Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Americans Have A Right To Health Care; Missourians At Risk Of Losing Medicaid
Stat: Health Care Is A Human Right In Times Of Crisis. Why Not Every Day?
Much of the world has settled the matter of whether health care ought to be a human right. The United Nations said so in 1948. The American founders might as well have said it in 1776 when they listed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness among citizens’ unalienable rights, but this vision has not yet been realized, as evidenced by rampant disparities in access to care. (Vikram Bakhru, 6/23)
Kansas City Star: Missouri Legislature’s Bumbling, Indifference Risks Medicaid
Just after noon Tuesday, Gov. Mike Parson agreed to call a special session to consider renewing the critical Medicaid tax. The session begins Wednesday. But there’s still no deal on renewing that tax, and the unnecessary near-collapse of the effort to fund Medicaid in Missouri shows just how seriously lawmakers in our state take the well-being of those without resources. And how far they are willing to go to prevent public funding for some forms of contraceptives. (6/23)
Newsweek: The Stigma Of Obesity Hurts Black And Latinx Communities Most
As a Black physician, I've seen systemic inequities in our health care system disproportionately impact my community long before the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of access and inequity in our system has been aided by the inadequate training of my fellow doctors and health care providers in the effective assessment and treatment of obesity without stigma, and policy makers who allow our laws to perpetuate this stigma instead of following science—the one thing we all know can lead us out of a health crisis. (Michael Knight, 6/22)
Stat: The Quest For Thermostable Vaccines And Other Vaccine Innovations
The unprecedented rapid development and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines worldwide has brought new visibility to how vaccines are produced, packaged, and distributed. The world learned about the vaccine cold chain, for example, as people monitored rollout plans for Covid-19 vaccines and the added logistics that came with keeping them cold. Since then, many people have asked this question: Why don’t we have more thermostable, easy-to-administer vaccines? (Debra Kristensen, 6/23)
NPR: Why I Kept My Cancer A Secret, And Why I Won't Anymore
I've been keeping a secret. I've decided to tell it. I have metastatic breast cancer, MBC, stage 4. That means the breast cancer has spread to my lungs, bones and brain. There is no cure. Eventually, it kills you. Actually, I've had it for two years. Keeping it secret served me well. I didn't have to explain myself to friends and strangers while I was still in the hysterical stage. Because, faced with an incurable cancer diagnosis, I did what any normal person would do: I stopped sleeping. I stopped eating. I sobbed a lot. I was grieving for my own life. (Ina Jaffe, 6/22)
Modern Healthcare: Growing An Intentional And Embedded Diversity And Inclusion Program
For over 130 years, Sentara Healthcare has cared for some of the most diverse communities in Virginia and North Carolina. We believe our differences are our strengths, and as a result have always prided ourselves on our equally diverse teams and the work we do within our communities. In mid-2019, we decided to formalize our commitment by intentionally fostering a culture of inclusion, creating a diversity and inclusion program led by our first chief diversity officer, Dana Beckton. We also set our strategy to impact anyone who interacts with Sentara. (Becky Sawyer, 6/22)
The New York Times: Abortion Politics Are Harming Miscarriage Treatment
Up to 26 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. These losses can be as physically painful as they are emotionally wrenching. And yet many patients are not offered the best care for their miscarriages because of abortion politics. Both of us have had miscarriages. We each visited our doctors for scheduled ultrasounds between eight and 11 weeks of pregnancy, expecting to see a little bean-shaped baby-to-be with a reassuring heartbeat. Unfortunately, all we heard was quiet. No motion. No beautiful pulse. Only stillness. (Amanda Allen and Cari Siestra, 6/22)
