Health Headlines for Friday, July 8
What costliest drugs cost commercial insurance plans in 2014
AP
A new study from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill examining usage of and spending for specialty prescription drugs by commercial insurance plans finds huge spikes from 2003 through 2014.
Federal opioid package closer
Albany Times Union
Federal help to fight opioid addiction is moving slowly through the Congressional grinder, but it is unclear when — and if — the dollars will actually flow to localities like those in upstate New York hard hit by pain killer and heroin abuse.
Hoosick Falls Water Woes Draw Federal Scrutiny
Wall Street Journal
.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Thursday she would introduce federal legislation to fight the water-contamination crisis in Hoosick Falls, N.Y., shortly after a congressional committee launched a probe into the state’s handling of the issue.
Study: Trump health care plan would make 18M uninsured
Albany Times Union/AP
Donald Trump’s health care plan would make 18 million people uninsured, but also lower premiums significantly for policies purchased directly by consumers, according to an independent study released Thursday.
Aetna Said to Meet With DOJ on Friday About Humana Deal
Bloomberg
Aetna Inc. is preparing to meet with top U.S. Justice Department officials on Friday as it seeks to win antitrust approval for its $37 billion takeover of rival Humana Inc., people familiar with the matter said.
We Can’t Afford to Wait on Zika
U.S. News
Even as the United States Senate passed up an opportunity to fund efforts to help combat Zika, a baby was born in Florida with microcephaly caused by this infection. Unless Congress acts immediately, many more babies may be born with the devastating birth defects caused by Zika.
New York Medicaid children face unique challenges as reforms loom
Modern Healthcare
As New York’s Medicaid program works to shift from fee-for-service to value-based payment models, the program cannot overlook its substantial number of child and young adult members, according to two new reports from the United Hospital Fund.
More Cancer Mutations May Be Good for Immunotherapy Patients
Bloomberg
Mark Perkins considers himself a poster child for the new generation of cancer drugs that harness the patient’s immune system to attack sick cells. Two years after trying Merck & Co.’s Keytruda — and almost four years after receiving a prognosis of as little as six months left to live — he is cancer free.