What Caught Our Eye: Idaho Allows Insurers to Ignore ACA Rules; Op-ed: Right to Try a ‘Disaster in the Making’; Financial Toxicity; and More

“Obamacare will survive as Republicans give up on repeal”

https://twitter.com/dylanlscott/status/959121990710956033

By Dylan Scott, Vox.com — The Affordable Care Act is going to survive. The 2010 health care law has slowly but surely moved out of the line of fire. President Trump barely mentioned it in his State of the Union address Tuesday night. At their annual retreat this week in West Virginia, top Republicans signaled that the repeal dream is likely over.
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“Idaho ‘Pushing Envelope’ With Health Insurance Plan. Can It Do That?”

"Crazypants illegal" or "following requirements"? @KHNews looks at Idaho's move to allow insurers to ignore some ACA rules. https://t.co/vB0JHpBtzZ

— Julie Appleby (@Julie_appleby) January 30, 2018

By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News — For the past year, the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have led a charge to roll back the Affordable Care Act, signaling an openness to state changes.

Now, Idaho has jumped in, saying it will allow insurers to ignore some ACA rules on plans not sold on the marketplace, aiming to make these state-based plans less costly. Several of the changes are viewed by the law’s supporters as hits to its core consumer protections.
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“Opinion: I’m the ideal person to support right to try. But I can’t — it’s a disaster in the making”

Opinion: We don't need a new right-to-try law with iffy, or nonexistent, financial, legal and medical protection for patients. We already have one that works. https://t.co/ASbjfUv5k8

— STAT (@statnews) February 2, 2018

By Michael Becker, Stat News — We already have a right to try, one that offers greater protection for the already vulnerable individuals who will use it than the new law the president promoted in his State of the Union address. The federal Right to Try Act isn’t a boon for patient rights. In fact, it could dismantle the very safety system that currently protects us — and that would be a disaster.
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“Trump Pledges To Lower Drug Costs — Can We Do It?”

Full show: We talk about the President's ideas for bringing down drug costs — and whether they'll work. https://t.co/FY0166Oaxj

— On Point (@OnPointRadio) February 1, 2018

OnPoint from WBUR — President Trump says in his State of the Union that going after the high cost of prescription drugs is a top priority. Politicians have promised for years to bring them down. We’ll examine his medical checklist, and the prospects for fixing an intractable problem.
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“Editorial: Price of Cancer Care and Its Tax on Quality of Life”

Price of Cancer Care and Its Tax on Quality of Life. Editorial in Journal of Oncology Practice @ASCO, George Tran and Duke's Syed Yousuf Zafar @yzafar argue that the financial burden of cancer care seriously impacts many patients' quality of life. https://t.co/5fBBsEWvhJ pic.twitter.com/h1F2vVKSaJ

— Mary E. Klotman (@MaryEKlotman) January 30, 2018

By George Tran and Yousuf Zafar — As drug costs continue to rise and as patients are increasingly expected to shoulder the burden, we must find novel ways to mitigate this issue to provide patients with the best possible disease outcome. Until we find long-term policy solutions that reduce drug prices and improve insurance design, the solution lies in the patient-physician relationship.
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“Chemotherapy, a Trusty Weapon Against Cancer, Falls Out of Favor”

‘Chemotherapy has saved many, many lives’—so why are some doctors prescribing it less? https://t.co/h7oVK7r08j via @WSJ

— Tom Burton (@TomBurtonWSJ) January 29, 2018

By Lucette Lagnado, Wall Street Journal — “The medical community has underestimated the side-effects and impact on a woman’s life. … We may be able to do less without compromising outcomes.” – Dr. Eric Winer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
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“Breast cancer treatments can raise risk of heart disease, American Heart Association warns”

Breast cancer treatments are saving more lives than ever —but can raise the risk of heart disease. My story. https://t.co/Pk4mU5lxX2

— Laurie McGinley (@lauriemcginley2) February 1, 2018

By Laurie McGinley, Washington Post — “We want to make sure they get the best treatment for breast cancer — survival is the goal,” she said. “But it’s important for people to know that the heart needs to be taken care of before, during and after treatment.” – Dr. Lakshmi Mehta, Ohio State University
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