Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Latest Critique, Economists Slam Health Savings Claims Cited By Sanders
The Wall Street Journal: Democratic Economists Say Bernie Sanders’s Math Doesn’t Add Up
Four leading Democratic economists sharply criticized Sen. Bernie Sanders for citing “extreme claims” about the economic effects of his campaign proposals, the latest in a stream of critiques from Democrats over details of his platform. Criticism has also been directed at Mr. Sanders’s plan for a single-payer, government-run health-care plan, with critics saying he underestimates the costs of providing health care to all Americans and overestimates the revenue his plan would generate. (Timiraos and Meckler, 2/17)
The Dallas Morning News: Trump Speaks In MSNBC Town Hall To Counter Cruz, Rubio Appearance On CNN
When asked if all Americans would have access to health care, as they are supposed to under the Affordable Care Act, [Donald] Trump said that he would work out a deal with hospitals and communities. (Wise, 2/17)
NBC News: Trump On Sanders: 'We're Very Similar' In This Way
Consider a political outsider who is tapping into voter anger, delivering a populist message and drawing raucous thousands to rallies. He wants the hedge fund managers to pay more taxes and argues that there should be health care for everyone. Sound familiar? (Timm, 2/17)
Meanwhile, media outlets fact check the candidates' health care claims —
The Washington Post's Fact Checker: Trump’s Truly Absurd Claim He Would Save $300 Billion A Year On Prescription Drugs
Reining in the cost of prescription drugs has become a major issue in the 2016 presidential campaign. Both former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) have proposed detailed plans to control prescription-drug prices, with both calling for Medicare to negotiate directly with prescription-drug companies to get lower prices. Republican candidates have also decried high prescription-drug costs, though generally their policy proposals have been thinner. Developer Donald Trump ... also says he wants to allow Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies. In fact, he makes the bold claim that he would save $300 billion a year. Is this even remotely possible? (Kessler, 2/18)
The Cincinnati Enquirer: Fact Check: Kasich's Medicaid Expansion Exceeded Projected Costs
Gov. John Kasich's expansion of Medicaid services to lower-income Ohioans — over the objections of GOP lawmakers — hasn't won him many friends among conservatives. (Balmert, 2/17)
