Welcome to Monday's Overnight Health Care.
The number of coronavirus patients in the U.S. continues to climb, with more deaths being reported. Meanwhile, Congress is getting closer to unveiling a supplemental funding bill for virus relief efforts. And, the Supreme Court has decided to hear the ObamaCare lawsuit this year.
We'll start with the news from the Supreme Court:
In some big non-virus news: The Supreme Court is taking up the ObamaCare case
What it means: The case will loom over the November elections and could make the Affordable Care Act an even bigger issue in the presidential race.
The case will be heard during the court's next term, which starts in October, meaning that a decision is not expected until after the elections. It is unclear when the court will hear arguments, but those could come in October, before the election.
Democrats jumping on the case: Democrats immediately seized on the decision with a flurry of press releases to highlight the stakes for the election, while Republicans were mostly silent.
"This case is a stark, life-and-death reminder how much is at stake this fall and what's on the ballot right now: Democrats must nominate the candidate whom they know can beat Trump and bring along the Senate, to ensure we can protect our health care for generations to come," former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenThe Memo: Biden shakes up Democratic race with Super Tuesdaywins Van Jones: Warren should get credit for having 'destroyed' Bloomberg Biden wins Texas, capping off major Super Tuesday victories MORE said in a statement.
A spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called the lawsuit the "single most important issue in Senate battlegrounds across the country."
Read more about the case here.
And in the latest on the coronavirus...
Washington state confirms 4 more coronavirus deaths, bringing death toll to 6
Health officials on Monday confirmed four additional coronavirus deaths in Washington, bringing the state's total death toll to six.
There are 18 confirmed cases in Washington, including the six deaths.
Most of those who have died were elderly or had underlying health conditions.
"Unfortunately, we are starting to find more COVID-19 cases here in Washington that appear to be acquired locally," said Dr. Kathy Lofy, a health officer for the Washington State Department of Health.
All of the cases are in two adjacent counties: Snohomish and King, which is home to Seattle.
Lofy said the virus could be spreading in other areas of the state, which is ramping up testing to better understand how widespread the virus is in Washington.
Of the six deaths, four had been residents of a nursing home, illustrating the danger the disease poses to the elderly and those who have underlying health conditions.
Officials noted that the vast majority of people who get infected will fully recover.
Read more here.
FDA expects 1 million coronavirus tests to be available by week's end
The U.S. will have the capacity by the end of the week to perform nearly 1 million coronavirus tests, public health officials said Monday.
That would mark a significant increase in the number of people able to be tested for the coronavirus in the U.S. after issues with a test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led to delays in diagnosing new cases.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn told reporters at the White House that new regulatory guidance will allow academic centers and private companies to more quickly develop and verify their own tests for public use.
Why it matters: Flaws in a test developed by the CDC has led to testing delays. Experts believe there are likely hundreds of cases in the U.S. in people who have not been tested. As state and local health departments ramp up testing, it's likely new cases could be identified.
Read more about the testing here.
Trump urges pharmaceutical executives to accelerate coronavirus vaccine efforts
President TrumpDonald John TrumpDems unlikely to subpoena Bolton Ratcliffe nomination puts Susan Collins in tough spot Meet the adviser shaping foreign policy for Sanders MORE on Monday said he is urging pharmaceutical executives attending a White House meeting to accelerate their efforts to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus.
"We've asked them to accelerate whatever they're doing in terms of a vaccine," Trump told reporters during an Oval Office meeting with the president of Colombia.
The president and members of the White House coronavirus met with pharmaceutical executives. Ten pharmaceutical executives were in attendance, including the CEOs of Novorax, Gilead, CureVac and Inovio. Officials from Pfizer, Sanofi and Johnson and Johson were also at the meeting.
Trump said the meeting was previously arranged to discuss drug pricing as the White House and Congress weigh legislation aimed at curbing costs.
Read more here.
White House adds VA secretary, CMS chief to coronavirus task force
The Trump administration's coronavirus task force keeps expanding: Trump on Monday added Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert WilkieRobert Leon WilkieOvernight Health Care: Supreme Court to hear ObamaCare appeal | Washington state confirms 4 more coronavirus deaths | FDA expects 1M coronavirus tests by week's end | White House expands virus task force White House adds VA secretary, CMS chief to coronavirus task force Overnight Defense: Watchdog investigating VA chief | Allegations claim Wilkie tried to discredit aide who reported sexual assault | Dem chair working to restore Pentagon funding taken for wall | Navy chief says loss of shipbuilding funds 'not helpful' MORE and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma to its ranks.
The office of Vice President Pence, who is overseeing the White House's response to the disease, announced their additions on Monday.
Wilkie and Verma will join a handful of officials, many of them focused on health and national security issues, already on the task force led by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.
Pence's office announced Sunday that the task force would also add Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben CarsonBenjamin (Ben) Solomon CarsonHUD has become an obstacle to fair housing Overnight Health Care: Supreme Court to hear ObamaCare appeal | Washington state confirms 4 more coronavirus deaths | FDA expects 1M coronavirus tests by week's end | White House expands virus task force White House adds VA secretary, CMS chief to coronavirus task force MORE, a former brain surgeon; Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen Hahn and White House science adviser Kelvin Droegmeier.
Pence has been leading the administration's response to the coronavirus outbreak and briefed reporters Monday evening at the White House alongside Ambassador Deborah Birx, a State Department health expert who is coordinating the response to the virus.
Read more here.
