More than 2,200 people have been quarantined as a result of exposure to mumps at 2 immigration detention centers in Colorado and Louisiana, according to the AP.
Why it matters: Mumps, a viral disease, can spread through coughing, sneezing or talking, which can be exacerbated in close quarters. But the incidence of mumps has declined by 99% since the 1960s when vaccinations were first publicly available, per the CDC. A 2016 outbreak at an immigration detention center ballooned into a statewide outbreak when some employees refused to be vaccinated.
All employers that sign contracts with UnitedHealthcare and OptumRx in 2020 and thereafter will see negotiated drug rebates passed through to the point of sale when their workers pick up their prescriptions, the companies said Tuesday.
The big picture: This builds on UnitedHealth's more limited drug rebate shift from last year, and appears to be a reaction to the Trump administration threatening to ban rebates between drug companies and PBMs in federal health care programs. It's unclear whether UnitedHealth would also charge employers higher fees or raise premiums.
Democrats are already giddy over the opportunity to criticize Trump's budget for cutting more than $800 billion from Medicare.
Reality check: Yes, the budget proposes reducing Medicare spending by more than $800 billion over a decade. But these are not reductions in seniors' benefits. They are (theoretical) cuts in Medicare's payments to health care providers, mainly hospitals.
About half the veterans who get their care through the VA are also eligible for Medicare's drug benefit — and they're more likely to overdose on prescription opioids than patients who use either the VA or Medicare alone, according to a new study published today in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Why it matters: We obviously would prefer to have as few veterans as possible die from overdoses, and these findings are also a good reminder that care fragmentation is an issue throughout the system. The study "underscores the importance of care coordination across health care systems to improve opioid prescribing safety," its authors wrote.
Johnson & Johnson was the "kingpin" that fueled the country's opioid crisis, serving as a top supplier, seller and lobbyist, according to a state official leading the legal fight against the companies that helped create the crisis.
Why it matters: Purdue Pharma, which makes OxyContin, has been the main target so far in lawsuits. But court documents show attorneys general also are trying to cast a wider net, drawing more attention to J&J's role in the global opioid market.
A diverse and growing coalition is pushing Congress to raise the federal age limit for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21. It's even attracting some industry support, potentially as a way to help avoid a regulatory crackdown on e-cigarettes.
The big picture: Seven states and nearly 450 cities have already raised their smoking age. The change is gaining more steam in Congress partly due to the rise of youth vaping and FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb's aggressive response to that trend.
Health Care Service Corp. didn't pay a dime in federal taxes in 2018, according to its latest financial report. Instead, the health insurance conglomerate received a $1.7 billion tax refund, which swelled the company's net profit to $4.1 billion.
The big picture: As Axios reported last year, the Blue Cross Blue Shield companies were on track to retain huge sums of money in 2018 due to the Republican tax overhaul and the growing profitability of their health plans. HCSC was among the biggest winners.
