Trending News Today: 1 Million Fewer Americans Projected to Get ACA Coverage

A recent analysis found that funding cuts to the advertising budget for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may result in more than 1.1 million fewer Americans gaining health coverage, according to The Hill. Since the advertising budget was cut by 90%, the investigators projected enrollment based on a model from previous years. However, the study authors said actual enrollment will likely be lower due to other cuts in subsidies, insurance navigators, and reducing the open enrollment period, according to the article. The Trump administration said that the cuts are the result of advertising campaigns failing to increase enrollment in the past.

On Thursday, the White House will be hosting an event to discuss the opioid epidemic, which may be used as an opportunity to declare a national emergency, The Hill reports. Although it is unclear what the focus of the event will be, President Donald Trump said he would declare a national emergency this week in order to provide short-term fixes to combat the opioid epidemic. There has never been a national emergency declaration over a drug epidemic, so there are questions about how long it would last and how the end of the epidemic would be defined, according to the article.

Courts have recently reversed 2 rulings against Johnson & Johnson (J&J) for nearly $500 million that were awarded to women who developed ovarian cancer after using the company’s baby powder for decades, according to The New York Times. In the rulings, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge said there was not enough evidence to prove a connection and that the $417 million in damages was excessive. Meanwhile, a judge in an appeals court in Missouri said they did not have jurisdiction in the suit, according to the article. J&J said that their product does not result in cancer and they will continue to fight the allegations, while lawyers report they will be filing appeals to overturn the latest ruling.