Trending News Today: Trump May Allow Sale of Health Insurance Across State Lines

Yesterday, President Donald Trump said he plans to sign an executive order that allows insurers to sell plans across state lines, according to Politico. While details were not given, insurance experts are uncertain as to how an order could change existing laws. Multiple states have previously tried this with little success due to a lack of interest from insurers, according to the article. Insurers also said that forming competitive networks in new states is difficult.

In a new interview, Trump stated that Republicans will have enough votes to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a few months, despite the most recent failed attempt, The Hill reported. The most recent attempt to repeal the ACA was not brought to vote due to a lack of GOP votes. Trump also expressed interest in negotiating with Democrats to start a bipartisan approach to healthcare reform, according to the article.

Federal prosecutors say that a pharmacist who was jailed in relation to a 2012 meningitis outbreak that killed 76 Americans and affected hundreds should pay $74 million in damages, according to The Washington Post. The prosecutors report that the money would compensate approximately half of the affected patients for expenses and lost income related to the illness. However, the pharmacist’s attorney reports that his client was not found responsible for the deaths but was convicted of conspiracy and fraud, according to the article. The attorney also said that the pharmacist does not have the money to pay the restitution.