Saturday's health stories
Graham: "I respectfully disagree" with McCain's position
Sen. Lindsey Graham issued a statement Friday in response to his longtime friend Sen. John McCain's announcement that he won't vote for the Cassidy-Graham health care bill, which likely kills the Senate's last attempt to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act before its Sept. 30 deadline.
Key quotes: "My friendship with John McCain is not based on how he votes but respect for how he's lived his life and the person he is... I respectfully disagree with his position... We press on." Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Cassidy said he is "disappointed" with McCain, but will continue to work on the bill's passage.
Graham's full statement:
"My friendship with John McCain is not based on how he votes but respect for how he's lived his life and the person he is.I respectfully disagree with his position not to proceed forward on Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson. I know Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson is the best chance to repeal and replace Obamacare.Obamacare is collapsing in Arizona, South Carolina, and across the nation - driving up premiums and reducing choices. I feel an obligation to fix this disaster and intend to push forward for state-centric health care versus Washington-knows-best health care.I'm completely convinced taking money and power out of Washington and returning it to states to administer health care is the best way to replace a collapsing Obamacare system. I'm excited about solutions we have found in Graham-Cassidy-Heller-Johnson. We press on."
Sen. Bill Cassidy's full statement:
"I am disappointed that Senator John McCain is not voting to repeal and replace Obamacare. But, as long as there are families being penalized because they can't afford insurance costing $30,000 to $40,000 a year, I will continue to work for those families."
AbbVie believes political risks of drug pricing are "waning"
President Trump and left-leaning lawmakers have excoriated pharmaceutical companies for the rising prices of prescription drugs. But top executives of drug giant AbbVie, including CEO Richard Gonzalez, think the outrage is fading and won't lead to any large-scale changes, according to a meeting AbbVie held with pharmaceutical analysts from investment bank Leerink Partners.
Key quote, from the Leerink report: "AbbVie believes that the intensity of the drug pricing debates and political risks is waning, and ... the company now sees little risk of significant changes in drug price regulation in the U.S., at least for the foreseeable future."