CALIFORNIA WATCH
SEPTEMBER 6, 2016
California Healthline: Tossing Unused Surgical Supplies Wastes Millions of Dollars,
Study Finds
It’s long been a problem for the nation’s hospitals: A staggering number of medical supplies — from
surgical gloves to sponges to medications — go unused and are discarded after surgeries. A recent study
by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco has put a price tag on that waste: almost
$1,000 per procedure examined at the academic medical center. (Ibarra, 9/6)
Bay Area News Group: California's Prop. 61 Seeks to Lower Drug Prices, Increase
Transparency
Counting on the growing public outrage over the soaring costs of prescription drugs -- and bolstered by
the recent fury generated by huge price hikes for lifesaving EpiPens -- Proposition 61 proponents are
gearing up for one of the most highly anticipated ballot measure showdowns this election season. (Seipel,
9/5)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
Reuters: U.S. Lawmakers Question Mylan's Medicaid EpiPen Rebates
Two key U.S. congressional committee members on Friday called for an investigation into whether Mylan
NV, under fire for raising the price of its EpiPen device, overcharged the government's low-income
healthcare program for the allergy treatment. In a letter to the secretary of the Department of Health and
Human Services, Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Frank Pallone, both Democrats, seek
clarification of whether EpiPen was classified as a generic, "non-innovator" drug, or a brand-name drug
by the Medicaid program. (Beasley, 9/2)
ADMINISTRATION NEWS
NPR: FDA Bans Triclosan and 18 Other Chemicals from Soaps
Consumers don't need to use antibacterial soaps, and some of them may even be dangerous, the Food
and Drug Administration says. On Friday, the FDA issued a rule banning the use of triclosan, triclocarban
and 17 other chemicals in hand and body washes, which are marketed as being more effective than
simple soap. Companies have a year to take these ingredients out of their products or remove the
products from the market, the agency said. (Kodjak, 9/2)
CAMPAIGN 2016
Politico: New Clinton Drug Plan Targets Price Hikes, Citing EpiPen
Clinton proposed creating a federal consumer oversight body that would investigate and respond to price
hikes of older drugs with limited competition, as was the case with Mylan's EpiPen. The board could wield
enforcement power when it determines a price increase is unjustified. Offending companies would be
fined or charged increased rebates. That money would be used to support new programs to make lowercost alternatives available and increase approval of competing treatments. (Karlin-Smith, 9/2)
HEALTH LAW ISSUES AND IMPLEMENTATION
The Hill: Blue Cross Blue Shield Urges Congress to Protect ObamaCare Insurer Fund
Blue Cross Blue Shield is lobbying Congress this summer to protect an ObamaCare insurer fund that
Republicans have called a “bailout” for companies. The corporation — which insures more than 100
million people nationwide — is distributing a memo to lawmakers warning against some GOP attempts to
block the money from going to insurers this fall. (Ferris, 9/2)
PUBLIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION
Kaiser Health News: Experts Say Stepped-Up Monitoring is Crucial as Zika’s Threat Lasts
Beyond a Baby’s Birth
As the Zika virus spreads both at home and abroad, new information is bringing to light how children —
even those who at birth do not show obvious signs of impairment — are likely at a greater risk than
previously believed. This possibility, experts say, is highlighting a need to better track the development
and well-being of babies who may have been exposed to the virus in utero. (Luthra, 9/6)
The Washington Post: There’s New Hope for Blood Cancers, and it Comes from Umbilical
Cords
Jessie Quinn of Sacramento was 36 years old when loss of appetite, weight loss, some eye issues and
finally pelvic pain sent her to the emergency room in 2010. Tests quickly revealed she had acute myeloid
leukemia — a type of blood cancer that progresses quickly — and doctors told her that chemotherapy
