly contagious.

RUNDOWN

Science Magazine End of U.S. shutdown won’t mean return to business as usual for research agencies

U.S. News & World Report Opioids: America’s deadly new normal

New York Times Indian tribe joins big pharma at the Supreme Court, defending a lucrative deal

Politico What a medical school on a Rwandan hilltop can teach the United States

CNBC Seattle start-up is building the Amazon Prime of primary care with $86 million in backing from Larry Fink and other big names

Modern Healthcare Colo. governor joins other Democrats in targeting healthcare costs

The New Yorker The personal toll of whistle-blowing