Daily on Healthcare: Democrats openly criticize ‘Medicare for all’

DEMOCRATS OPENLY CRITICIZE ‘MEDICARE FOR ALL’: Before liberal Democrats introduced the latest version of the Medicare for All Act, centrist members of the party largely bit their tongues and avoided criticizing the plan in favor of saying that they were open to having a discussion about various healthcare proposals while focusing primarily on shoring up Obamacare.

Then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., did an interview with Rolling Stone last month in which she openly expressed doubt about how a fully government-financed healthcare system would be paid for. Now, other Democrats who aren’t on board with the plan are becoming more vocal about why.

Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., the chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The Hill that the former bill’s estimated price tag of $32 trillion in extra government spending over a decade was “a little scary.” Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, also has drawn attention to the cost. Proponents of the Medicare for All Act haven’t said how it would be paid for, though they’ve noted the bill would reduce overall healthcare spending by $2 trillion compared to where it is how. The latest version introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Calif., however, is even more extensive than previous versions and would likely be more costly.

Democratic leaders have pledged that the Budget Committee and the Rules Committee will hold hearings on the Medicare for All Act, but comments from lawmakers like Bustos and Pallone indicate that during the public proceedings Republicans are unlikely to be the only ones criticizing the plan.

Critics of the Medicare for All Act are even found among Democrats who previously signed on to the idea. Of the Medicare for All Act, Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke said during a campaign stop in Iowa that he was “no longer sure that that’s the fastest way” to get to universal healthcare. He had backed the plan during his unsuccessful Senate bid, but now he’s instead backing a plan known as Medicare for America, which would aim to let people to stay in private insurance if they want to.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., who was a co-sponsor of the previous version of the Medicare for All Act, and does support a public option, explained to the Washington Examiner earlier this month why he would not be signing on this time. “I never have supported it with the idea that it would be the only available insurance,” he said. “It needs to co-exist with [private] insurance. My constituents would rebel if we took away their health insurance, and rightfully so.”

Good morning and welcome to the Washington Examiner’s Daily on Healthcare! This newsletter is written by senior healthcare reporter Kimberly Leonard (@LeonardKL) and healthcare reporter Cassidy Morrison (@CassMorrison94). You can reach us with tips, calendar items, or suggestions at [email protected]. If someone forwarded you this email and you’d like to receive it regularly, you can subscribe here.

NEW MEXICO BUDGET FUNDS STUDY OF MEDICAID BUY-IN: The New Mexico legislature has provided $142,000 to analyze the possibility of creating a Medicaid buy-in that people would be allowed to purchase instead of private insurance. The directive also will allow the state to see how it might go about doing it through using an Obamacare waiver known as 1332, which lets states make changes to their healthcare systems.

FDA APPROVES DRUG TO COMBAT POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: The Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug designed specifically for postpartum depression treatment Tuesday. Zulresso is administered through an IV by a professional and reportedly starts working within days.

TRUMP TAKES CREDIT FOR ACHIEVEMENTS IN OPIOID FIGHT: President Trump boasted Tuesday that his administration has made progress in fighting the opioid epidemic, including reducing the flow of opioids into the U.S. and enacting treatment measures. Leaders of the Government Accountability Crisis, though, say the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has not done enough.

WHO EXPERTS TO ESTABLISH GLOBAL REGISTRY ON HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH: The World Health Organization advisory committee is set to call for establishing a global registry on all research conducted on human DNA editing. They ask that all research grantees register their studies as well. The committee was established in December just after the birth of the twin girls whose genomes were edited by a Chinese scientist.

TWO MORE COMPANIES TARGETED IN E+C ‘JUNK’ INSURANCE INVESTIGATION: Energy and Commerce Democrats have requested information about short-term health insurance plans from two more insurance companies: LifeShield National Insurance Company and Pivot Health. Earlier this month, the committee asked 12 other companies for basic information about the plans, which the Trump administration has backed as an alternative to Obamacare.

