Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
As Biden Tosses Hat Into 2020 Race, Will He Stay The Course On Health Law Or Branch Out With 'Medicare For All'?
The Hill: Biden To Face Pressure On Medicare For All
Former Vice President Joe Biden’s entry into the 2020 race is putting a renewed focus on the sharp divide between Democratic candidates who want to strengthen ObamaCare and those who prefer to make the leap to “Medicare for All.” For Biden, questions will center on whether he sticks exclusively with ObamaCare and his promise to improve on it or if he gives in to pressure from the left and gravitates toward Medicare for All, the progressive proposal backed by many of his opponents. (Hellmann, 4/26)
The Hill: CBO To Release Report On Single-Payer Health Care Next Week
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said Thursday that it will release a report on single-payer health care next week. The report from Congress’s nonpartisan scorekeeper, slated for release on May 1, is sure to draw close scrutiny from both sides as “Medicare for All” single-payer proposals are hotly debated among Democrats on Capitol Hill and on the presidential campaign trail. (Sullivan, 4/25)
And in other news from the trail —
The Hill: Warren Unveils Plan To Reward Hospitals That Make Childbirth Safer For Black Women
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Wednesday proposed a plan to tackle high childbirth mortality rates among black women while speaking at a forum hosted by an advocacy organization for women of color. Warren, who is running for president, proposed giving bonuses to hospitals who lower maternal mortality rates and taking money away from hospitals who do not. (Frazin, 4/25)
Kaiser Health News: Klobuchar Wants To Stop ‘Pay-For-Delay’ Deals That Keep Drug Prices High
Washington’s recent fixation with lowering drug costs has introduced Americans to once-insider terms like “pharmacy benefit managers” and “list prices.” During an April 22 CNN town hall event for Democratic candidates, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) described a drugmaker practice that sounds a lot like bribery — drawing attention to yet another secretive process that lawmakers and experts say prevents patients from obtaining affordable prescription drugs. America, meet “pay-for-delay.” (Huetteman, 4/26)
