Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: ACA Has Been A Success; TennCare Changes Are A Win For Pregnant and Postpartum Women
Dallas Morning News: At Age 12, Obamacare Has Proven Itself
Former President Barack Obama’s joyous return to the White House marked an occasion many never expected to see: the 12th anniversary of his signature presidential achievement, the Affordable Care Act. After all, public sentiment was mixed at best when the ground-breaking law guaranteeing Americans health insurance coverage passed in 2010 without a single Republican vote. Then, the GOP spent years trying to “repeal and replace” it, climaxing with its failure during Donald Trump’s presidency to do neither. (Carl P. Leubsdorf, 4/14)
The Tennessean: Expanding TennCare Pregnancy, Postpartum Benefits For Mothers Matters
Until now, TennCare coverage for postpartum women extended only to 60 days after delivery. After that period, some women could qualify for TennCare under a different eligibility category such as being a caregiver. However, around 5,000 new mothers would not be eligible for continued health coverage during one of the most vulnerable moments of a woman’s life. (Danielle Tate, 4/13)
Bloomberg: Psychedelics Stocks Like Atai Life Sciences Are Having A Bad Psilocybin Trip
Such disarming openness has made the founder and chairman of Berlin-based drug development company Atai Life Sciences NV an effective advocate for the potential mental-health benefits of psychedelics such as psilocybin, the active ingredient of magic mushrooms. Although these compounds are still illegal in most places, they have enjoyed an extraordinary flourishing of medical research and financial investment in recent years. (Chris Bryant, 4/14)
Stat: Separations Continue For Families Seeking Asylum, With Dire Health Effects
Maria was 37 weeks pregnant — at full term — when Customs and Border Protection officers separated her from her husband, Alejandro, after they arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum, fleeing violence in Honduras. (I am using pseudonyms here to protect individual’s identities.) Alejandro was returned to Mexico to await his asylum hearing, but he was kidnapped there and held for ransom. Maria wasn’t sure if their family could pay to set him free. Their baby would likely be born while Alejandro and Maria were apart; she was terrified that their baby might never meet his father. (Annie Leone, 4/14)
The Tennessean: Patients Are Best Served Under A Team-Based Approach To Health Care
There has been significant discussion in Tennessee over the past few years about expanding the role of advanced practice registered nurses to fill gaps in health care access. Proponents argue this can be achieved only through the elimination of collaborative practice agreements APRNs hold with physicians. (James Cates and Ron Kirkland, 4/13)
