Healthcare

Voters in Colorado and Washington made history on Election Day. For the first time ever, a majority of voters decided at the ballot box to abolish cannabis prohibition.
 
In Colorado, 55 percent of voters – four percent more than favored President Barack Obama – decided in favor of Amendment 64, a constitutional amendment that allows for the legal possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and/or the cultivation of up to six cannabis plants in private by those persons age 21 and over. In Washington, 55 percent of voters similarly decided in favor of Initiative 502, which removes criminal penalties regarding the adult possession of up to one ounce of cannabis for personal use (as well as the possession of up to 16 ounces of marijuana-infused product in solid form, and 72 ounces of marijuana-infused product in liquid form.) Washington’s new law takes effect on December 6. Colorado’s measure becomes law in early January. (Additional provisions seeking to enact state-licensed regulations governing the potential sale and taxation of cannabis do not begin taking effect until early 2014.)

In the midst of post-election discussions around staving off the “fiscal cliff,” imagine the public and political reaction to a proposal to increase taxes by 50 percent or even 100 percent over the next 15 years? 

A recent Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study indicated that these are the very percentages by which type 2 diabetes has increased – by 50 percent or more in 42 states and by 100 or more in 18 states – between 1995 and 2010.

But unlike the example of a 50 to 100 percent tax increase, which speaks very loudly to us all, type 2 diabetes is a silent killer, yet is far more costly to the American people.

Last Thursday, the Senate HELP Committee gathered to review the implications of the recent fungal meningitis outbreak that led to 33 deaths and over 450 cases of serious illnesses in 19 states because a failure at both the state and federal levels to enforce current laws and regulations to keep patients safe. A complete picture of how this disaster occurred and what lawmakers will do to prevent future failures remains to be seen.
 
As a healthcare provider, with experience as the head of the Patient Quality Assurance Committee at hospitals I have worked, I am deeply saddened by this avoidable tragedy. Our government must do a better job of ensuring the safe supply of our medicines. It is not enough to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with greater authority to monitor pharmacies and crack down on companies with safety violations as FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg requested; we need a better system of adverse event reporting. To this end, lawmakers must not only consider small drug compounders, but also large-molecule medicines.

The Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Wednesday held a hearing to discuss the deadly meningitis outbreak, which has resulted in 32 deaths and sickened hundreds across the country. Three folks from Marion County, Florida have died, and one victim lived right up the street from me. We heard from the wife of one victim killed by the contaminated steroid product, Mrs. Joyce Lovelace, who gave a heart-wrenching description of the nightmare her family has experienced since they lost their beloved husband, father, and grandfather to this senseless tragedy.

Individuals who are poor, frail, disabled, and chronically ill are among the healthcare system’s most vulnerable and costly patients. They are also growing faster in number than the rest of the Medicare population. Unless we provide specialty care arrangements to address their needs, we will not be able to stem the tide of cost escalation, nor maintain our commitment to serving our most needy citizens.
 
This was the motivation behind bipartisan Congressional efforts in 2003 to create Special Needs Plans (SNPs). SNPs differ from other Medicare Advantage (MA) plans because SNPs are able to exclusively enroll specific patient populations and offer them a customized set of benefits to meet their care needs.

This week House and Senate committees are conducting hearings focused on the recent meningitis outbreak that has claimed 32 lives to date – including 13 in our state of Tennessee - and plagued over 400 Americans.
 
Like most of my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, I support action to help prevent such an awful situation from recurring. At the same time, I want to ensure that millions of Americans, including some of our most vulnerable relatives, friends and neighbors, continue to have access to essential and sometimes lifesaving medications from their local pharmacists.

For years I have used a common over-the-counter emergency asthma inhaler called Primatene Mist. Like many asthma sufferers who find themselves awake at 2am with an unexpected asthma attack and do not have immediate access to an inhaler, Primatene Mist has been a simple and safe solution to what would otherwise be a costly and time-consuming emergency room visit. Unfortunately this past January, Primatene Mist was forced off pharmacy shelves due to an international treaty agreement known as the Montreal Protocol.

As Congress returns to work this week, there are many contentious issues that need to be addressed. But there is at least one thing we can all agree on: every baby deserves a healthy start, and reauthorizing the PREEMIE Act will help us toward that goal. November is Prematurity Awareness Month, and there’s no better time than now.
 
Premature birth is far more common — and more serious — than many people realize. Every day, one in eight infants in the United States is born too soon. Our prematurity rate is one of the highest in the world and is the leading cause of newborn death. Even babies born just a few weeks too soon can face serious health challenges and are at risk for lifelong disabilities, including cerebral palsy, lung problems, vision and hearing loss, and learning disabilities.  In addition to its human toll, prematurity costs our economy at least $26 billion per year.

Every four years, the American presidential election captures the world’s attention almost like no other event on the planet. Just a few short days ago voters declared who would lead our country for the next four years, and in important ways, what role America will play in the lives of families across the globe.

Our decision-making was monitored attentively by the political classes in cities like London, Kabul and Beijing where our policies have great impact. But the consequences of our choices will also be felt in places that don’t make the news – places like Ayacucho, Peru or Bhaktapur, Nepal – where our commitments to global health and development help ensure that vaccines and medical treatments reach all children, not just those fortunate to live here in America or other wealthy countries.

Every year, our country comes together on Veterans Day to honor the brave men and women of our armed services who risk their lives daily to protect our freedoms and to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice defending our country.  America would not be what it is today without the heroism and sacrifice of those individuals bravely serving our country.  Our service men and women risk their lives to protect our country and it's our duty as leaders in Washington and Sacramento to ensure America keeps its promises to our veterans.