Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged Monday that Congress' next steps on healthcare are unclear after Republicans failed to repeal Obamacare.
Here's what else is happening in the health news universe...
- Expounding on the future path of America's healthcare, McConnell said that next steps are "murky" and admitted that the GOP experienced a "setback on the effort to make dramatic changes on Obamacare." He added that lawmakers were going to see what negotiations can be made between Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray, the top two members of the Senate's healthcare committee. These conversations will be aimed at stabilizing the individual health insurance market.
- 50,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina customers will have to switch to ACA plans in 2018. Blue Cross NC released a statement on its website explaining that its customers who currently have coverage via a grandfathered plan will need to transition effective January 1, 2018. Rates for these customers will rise, though Blue Cross said it was a tough decision. It noted that as the "number of customers continues to dwindle, the cost to continue to offer the(se) plan(s) becomes disproportionate."
- High blood pressure in teens and children is on the rise. At least 2 million American children and teenagers currently suffer from hypertension. High blood pressure is now ranked as one of the top five chronic diseases for children and adults.
- And lastly, in what may be the largest award so far in a lawsuit tying ovarian cancer to talcum powder, one woman won $417 million from Johnson & Johnson after she claimed using the powder on her perineum for decades is what primarily caused her cancer. Many women sprinkle baby powder on their inner thighs to prevent chafing, or use it on their perineum, sanitary pads or underwear for its drying and freshening effects but several studies have linked the practice to ovarian cancer. However, since correlation does not imply causation, the National Cancer Institute has maintained that "it is not clear" if talcum powder increases ovarian cancer risks or not.
What do you think about all of this? What do you think our government should do next when it comes to healthcare? If you're a woman, will you stop using talcum powder? Weigh in on Facebook or share your thoughts here in the comments.
