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The overall election marketing campaign for president is (unofficially) underway, as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have apparently picked up sufficient delegates to develop into their respective occasion's nominee. And well being care is unexpectedly changing into a central marketing campaign challenge, as Trump has prompt in current weeks that he could be all for slicing Medicare and taking one other step towards repealing and changing the Inexpensive Care Act.
In the meantime, the February cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of insurance coverage big UnitedHealth Group, continues to shake the healthcare trade, as hundreds of hospitals, medical doctors, nursing houses and different suppliers are unable to course of claims and obtain funds.
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 current feedback about attainable cuts to Medicare and Social Safety, though his feedback supplied a possibility for Biden to assault. By presenting himself because the candidate who would defend rights, Biden might place himself nicely, notably amongst older voters, when the overall election begins.
- Well being care is rising because the latent challenge in these elections, with so much at stake by way of protection. The Biden administration's expanded subsidies for ACA plans are set to run out on the finish of subsequent 12 months, and the president's newest funds request highlights his curiosity in increasing protection, particularly for postpartum girls and youngsters. Moreover, Republicans are contemplating what adjustments they may make if Trump regains the presidency.
- In the meantime, Republicans are grappling with an intraparty divide over entry to in vitro fertilization, and Trump's blended messages on abortion will not be serving to his base. May a working mate with extra average views assist soften his picture with voters who oppose the abortion ban?
- A federal appeals court docket dominated that a Texas legislation requiring teenagers to get parental consent for contraception trumps federal guidelines that enable teenagers to entry prescription contraceptives confidentially. However issues that if the U.S. Supreme Court docket hears the case, a conservative majority ruling would increase the legislation's influence to different states, could scale back the probabilities of additional appeals, leaving the legislation in place. Moreover, federal courts are making it tougher to carry circumstances in jurisdictions with pleasant judges, a tactic often known as judge-shopping, which conservative teams have not too long ago utilized in reproductive well being challenges.
- And weeks later, the Change Healthcare hack continues to trigger widespread points with medical billing. Some small suppliers worry that continued cost delays will pressure them to shut, and the fallout from the assault could quickly stop some sufferers from accessing care.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Bloomberg Philanthropies' Kelly Henning a few new four-part documentary sequence 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 suppose it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: “Navy demoted Ronny Jackson after investigation into White Home conduct” from the Washington Publish, by Dan Diamond and Alex Horton.
Juana From: “Icy Atlantic places of work may very well be killing girls's productiveness,” by Olga Khazan.
Margot Sanger-Katz: Stat's “Inflexible guidelines at methadone clinics are jeopardizing sufferers' path to restoration from opioid dependancy,” by Lev Facher.
Anna Edney: “How Hospitals Are Going Inexperienced Underneath Biden’s Local weather Laws,” Scientific American, by Ariel Wittenberg and E&E Information.
Additionally talked about on this week's podcast:
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