Health Headlines for Thursday, August 16
States Leverage Federal Funds To Help Insurers Lower Premiums
Kaiser Health News
When Tracy Deis decided in 2016 to transition from a full-time job to part-time contract work, the loss of her employer’s health insurance was not a major worry because she knew she could get coverage through the marketplace set up by the Affordable Care Act.
Single-payer for upstate hospitals? Depends on the payer
Adirondack Daily Enterprise
As election season heats up, so are conversations about single-payer health care. Is it appropriate for New York?
CDC: Drug overdoses hit new record
The Hill
More than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017, according to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a new record.
CVS launches program targeting expensive new drugs
The Hill
CVS Caremark will allow its clients to exclude coverage of drugs with extremely high launch prices under a new program the company said is aimed at pressuring manufacturers to lower drug costs.
Health care groups place their bets on James for attorney general
City & State
Powerful health care groups are rallying behind New York City Public Advocate Letitia James’ campaign for state attorney general, according to recent campaign financial disclosures.
Enrolling Americans in Medicaid Is Now Cheaper Than Subsidizing Their Obamacare Coverage
SLATE
Here’s a data point that I fully expect to see fans of single-payer health care cite in the future: For the federal government, helping Americans buy private insurance under Obamacare is now more expensive per enrollee than simply covering them through the law’s Medicaid expansion.