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What We're Reading: New Medicare for All Bill; Medicaid Work Requirement Appeal; PrEP Royalties
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Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, has reintroduced a Medicare for All bill while other Democrats eye an alternative; the Trump administration is appealing a federal judge's decision to toss out Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas; AIDS activists are pushing CDC to force Gilead to give the agency royalties for Truvada.
Sanders Introduces Medicare for All Bill as Other Dems Back Alternative
Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, who originally introduced his Medicare for All bill in 2016, has reintroduced the legislation, according to Kaiser Health News. While the bill would still create a national single-payer health system with expanded benefits, bar commercial plans from competing with Medicare, and eliminate cost sharing, new revisions to the current bill would also establish a universal provision for long-term care in home and community settings. At the same time, some Democrats are backing a more incremental approach: “Medicare for America” would guarantee universal coverage but leave job-based insurance available for those who want it. The plan would also still require beneficiaries pay some out-of-pocket costs.
Trump Administration Appeals Medicaid Work Requirement Ruling
Two weeks after a federal judge tossed out Medicaid work requirements in Kentucky and Arkansas, the Trump administration is appealing the ruling, reported the Associated Press. While the Trump administration has argued that work requirements promotes health, US District Judge James Boasberg ruled that the administration’s approval of work requirements implemented numerous obstacles for poor people trying to get healthcare and that federal and state officials failed to evaluate or resolve these challenges adequately.
AIDS Activists Frustrated With CDC Over Truvada Royalties
With increased focused being put on HIV prevention as the country aims toward ending the HIV epidemic, AIDS activists are calling on CDC to reach a deal with Gilead Sciences over its pre-exposure prophylaxis pill, Truvada, which generated $3 billion last year. Activists are arguing that because tax money funded some of the research, CDC should collect royalties from Gilead that could be leveraged to expand access to the pill. According to STAT News, CDC is collecting a small royalty from Mylan for its generic version of the pill, which is sold in Europe, as well as Australia.
