What Caught Our Eye: House Passes ACA Repeal, Faces Senate Hurdles; Risky Prostate Cancer Treatment; Medical Debt; 'Right to Try'; Rx Pricing - NCCS - National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

What Caught Our Eye (WCOE), May 5, 2017
What Caught Our Eye is our week-in-review blog series, where we recap the cancer policy articles, studies, and stories that caught our attention.

Affordable Care Act

“Here’s What’s in the House-Approved Health Care Bill”

AHCA would:
– make changes to Medicaid
– ax tax penalty for failing to have coverage
Other proposals in the bill: https://t.co/JhithUyhuo

— NPR (@NPR) May 4, 2017

Via NPR — “House Republicans approved their plan to replace the Affordable Care Act on Thursday. Here’s a rundown of key provisions in the American Health Care Act and what would happen if the Senate approves them and the bill becomes law.”

Think you’re not affected by the GOP health bill? Think again https://t.co/tOIy0IvkFA pic.twitter.com/qOIm45sgPu

— STAT (@statnews) May 5, 2017

Via STAT News — “With House Republicans on the verge of passing a long-awaited health care overhaul, the future of US insurance coverage hinges on three words: essential health benefits.”

5 Trump health care promises that won't become reality https://t.co/6zeRY3RfwE via @ddiamond pic.twitter.com/9MZjGSblwH

— POLITICO (@politico) May 1, 2017

Via Politico — “Donald Trump broke the first campaign promise he made about Obamacare when he couldn’t scrap the law on the day he took office.”

Senate Republicans vow big changes for ObamaCare bill https://t.co/Wyl20OJHTD pic.twitter.com/nwl9FBstl3

— The Hill (@thehill) May 5, 2017

Via The Hill — “Senate Republicans plan to dramatically overhaul the House ObamaCare replacement bill that passed Thursday and are warning the process could take weeks.

“The House bill, the American Health Care Act, has raised an array of concerns among Senate Republicans, chiefly among lawmakers from swing states who are opposed to the cap on ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion that would take effect in 2020.”

“Thousands of Men with Prostate Cancer Get Risky Treatment They Don’t Need. New Approaches Could Curb That”

New methods might spare thousands of men unneeded treatment for prostate cancer https://t.co/Dvj1KetSBk pic.twitter.com/m34RNuI9IX

— STAT (@statnews) May 5, 2017

Via STAT News — “They look like glowing jade necklaces of such unearthly brilliance they could be a Ming emperor’s. But if Dr. Gerardo Fernandez is right, the green fluorescent images of prostate cells could be even more valuable, at least to the thousands of men every year who unnecessarily undergo aggressive treatment for prostate cancer.”

“Medical Debt Demystified (What You Owe Isn’t Necessarily What You Owe)”

Medical Debt Demystified (What You Owe Isn't Necessarily What You Owe). New post @forbeshealth @DukeU @dukemargolis https://t.co/bcEGFOOSA4 pic.twitter.com/JIxCgsFeqn

— Peter Ubel (@peterubel) May 5, 2017

Via Forbes.com — “When Lorie Duff was pregnant with her third child, she did what all good moms are supposed to do. She went to the ObGyn clinic for prenatal care. But she fell behind on the clinic payments. She only made about $25,000 a year managing an auto parts store while her husband stayed home with their kids. The out-of-pocket expenses were outpacing her ability to pay.”

Right to Try won’t give patients access to experimental drugs. What will? @arthurcaplan @ABatemanHouse @kellyfolkers https://t.co/4Moe1m51vj

— Health Affairs (@Health_Affairs) May 3, 2017

Via Health Affairs Blog — “Two federal bills, S.204: Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2017, and a companion act in the House (H.R.878), claim to give terminally ill patients the ‘right to try’ experimental drugs outside of a clinical trial. They don’t.”

NEW: Lowering cost of #prescription drugs a top health care priority across parties https://t.co/2nypM3Iqhw pic.twitter.com/mnkPG0a1aF

— KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) (@KFF) May 1, 2017

Via Kaiser Family Foundation — “When asked about a series of health care priorities facing President Trump and Congress, six in 10 Americans (60%) identify lowering the cost of prescription drugs as a ‘top priority’ for President Trump and Congress – including majorities of Democrats, independents, and Republicans.”

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