Conservative groups want to try repeal one more time. There's a new ObamaCare repeal and replacement plan...though it looks a lot like the bill from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) from last year in many ways. Who's behind it: Heritage Foundation, Galen Institute, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and other outside groups Who's not behind it: Members of Congress... at least not yet. Policy: Like Graham-Cassidy, it includes a block grant to states with the money from ObamaCare's subsidies and Medicaid expansion. It does not include a cap on Medicaid spending, which Graham-Cassidy did have. It eliminates ObamaCare's essential health benefits, the requirement that all plans cover services like mental health and prescription drugs, which backers say would allow for cheaper plans. Bottom line: There's no real path forward for a new repeal effort right now, but some Republicans are still pushing at least. More on the repeal plan here. The Trump administration's 'zero tolerance' immigration policy separating children from their parents can have lasting impacts on their health. "The toxic stress resulting from being separated or ripped away from your parents can result in mental health conditions like depression, anxiety and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]," said Dr. Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University. "But also, down the line, there is evidence that it contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer." Why it matters: Nearly 2,000 children have been separated from their families and adult caretakers between April 19 and the end of May as a result of the policy. Children are sent to shelters operated by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, while adults are sent to detention centers to await prosecution. Every major health association has spoken out against the policy. "Any forced separation is highly stressful for children and can cause lifelong trauma, as well as an increased risk of other mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder," American Psychiatric Association President Altha Stewart said in a statement. Read more here. Fewer U.S. adults are smoking cigarettes, according to new government data. About 14 percent of adults age 18 and over smoked cigarettes last year. That's down from nearly 16 percent in 2016, according to an annual national health survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This is an all time low in the U.S. Read more here. Doctors oppose Aetna-CVS merger The country's largest physician lobbying group wants the Trump administration to block a proposed merger between Aetna and CVS. The American Medical Association (AMA) announced its formal opposition during a hearing Tuesday before the California Department of Insurance. AMA said it is concerned the proposed merger between the nation's largest pharmacy and third-largest health insurer will result in reduced competition in the insurance market. More on the opposition here. Facebook has launched a new feature aimed at connecting users with opioid treatment services. What it does: Facebook users seeking to illegally buy opioids or to find treatment for an addiction will be met with a new feature offering the federal government's national helpline, the company said Tuesday. Key quote: "We look at this as one of a number of steps that we've taken and will be taking to find ways to connect the community on Facebook with the resources they need," Avra Siegel, Facebook's policy programs manager who's running its efforts to counteract the opioid epidemic, told The Hill. Also: This comes as FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has told social media companies and internet service providers to do more to combat the illegal sale of opioids on their platforms. The FDA is holding a one-day opioid summit with internet stakeholders, which Facebook plans to attend. Read more here. Lawmakers hear from local officials on opioid fight Lawmakers held a hearing in Pennsylvania on Tuesday to hear state and local officials about their efforts to combat the opioid epidemic in the state. The special hearing, organized by Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) at the state house in Harrisburg, Pa., was aimed at preventing what Perry called "crisis that has affected the entire American homeland." Here are three takeaways from The Hill's Jasper Goodman. - Law enforcement officials said that the crisis has far reaching effects, even beyond the estimated 115 Americans who die from opioids each day. David Sunday, the district attorney for Pennsylvania's York County, told lawmakers that the uptick in narcotics abuse has led to a rise in other crimes as well."Close to 80 percent of all of the crime in York County -- all of the crime -- is either directly or tangentially related to this epidemic and to drug abuse," Sunday said. "That includes retail thefts, thefts, domestic violence, robberies, aggravated assaults, murders, DUIs. ... Over half the DUIs are either alcohol and drugs, or just purely drug-related."
- One aspect of the opioid epidemic that is little discussed is its devastating effect on state and local budgets. The uptick in narcotics abuse is "decimating our local resources," according to Sunday, who created a heroin task force in 2013. "Our budgets are completely blasted by this," he said.
- The law enforcement community is trying new ways to fight opioids. The Pennsylvania State Police has set up 15 drug take-back boxes around the state and K-9 teams have helped law enforcement to detect the presence of fentanyl, an extremely powerful opioid, in packages.
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