Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Congress Must Add Licensed Therapists To Medicare; A Doctor's Take On The Nursing Shortage
Seattle Times: Medicare In Desperate Need Of More Mental Health Providers, Who Stand Ready To Help
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a massive impact on Americans’ mental health. Another related crisis will worsen in the short term and have profound implications going forward: Older adults in America are facing a mental health crisis due to lack of access to Medicare providers. Currently, licensed marriage and family therapists and licensed mental health counselors are qualified to provide counseling services and are already an integral part of the mental health-care delivery system in the U.S. All 50 states issue these licenses. These professionals are recognized as eligible providers by Medicaid and private insurance plans. (Blake Edwards, 8/26)
Dallas Morning News: With Nursing Shortage, Doctors May Soon Have To Work More Closely With Nurses
A few years ago, I had a complicated surgical illness. After a year of monitoring and planning, my operation involved three surgical teams and over 10 hours of surgery. As a hospital internal medicine specialist, I have seen many complex cases, but suddenly I was the patient, face-to-face with the challenges and concerns my patients confront. Would my pain be well-controlled? Would I be able to get out of bed soon? Would I have a Foley catheter? How would I bathe? A 26-year-old night ICU nurse transformed my view of nursing. (Roberto de la Cruz, 8/27)