would probably not be enough; she would need a bone-marrow transplant. Quinn, who has a science
background, knew that finding a donor would be difficult. In college, she had donated to a bone-marrow
registry after learning that people like her, with a mixed racial heritage, have a much harder time than
others finding a match. (Berger, 9/5)
The Washington Post: Loneliness can be Depressing, but it May Have Helped Humans
Survive
Loneliness not only feels nasty, it can also make you depressed, shatter your sleep, even kill you. Yet
scientists think loneliness evolved because it was good for us. It still is — sometimes. There is plenty of
evidence to suggest that being lonely ruins health. In one recent study, the risk of dying over a twodecade period was 50 percent higher for lonely men and 49 percent higher for lonely women than it was
for those who did not experience feelings of isolation. According to some research, loneliness may be
worse for longevity than obesity or air pollution. Yet according to scientists such as John Cacioppo, a
neuroscientist at the University of Chicago, loneliness has evolved to protect us. (Zaraska, 9/4)
Stat: US and China Agree to Work to Block the Potent Drug Fentanyl from Coming Into
America
The United States and China on Saturday agreed to work together to combat the flow of fentanyl and
other related drugs coming into America from China. Fentanyl is more potent than even heroin, and its
influx has led to overdoses and deaths in parts of the country already ravaged by heroin and prescription
painkillers. (Scott, 9/3)
PHARMACEUTICALS
Kaiser Health News: EpiPen Controversy Fuels Concerns over Generic Drug Approval
Backlog
Consumers and Congress members pushing for cheaper alternatives to the EpiPen and other high-priced
drugs are seeking answers about a stubborn backlog of generic drug applications at the Food and Drug
Administration that still stretches almost four years. As of July 1, the FDA had 4,036 generic drug
applications awaiting approval, and the median time it takes for the FDA to approve a generic is now 47
months, according to the Generic Pharmaceutical Association, or GPhA. The FDA has approved more
generics the past few years, but a flood of new applications has steadily added to the demand. (Lupkin,
9/6)
McClatchy: Freaking Out about Zika? West Nile is the Real Killer
While the recent arrival in the U.S. of the Zika virus is getting most of the attention, public health experts
consider West Nile to be a much more potent threat in California than Zika will ever be. (Cockerham, 9/5)
EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
The New York Times: Hope for Americans with Mental Illness
More than 40 million American adults — almost 20 percent of the adult American population — will deal
with mental illness this year. Yet mental health (of the citizens, not the candidates) has not been an issue
in the presidential campaign. Hillary Clinton tried to change that last week, announcing a plan that offers
hope for improving mental health research, diagnosis and treatment. Central to Mrs. Clinton’s plan is the
integration of physical and mental health care and reducing the stigma attached to mental health
treatment. (9/5)
The Washington Post: The Troubling Reason it’s So Hard to Find a Psychiatrist in the
United States
As Hillary Clinton rolled out her mental health policy proposals this week, the nation is confronting a
mystery regarding access to care. The past decade has witnessed a flurry of federal legislation intended
to improve coverage of mental health treatment within private and public sector insurance plans. Why
then do research studies continue to document that even people with health insurance often have
difficulty finding a psychiatrist? Two new studies of the state of the psychiatric profession help explain this
frustrating situation. (Keith Humphreys, 9/2)
DHNR is a daily compilation of news stories from GCHP's Communications Department.
Certain news organizations are protected via a paywall requiring the purchase of a subscription to
view their content.
