Jurisdictional infighting and intense lobbying from industry ultimately scuttled Congress' efforts to deal with surprise medical bills this year.
Why it matters: Surprise bills were about as close to a slam-dunk as Congress gets in health policy, and lawmakers' failure to get such an easy thing across the finish line doesn't bode well for other, harder priorities.
Even if the Trump administration is able to implement its latest plan to let people import prescription drugs from Canada, it probably won't make much of a difference, experts say.
Between the lines: Canada doesn't have nearly enough drugs to meet American demand, and even if it did, it doesn't want to send them to us at the expense of its own market.
The Affordable Care Act’s fate will still be up for grabs in the courts well after the 2020 election, thanks to a decision last night from a panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Driving the news: In a 2-1 ruling, the panel said the ACA’s individual mandate is unconstitutional. But the court declined to say how much of the rest of the law should fall along with it, instead punting that question back to a lower court to reconsider.
A U.S. Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled that the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate is unconstitutional, but ordered a lower court to take a fresh look at how much of the rest of the law should fall along with it.
What's next: This decision will likely keep the ACA's protections for pre-existing conditions in legal limbo well past the 2020 election.
A new AARP survey by the Harris Poll examined what's driving women 50 and older ahead of next year's elections and found health care on top. The survey also found that older women’s concerns about Trump are eroding, but not upending, his support with Republicans and independents.
Why it matters: As the House of Representatives prepares to impeach the president, the priorities for this group of high-propensity voters are closer to home and different from what their male counterparts care most about.
Drug use among teenagers is dropping, according to new federal statistics published in JAMA on Wednesday. Fewer teens are abusing prescription drugs, alcohol and cigarettes.
Between the lines: Marijuana use is steady overall, but has shifted from smoking to vaping — and vaping THC products can be dangerous.
Five Bay Area school districts filed separate lawsuits against Juul Labs in San Francisco's federal district court Tuesday, alleging the e-cigarette maker has been targeting minors.
Why it matters: It's the latest litigation against Juul to make such allegations. New York filed a lawsuit last month accusing it of preying on and misleading teenagers with its ads and for failing to warn about potential health risks associated with using its products.
