POLICY
Senate parliamentarian strikes down Medicaid measures
The Medicaid drama continued Thursday after the Senate parliamentarian removed several major health care measures in Republicans' tax bill, including Medicaid changes that the GOP needed to help pay for President Trump's tax cuts.
The parliamentarian's decision could lead lawmakers to look elsewhere for new savings, but the decision could further the infighting that potential Medicaid cuts have incurred among Republican lawmakers. Trump's July 4 deadline to pass the bill may also be in jeopardy.
The parliamentarian rejected a contentious provision restricting provider taxes, which states use to increase federal funding to their Medicaid programs, as well as several measures related to gender-affirming care and health care for immigrants. Read more from STAT's John Wilkerson and Daniel Payne.
AUTISM
A tumultuous month for autism researchers
It's deadline day for autism researchers to submit a research proposal to the Autism Data Science Initiative at the NIH. The skepticism that potential applicants expressed two weeks ago is mostly unresolved, though agency officials have contacted potential peer reviewers.
Worries over the data agreements or how the agency will control research conclusions haven't stopped researchers from throwing their hat into the ring, however. One source I spoke with suggested there have been at least 100 applicants vying for a slice of the $50 million pot.
One potential reason? It's unclear if or when additional public funding will emerge. Earlier this summer, Hannah Morton submitted an application to study autism with a Health Resources and Services Administration grant earlier this summer. The award is supposed to start July 1, but the University of North Carolina psychiatry professor is still waiting to hear back.
The uncertain future of federal autism research and the tumultuous early days for this initiative are affecting potential applicants. "It's not being done in as thoughtful of a way as it could or should be because we just don't have time to do it," Morton said.
RESEARCH
Black, Hispanic patients less likely to receive key addiction medications
When it comes to opioid addiction care, Black and Hispanic patients are still being left outside the pharmacy door. A new study in JAMA Network Open finds they're "significantly less likely" than white patients to receive buprenorphine or naltrexone — two of the most commonly prescribed medications for opioid use disorder.
Within 180 days of a nonfatal overdose or substance-related infection, Black patients were 17.1% less likely and Hispanic patients 16.2% less likely to receive either drug. The study adds to a growing body of evidence that addiction treatment in the United States is shaped by race. But it's the first to analyze data across multiple payers: Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and commercial insurance.
The study confirms what advocates have long warned: Treatments are expanding, but at a far from equal pace. Read more from STAT's Lev Facher on how race still shapes addiction care — and why more treatment doesn't mean equal access. — Neha Gopal
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