Trending News Today: US Insurer Lobby Group Warns Against Removing ACA Provisions

Republican and Democratic members on the House Energy and Commerce Committee questioned whether the FDA’s criminal investigators are effective at blocking the flow of illegal drugs into the United States, Reuters reported. According to the article, the lawmakers are concerned about whether the agency is prioritizing its resources to pursue cases involving opioids and drugs such as Kratom. The committee is asking the FDA to provide statistical data about the cases being generated through the port of entry initiative and its prosecution track record by June 22, the article reported.

America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade association that represents US health insurers, said that removing certain provisions tied to the Affordable Care Act could hurt consumer protections and potentially harm millions of Americans, Reuters reported. According to the article, the comment came a day after the US Justice Department called Obamacare’s individual mandate unconstitutional and stated that 2 major provisions of the legislation linked to the individual mandate are nullified. AHIP responded by saying that removing consumer friendly provisions such as the guaranteed issue will result in renewed uncertainty in the market and increase rates for older and sicker patients, the article reported.

According to health officials, this past flu season was the deadliest for US children in nearly a decade, the Associated Press reported. According to the article, CDC officials received reports of 172 pediatric flu deaths since October, surpassing the 2012-2013 flu season, when there were 171. Besides the pandemic 2009-2010 year, this past flu season had the most pediatric flu deaths since the CDC started counting them in 2004, the article reported.