Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Picks Former Rep. Doug Collins To Lead Veterans Affairs Department
Politico: Trump Picks Doug Collins To Head The VA
President-elect Donald Trump has nominated one of his previous attorneys and former GOP House member Doug Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Collins, 58, a staunch Trump supporter and frequent Fox News guest, served in Congress representing a Georgia district from 2013 to 2021. Collins is an Air Force Reserve chaplain and served in Iraq. On Thursday, Collins pledged to slash regulations and cut “corruption” in a post on X. “We’ll fight tirelessly to streamline and cut regulations in the VA, root out corruption, and ensure every veteran receives the benefits they’ve earned,” Collins said. “Together, we’ll make the VA work for those who fought for us. Time to deliver for our veterans and give them the world class care they deserve.” (Leonard, 11/14)
Newsweek: Veterans' Health Care Could Be Cut By Department Of Government Efficiency
President-elect Donald Trump's newly created Department of Government Efficiency could impact health care for veterans if plans to cut appropriations for expired bills go ahead. ... Legislative authorities can expire and continue to receive appropriations—a law of Congress that provides an agency with budget authority—subject to congressional reauthorization. Among those expired appropriations is the Veteran's Health Care Eligibility Act, which amounted to $119 billion in government spending for 2024. (Higham, 11/14)
NBC News: Elon Musk's Efficiency 'Department' Seeks 'Super High-IQ' Staff For Unpaid Jobs
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s new commission to slash government spending began soliciting applications for staff jobs Thursday, saying it wants to hire “revolutionaries” who score highly on IQ tests. “We need super high-IQ small-government revolutionaries willing to work 80+ hours per week on unglamorous cost-cutting,” the so-called Department of Government Efficiency said on X. President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was appointing the two businessmen to jointly head up the advisory board to suggest spending cuts, target regulations for elimination and put forward ideas to restructure federal agencies. Musk and Ramaswamy have called for sweeping changes to federal programs, such as mass layoffs and deep cuts. (Ingram, 11/14)
In related news about veterans' health —
Military.com: Military Suicides Rose In 2023, Continuing Upward Trend Pentagon Sees As 'Real Change'
Suicides increased among U.S. military personnel last year, an ongoing trend Pentagon officials say they plan to address with a $125 million investment in prevention and mental health programs next year. The rate for active-duty personnel rose to 28.2 per 100,000 members in 2023, from 25.1 per 100,000 members during the previous year, according to new data released by the Pentagon on Thursday. That year-to-year increase is not statistically significant but when compared with the past 12 years, shows long-term "real change," defense officials said. (Kime, 11/14)
In other government news —
KFF Health News: Watch: Why The US Has Made Little Progress Improving Black Americans’ Health
The United States has made almost no progress in closing racial health disparities despite promises, research shows. The government, some critics argue, is often the underlying culprit. KFF Health News undertook a yearlong examination of how government decisions undermine Black health — reviewing court and inspection records and government reports, and interviewing dozens of academic researchers, doctors, politicians, community leaders, grieving moms, and patients. (Clasen-Kelly, Rayasam and Norman, 11/15)
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?' Podcast: Readying For Republican Rule
Come January, Republicans will control the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House, regaining full power for the first time since 2018. That will give them significant clout to dramatically change health policy. But slim margins in Congress will leave little room for dissent. (11/14)
