Juul, the nation's largest maker of vaping products, announced Thursday it will freeze sales of its popular mint flavor, leaving only menthol and tobacco flavors available, amid looming Trump administration plans to ban all flavors of e-cigarettes, including mint.
Why it matters: Mint accounts for about 70% of Juul’s U.S. sales. Menthol only accounts for about 10%, while tobacco makes up roughly 20%, a person familiar with the matter tells Axios.
The Economist came down hard on Sen. Elizabeth Warren last month, describing her regulatory proposals as "jaw-dropping" and warning of "a severe shock" were her plans to be enacted.
The state of play: Similar sentiment has arrived from Steve Rattner, the manager of Mike Bloomberg's fortune, who says that a "Warren presidency is a terrifying prospect." Billionaires Leon Cooperman and Jamie Dimon have also joined the chorus.
Drug distributor Cardinal Health registered a $5.6 billion pre-tax charge in the third quarter, saying the company "agreed in principle to a global settlement" with states, cities and others to pay that amount over 18 years to resolve the opioid cases.
Why it matters: Cardinal is the first company to set aside billions of dollars in preparation for any national opioids settlement, even though a definitive settlement agreement has not been finalized.
Millennials' health problems are on the rise, with future adverse consequences to both their own finances as well as the U.S. economy, according to a new report by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
What they found: As millennials age, their health is declining faster than Generation X, and they're increasingly suffering from conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, depression and hyperactivity.
Privately insured people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction or mental health conditions pay more out-of-pocket for care and are more likely to see out-of-network providers than people with chronic physical health conditions, according to a new study in JAMA Network Open.
Between the lines: These costs prevent people from receiving care. The study used data from 2012–2017, a time frame during which the opioid epidemic was ravaging communities across the country.
Almost all of the major health insurance companies are spending more on medical care this year than they have in the past.
The big picture: Rising prices and more services for some sicker patients are among the many reasons why this is happening. That uptick in spending has freaked out Wall Street, even though insurers are still quite profitable.
Americans pay the most for health care, by far, out of all developed countries. But we don't have much to show for it in terms of health outcomes or access to care, according to a new OECD report.
Why it matters: As we debate reforms to our health care system, it's worth remembering that the U.S. is an outlier compared to other countries, which have figured out how to get cheaper care without sacrificing quality.
Girls who play soccer are at risk from concussion at nearly the same rate as boys who play football, a new study finds.
By the numbers: Boys who played football had the most concussions — 10 per every 10,000 practices or games — according to the study of 20 sports, published in the journal Pediatrics. Girls who played soccer were next, with concussions occurring in eight per 10,000 instances.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said during the DealBook conference in New York on Wednesday she doesn't believe 2020 candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Medicare for All plan would ever be enacted.
"The smarter approach is to build on what we have; a public option is something I've been in favor of for a very long time. I don't believe we should be in the midst of a big disruption while we are trying to get to 100% coverage and deal with costs."
The big picture: Juul was on the fast rise in recent years — hitting a valuation of $38 billion — until concerns over teen use hit a fever pitch following an epidemic of unexplained illnesses and 37 deaths related to vaping products.
The Trump administration's health care agenda appeared likely to lose one of its closest allies last night as Democrat Andy Beshear declared victory over Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
Driving the news: Beshear has pledged to reverse Kentucky's plan for Medicaid work requirements — which took a backseat to national issues in the campaign, but was nevertheless one of Bevin's most significant policy legacies.
Don Berwick, a physician and former head of Medicare and Medicaid during the Obama administration, wants the country to have a "rational" debate about "Medicare for All" — but says that will require a more rigorous comparison to the status quo.
Juul's mint flavor has become the most popular e-cigarette flavor for teens in 12th and 10th grades and the second most popular in 8th grade, an NIH-funded study published in JAMA shows. A second JAMA study found that mint and menthol's popularity among all e-cigarette brands is also rising.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is expected to move forward this week with a ban on flavored vape products, except for tobacco and menthol flavors, and Juul has already said it will stop selling all flavors except tobacco, mint and menthol.
Public support for Medicare for All might have peaked, but it’s still a powerful idea among many Democrats.
By the numbers: Support for the national health plan rose from around 40% in 2000 to a high of 59% in March of 2018, but had slipped back to 51% by October of this year.
