Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pinning Democratic Candidates Down On Where Exactly They Stand On 'Medicare For All' Likely To Be Big Moment In Debate
NPR: 1st Democratic Debates: What Policies Will Draw Out Big Differences?
On Wednesday and Thursday, 20 candidates will take the Democratic debate stage to talk about a wide range of policy topics. And 20 candidates times dozens of policies equals a lot to keep track of. It's true that, these being Democratic candidates, there's a lot they all agree on — taking action on climate change, for example, or improving the health care system. But this debate is the first time we'll see them next to each other, coming into direct conflict over what, exactly, they disagree on. (Kurtzleben, 6/25)
The Associated Press: New Phase In 2020 Presidential Race Tests Dems' Aggression
In an interview, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez downplayed simmering tensions between two sharply divided wings of the party. One demands bold action on health care and climate change, while calling for Trump’s impeachment; the other favors a more pragmatic progressivism that confronts the same policy challenges with a bipartisan approach. “What we do have is unity of values,” Perez said, noting that virtually every Democrat seeking the presidency supports universal health care coverage, combating climate change and civil rights. (Peoples, 6/24)
The Hill: 2020 Primary Debate Guide: Everything You Need To Know Ahead Of The First Democratic Showdown
Who will be there? Who won't? What questions will the candidates be asked? Who will jab at whom? What will we learn? Read on for everything you need to know going into the first of a dozen Democratic primary debates. (Manchester, 6/24)
The New York Times: Sara Gideon To Challenge Susan Collins For Maine Senate Seat
Sara Gideon, the speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, said on Monday that she would challenge Senator Susan Collins, making her the most formidable opponent yet for a United States Senate seat that Democrats have identified as a target in the 2020 election. Ms. Gideon, a Democrat, said that her decision was spurred partly by the vote that Ms. Collins, a Republican expected to seek her fifth term, cast in support for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. (Saul, 6/24)
The Associated Press: A Top Maine Democrat Announces Bid To Unseat Sen. Collins
Rep. Sara Gideon, of Freeport, who has been the speaker for the past two terms, has already made access to abortion a central focus of her campaign. Collins, first elected in 1996, is expected to run for another term but has yet to formally announce her candidacy. (Villeneuve, 6/24)
The Associated Press: O'Rourke Proposes New 'War Tax' To Fund Veteran Health Care
Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke is pledging to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and help create a federal health care fund to cover the costs of caring for those who serve in future wars by taxing those who don't. The former Texas congressman unveiled his proposal Monday before attending a veterans' roundtable in Tampa, Florida, ahead of the first Democratic presidential debate in Miami on Wednesday. (6/24)
Texas Tribune: Beto O'Rourke Releases Veterans Plan With Health Care Fund, 'War Tax'
“We must be willing to pay any price, and bear any burden, to provide the full care, support, and resources to every single veteran who served every single one of us," O'Rourke said in a statement, adding that the best way to honor veterans is to "cancel the blank check for endless war — and reinvest the savings to ensure every American can thrive upon their return home." The war tax would be a progressive tax on adjusted gross income, ranging from $25 for those making less than $30,000 per year to $1,000 for those earning over $200,000 every year. The tax "would serve as a reminder of the incredible sacrifice made by those who serve and their families," O'Rourke's plan says. (Svitek, 6/24)
Meanwhile —
Kaiser Health News: Fuzzy Math Fuels Sanders’ Claim That Cost Barriers To Health Care Kill 30,000 A Year
“Medicare for All” — or single-payer health care — is a flagship issue for Democratic presidential candidate and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. So when a conservative group launched an ad campaign claiming such a policy would drive up wait times for medical care, the 2020 candidate responded aggressively. His point: Some people may wait a bit for care under a new system. But under the current one, many people do not have access to affordable care and the results are sometimes dire. Still, Sanders’ precision gave us pause. (Luthra, 6/25)
Kaiser Health News: KHN’s ‘What The Health’: Politics Heading Into 2020: Live From Aspen!
The cost of health care looms as a major issue going into the 2020 campaign. But even as Democratic presidential candidates debate ways to bring down prices and expand insurance to more Americans, Democrats and Republicans in Congress are trying to pass legislation to address the price of prescription drugs and put an end to “surprise” out-of-network medical bills. Chris Jennings and Lanhee Chen know about both. Jennings, president of Jennings Policy Strategies, has been a health adviser to Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. (6/24)
