Health Headlines for Tuesday, May 16
New York county sues Purdue, J&J over opioid marketing
Reuters
A county in New York state has sued Purdue Pharma LP, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) and other drugmakers, accusing them of engaging in fraudulent marketing that played down the risks of prescription opioid painkillers, leading to a drug epidemic.
Rising costs, Trump’s Obamacare repeal vow signal big rate hikes for N.Y. state insurance market
New York Daily News
The state’s health insurers are submitting their proposed rate hikes for the individual market — and an expert predicts a significant increase.
Secret Republican Senate Talks Are Shaping Health Care Legislation
NPR
The Senate is negotiating its own legislation to repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act in secret talks with senators hand-picked by party leaders and with no plans for committee hearings to publicly vet the bill.
Red Meat Increases Risk of Dying From 9 Diseases
New York Times
The more red meat you eat, the greater your risk of dying from one of nine diseases, according to a new report.
Bipartisan bill will be reintroduced to force pharma to justify price hikes
Stat News
A bipartisan group of lawmakers will re-introduce a bill on Tuesday that would require drug makers to justify their pricing and provide a breakdown of their expenses before raising prices on some medicines.
Texas Seeks Medicaid Money It Gave Up Over Planned Parenthood Ban
New York Times
Four years after Texas gave up millions of dollars in federal Medicaid funds so it could ban Planned Parenthood from participating in a family planning program for low-income women, the state is asking the Trump administration for the money back.
De Blasio’s war on cigarettes should focus on smugglers too
New York Post
Retailers throughout New York have been getting illegal kickbacks from some cigarette distributors desperate to pick up business in a tough market, sources tell me.
Many NY hospitals perform too many C-sections for low-risk births, report says
Syracuse Post Standard
Crouse Hospital has the lowest cesarean section rate for low-risk deliveries of any big U.S. hospital, according to an investigation by Consumer Reports.
Biotech company Athenex to seek $100 million in initial public offering
Buffalo News
The Buffalo biotech company Athenex is seeking to raise $100 million in an initial public offering on the NASDAQ stock exchange to help pay for its work to develop potential cancer drugs.
GOP bill would cut low-cost NY health plan
Democrat & Chronicle
A low-cost health insurance option used by more than 600,000 New York residents would shut down if the Republican health care plan becomes law.