Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Dems Who See Health Care As Winning Issue Increasingly Sounding Alarm Over Political Pitfalls Of 'Medicare For All'
The New York Times: Democrats Increasingly Vocal In Calling ‘Medicare For All’ A Political Liability
Prominent Democratic leaders are sounding increasingly vocal alarms to try to halt political momentum for “Medicare for all,” opting to risk alienating liberals and deepening the divide in the party rather than enter an election year with a sweeping health care proposal that many see as a liability for candidates up and down the ballot. From Michigan to Georgia, North Dakota to Texas, Democratic elected officials, strategists and pollsters are warning that the party’s commitment to the Obama-era Affordable Care Act — widely seen as critical to electoral gains in 2018 and 2019 — could slip away as a political advantage in 2020 if Republicans seize on Medicare for all and try to paint Democrats as socialists on health care. (Lerer and Glueck, 11/26)
The Wall Street Journal: Democratic Hopefuls Face Growing Scrutiny Over Health Plans
With public support for Medicare for All slipping, opponents are ramping up attacks on more moderate alternatives from former Vice President Joe Biden and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Those Democratic presidential hopefuls are up against industry groups, Republicans and Democratic challengers criticizing their proposals to let people buy coverage in a government-run health plan. The Partnership for America’s Health Care Future, an industry group that includes hospitals and insurers, recently released a study that found a public option would increase the number of people without health coverage. (Armour, 11/25)
Politico: Medicare For All’s Jobs Problem
Deanna Mazur, the daughter of a retired steel mill worker who works as a medical billing manager, finds some things to like about the “Medicare for All” policy that she’s been hearing politicians talk about. She likes the notion that all Americans would have health insurance. And it would simplify her own job quite a bit if there were only one place to send medical bills, instead of the web of private companies and government programs that she deals with now. “It would definitely be easier,” Mazur says. Then again, if it were that easy, her job might not exist at all. (Pradhan, 11/25)
The Associated Press: Harris To Propose Doubling Mental Health Treatment Beds
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris wants to double the number of mental health treatment beds available across the country and increase access to virtual mental health counseling. Harris will roll out her mental health platform Monday at a South Carolina event with radio host Charlamagne Tha God, who has spoken about his own mental health struggles. (11/25)
Politico: How Kamala Harris Will Address The Mental Health Crisis
Harris says her Medicare for All plan will provide direct access to mental health professionals without deductibles or copays, and it would expand access to telemedicine services, especially in rural areas. Her plan will ensure home or community-based comprehensive long-term services are available for patients who need them. Mental health providers would also get a pay increase. The plan would eliminate the decades-old Medicaid restriction on funding care for patients staying at large mental health institutions. (Ehley, 11/25)
The Hill: Harris Proposes Doubling Mental Health Treatment Beds
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris (Calif.) on Monday said she wants to double the number of mental health treatment beds across the country and rely on Medicare to cover mental health services. As part of her mental health platform unveiled Monday, Harris said she wants to focus on vulnerable populations such as veterans and children and remove “roadblocks” such as surprise billing for out-of-network providers or higher charges for mental health services. (Weixel, 11/25)
