The record-large measles outbreaks occurring across 22 states continue to grow, with a total of 704 cases through Friday, according to new data released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: U.S. measles outbreaks so far this year have eclipsed all other outbreaks in any year since the virus was declared eradicated in the country in 2000. The total number of cases has been dominated by three outbreaks in particular, including a large outbreak in Washington state, two ongoing outbreaks in New York and an ongoing outbreak in California.
The Trump administration proposed bumping up hospital payments for CAR-T cancer therapy last week, but the question of how to pay for these procedures — which are individualized for each patient — is far from settled.
The big picture: Hospitals don't want to keep losing money over this treatment, and that could affect who gets it. More CAR-T therapies are in the development pipeline, but competition isn't a sure-fire solution given its personalized nature.
Gross prescription drug spending appears to be on the rise. Preliminary data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the amount spent on prescriptions in the first quarter of 2019 increased 7.1% year over year, the highest annualized growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2015.
Yes, but: The data points do not factor in the rebates and discounts that drug manufacturers pass along to industry middlemen. So that higher spending rate doesn't tell the full story, and real spending growth almost certainly is lower.
The Trump administration is about to formally give up on a part of the Affordable Care Act that had largely died on its own.
Driving the news: The Office of Personnel Management intends to stop administering the ACA’s multi-state insurance plans. Axios reviewed a draft of the notification letter OPM is planning to send to congressional leaders.