CALIFORNIA WATCH
SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
California’s Healthy Kids Programs Fade as Undocumented Children Gain Access to
Medi-Cal
Healthy Kids programs around the state were created to serve children who didn’t qualify for Medi-Cal
and couldn’t afford other insurance. But these programs have been rendered largely redundant by a new
law guaranteeing full Medi-Cal coverage to every child in the state whose family income falls below 267
percent of the poverty line, regardless of immigration status. Before the law was enacted, undocumented
children typically could receive only emergency care under Medi-Cal. Advocates and government officials
who fought for Healthy Kids programs say the new guarantee of universal coverage for low-income
undocumented kids is a long hoped-for realization of years of work. (Wiener, 9/7)
Fox News: Planned Parenthood-Backed Bill Faces ACLU, Media Backlash in California
California lawmakers have OK'd a Planned Parenthood-backed bill that creates new penalties for
distributing secret recordings of discussions with health providers – but civil rights and media advocates
say the measure goes too far. The bill, which passed Friday and now goes to Democratic Gov. Jerry
Brown’s desk, targets activists such as the Center for Medical Progress -- which last year released
secretly recorded videos purportedly showing activists discussing the purchase of aborted fetal body
parts with Planned Parenthood representatives. (9/7)
Capital Public Radio: Bill would Protect Nail Salon Workers and Customers from
Chemical Exposure
Lawmakers want to protect the health of manicurists and their customers through a new bill that
encourages nail salon workers to use less toxic products and practices. The Nail Salon Recognition
Program would allow salons that use less toxic products and practices to be designated a healthy nail
salon to consumers. (Johnson, 9/6)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
Politico: Zika Funding Bill Fails — Again
The next opportunity to attach Zika funding to must-pass legislation, perhaps the only chance in the near
future, will be the legislative package to fund government beyond Sept. 30. “It’s probably … likely this will
be in the end of the fiscal year wrap up,” Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters in the Capitol. “That
would be my guess.” Republicans in both the House and Senate are considering options to approve Zika
funding, according to aides. (Haberkorn, 9/6)
HEALTH LAW ISSUES AND IMPLEMENTATION
Los Angeles Times: The States with the Biggest Obamacare Struggles Spent Years
Undermining the Law
As insurers exit Obamacare marketplaces across the country, critics of the Affordable Care Act have
redoubled claims that the health law isn’t working. Yet these same critics, many of them Republican
politicians in red states, took steps over the last several years to undermine the 2010 law and fuel the
current turmoil in their insurance markets. Among other things, they blocked expansion of Medicaid
coverage for the poor, erected barriers to enrollment and refused to move health plans into the
Obamacare marketplaces, a key step to bringing in healthier consumers. (Levey, 9/7)
Morning Consult: CMS Planning Pilot to Evaluate Abuse of Special Insurance Sign-Ups
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expecting to pilot a program meant to clamp down on
abuse of special insurance sign-up periods next year. The agency is seeking public comment as it drafts
a pilot program to evaluate the pre-enrollment verification program, meaning how it is determined if a
person is eligible to sign up at a certain time. Special enrollment periods are times when consumers are
able to sign up for health insurance outside of the annual enrollment period, but health insurers say some
people can abuse them by signing up for insurance only when they get sick, which can drive up costs for
all consumers covered by a plan. (McIntire, 9/6)
PUBLIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION
The New York Times: Why Your Toothpaste Still Has Triclosan
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration effectively banned the antibacterial chemical triclosan from
soaps. But you can you still find it in your toothpaste. That’s because the best-selling toothpaste brand,
Colgate Total, convinced the F.D.A. that the benefit of triclosan in toothpaste outweighs any risks.
Toothpastes that contain triclosan have “demonstrated to be effective at reducing plaque and gingivitis,”
said Andrea Fischer, an F.D.A. spokeswoman. Before approving the toothpaste in 1997, the agency
requested that the Colgate-Palmolive company conduct toxicology studies, and the F.D.A. ultimately
decided it was safe and effective. (Saint Louis, 9/7)
Los Angeles Times: Sorry, Kids, Your Pediatrician Wants You to Get a Flu Shot This Year
Sorry, little one, this news is going to pinch for a couple of seconds: This year’s flu vaccine will probably
have to come in the form of a shot, not those two little puffs up the nose. Because when it comes to