What we're reading
As coronavirus numbers rise, CDC. testing comes under fire (The New York Times)
Major airlines, U.S. officials clash over passenger tracking related to coronavirus cases (The Washington Post)
CNN, NYT, Cond, WSJ, and other media giants implement coronavirus restrictions (Daily Beast)
A detailed guide to the coronavirus drugs and vaccines in development (Stat News)
State by state
Coronavirus in New York.: Outbreak will spread in city, officials warn (The New York Times)
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) demands CDC improve protocols after release of San Antonio patient who tested 'weakly positive' for coronavirus (KSAT)
Oklahoma lawmakers divided on how to pay for Medicaid expansion (The Oklahoman)
The Hill op-eds
Coronavirus, respiratory droplets -- and you
Protecting Americans from infectious disease threats, today and tomorrow
Link:
- How good is fish for your diet? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What foods have both fiber and protein? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Is There Evidence That Acupuncture Works? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What are some good fiber foods? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Can Green Tea fight HIV infection? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Quality of GNC Supplements - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- The Gene Smart Diet - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Tips for eating in a vegetarian lifestyle - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Regarding the Starting of a new diet regimen - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Thoughts on Dropping Weight - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What do doctors think about vitamin E supplements? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- What herbs or supplements are commonly used for depression? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Is there a safe way to lose a lot of weight? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Diets that promise you will lose weight - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Are Fish Toxins Linked to Diabetes? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Can Plastic Surgery Help Migraines? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Weight Loss Surgery Eradicates Diabetes Symptoms - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Found: A Gene That Controls Fat Cells - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Sugars and Starches, what's the difference? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Improving your health with a serving of nuts? - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Is Your Diet Causing You To Be Depressed? - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Placebo Effect: Magnetic Bracelet Therapy - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Does serotonin promote sleep? - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Decreased energy levels - Overeating, Sleep, Nutrition - February 1st, 2010 [February 1st, 2010]
- When will the body begin to cannibalize muscle tissue? - February 7th, 2010 [February 7th, 2010]
- Foods that are high in antioxidants - February 7th, 2010 [February 7th, 2010]
- Editorial: Reduce health care costs by cutting administrative overhead - April 1st, 2012 [April 1st, 2012]
- Health Care Winners: Centene, Onyxx - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Dan Morain: Nurses union puts politics ahead of health - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- What's next if Obamacare falls? - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Global Managed Health Care Services Industry - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Immigration Fight Echoes Health-Care Case at High Court - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Medical Centers Lead Workplace Wellness Effort - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- The next health care overhaul? Look to employers - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Capital BlueCross Hosts Community Health Care Forums Focused on Managing Costs While Maintaining Quality - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- County committee to look at area health care - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- President Obama Calls on Students to Tell Congress: #DontDoubleMyRate - Video - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Sen. Coburn: Competition in Health Care to Allocate Resources - Video - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- Jesse Kelly health care - Video - April 25th, 2012 [April 25th, 2012]
- PHC Vision Statement (short version) - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- The Bioeconomy Blueprint Panel - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Providence Health Care's Vision Statement - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Department of Health and Human Services: Minority Health Blogger Townhall - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Health care worker accused of stealing identities of brain i - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Health Care Reform, Part 1 of 3 | KYVE Insiders Roundtable - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Health Care Reform: The ACA and Beyond - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Is Broccoli Like Health Insurance? - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Did Obama make a mistake on health care? - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- How Democrats Lie About Health Care - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Toobin on Health Care: This was a "judicial hissy-fit" - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- President Obama says health care law will stand - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Obama Defends Health Care Law From 'Judicial Activism' - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Obama Healthcare Individual Mandate - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- President Obama attacks Supreme Court on health care - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Raw Audio: High Court Dissects Health Care Act - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Health care on trial - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Final Day of Health Care Law Arguments Before Supreme Court - Video - April 30th, 2012 [April 30th, 2012]
- Feds to put up $1.9B for Oregon health overhaul - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Scuttling health care act will freeze Medicare, White House warns - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- U.S. Health Care Spending High, But Quality Lags: Report - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Yes, the Health-Care Mandate Is About Liberty - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Health center gets $1M federal grant - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Health-care reform panel considers exchange options for Va. - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Hmong health care gap focus of Healthy House dinner - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Walsh-led health bill to be unveiled - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- Ontario health system confusing for ailing seniors, study finds - May 4th, 2012 [May 4th, 2012]
- 'Health Care Deserts' More Common in Black Neighborhoods - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- With federal money, Oregon kicks health care reform into high gear - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Nurse practitioners tackling more 'doctor' tasks - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Konza Prairie Health Center Receives $4.5 Million Grant - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Alberta wages hurting Sask. health care - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- House releases plan to cut growth of Massachusetts health spending in half - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Mass. House Will Unveil Bill Seeking To Rein In Health Costs - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- President Obama Welcomes the Kentucky Wildcats - Video - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- President Obama Speaks on College Affordability - Video - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- My First Job: Gene Sperling - Video - May 5th, 2012 [May 5th, 2012]
- Health-care costs worry near-retirees - May 7th, 2012 [May 7th, 2012]
- Massachusetts Institutes Health-Care Price Controls. Is America Next? - May 7th, 2012 [May 7th, 2012]
- Massachusetts Moves Toward Health-Care Price Controls. Is America Next? - May 7th, 2012 [May 7th, 2012]
- GOP plan boosts Pentagon, cuts social programs - May 7th, 2012 [May 7th, 2012]