Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: Keep Saying Nay To Repealing The Health Law; Preserve The Bargains In Short-Term Plans
The New York Times: Get Sick, Go Bankrupt And Die
Let’s be honest: Despite his reputation as a maverick, John McCain spent most of his last decade being a very orthodox Republican, toeing the party line no matter how irresponsible it became. Think of the way he abandoned his onetime advocacy of action to limit climate change. But he redeemed much of that record with one action: He cast the crucial vote against G.O.P. attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. That single “nay” saved health care for tens of millions of Americans, at least for a while. (Paul Krugman, 9/3)
The Hill: Why We Can’t Let The GOP Upend A Key Part Of McCain’s Legacy
While our political views differed in many areas, I gained a new level of respect for Sen. McCain the night he saved ObamaCare with a simple thumbs down. It is a gesture that now serves as a bookend for his Senate career and one that saved the health coverage for millions of Americans, particularly those with mental health and substance use challenges. While the rest of the country pauses to honor his legacy, many on Capitol Hill are already focused on undoing it by urging the governor of Arizona to appoint a senator to McCain’s seat who they can trust will repeal ObamaCare. While we are having no shortage of political issues that we need to mobilize behind, I urge mental health advocates to keep up the fight against those looking to strip away care that took more than a century and a half to obtain. (Daniel E. Dawes, 9/2)
The Wall Street Journal: ObamaCare’s Hotel California
Democrats say they’re champions of health care for all, but that narrative needs a reality check. Progressives around the country are working to outlaw insurance products that could cover Americans who have no other affordable options. On Governor Jerry Brown’s desk is a bill that bans the sale of short-term, limited-duration insurance in California. The Trump Administration recently issued rules on the plans, which don’t have to comply with Affordable Care Act mandates. The coverage can now last up to a year, which was the norm before the Obama Administration limited the options to three months. Plans also can be renewed for up to 36 months. (9/3)
Los Angeles Times: Healthcare Isn't A Game. The Texas ACA Lawsuit Could Be Catastrophic For Public Health
Since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010, America’s access to healthcare has improved dramatically. Roughly 20 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage. Medicare beneficiaries can now get free preventive care and pay less for prescription drugs. And no one can be denied coverage based on preexisting conditions. And yet, a group of 20 Republican governors and attorneys general are trying to accomplish in court what Republican lawmakers repeatedly failed to do in Congress: removal of the ACA and its vital protections for consumers. (Georges C. Benjamin, 9/4)
Stat: Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance Isn't Going Away. That's A Good Thing
America’s current system of employer-sponsored health insurance is an accident of history that emerged from the Great Depression and the Second World War. But that doesn’t mean it’s going away in this era of rebuilding, or at least rethinking, health care. In fact, I believe that employer-sponsored health insurance offers a model for the future.No other industrialized nation’s health care system is dominated by employers. Then again, no other industrialized country lacks a public health insurance system that covers almost all of its citizens. As a doctor who has seen patients harmed by a lack of insurance or uncertain coverage, I support the idea that government-sponsored health insurance for all could be a promising alternative to our current system. (Rajaie Batniji, 9/4)
The Hill: 3 Ideas That Beat Single-Payer To Reform Health Care
No issue is more important to the American people — or more turbulent — than what to do about health care in our nation. As the national discussion on health care continues, very publicly and at all levels of government and within the populace, we need focus on what is realistic and what will work. Most progressives, and a large percentage of would-be presidential candidates on the Democratic side, have pledged to try to adopt a single-payer option. Single-payer has failed in experiments, such as those attempted in Vermont and Colorado, and at the moment it’s not where progressives should focus their resources. (Former Gov. Ed Rendell, 9/2)
The Washington Post: Where Did Our Raises Go? To Health Care.
It’s wages vs. health benefits. On this Labor Day, just about everything seems to be going right for typical American workers, with the glaring and puzzling exception of wage stagnation. The unemployment rate is 3.9 percent, near its lowest since 2000. The number of new jobs exceeds the peak in 2008 by about 11 million. Then there’s wage stagnation. Corrected for inflation, wages are up a scant 2 percent since January 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The gain is roughly one-half of 1 percent annually. Little wonder that many workers feel they’re not getting ahead. They aren’t. (Robert J. Samuelson, 9/2)
The New York Times: Yes, There’s Hope For Health Care Reform
The political divide over the insurance provisions of the Affordable Care Act looks to be unbridgeable for now, but out of public view, Republicans and Democrats are quietly forging a consensus on an even more consequential aspect of medical care: improving its value for all Americans by increasing its quality and lowering its cost. (Lanhee J. Chen and James C. Capretta, 8/31)
The Wall Street Journal: The Insurer Will See You Now
For the latest example of unintended consequences in the U.S. health-care system, consider preauthorization. Before paying to cover a treatment, insurers increasingly require doctors to seek their approval. That’s meant to cut waste and ensure quality. Instead it causes delays and deprives patients of care they need. Many patients recently have sued their insurers over preauthorization disturbances of this sort, and Democratic Rep. Ami Bera and GOP Rep. Phil Roe have formally asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to review its preauthorization rules for the Medicare Advantage program. (Richard Menger, 9/3)
