Obamacare provision gutted | Medicaid terminations begin | Drug shortages hit record

VIEW IN BROWSER | SUBSCRIBE Fri, Mar 31, 2023 EDITOR'S NOTE Think a friend or colleague should be getting this newsletter? Share this link with them to sign up.   A federal judge in Texas this week gutted a key Obamacare provision that forced private insurance to fully cover certain cancer screenings, HIV prevention drugs and other essential healthcare that prevents disease.   Tens of millions of Americans will have to pay some out-of-pocket costs for those services if the judge's ruling survives the scrutiny of higher courts. Working class Americans will be hit the hardest and may forgo essential healthcare because they can't afford it.    Millions of people are also now at risk of losing Medicaid. States can officially start terminating coverage Saturday, as the U.S. winds down an expanded social safety net put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic.    And drug shortages have hit a decade high with supply chain experts calling for more investment in U.S. manufacturing. Meg has that story for us.   In corporate news, Carl Icahn is tearing into Illumina for doubling its CEO's pay despite a dramatic drop in its stock price. Annika has that story us.  Feel free to send any tips, suggestions, story ideas and data to me at spencer.kimball@nbcuni.com. Spencer Kimball | Health Reporter @spencekimball Spencer Kimball | Health Reporter @spencekimball Judge strikes down Obamacare coverage of preventive care for cancer, diabetes, HIV and other conditions A federal judge on Thursday struck down an Obamacare mandate that requires most private health insurance plans to provide free preventive care that includes everything from screenings for certain cancers and diabetes to HIV prevention drugs.   The ruling by Judge Reed O'Connor of the U.S. Northern District Court of Texas applies to medication, screenings and other forms of health care recommended by an independent panel of experts called the Preventive Services Task Force. - Spencer Kimball Millions will start losing Medicaid coverage as Covid safety net is dismantled U.S. states on Saturday will start to kick as many as 15 million people off Medicaid insurance, as an emergency safety net put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic comes to a gradual end.   Although some states will start terminating coverage in April, others are waiting until May, June, July and October before they do so.    States have up to a year to determine whether individuals are still eligible for Medicaid, and 14 months to complete the process of either renewing their coverage or kicking them off, according to HHS guidance documents. - Spencer Kimball Drug shortages reach record high in U.S. From antibiotics to cancer drugs, shortages of mostly old, inexpensive generic medicines have reached a decade high.   Supply chain experts, as well as a new Senate report, call for increased transparency in how and where drugs are made, and more investment in U.S. manufacturing.   Our three-part series also delves into the plight of the generic drug industry, revealing that poison control centers have been left without a key tool to treat a dangerous effect of lead poisoning in children after Akorn Pharmaceuticals filed for bankruptcy last month.   Click here, here and here for the video reports.  - Meg Tirrell Icahn slam's Illumina for nearly doubling its CEO Carl Icahn slammed Illumina for nearly doubling its CEO's pay last year despite a dramatic drop in the DNA sequencing company's market value since closing a controversial deal.   The company's market value has fallen to roughly $35 billion from about $75 billion in August 2021, the month it acquired cancer test developer Grail. - Annika Kim Constantino People taking Novo Nordisk's obesity drugs gain weight after taking medications People taking Novo Nordisk's blockbuster obesity drugs Ozempic or Wegovy will gain weight after they stop taking the medications.   The Danish company addressed reports of rebounds in weight after stopping those prescription medications, which have been widely regarded as "weight loss miracles" in the U.S. - Annika Kim Constantino  Getting creative to solve staffing challenges This week, Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer said the company's pay incentives for pharmacists are starting to pay off. The drugstore chain was able to bring 500 stores back to normal hours. Meantime hospital operators like Trinity Health are using internal travel nurse programs to try to keep nurses and supervisors in their health systems, at a time when contract agencies have offered over $100 an hour. - Bertha Coombs JOIN US REGISTER The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is hosting its 2023 Global Health Conference & Exhibition in Chicago April 17-April 21.   Professionals throughout the global health ecosystem connect in person for the education, innovation and collaboration needed to tap into the power of technology and make connections that bring about better health and wellness for everyone, everywhere. Learn more today! CONTRIBUTORS Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs Meg Tirrell @megtirrell Bertha Coombs @berthacoombs Meg Tirrell @megtirrell Unsubscribe Manage Newsletters Terms of Service Join the CNBC Panel   Digital Products Feedback Privacy Policy CNBC Events   © 2022 CNBC LLC. 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