Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Aging Doesn't Have To Mean Losing Cognitive Function; Cancer Shouldn't Bankrupt People
Scientific American: Many Older People Maintain And Even Gain Cognitive Skills
Rowe led research showing that in the six years after turning 75, about half of people showed little to no change in their physical, biological, hormonal and cognitive functioning, whereas the other half changed quite a lot. A longer-term study followed more than 2,000 individuals with an average age of 77 for up to 16 years. It showed that the three quarters who did not develop dementia showed little to no cognitive decline. (Lydia Denworth, 8/20)
Houston Chronicle: Out-Of-Pocket Costs For Cancer Treatment Can Wreak Financial Havoc
Roughly 1.9 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year — awful news not just for the person’s physical health and emotional state, but also for their finances. Out-of-pocket costs — including copays, deductibles, hospital stays, doctor’s office visits, emergency services, and home health care services — can wreak havoc. (Olajumoke Olateju, 8/20)
Stat: More Cancer Screening Won't Reduce Black-White Health Disparities
For years, Black Americans have been more likely to die of cancer than white Americans. There is a widespread belief that cancer screening — tests to detect hidden cancer — can reduce this Black-white disparity. While it is important to be attentive to racial disparities in health and health care, the belief in screening is misguided. More cancer screening primarily serves the interests of the health care system, not those of Black Americans. (Adewole Adamson, Vishal Patel and H. Gilbert Welch, 8/21)
Bloomberg: Obamacare's Ban On Doctor-Owned Hospitals Has Backfired
Lawyers can own law firms. Bankers can own banks. But thanks to the Affordable Care Act, doctors are effectively banned from owning hospitals. At a time when the rapidly consolidating hospital market needs more competition, not less, keeping this poorly conceived provision on the books makes little sense. Congress should repeal it. (8/21)
Kansas City Star: Kansas Social Workers Need Help To Treat Mental Heath Better
Kansas ranked last in Mental Health America’s State of Mental Health in America 2023 report. The need for improved mental health care is impossible to ignore. To that end, our state took an important step to create social worker jobs and facilitate care across the state by joining the Social Work Licensure Compact in April. (Betsy Cauble, 8/21)
Stat: Did Joe Biden Have Delirium At The Presidential Debate?
At the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday night, President Biden took the stage at 10:26 p.m. Central Time to a four-minute-long standing ovation. Throughout his historic 50-minute address, his voice was strong, albeit emotional at times. He was focused and able to connect the dots as he moved from topic to topic. Though he read from a teleprompter, he was able to improv, too. It was the last hurrah for a president who has spent more than half a century in public service. (Anand Kumar, 8/20)