preventing the misery of the flu, that nasal spray vaccine has proved to be a bit of a flop. No, the adults
don’t really know why. But when they went back over the past three flu seasons and did the math, they
found that kids between 2 and 17 who got the vaccine made with live attenuated virus — the puff up the
nose — were two-and-a half times more likely than children who got the shot (which uses an inactivated
virus to teach the immune system) to get sick with the flu. (Healy, 9/6)
The New York Times: W.H.O. Clarifies Advice on Sex and Pregnancy in Zika Regions
The World Health Organization on Tuesday clarified — once again — its advice on sexual transmission of
the Zika virus, saying that couples living in areas where it is circulating should be offered contraception
and counseling to help decide whether to become pregnant. A spokeswoman said the agency made the
announcement to clear up earlier confusion over whether it was advising women to avoid pregnancy
during the epidemic. The W.H.O. is not offering such advice, although, she conceded, officials did appear
to have said as much in June. (McNeil, 9/6)
The Washington Post: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome May Be a Human Version of
‘Hibernation’
One of the most spectacular feats of such creatures as bats, bees and snakes is hibernation. For months
at a time, these animals essentially go into power-save mode. Their temperature drops, metabolism slows
down and oxygen consumption is limited to minimal levels. This basic adaptation helps them survive the
harshest of environmental conditions. A new study raises the extraordinary possibility that humans may
be able to put themselves into a kind of hibernation state as well — but in a way that hurts us rather than
helps us. (Cha, 9/6)
Los Angeles Times: With a Caesarean Section, the Path to Obesity May Begin at Birth
Your very first moments of life can influence your risk of obesity for years, a new study shows. Babies
delivered via caesarean section were 15% more likely to be obese as kids, teens and young adults than
were babies who made the trip through the birth canal, according to the report Wednesday in JAMA
Pediatrics. The risk associated with a C-section was even greater for babies whose mothers had no
apparent medical need for the procedure. Compared with babies born vaginally, these babies were 30%
more likely to be obese between the ages of 9 and 28, the study found. (Kaplan, 9/6)
PHARMACEUTICALS
Reuters: Allergan Vows Limited Price Hikes, Says 'Outliers' Deter Research
The chief executive officer of Allergan Plc said his company would limit annual price increases on its
prescription drugs, and that "outlier" drugmakers that have imposed huge price increases on their
products were scaring off venture capital investors. Allergan, the maker of such products as Botox, plans
to raise prices no more than once a year and keep price hikes to no more than low-to-mid-single-digit
percentages, slightly above the current annual rate of inflation, CEO Brent Saunders said on Tuesday.
(Pierson, 9/6)
Stat: EpiPen Maker Faces Two Potential Class Action Lawsuits
Mylan Pharmaceuticals is facing two lawsuits relating to its pricing of EpiPen treatments for lifethreatening anaphylactic shock. One suit, filed Tuesday in an Ohio county court, alleges that the
company’s price increases — which brought the list price up to about $600 for two EpiPens — violated
the state’s consumer protection law. (Swetlitz, 9/6)
Los Angeles Times: MannKind Developing Inhalable Epinephrine to Challenge Mylan's
EpiPen
A Valencia drugmaker that has tried to convince diabetics to inhale rather than inject their insulin is
working on a product that will make a similar pitch to a new group of patients: severe allergy sufferers
who rely on Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ pricey EpiPen. Even as it struggles to ramp up sales of its inhalable
insulin, MannKind Corp. is now in the early stages of developing an inhalable form of epinephrine that
aims to take market share from the injectable version. (Koren, 9/6)
EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
Los Angeles Times: Congress: What I Didn't Do This Summer — Fund Zika
Welcome back to work, Congress! We see the Senate picked up right where it left off before its sevenweek summer recess — blocking a bill to provide $1.1 billion for Zika prevention efforts because it would
bar funding for Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. While you were out campaigning, fundraising or
barbequing, however, the number of Zika cases in the U.S. more than doubled to 2,700, and people
infected with the virus have turned up in every state. A total of 17 babies have been born with Zika-related
birth defects (two in California), and about 1,600 pregnant women are known to have been exposed. (9/7)
DHNR is a daily compilation of news stories from GCHP's Communications Department.
Certain news organizations are protected via a paywall requiring the purchase of a subscription to
view their content.
