The odds are against a simple ACA stabilization bill

Why Alexander doesn’t feel better about the markets

Price's rule would boost payments for medical equipment

What happens to privacy rules in a hurricane

Pacemakers are now less likely to get hacked

Why physicians aren’t ready for Medicare payment changes

Good morning ... There's nothing easy about putting together a simple Affordable Care Act stabilization bill, as Sens. Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray are about to find out. And it looks like there's a pay boost in the works for medical equipment suppliers.

Looking for more options to help the Hurricane Harvey recovery? Here's a great list by the Texas Tribune.

What we're watching this week: Govs. John Kasich and John Hickenlooper release ACA stabilization plan. Expected late in the week.

What we're watching next week: Senate HELP Committee hearings on bipartisan ACA stabilization bill, Sept. 6 and 7; markup of Senate funding bill for HHS, dates TBD.

What we're watching in September: Senate Finance Committee hearing on CHIP reauthorization. Also, Healthcare Security Forum, sponsored by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Sept. 11-13.

The hotline is still open for tips and feedback: david@axios.com.

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Axios Vitals

Lessons for the next act on health care

How Alexander and Murray will get senators on board

About those HHS advertising cuts...

The looming Tar Heel health care giant

The Kasich-Hickenlooper tradeoff

Medigap changes are coming

Thanks for reading!

Happy Friday, and this is it — my last issue of Vitals! But not to worry. I'm passing the torch to Sam Baker next week (after the holiday weekend on Tuesday), and you will be lucky to have him in your inbox every morning because he will make Vitals better, smarter, and faster.

Thanks to all of your for your time and attention, and please encourage all of your friends to sign up as Sam reboots the franchise. I'll start a broader role at Axios next week, so keep in touch and let me know what we can do better: david@axios.com.

What we're watching next week: Senate HELP Committee hearings on bipartisan ACA stabilization bill, Sept. 6 (insurance commissioners) and Sept. 7 (governors). 2017 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference in Boston, Sept. 6-7; Senate Finance Committee hearing on CHIP reauthorization, Sept. 7; markup of Senate funding bill for HHS, dates TBD.

Also, Kasich and Hickenlooper discuss their ACA proposal at a joint American Enterprise Institute-Center for American Progress event, Sept. 8. RSVP here.

What we're watching in two weeks: Senate HELP Committee hearings on bipartisan ACA stabilization bill, Sept. 12 and 14. Also, Healthcare Security Forum, sponsored by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, Sept. 11-13.

The cancer drug pricing firestorm

What Tennessee’s insurance commissioner wants

How to keep ACA stabilization narrow

Maine governor wants to call Medicaid expansion “welfare"

Medicare’s hospital data dump

Good morning ... Quick reminder that the Sam Baker era of Vitals begins next week. I'll hand off to him after Labor Day, and he'll guide you through the next big stories in health care politics, business, and technology. I'll still pop up from time to time, probably in flashbacks or maybe a dream sequence.

What we're watching today: Govs. John Kasich and John Hickenlooper are expected to release their ACA stabilization plan.

What we're watching next week: Senate HELP Committee hearings on bipartisan ACA stabilization bill, Sept. 6 and 7; 2017 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference in Boston, Sept. 6-7; markup of Senate funding bill for HHS, dates TBD.

Let me know what we missed: david@axios.com.

No “bare counties” doesn’t mean no problems

Here’s why pharmaceutical advertising is skyrocketing

Uninsured rate falls — just a bit

Gilead’s expanding portfolio of expensive drugs

How Harvey will affect health care providers

Drug price lawsuit against CVS is dropped

Good morning, and let's start with a bit of news: It's my last week writing Vitals! Starting next week, Sam Baker will be your host. He's got that rare ability to make you smarter about health care, even the wonkiest parts, while keeping it quick, easy and fun. Vitals 2.0 will be way better, so now's the time to get all of your friends to sign up.

And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'll still be editing and contributing to Vitals — while taking a broader role to work across all areas of Axios coverage. So with that, here's the health care news you need to know.

What did we miss? Lemme know: david@axios.com.

What could happen next on ACA taxes

Pharma leads profitable second quarter for health care

Why narrow networks matter in hurricanes...

...and why employers want more of them

While we were week-offing...

Good morning ... Vitals is back, and I wish we were coming back to better news. Hoping my Texas friends are safe and dry, and with power. If you're looking for ways to help, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and city leaders say the American Red Cross is your best bet: www.redcross.org, or 1-800-RED-CROSS. (You can make a $10 donation by texting HARVEY to 90999.)

Meantime, we've got a look at why a delay in Affordable Care Act taxes is considered a must-do by industry lobbying groups, and yet there's no clear path forward.

Let me know what else is at the top of your post-Labor Day health care list: david@axios.com.

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