Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Perspectives: ER Delays Are Caused By 'Boarding,' Not Immigrants; Patients Feel Rushed To Sign Consent Forms
MSNBC: I'm An ER Doctor. JD Vance's Claims About Immigrants And Wait Times Are Just Wrong.
The idea that undocumented patients are the chief cause of delays collapses in the face of reality. The top driver is “boarding” — admitted patients who have to wait in the emergency department because there are no inpatient beds. When hospitals are full, the ER turns into a holding unit. Hallways become makeshift wards. Nurses and physicians split attention between new emergencies and admitted patients who should already be upstairs. ... If you want shorter waits, you do not interrogate patients at check-in. You fix the flow of patients through the system, from admissions to discharges to bed turnover. And you stop pulling bricks out of the safety net. That means staffed beds in medical units, step-down units and behavioral health. It means earlier discharges, real-time bed management and a payment environment that keeps access points open, including in rural America, rather than bleeding them dry. (Dr. Owais Durrani, 10/7)
Stat: Patients Feel Too Much Pressure To ‘Just Check The Box’ On Paperwork
I sat terrified and alone atop a gurney, awaiting the scheduled time for my cystectomy, holding a clipboard with forms to complete as the nurse rushed off to do something else. There was a box to check, next to a caption along the lines of “someone has explained to me the risks and benefits of receiving a blood transfusion in the event that I need one.” (Sarah Wright, 10/8)
The Wall Street Journal: The Politics Of ObamaCare Subsidies
What American voters are looking for from Republicans on healthcare is an alternative. “ObamaCare is a failure,” President Trump said at the White House the other day, and he’s right. But he and other Republicans are already saying they’ll negotiate over the subsidies once the shutdown is over. That means they’re already conceding there’s a problem. Republicans could spend their time this week explaining why the Biden expansion is bad policy and offering better ideas, instead of letting themselves be hostage to Democratic extortion. (10/7)
The Wall Street Journal: Can Black Neighborhoods Be Saved From Public Housing?
No one is building new projects, but the old ones that remain keep residents trapped in poverty. (Jason L. Riley, 10/7)
Katie Couric Media: The Menopause Movement Is Failing Millions
Queer, trans, and nonbinary people are rendered invisible in narratives that presume menopause is a universal cisgender experience. And formerly incarcerated people, as well as those who remain behind bars (most of whom endure reproductive neglect and medical abandonment within the system), are almost never considered in policy or cultural discussions about menopause. By excluding these communities, mainstream narratives not only erase their realities but also reinforce systems of oppression that already limit access to care, safety, and dignity. (Alexandra Jane, 10/7)
