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The Host
The final election marketing campaign for president is (unofficially) on, as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have every apparently secured sufficient delegates to develop into his respective social gathering’s nominee. And well being care is popping out to be an unexpectedly front-and-center marketing campaign concern, as Trump in latest weeks has instructed he could also be desirous about reducing Medicare and taking one other swing at repealing and changing the Reasonably priced Care Act.
In the meantime, the February cyberattack of Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of insurance coverage large UnitedHealth Group, continues to roil the well being business, as 1000’s of hospitals, docs, nursing houses, and different suppliers are unable to course of claims and receives a commission.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins College and Politico Journal, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Instances.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- It’s unclear precisely what Trump meant in his latest remarks about attainable cuts to Medicare and Social Safety, although his feedback offered a gap for Biden to pounce. By working because the candidate who would defend entitlements, Biden might place himself nicely, notably with older voters, as the final election begins.
- Well being care is shaping as much as be the sleeper concern on this election, with excessive stakes for protection. The Biden administration’s expanded subsidies for ACA plans are scheduled to run out on the finish of subsequent yr, and the president’s newest price range request highlights his curiosity in increasing protection, particularly for postpartum ladies and for kids. Plus, Republicans are eyeing what adjustments they might make ought to Trump reclaim the presidency.
- In the meantime, Republicans are grappling with an inner social gathering divide over entry to in vitro fertilization, and Trump’s blended messaging on abortion is probably not serving to him together with his base. Might a working mate with extra average views assist soften his picture with voters who oppose abortion bans?
- A federal appeals court docket dominated {that a} Texas legislation requiring youngsters to acquire parental consent for contraception outweighs federal guidelines permitting teenagers to entry prescription contraceptives confidentially. However issues that if the U.S. Supreme Court docket heard the case a conservative-majority ruling would broaden the legislation’s affect to different states might dampen the probabilities of additional appeals, leaving the legislation in impact. Additionally, the federal courts are making it more durable to file circumstances in jurisdictions with pleasant judges, a tactic often called judge-shopping, which conservative teams have used lately in reproductive well being challenges.
- And weeks later, the Change Healthcare hack continues to trigger widespread points with medical billing. Some small suppliers worry continued cost delays might drive them to shut, and it’s attainable that the hack’s repercussions might quickly block some sufferers from accessing care in any respect.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Kelly Henning of Bloomberg Philanthropies a couple of new, four-part documentary collection on the historical past of public well being, “The Invisible Protect.”
Plus, for “additional credit score” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume you need to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: The Washington Submit’s “Navy Demoted Ronny Jackson After Probe Into White House Behavior,” by Dan Diamond and Alex Horton.
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “Frigid Offices Might Be Killing Women’s Productivity,” by Olga Khazan.
Margot Sanger-Katz: Stat’s “Rigid Rules at Methadone Clinics Are Jeopardizing Patients’ Path to Recover From Opioid Addiction,” by Lev Facher.
Anna Edney: Scientific American’s “How Hospitals Are Going Green Under Biden’s Climate Legislation,” by Ariel Wittenberg and E&E Information.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
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