Overnight Health Care — Presented by Better Medicare Alliance — More than 800 cases of vaping illnesses reported to CDC | House panel asks e-cigarette companies to stop advertising | Senate Dems to force vote on Trump health care rule
Welcome to Thursday’s Overnight Health Care.
The number of deaths from the vaping illness is growing and a House panel wants e-cigarette makers to stop advertising. Also, Senate Dems are forcing a vote on Trump’s ObamaCare “sabotage,” and Tom Price is trying to make a comeback.
More than 800 cases of vaping illnesses reported to CDC
More than 800 cases of a vaping-related lung illnesses, including 12 deaths, have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said 805 cases were reported by 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands as of Tuesday.
That is an increase of 275 reports since last week.
The CDC is still investigating the illnesses and hasn’t released any more information about the causes.
Context: Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, told Congress this week it hasn’t ruled out any products or substances that could be causing the illnesses. She also said she expected more illnesses and deaths to be reported.
Most patients have reported vaping THC, but Schuchat noted this week that it may not be THC or nicotine causing the illnesses, but other additives that are mixed into vaping liquid and inhaled.
The Food and Drug Administration and state health departments have found vitamin E acetate in the THC vaping products.
However, the FDA says it doesn’t have enough data to conclude that vitamin E acetate is the cause of the illnesses.
Read more on the CDC’s latest numbers here.
House panel asks e-cigarette companies to cease advertising
A House panel is calling on e-cigarette manufacturers to cease all television, radio, print and digital advertising in the United States, in the wake of an unprecedented spike in youth vaping.
The request from Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), chairman of the House Oversight and Reform economic and consumer policy subcommittee, comes after market-leader Juul announced it would cease all advertising, effective immediately.
“I am writing today to respectfully, but strongly, request your company to do the same,” Krishnamoorthi wrote in letters sent Wednesday to Fontem Ventures, Japan Tobacco International Inc. (JTI), Reynolds American Inc. and NJOY LLC.
“The American people should not serve as guinea pigs for the e-cigarette and vaping industry or be subject to their misleading marketing and advertising,” Krishnamoorthi wrote.
Companies object: In comments to The Hill, most of the companies said they agreed vaping products should not be used by underage teens, but did not commit to stopping their ads.
A spokesperson for JTI, which manufactures Logic brand vapes, made it a point to say that Krishnamoorthi seems much more focused on Juul “which in no way is reflective of our own strict marketing principles.”
Flashback: Krishnamoorthi launched an investigation of Juul over the summer, and has now held two hearings about the company specifically, and one about the dangers of vaping generally.
Tom Price making a comeback?
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price wants to be the next senator from Georgia, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Gov. Brian Kemp (R) is accepting applications for who will fill the remainder of retiring Sen. Johnny Isakson’s term, and Price has thrown his hat in the ring.
Price has been advising Kemp on health care, and was a member of the governor’s transition team.
Whoever is chosen would have to run for election in 2020 if they wanted to keep the seat.
The last time we saw Price was in 2017, when the former six-term congressman resigned from HHS after Politico uncovered his use of private jets for official business.
Price took 20 trips that violated federal requirements, and it’s not clear if the federal government has recouped the more than $300,000 the HHS inspector general recommended the agency collect.
Democrats to force vote on Trump health care rule
Senate Democrats are taking another opportunity to put Republicans on record on pre-existing conditions.
The petition filed this week by Democrats, led by Sen. Mark Warner (Va.), paves the way for a recorded vote on whether to roll back a rule that makes it easier for insurance plans to qualify for waivers from ObamaCare’s requirements.
Democrats are able to force a vote on the Trump administration guidance under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Under the CRA they have to force a vote by Nov. 12.
The politics: Because the waivers can let states boost insurance plans that don’t have to cover pre-existing conditions, Democrats are using the vote as an opportunity to return to highlighting one of their favorite attacks on Republicans.
What we’re reading
Political tensions escalate as drug pricing bills move forward (Roll Call)
Health care from Sam’s Club: Walmart-owned store to offer dental care, prescriptions (Associated Press)
Uber and Lyft ride-sharing services hitch onto Medicaid (Kaiser Health News)
Why flavored vaping products are this era’s Big Tobacco menthol cigarettes (Los Angeles Times)
State by state
In California, a ‘surprise’ billing law is protecting patients and angering doctors (The New York Times)
First vaping-related death in Mississippi is ‘one too many,’ state health official says (Sun Herald)
4th Eastern equine encephalitis death confirmed in Massachusetts as total cases grow to 11, officials say (Boston.com)
From The Hill’s opinion page:
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