Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A Focus On Sen. Mitch McConnell's Health As Congress Returns
NPR: Congress Returns To Avoid Shutdown And Health Questions Swirl Around McConnell
Lawmakers return this week with one pressing challenge this month– avoiding a potential government shutdown. The Senate is back Tuesday to sort out the next steps on crafting a short-term funding bill that can pass before federal agencies run out of money on Sept. 30. But talk of the health of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., following another episode when he froze at a press conference last week, will also dominate Capitol Hill. (Walsh and Snell, 9/5)
USA Today: Who Replaces Mitch McConnell? Senate Leader Faces Questions From KY
While many Kentucky Republicans have offered support, some local party officials questioned in interviews with the USA TODAY Network whether it was time for McConnell to pass the baton as Senate GOP leader. "There's something that's not right somewhere. I'm afraid that the next time it happens you may see him fall over and go into cardiac arrest or even die God forbid," Chris Dickerson, chair of the Elliott County Republican Party in Kentucky, said in an interview. "I mean, I just think there's something seriously wrong with his health." (Bailey, Tran, Sonka, and Looker (9/2)
The Washington Post: Poor Families Could See Cuts To Food Aid As Congress Battles Over Budget
A federal program that helps poor families afford healthy food could see substantial benefit cuts starting in October, raising the prospect that roughly 6 million low-income Americans could become some of the earliest victims of an unresolved Washington budget battle. The looming cliff adds to the political pressure on Congress, which now has mere weeks to shore up the program’s finances, fund the federal government and avert a potentially catastrophic shutdown. (Romm, 9/3)
KFF Health News: Workers Pay The Price While Congress And Employers Debate Need For Heat Regulations
Sometimes the heat makes you vomit, said Carmen Garcia, a farmworker in the San Joaquin Valley of California. She and her husband spent July in the garlic fields, kneeling on the scorched earth as temperatures hovered above 105 degrees. Her husband had such severe fatigue and nausea that he stayed home from work for three days. He drank lime water instead of seeing a doctor because the couple doesn’t have health insurance. “A lot of people have this happen,” Garcia said. There are no federal standards to protect workers like the Garcias when days become excessively hot. And without bipartisan support from Congress, even with urgent attention from the Biden administration, relief may not come for years. (Maxmen, 9/5)
