Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Different Takes: The GOP, The Senate And The Lack Of Health Policy Transparency; An Examination Of Single-Payer Ethics
Boston Globe: Why Are 13 Men — Behind Closed Doors — Writing The Health Care Bill?
Writing a bill that could impact the health care coverage of so many Americans without even a whiff of transparency is policy-making at its absolute worst. That the basis for this effort is the oft-repeated Republican lie that Americans need to be rescued from access to affordable health care coverage provided by Obamacare makes it so much worse. (Michael Cohen, 6/7)
Cincinnati Enquirer: Is Single Payer Healthcare A Sin?
Our system of healthcare delivery has been so corrupted by money and power that it can no longer exist in its present form. Greedy thieves have priced themselves out of the market. The two-lane roads and biased-ply tyres of our current healthcare system must be replaced by a modern free-flowing system of affordable healthcare, where doctors are once again in charge of the practice of medicine. (James Baker, 6/7)
RealClear Health: Not Just For The Poor: The Crucial Role Of Medicaid In America’s Health Care System
Despite many assertions to the contrary, Senate leaders are now saying they want to vote on the replacement bill for Obamacare before the month is out. Front and center is the planned transformation of America’s Medicaid program, which covers 20 percent of Americans and provides the backbone of America’s health care system. (Simon Haeder, 6/8)
CNBC: Here Are The Real Medicaid 'Takers'
The Trump administration believes there are two types of people in the country: givers and takers. Givers are taxpayers and takers are people who receive benefits from the government paid for by taxpayers. President Trump's budget director, Mick Mulvaney invoked this description while introducing the administration's budget proposal, which cuts $800 billion from Medicaid over the next decade. This description will sound hollow to millions of middle-class families whose elderly and disabled relatives depend on Medicaid to provide long-term care services and medical care. (Katherine Swartz, 6/7)
Forbes: How Much Will The GOP's Medicaid Per-Capita Cap Save, If Anything? CBO Refuses To Say
As the debate continues over Republican efforts to replace Obamacare, some of the most apocalyptic rhetoric from the left relates to the GOP’s effort at long-term entitlement reform: a per-capita cap on future Medicaid spending. But the Congressional Budget Office has refused to estimate exactly what the impact of the per-capita reform might be. Why? (Avik Roy, 6/8)
Des Moines Register: Iowa’s Medicaid Program Delivers
As IA Health Link enters its second year, state leaders will evaluate how well it delivers on its goals. Iowa’s bold vision included improving health, saving taxpayer dollars, and creating a better system for enrollees. IA Health Link is making remarkable progress toward each of these objectives. (Rhys Jones, 6/7)
Los Angeles Times: Trump Tries To Kill Obamacare Without Actually Pulling The Trigger
Health insurance giant Anthem Inc. didn’t cite President Trump when it announced Tuesday that it was withdrawing from the Obamacare marketplace in Ohio, leaving the marketplace with no insurer in at least 18 counties. But Anthem pointed the finger right at him — and at the Republicans in Congress who are trying to “repeal and replace” the 2010 healthcare law. (Jon Healy, 6/7)
RealClear Health: A Path To Lowering Health Care Costs
When I heard Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will not join his team on opening night of the NBA finals for health reasons, I thought “Oh my, he must have something serious.” Well he did, but it was not a virus or heart plaque—it was the endemic problem of too much medical care. Kerr, who had a series of operations for chronic back pain, was disabled by his most recent surgery. “I can tell you if you’re listening out there, stay away from back surgery,” Kerr said. “I can say that from the bottom of my heart. Rehab, rehab, rehab. Don’t let anyone get in there.” A recommendation Stanford spine surgeon Dr. Robert Aptekar called “good advice”. (Marty Makary, 6/8)
