Health Care
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Health Care
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Biden leaving 11th-hour health measures for Trump
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The Biden administration in its final days has been publishing significant new regulations on Medicare drug coverage, food labeling and nicotine.
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But it will be up to the incoming Trump White House to move forward on all of them, putting major question marks on whether the efforts will be enacted.
Obesity care coverage:
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One of the most expensive proposals would make it possible for Medicare and Medicaid to cover obesity drugs by classifying obesity as a chronic disease. Medicare is currently prohibited from paying for “weight loss” drugs, while Medicaid policies are up to individual states—but only 13 state programs cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity.
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The proposal is expensive, and Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is an avowed critic of weight loss drugs. But finalizing the rule could be a politically popular move.
Nicotine:
- While yet to be made public, the Biden administration is expected to issue a rule that would lower the amount of nicotine in tobacco products to make them less addictive.
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The proposed rule cleared regulatory review earlier this month. It comes more than a year and a half after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally said it would be released.
- The FDA has floated plans to lower nicotine levels since 2018, during the first Trump administration.
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Should the rule go beyond the proposal stage, the tobacco industry is sure to launch a concerted legal effort to halt it.
Food labels:
- On Tuesday, the Biden administration issued a long-awaited proposal requiring food labels on the front of food and drink packaging.
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The rule would require food manufacturers to place nutritional information regarding sodium, saturated fat and added sugar on the front of products. Manufacturers would also be required to note whether the food or drink has a low, medium or high level of sodium, saturated fat or sugar.
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The proposal is an attempt to make it easier for Americans to make healthier choices and better identify processed foods. Adding labels sets up a major clash with the food industry, but it’s a fight Kennedy may be more than willing to wage. He’s previously accused the industry of “mass poisoning of American children.”
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Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, we’re Nathaniel Weixel, Joseph Choi and Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday a proposal to require most food products to display nutrition information on the front of the package. The front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label — or the “Nutrition Info box”— would include information on three key nutrients: saturated fat, sodium and added sugar content. The FOP label would indicate whether the food product contained “Low,” “Med” or “High” levels …
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A federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from enforcing a requirement that cigarette packages include graphic warnings on the impacts of smoking. On Monday, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker in Tyler, Texas, ruled in favor of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company and others, finding the FDA does not have the authority to require cigarette packaging and advertising to include …
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday released its second interim report on pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), saying the major industry middlemen generate billions in revenue through vertical integration, industry dominance and marking up the prices of specialty drugs. The report specifically looked at the business practices of the Caremark Rx, Express Scripts and OptumRx, which are in turn owned by CVS Health, Cigna …
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Trust in Science: The High-Stakes Game For U.S. Public Health
Thursday, Jan. 16 in Washington, D.C. | In person, streaming nationally
The Hill and the Alliance for Aging Research are hosting a timely discussion on Jan. 16 to discuss the challenges public health leaders face to restore trust in medical science and U.S. health agencies. Join us as we convene leaders in government, health care, science and patient advocacy to analyze the current state of health care discourse.
Speakers include:
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Dr. Larry Bucshon, former GOP congressman from Indiana; senior policy advisor, Holland & Knight
- Imran Ahmed, founder & CEO, Center for Countering Digital Hate
- Lynn Albizo, chief public policy officer, Immune Deficiency Foundation
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Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director, American Public Health Association
- Dr. Paul Offit, director, Vaccine Education Center and attending physician, Division of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
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Branch out with a different read:
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The number of deaths in the U.S. is expected to exceed the number of births by 2033, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) annual 30-year projection of the U.S. population released on Monday.
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Local and state headlines on health care:
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Mental health costs are costing Floridians peace of mind (WUSF)
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Connecticut officials vow three hospitals in bankruptcy won’t close (Hartford Courant)
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Study shows people leaving Kentucky, Indiana amid strict abortion bans (The Courier-Journal)
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Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:
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Childhood vaccination rates, a health bright spot in struggling states, are slipping (NBC)
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Trump’s return puts Medicaid on the chopping block (KFF Health News)
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Defiant, Pfizer CEO talks about Trump, obesity drugs, and the ‘Pfizer machine’ (Stat)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now:
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Pete Hegseth on Tuesday battled through a high-stakes Senate hearing in which Democrats sought to paint the Pentagon nominee as inexperienced, unprofessional … Read more
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Democrats’ hopes of defeating any of President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees appear to be fizzling as Senate committees prepare for the … Read more
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Opinion related to health submitted to The Hill:
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You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!
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