CALIFORNIA WATCH
SEPTEMBER 8, 2016
The Sacramento Bee: Fighting Painkiller Abuse: New Ways to Treat Chronic Pain
Opiate addiction nearly cost Zack Armbrust his life. Like millions of Americans, he got hooked on
painkillers and heroin, a crippling combination that’s often deadly. Now about 30 months clean, the
Roseville resident considers himself one of the lucky ones. In America’s war on opiate abuse, the
problem of painkiller overuse has been as perplexing as it is pervasive. (Buck, 9/8)
Ventura County Star: County Names Health Agency Director
A deputy director who joined the county in January will serve as leader of its biggest agency, the 3,000employee Health Care Agency. Johnson Gill will serve as director of an agency with an $818.7 million
budget that's used to run a hospital and clinic system as well as diverse departments in charge of
areas including public health, the medical examiner's office, and behavioral health. (Kisken, 9/7)
KPCC: SoCal School Districts Use Different Tactics to Implement Vaccination Law
As the academic year gets underway, large school districts in SoCal are using different tactics to enforce
the state's new vaccination law. Under the law, parents can no longer opt out of vaccinating their
incoming kindergartners or 7th graders on the basis of personal or religious beliefs. Only medical
exemptions remain. The law also applies to students of any grade who are new to a school. (Plevin, 9/7)
California Healthline: Tossing Unused Surgical Supplies Wastes Millions of Dollars,
Study Finds
Among the most unused and discarded supplies were sponges, blue towels and gloves. The most
expensive item wasted, according to the study, was “surgifoam,” a sponge used to stop bleeding. One
such sponge can cost close to $4,000. The researchers projected that wasted supplies could cost $2.9
million a year in UCSF’s neurosurgery department alone. (Ibarra, 9/6)
ADMINISTRATION NEWS
The Washington Post: Cancer ‘Moonshot’ Panel Names Top 10 Ways to Speed Progress
against the Disease
The Obama administration's "cancer moonshot" took a major step forward Wednesday when a committee
of top cancer researchers and patient advocates recommended an ambitious set of scientific goals
designed to sharply accelerate progress against the disease. The 10 ideas, which were developed by a
blue-ribbon panel, deal with an array of topics, including research, clinical trials, data mining, prevention
and patient engagement. The recommendations were sent to a task force headed by Vice President
Biden, who is leading the administration's moonshot campaign. (McGinley, 9/7)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
The Hill: Pelosi: Dems Will Back Smaller Zika Bill
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that Democrats are ready to compromise
on funding levels to address the Zika virus, provided Republicans drop restrictions on Planned
Parenthood using the money. Pelosi said Democrats will accept the Senate's $1.1 billion compromise —
in lieu of the $1.9 billion requested by President Obama and demanded by Pelosi earlier in the year —
but only if health agencies are underwritten for a full 12 months. (Lillis, 9/7)
HEALTH LAW ISSUES AND IMPLEMENTATION
The Hill: GOP Senators Unveil Bill Loosening ObamaCare Individual Mandate
A group of Republican senators on Wednesday introduced a bill to exempt people from ObamaCare’s
individual mandate if they live in a county with one or no options for coverage. The lawmakers, led by
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), argue that it is wrong for people to face ObamaCare’s financial penalty for
lacking insurance if there is only one insurer offering coverage in their area, or none at all. (Sullivan, 9/7)
MARKETPLACE
Modern Healthcare: Hospital Ownership of Medical Practices Grows by 86% in Three
Years
Hospital ownership of physician practices has increased by 86% in the last three years, according to a
new report. The analysis, conducted by healthcare consulting firm Avalere Health and the not-for-profit
Physicians Advocacy Institute, found that from 2012 to 2015, hospitals acquired 31,000 physician
practices in the U.S. (Castellucci, 9/7)
PHARMACEUTICALS
The Cleveland Plain Dealer: Sen. Rob Portman Launches Investigation into EpiPen
Pricing
A Senate investigative subcommittee headed by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio announced that it will
probe the steep rise in the prices of EpiPens, an emergency treatment drug used to counteract severe
allergic reactions. Portman and the top Democrat on the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on
Investigations - Missouri's Claire McCaskill - notified reporters they've "opened a preliminary inquiry
concerning Mylan Pharmaceuticals' pricing and competition practices." (Eaton, 9/7)
Kaiser Health News: Study Says Concerns about Orphan Drug Spending are Unjustified
Rising concerns about spending on prescription drugs that treat rare diseases are not justified.
Researchers at IMS Health and drug maker Celgene analyzed U.S. pharmaceutical spending from 2007
to 2013 on more than 300 drugs that had orphan approval under the 1983 Orphan Drug Act. (Tribble, 9/7)
EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
The New York Times: Release Your Medical Records? First, You Must Collect Them
One of Donald J. Trump’s recent attack lines against Hillary Clinton focuses on her health: If she has
nothing to hide, why doesn’t she release her medical records to the public? Instead, assume that Mrs.
