Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Information On Health Law Is Being Systematically Wiped Off Government Websites
Wired: The Trump Admin Is Scrubbing Obamacare From Government Sites
According to a new report, the Trump administration has been systematically wiping crucial information about the ACA from government websites over the past two years. Unlike changes to funding, these modifications often happen with little fanfare or government oversight, but they can still have a dramatic impact on Americans' access to health care resources. The report was published Wednesday by the Sunlight Foundation, an open government group whose Web Integrity Project monitors some 30,000 government pages for updates and alterations. Looking at sites administered by the Department for Health and Human Services, it documents 26 instances in which information related to the Affordable Care Act was substantially altered or removed. Some of the changes were subtle. Others, including the disappearance of an 85-page website devoted to the ACA, were sweeping. Taken together, the researchers argue, the modifications are tantamount to government censorship and point to an increasing need for oversight of government websites. (Lapowsky, 5/15)
In other news on the health law and the Trump administration —
Kaiser Health News: Trump’s Talk On Preexisting Conditions Doesn’t Match His Administration’s Actions
Delivering remarks on surprise medical billing, which is a concern that has drawn bipartisan interest, President Donald Trump waded into another high-profile health issue: making sure insurance protects people who have preexisting health conditions. “We will always protect patients with preexisting conditions, very importantly,” Trump said on May 9.It’s natural Trump would want to make this claim. (Luthra, 5/16)
