Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Signs Into Law A Social Security Payment Boost For Public Employees
AP: Higher Social Security Payments Coming For Millions
President Joe Biden on Sunday signed into law a measure that boosts Social Security payments for current and former public employees, affecting nearly 3 million people who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers and in other public service jobs. Advocates say the Social Security Fairness Act rights a decades-old disparity, though it will also put strain on Social Security Trust Funds, which face a looming insolvency crisis. (Hussein, 1/5)
Stat: Why Medicaid Cuts Could Be A 'Crisis' For People With Disabilities
Americans want Medicaid. The waiting list to receive home- and community-based services through the state-federal health program has hovered around 700,000 people in recent years. A line that long would stretch from Cleveland to Chicago. The queue may get longer. (Broderick, 1/6)
The Hill: Changing Alcohol Labels Could Take 'Decades': Expert
United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed labelling alcohol as a leading cause of cancer. Dr. Marion Nestle, a professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University who has served on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, discusses research surrounding the move. (Kutz, 1/4)
On telehealth —
The New York Times: Telemedicine For Seniors Gets A Last-Minute Reprieve
Telemedicine lives, at least until March 31. Kyle Zebley, senior vice president for public policy at the American Telemedicine Association, who estimates that 20 to 30 percent of medical encounters could occur virtually, expects further renewal. Telemedicine is “so popular and so bipartisan in nature I can’t imagine the Trump administration and Congress allowing it to lapse,” he said. (Span, 1/5)
Modern Healthcare: Why Digital Mental Health May Flourish In 2025
Health tech companies focused on behavioral health are confident that reimbursement trends favor them in 2025. Payment flexibilities for telehealth, hospital-at-home care and remote prescribing have been temporarily extended until March 31. The changes will prolong COVID-19-era payment for remote care across all specialties. For many in mental health tech, new reimbursement codes from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ November physician payment rule are an even bigger deal. The codes reimburse providers for using digital mental health treatment applications or devices that have been cleared or granted De Novo authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. (Perna, 1/3)
Also —
NPR: Dr. Rachel Levine Reflects On Her Service And Trans Politics As She Leaves HHS
In 2021, the country had one state with a ban on gender-affirming care for youth on the books — Arkansas. In March of the same year, Dr. Rachel Levine won confirmation by the Senate to lead the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps as the assistant secretary for health. She holds the rank of admiral. Levine is the highest ranking, out transgender person ever to serve in the federal government. In the nearly four years that she's been at the Department of Health and Human Services, there has been an explosion in anti-trans legislation. (Simmons-Duffin, 1/6)
