Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Insulin Cap Legislation Gaining Momentum Among Some GOP Senators
A group of Senate Republicans wants to ensure private insurance patients with diabetes don’t have to pay more than $35 a month for insulin. The move is a major shift for a party that’s long viewed price controls as anathema to free markets. And it’s the latest sign that GOP lawmakers are trying to address affordability issues ahead of the midterms. (King and Lim, 6/24)
Two senators are renewing their push to greatly expand access to methadone treatment for opioid addiction. On Thursday, Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are introducing an updated version of legislation that would allow doctors who hold board certifications in addiction medicine to prescribe methadone directly to patients for pickup at a pharmacy. (Facher, 6/25)
A conservative congressman has included a provision in the U.S. House version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that calls on all services to expand waivers for military enlistees who test positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive component found in cannabis. (Mordowanec, 6/24)
In his first two years on the job, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has become a polarizing figure on Capitol Hill, largely because of his vaccine skepticism and distrust of the status quo. But one of his quieter pushes — ending animal testing in medical research — has earned him accolades among some Democrats and Republicans alike. (Cohen, 6/24)
The minimum wage would be raised to $25 an hour under a new bill to be introduced by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) on Thursday, in a bid to enthuse the working-class voters who have abandoned the Democratic Party. The legislation, dubbed the Living Wage for All Act, has a companion bill already introduced in the House. (Choi and Beggin, 6/24)
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Aides had said that Mr. Kean, 57, was being treated for a health condition and was expected to fully recover, but had offered no additional details as their boss missed more than 100 floor votes since the middle of March. (Tully, 6/24)
