Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Veterans, Overtaxed VA To Be Hit Hard By Government Hiring Freeze And Obamacare Changes
NPR: Hiring Freeze And Obamacare Repeal Could Clobber Veterans Affairs
As promised, President Trump has moved to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. It's a concern for those who might be left without health insurance — and especially for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which may have to pick up some of the slack. Carrie Farmer, a health policy researcher at the Rand Corporation, says 3 million vets who are enrolled in VA usually get their health care elsewhere — from their employer, or maybe from Obamacare exchanges. If those options go away, she has no idea just how many of that 3 million veterans will move over to the VA. (Lawrence, 1/25)
USA Today: Trump Hiring Freeze Includes The Short-Staffed VA
A federal hiring freeze imposed by President Trump on Monday affects thousands of open jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs, despite the half-million veterans still waiting longer than a month for VA appointments. White House press secretary Sean Spicer confirmed Tuesday that the VA is covered under the freeze, which exempted the military and other positions deemed necessary for national security and public safety. (Slack, 1/24)
