🩺 Axios Vitals: Going public

Plus, a new reason to care about your inner clock | Friday, June 24, 2022

Open in app View in browser   Presented By PhRMA   Axios Vitals By Tina Reed · Jun 24, 2022 Good morning, Vitals readers. Today's newsletter is 862 words or a 3-minute read.     1 big thing: Public option gets new life — with a twist Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios   Colorado is reviving an old progressive health care goal with a new twist, creating a public health insurance option that could be a model for other states trying to expand affordable coverage as they move past the pandemic, Axios' Arielle Dreher writes. Why it matters: Using flexibilities the Biden administration granted on Thursday via a federal waiver, the state is trying to prove a government-run health plan can attract more consumers and save money while avoiding the political pitfalls associated with single-payer systems. With the approval of Colorado's waiver, CMS signaled its willingness to work with states on getting creative with health care coverage. It's reviewing waiver applications or renewals from six states. Flashback: Previously, Washington was the only state to implement a public option health insurance program back in 2019 but did not seek a CMS waiver to start it. The program encountered challenges in its initial startup from insurance companies not playing ball to lagging hospital participation. Driving the news: Colorado is trying to avoid some of those pitfalls. The big difference is that Colorado is requiring private insurers who sell coverage on its Affordable Care Act exchange to also offer a public option for both individual and small-group markets. "That means everyone essentially will have a Colorado option which makes their presence more significant," Krutika Amin, associate director of the ACA program at Kaiser Family Foundation, told Axios. The bottom line: It's still early to draw broad conclusions, Nevada, Oregon and Connecticut, among others, are weighing what public option plans could look like in their states. Go deeper.     2. The fight over tobacco heats up Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images   The FDA's decision to order Juul e-cigarette products off the U.S. market opens a new and grinding battle in the push to revamp the government's rules for smoking and vaping, Axios' Adriel Bettelheim writes. The big picture: With parallel efforts to cap nicotine in cigarettes and ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, the Biden administration is pursuing a broad tobacco agenda not seen since the Clinton administration. Yes, but: It could be a drawn-out and costly fight. Hours after the FDA issued its marketing denial order on Thursday, Juul said it would seek a stay and was exploring a possible appeal. The tobacco lobby, e-cigarette makers and libertarian-leaning groups are digging in, portraying e-cigarettes as an effective cessation tool to wean adult smokers off cigarettes. "The agency is hellbent on rigging the process to fulfill its prohibitionist agenda," said Amanda Wheeler, president of the American Vapor Manufacturers Association. The road ahead: The FDA has authorized 23 e-cigarette products and continues to work through a slew of pending applications. These include numerous bottled vaping liquids sold to adults in different flavors and nicotine strengths, per the Washington Post. The agency has rejected applications for close to 1 million products. Read the rest.     3. Meningococcal disease outbreak seen in Fla. The CDC issued a warning Thursday about "one of the worst outbreaks" of meningococcal disease in U.S. history, among gay and bisexual men in Florida. Driving the news: The outbreak has resulted in at least 26 cases and seven deaths, the CDC reports. Specifically, the CDC is recommending gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men get a meningococcal vaccine if they live in Florida, or talk with their healthcare provider about getting vaccinated if they are traveling there. Health officials emphasized the importance of routine vaccination for those living with HIV. What they are saying: "Getting vaccinated against meningococcal disease is the best way to prevent this serious illness, which can quickly become deadly," said José Romero, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. Details: Meningococcal disease can affect anyone, officials said. Symptoms of the infection, which can appear suddenly, include high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting or a dark purple rash. Generally, it takes close contact or being near someone coughing to spread the bacteria, officials said.     A message from PhRMA Insured Americans face barriers to care     Nearly half of insured Americans who take prescription medicines encounter barriers that delay or limit their access to medicines. Learn more about the abusive insurance practices that can stand between patients and the care they need in PhRMA's new report.     4. Quote du jour: Dr. Phil heads to Cap Hill Phil McGraw. Photo: Terence Patrick/CBS via Getty Images   "There needs to be a task force that recognizes we have a generation in trouble here." — TV personality Phil McGraw in an interview with Axios on Thursday on how to address the youth mental health crisis in the wake of the pandemic. He was in D.C. visiting members of Congress on the issue.     5. Your body's clock impacts your immune system Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios   The body's internal clock affects the immune system in ways scientists in the burgeoning field of circadian immunology are beginning to unwind, Axios' Alison Snyder reports. For instance, studies suggest the time of day that a vaccine is given can change the immune system's response to it. What they're saying: The circadian clock "synchronizes the whole body to the outside world but we don't know exactly how an immune cell sees it," says Christoph Scheiermann, an immunologist at the University of Geneva and a co-author of a recent review about the circadian immune system. The bottom line: Leveraging the circadian clock's effects on the immune system could help to improve the effectiveness of some treatments for a range of diseases and conditions, a new book and scientific review suggest. Go deeper.     6. Dog of the week Trumpet. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images   Meet Trumpet, a so-called "goofball" who just became the first bloodhound ever to win Best in Show at the 146th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York. (We couldn't resist. Look at those ears!) See Trumpet's big win here.     A message from PhRMA Voters want Congress to address health insurance     A decisive majority of Americans (86%) agree Congress should crack down on abusive health insurance practices impacting patients' access to care. Why it's important: Greater transparency and accountability within the current health insurance system. Read more in new poll.   Like this email style and format? It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. 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