Trending News Today: CVS, Aetna Merger Moving Forward in 2018

Early this morning, the House approved budget legislation that will reopen the government and greatly affect health care, according to The New York Times. Under the deal, an advisory board that controls Medicare spending will be repealed and community health centers will gain funding, according to the article. The Medicare panel was implemented under the Affordable Care Act with a goal of addressing the rising costs of the program, the Times reported.

CVS Health still expects to acquire Aetna in the second half of 2018, despite antitrust regulators requesting more information about the merger, Reuters reported. The $69 billion deal is expected to have a significant impact on health care. A shareholder meeting would be held in March to vote on the acquisition, according to the article.

The influenza virus has been evading vaccines, which has resulted in a high burden of hospitalization and mortality. Manufacturers have developed new, promising flu drugs that will be available in the United States next winter, according to Bloomberg. These drugs will provide more treatment options for the hundreds of thousands of patients affected by seasonal and pandemic flu, according to the article.