ANTI-ABORTION REPUBLICANS ASK APPEALS COURT TO ALLOW STATES TO REDIRECT MEDICAID FUNDS FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, led a group of 76 anti-abortion congressional Republicans in filing an amicus brief to the fifth circuit Court of Appeals asking the full court to reverse a previous ruling and allow states to strip Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood.

MISSISSIPPI CLOSE TO PASSING MOST RESTRICTIVE ABORTION LAW IN US: Only one signature remains, that of Republican Gov. Phil Bryant, to enact a bill outlawing abortion after six weeks in Mississippi. The bill makes an exception for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest. Other states including Florida, Ohio, and Kentucky have recently advanced bills that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Kentucky enacted the ban, but just hours later, a federal judge blocked it.

BETO SAYS THIRD TRIMESTER ABORTION ‘SHOULD BE A DECISION THAT THE WOMAN MAKES’: O’Rourke was asked in Cleveland whether he supports third trimester abortions, in which the fetus would be viable outside of the womb. O’Rourke did not address the root of the question, and instead said: “So, the question is about abortion and reproductive rights. And my answer to you is that that should be a decision that the woman makes about her body. I trust her.”

GOTTLIEB REVEALS MEETING WITH E-CIGARETTE MARKET LEADERS: Outgoing Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb on Tuesday acknowledged a “difficult” meeting with Altria Group and Juul Labs after months of back-and-forth about teen vaping. After promising to crack down on flavored pod marketing, Altria bought a 35 percent share in Juul Labs., prompting a request by Gottlieb for a meeting. He said at the Brookings Institution that he has not seen any changes from Altria after their most recent meeting. “I don’t think there was a specific outcome. Nothing has changed in their view and I don’t see anything from a public health standpoint driving their decision,” Gottlieb said. His last day is April 5.

FDA TAKES ACTION AGAINST HOMEOPATHIC PRODUCTS ADVERTISED AS TREATING CHRONIC PAIN: The FDA issued a warning letter Tuesday to Nutra Pharma for illegally marketing unapproved “homeopathic” products claiming to treat addiction and pain associated with cancer, diabetes, shingles, fibromyalgia and other serious conditions.

“We’re especially focused on those who would exploit Americans harmed by the opioid crisis with the false promise of products that can treat pain or addiction, but that offer no such benefit,” said Gottlieb.

CVS GIVES $1 MILLION FOR TOBACCO-FREE COLLEGES: CVS will give more than $1 million to 82 U.S. colleges and universities to help them advocate for and adopt smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies, and to limit the use of e-cigarettes.

ANOTHER DETAINED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DIES IN TEXAS HOSPITAL: An illegal immigrant detained by border patrol died in El Paso, Texas over the weekend after experiencing flu-like symptoms, liver failure, and renal failure. The 40-year-old Mexican man was the fourth case of a detained immigrant dying in custody since December.

The Rundown

Kaiser Health News Does it make sense to delay children’s vaccines?

Modern Healthcare AbbVie sued over Humira ‘patent thicket’

Stat Amid opioid allegations, plan for major Sackler family gift to London National Portrait Gallery is dropped

The Washington Post God, country and chickenpox: How an outbreak entangled one school in a vaccine showdown

Philadelphia Business Journal FDA decision on Jazz Pharmaceuticals narcolepsy drug expected Wednesday

San Francisco Chronicle ‘We don’t want them in our city’: SF officials seek Juul crackdown

Calendar

WEDNESDAY | March 19

House and Senate in recess all week.

March 18-21. National HIV Prevention conference. Program.

THURSDAY | March 21

10:30 a.m. 1225 I St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center event on “Overcoming Health Care Challenges in Immigrant Communities.” Details.

FRIDAY | March 22

9:30 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy to present analysis on out-of-network billing. Details.

TUESDAY | March 26

10 a.m. 430 Dirksen. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on “Implementing the 21st Century Cures Act: Making Electronic Health Information Available to Patients and Providers.” Details.

10 a.m. 210 Cannon. House Budget Committee hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services budget. Details.

11 a.m. 1225 I St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center event on “Tracking Federal Funding to Combat the Opioid Crisis.” Details.