Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Savings Run Out For More Americans As Senators Face Uphill Relief Talks
NPR: More Americans Pay Rent On Credit Cards As Lawmakers Fail To Pass Relief Bill
With their savings running out, many Americans are being forced to use credit cards to pay for bills they can't afford — even their rent. Housing experts and economists say this is a blinking-red warning light that without more relief from Congress, the economy is headed for even more serious trouble. There's been as much as a 70% percent increase from last year in people paying rent on a credit card, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. (Arnold, 11/30)
Lawmakers try to jump-start COVID-relief talks —
Politico: Bipartisan Senate Group Revives Coronavirus Relief Talks
A bipartisan group of senators is trying to jump-start stalled coronavirus stimulus talks during the lame duck, with congressional leaders still at odds over providing more relief as cases and deaths spike ahead of the coming winter. The effort is an uphill battle given the entrenched positions of Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his GOP conference and Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. So whatever this collection of senators can achieve is likely to be modest, if they can accomplish anything at all. (Everett, 11/30)
The Hill: Bipartisan Senate Group Holding Coronavirus Relief Talks Amid Stalemate
A bipartisan group of senators is holding discussions to try to get a deal on a fifth round of coronavirus relief amid a months-long stalemate between congressional leadership and the White House. The talks, confirmed to The Hill by four sources, are one of the first signs of life for a potential coronavirus agreement as congressional Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the White House have remained far apart on both the price tag and the policy details. (Carney, 11/30)
CNN: Stimulus: Don't Expect A Second Check This Year. But Here's What Congress Could Do
Even with coronavirus spiking and new restrictions taking effect, Congress remains stalled on fresh relief for Americans in need. While there's support from both Republicans and Democrats for sending out another round of payments, it's unlikely Americans will get a second round of stimulus checks before the end of the year -- and lawmakers have been unable to come to any agreement on a broader economic aid package. (Lobosco, 11/30)
In related news about the pandemic's economic toll —
The Washington Post: GAO Report Says Unemployment Numbers Have Been Inflated By Backlogs During Pandemic
The nation’s weekly unemployment statistics have been plagued by backlogs, fraud and inconsistent data reporting state by state, making them a seriously flawed measurement that has likely overstated the number of individuals claiming unemployment during the pandemic, according to a federal report released Monday. The Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan auditing agency that works for Congress, was unsparing about the problems with unemployment statistics, as part of a lengthy report that looked at the country’s response to the coronavirus. (Rosenberg, 11/30)
Politico: DeSantis Urges Congress To Pass Unemployment Relief
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday urged Congress to move quickly to pass an unemployment relief package for people left jobless by the coronavirus pandemic. DeSantis made his remarks to reporters Monday in Kissimmee, a central Florida city that is home to thousands of Walt Disney World workers. The Walt Disney Co. has announced plans to lay off more than 30,000 employees, including 18,000 at the Orlando theme park. (Dixon, 11/30)
Philadelphia Inquirer: ‘I Feel Stuck’: Philadelphians Struggle With The Effects Of Unemployment On Mental Health
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate is 7.3% as of October, 2.7 percentage points higher from the same time last year. Unemployment rates spiked in April at 16.1%, and have gradually decreased since, although certain sectors such as hospitality and retail are still struggling to recover jobs lost in the spring. And last month Philadelphia introduced new restrictions to manage the rising number of COVID-19 cases, causing some employees in those industries to go through a second round of layoffs. (Ao, 12/1)
Philadelphia Inquirer: Philly Hunger Relief Group Philabundance Lost Nearly $1 Million In Cyberattack
The Philadelphia region’s largest hunger-relief group was nearing completion of its $12 million Philabundance Community Kitchen in July when the nonprofit’s finance office wired $923,533 to pay a construction bill. At least employees thought they did. “Weeks later we realized it was sent to a fraudulent account,” Loree Jones, who took over in June as Philabundance’s chief executive, said Monday. (Brubaker, 12/1)
