Viewpoints: Congress, Get Moving And Save The ACA; Bird Flu Vaccines Exist, So Why Aren’t We Using Them?
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Congress Must Act To Save Affordable Care Act Coverage
More than a decade after the Affordable Care Act went fully into effect, some Republicans in Congress are finally coming to understand that it is a crucial tool for millions of Americans who cannot realistically obtain medical coverage in the traditional health insurance markets. (1/13)
Stat:
Avian Flu Will Likely Be Devastating This Winter. We Know How To Help
Cheaper egg prices have muted public discussion on one of the most serious threats to American agriculture this century: bird flu. But the problem has not disappeared. In fact, the data suggest that the virus will bring devastating animal and economic losses this winter. (Ellen P. Carlin and Gwendolen Reyes-Illg, 1/14)
Stat:
As Childhood Vaccines Are Cut Back, CMS Moves To Hide The Fallout
Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bypassed established processes and unilaterally revised the immunization schedule, reducing the recommended number of routine childhood vaccinations from 17 to 11. It now recommends only children at high risk and children who consult a provider should receive vaccines that protect against certain serious diseases, including influenza, hepatitis A and B, and RSV. The Trump administration has the audacity to suggest this change will strengthen transparency and rebuild trust in public health. This abrupt policy shift has rightfully triggered a backlash from physicians, public health experts, families, and others. (Jill Rosenthal, 1/14)
The Boston Globe:
Medical Needs Cross State Lines. Licenses Should Too.
Interstate compacts could make licensing easier for doctors and physician assistants. (1/13)
Stat:
ARPA-H Sees Heart Disease As Top Target For Agentic AI Initiative
When my 14-year journey to train as a heart failure cardiologist finally concluded, I naturally assumed the hardest time was behind me. But in my first job I found myself working as the only cardiologist in a county of more than 150,000 people in rural North Carolina at a hospital actively undergoing bankruptcy. (Haider J. Warraich, 1/13)
