Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Global Health Security Team Disbanded After Departure Of Official Overseeing Pandemic Preparedness
The Washington Post: Top White House Official In Charge Of Pandemic Response Exits Abruptly
The top White House official responsible for leading the U.S. response in the event of a deadly pandemic has left the administration, and the global health security team he oversaw has been disbanded under a reorganization by national security adviser John Bolton. The abrupt departure of Rear Adm. Timothy Ziemer from the National Security Council means no senior administration official is now focused solely on global health security. Ziemer’s departure, along with the breakup of his team, comes at a time when many experts say the country is already underprepared for the increasing risks of a pandemic or bioterrorism attack. (Sun, 5/10)
In other news coming out of the administration —
CQ: FDA Implements Menu Label Rules, Disappointing House GOP
President Donald Trump takes great pride in his efforts to roll back regulations conceived by the administration of his predecessor, Barack Obama. So the implementation, on May 7, of new menu labeling requirements at chain restaurants was outside the norm. Perhaps even more so was the cheerleading of the agency implementing the new rules, the Food and Drug Administration, despite the opposition to the rule of virtually every Republican in the House. (Zeller, 5/14)
Modern Healthcare: CMS To Simplify Medicare Plan Selection
The CMS is taking steps to make it easier to sort through Medicare coverage options, after a report said its current search options were badly presented and confusing and could lead some to make poor plan selections. The CMS will tweak Medicare.gov before open enrollment starts on Oct. 15, making changes to help beneficiaries understand their coverage options, CMS Administrator Seema Verma said Wednesday during a Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Conference. (Dickson, 5/9)
Kaiser Health News: Under Trump Proposal, Lawful Immigrants Might Be Inclined To Shun Health Benefits
The Trump administration is considering a policy change that might discourage immigrants who are seeking permanent residency from using government-supported health care, a scenario that is alarming some doctors, hospitals and patient advocates. Under the proposed plan, a lawful immigrant holding a visa could be passed over for getting permanent residency — a green card — if they use Medicaid, a subsidized Obamacare plan, food stamps, tax credits or a list of other non-cash government benefits, according to a draft of the plan published by The Washington Post. Even the use of such benefits by a child who is a U.S. citizen could jeopardize a parent’s chances of attaining lawful residency, according to the document. (Jewett, Bailey and Andalo, 5/11)
