Senate Votes Down First Health Bill Option
After narrowly voting in favor of the motion to proceed (Vice President Mike Pence had to cast the tie-breaking vote), Senate Republicans went on to vote down the first option for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). According to The Washington Post, the Senate’s health bill was defeated 43-57 with 9 GOP senators defecting. The bill needed to pass with 60 votes since provisions in it made it ineligible to be passed through budget reconciliation, which only requires 50 votes, so leadership did not expect it to pass. The Senate will now take up a bill that repeals the ACA, but delays the effects for 2 years.
Support for Paid Parental Leave Grows
The United States does not guarantee paid leave to care for a new child, a sick family member, or the worker’s own health condition, but there may be bipartisan work to change that. The Trump administration called out paid leave for new parents in its 2018 budget, and Republicans and Democrats have both introduced bills that would allow for paid family leave, reported Kaiser Health News. The Democrats reintroduced a 2013 bill providing up to 60 days leave and 66% of regular wages up to $1000 a week. Republicans propose providing a tax credit to employers offering at least 2 weeks of paid family or medical leave.
Celgene Settles Fraud Lawsuit
Celgene will pay $280 million over claims it marketed 2 cancer drugs, Thalomid and Revlimid, for unapproved uses. The New York Times reported that Celgene will pay $259.3 million of the settlement to the federal government and $20.7 million to 28 states and the District of Columbia. In 2006, Thalomid was approved to treat multiple myeloma, but for years before that, Celgene was marketing it to treat cancer, even though it was approved in 1998 to treat patients with a complication of leprosy.
What We’re Reading: Abortion Privacy Rules; Alzheimer Drug Hurdles; Nursing Home Staffing Overhaul
April 23rd 2024New health privacy rules aim to protect patients and providers in an evolving abortion landscape; some physicians express concerns about efficacy, risks, and entrenched beliefs in treating Alzheimer disease; CMS addresses longstanding staffing deficits in nursing homes.
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Empowering Community Health Through Wellness and Faith
April 23rd 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. In the third episode, Camille Clarke-Smith, EdD, MS, CHES, CPT, discusses approaching community health holistically through spiritual and community engagement.
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Survey Results Reveal Potential Factors Slowing the Decline in Cardiovascular Mortality Rate
April 23rd 2024Research indicated that worsened glycemic, blood pressure, and obesity control, as well as increased alcohol consumption, leveled lipid control, and persistent socioeconomic disparities may have contributed to the decelerated cardiovascular mortality decline in recent years.
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Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
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