Clinton wished to take Mr. Trump’s request seriously, and release full and detailed medical records. It
would not be easy, even for a V.I.P. with an army of staffers. (Margot Sanger-Katz, 9/7)
DHNR is a daily compilation of news stories from GCHP's Communications Department.
Certain news organizations are protected via a paywall requiring the purchase of a subscription to
view their content.
CALIFORNIA WATCH
SEPTEMBER 9, 2016
California Healthline: Consumer Group Questions Role of Drug Costs in California
Premium Hikes
Rising drug costs are often blamed for driving up health insurance premiums, but a major consumer
group says the numbers don’t add up. The advocacy group Consumers Union says two large Blue Cross
Blue Shield insurers in the state may be exploiting the outrage over high drug prices to artificially inflate
their premiums for individual coverage under the Affordable Care Act. (Terhune, 9/9)
Los Angeles Times: Rising Homelessness and Lack of Psychiatric Care Beds are Cited in
Surge of Mental Competency Cases
A lack of psychiatric care beds and rising homelessness are fueling a dramatic increase in mental
competency cases in Los Angeles County, a new study has found. The county launched a review after
The Times reported on a surge in the number of competency cases in Los Angeles’ mental health
court over the last five years. The number of cases referred to the mental health court’s Department 95 to
determine defendants' competency had swelled from 944 in 2010 to 3,528 in 2015. (Sewell, 9/8)
Los Angeles Times: Dr. Bob Sears, Critic of Vaccine Laws, Could Lose License after
Exempting Toddler
Dr. Bob Sears, an Orange County pediatrician and nationally known critic of vaccination laws, faces the
loss of his medical license after the state medical board accused him of improperly excusing a toddler
from immunization and endangering both the child and the public. The Medical Board of California
contends in legal documents that Sears committed “gross negligence” and deviated from standard
practice when he issued a letter in 2014 prescribing no more vaccines for the child. (Hamilton, 9/8)
The Associated Press: Report: Officials Still Not Tracking State's Mental Health Spending
California officials still haven't taken steps to better track how $2 billion a year in voter-approved funding
for mental health programs is spent, despite a critical audit 19 months ago that alerted officials to the
problems, according to a report released Thursday by a state watchdog. (Williams, 9/8)
CAPITOL HILL WATCH
The Hill: Biden Storms Capitol to Lambaste GOP for Inaction
Vice President Biden stormed Capitol Hill on Thursday to amplify the Democrats' long-held charge that
Republican "dysfunction" has paralyzed Congress at the expense of the country. Appearing on the steps
of the Capitol on a sweltering day in Washington, the vice president accused the Republicans of
undermining the judiciary system by blocking President Obama's Supreme Court nominee; threatening
public health by stonewalling legislation to address the spread of the Zika virus; and endangering public
safety by ignoring proposals to rein in gun violence. (Lillis, 9/8)
The Hill: Warren, Sanders Launch Probe Into Insurer that Bailed on ObamaCare
Leading progressive senators are demanding an explanation from the insurance giant Aetna about its
abrupt decision to pull out of most ObamaCare exchanges this year, which they said appeared to be
politically motivated. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced they are
launching a probe into Aetna, which bailed on ObamaCare just weeks after the Justice Department
moved to block its multi-billion merger with another top-five insurer. (Ferris, 9/8)
The Hill: Ryan Refuses to Back Down on Zika Fight over Planned Parenthood
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday again dismissed concerns that the GOP’s funding bill to
fight the Zika virus intentionally targets Planned Parenthood, even as members of his party call for the
controversial language to be removed. …Ryan’s strong stance against changing the language to appease
Democrats comes as Senate Republican leaders inch toward a deal that would likely take the Planned
Parenthood fight out of the bill to fund Zika relief altogether. (Ferris, 9/8)
CAMPAIGN 2016
Bloomberg: Clinton’s Drug Proposals ‘Very Negative,’ Pfizer CEO Says
The head of Pfizer Inc., America’s biggest drugmaker, said that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary
Clinton’s proposals to contain the price of pharmaceuticals would be “very negative” for the industry and
are a step toward single-payer health care. Pfizer CEO Ian Read criticized Clinton’s plan at an investor
conference hosted by Wells Fargo in Boston. Clinton’s prescription drug policy would give the
government a broad role in overseeing drug prices, including a board to monitor sharp cost increases,
and would specifically target price hikes on older medicines. (Hopkins, 9/8)
HEALTH LAW ISSUES AND IMPLEMENTATION
USA Today: Proving Legal Status Slows Immigrants' Ability to Get, Keep Health
Coverage
For thousands of consumers, proving they are legal U.S. residents so they can keep their Obamacare
plans can be a bigger health care challenge than affording them. Documentation issues over immigration
or citizenship status ensnared more than a half million people who bought plans on HealthCare.gov last
year. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell noted 85% fewer people had their plans
terminated for these "data matching" issues for the first three months of 2016 — the most recent
information available — than the first quarter of 2015. (O'Donnell, 9/8)
PUBLIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION
Kaiser Health News: Shhh! America’s Most Common Workplace Injury is Hearing Loss
Eight years ago, Jeff Ammon, now 55, began noticing a feeling of pressure in his ears every day after
work. Over the next months, when his symptoms progressed into a slight loss of hearing and sensitivity to
noise, he became worried. Ammon, a construction worker for 32 years, eventually started wearing ear
protection hoping this would address these complaints — but it was too late. (Tan, 9/9)
The New York Times: Smoking and Drinking Rates among U.S. Teenagers Fall to New
Lows
Smoking and drinking among teenagers fell to new lows in 2015 as young Americans continued to shift
away from the habits of their parents. Just 9.6 percent of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, reported using
alcohol in 2015, down from 17.6 percent in 2002, according to the data. Far fewer adolescents smoke
every day: about 20 percent in 2015, down from 32 percent in 2002. (Tavernise, 9/8)
MARKETPLACE
The Associated Press: Why Insurance Denies Your Claim, but Pays Your Neighbor's
Glaring differences in insurance coverage persist for amputees, children with autism and others in need
of certain expensive treatments even after the Affordable Care Act set new standards as part of its push
to expand and improve coverage, and despite efforts by states to mandate coverage for some treatments.
These differences don't develop simply because some people pay more for better coverage. Instead, they
stem from random factors like what state someone lives in or who happens to provide their coverage —
and often people can do nothing about it. The federal health care law largely leaves decisions on what
actually gets covered up to states or employers who provide insurance for their workers. (9/8)
PHARMACEUTICALS
California Healthline: Behind the EpiPen Monopoly: Lobbying, Flailing Competition and
Tragedy
Thirteen year-old Natalie Giorgi probably didn’t know the name of the company that makes EpiPen. The
2013 death of the Sacramento girl from a peanut-induced allergy attack inspired passage of the California
law that made the Mylan product a staple at every school. It was Giorgi’s story, not industry lobbying, that
then-California State Senate Minority Leader Bob Huff, R-San Dimas, said inspired him to write a law
requiring public schools in the state to stock the injectors. He said he was also influenced by one of his
staffers who had a child with life-threatening allergies. (Bartolone, 9/8)
The New York Times: A Push to Lower Drug Prices that Hit Insurers and Employers the
Hardest
Americans have expressed outrage at drug companies for raising prices on products like EpiPen, the
severe allergy treatment needed by thousands of children, and Daraprim, a rarely used but essential drug
to treat a parasitic infection. But insurers and employers say that a bigger financial shock has come from
a largely overlooked source: expensive anti-inflammatory medications like Humira and Enbrel, drugs
taken by millions of people for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In recent years, the prices of the
medications have doubled, making them the costliest drug class in the country. (Thomas, 9/8)
EDITORIALS AND OPINIONS
The Sacramento Bee: In Support of Children’s Health Care, Yes on Proposition 52
Proposition 52 is a rare initiative for which there should be little debate or dissent. The measure would
extend an existing fee on hospitals to provide health care to poor people, guarantee that the federal
government will match the state’s share, and inhibit the Legislature from diverting the money to other
programs. The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board generally opposes using ballot measures to tie
legislators’ hands on fiscal matters. But Proposition 52 is an exception, and the vast majority of
lawmakers agree. (9/7)
DHNR is a daily compilation of news stories from GCHP's Communications Department.
Certain news organizations are protected via a paywall requiring the purchase of a subscription to
view their content.