Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: GOP Having Some Second Thoughts On Repeal; Forcing Addicts Into Treatment
Huffington Post: Republicans Realize Taking Obamacare Away From Their Voters Maybe Isn't A Great Idea
Republicans have enjoyed big electoral wins over the past year that put them on the verge of being able to do major damage to Obamacare. Only now, some of them seem a little anxious about taking the next, big step. It's a truism in politics, espoused by Republicans and Democrats alike, that it's awfully hard to take away government benefits once they've been offered. In the case of the Affordable Care Act, repeal would mean yanking health coverage from more than 16 million people who didn't have it before, between those who now get subsidies for private health insurance and those who gained access to Medicaid coverage via the law's expansion of that program to more low-income adults. It's the Medicaid expansion that now appears to be complicating the ceaseless, noisy and heretofore ineffective "Repeal Obamacare!" movement. (Jeffrey Young, 11/12)
The Washington Post: A Message To My Friends And Allies About Why Repealing The Cadillac Tax Is The Wrong Thing To Do
This one goes out to my progressive friends, colleagues and allies — to my labor friends, my political allies on all sides of all aisles, and anyone else who generally finds these scribblings agreeable, until I stand up in defense of the Cadillac tax. ... The fact is, you make some strong points against the tax. But read on, as you may find I’ve got even stronger ones, especially given the reality of tax policy today and some ideas for compromise. (Jared Bernstein, 11/12)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: Inefficiency In Medicaid
According to a new report, Virginia has shelled out millions in Medicaid payments for people who were not eligible for them. While it’s good to have hard numbers, the news comes as no great surprise. At the same time, it also is not the knock-down argument against Medicaid expansion that Republicans are pretending it is. (11/12)
Los Angeles Times: GOP Presidential Debate Suffers From A Deficit Of Details
The uncomfortable reality is that the federal budget is on an unsustainable path, and it's not because federal agencies are growing like kudzu. Discretionary nondefense spending hasn't grown at all in recent years, and defense spending has grown only modestly. The problem over the coming decades is the rising cost of healthcare, especially for the growing number of seniors. Only one candidate acknowledged this — [Ohio Gov. John] Kasich, again — but he didn't say how he planned to slam the brakes on doctor bills and hospital costs in Medicare and Medicaid. And when [Sen. Ted] Cruz was asked about cutting benefits to retirees, he touted a plan to let younger workers shift some of their Social Security contributions into private retirement investments — a shift that defeats the purpose of providing guaranteed income for seniors in the future, while draining the system of money needed to pay for current retirees' benefits. (11/12)
The Washington Post: Trump Exploits A Crack In The GOP’s Foundation
Republicans have been united around the belief that government spending is out of control. The problem is that there are only two ways to significantly reduce the debt and deficits: raise taxes or cut Social Security and Medicare. Since the former is anathema to all Republicans — indeed, they want tax cuts — most conservatives propose paring down entitlement programs. That remains the centerpiece of House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) appeal to conservatives. But the bulk of the Republican electorate is elderly, and they are increasingly making it clear that they disagree. (Fareed Zakaria, 11/12)
The Wall Street Journal: Awaiting Ben Carson’s Agenda
Many Americans date their first notice of Ben Carson to that prayer breakfast in 2013, when he criticized ObamaCare in front of the president. In fact, the surgeon has spent 15 years writing a string of best-selling books and giving interviews that feature policy ideas. Just a few past Carson proposals: He has called for government to take responsibility for providing catastrophic health insurance, funded by taxes on insurers. He has called for turning insurers into “nonprofit service organizations with standardized, regulated profit margins.” He’s suggested that he’d be OK with a total tax rate (federal, state, local) of 37%—or 42% for those earning more than $1 million. He’s suggested having government pay for child-care facilities. ... It’s possible Mr. Carson now holds different views. We don’t really know. (Kimberly A. Strassel, 11/12)
Health Affairs: Maryland’s Progress On The Path To The Triple Aim
Nearly 18 months ago, in January 2014, I wrote in this publication about a historic agreement between the State of Maryland and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that, for the first time on a statewide level, provided a framework that could reduce per capita health care costs, improve the health of communities, and improve the care experience for patients. Now, midway through year two of a five-year demonstration period that Princeton University health care economist Uwe Reinhardt called “the boldest proposal in the United States in the last half century to grab the problem of cost growth by the horns,” Maryland, with hospitals leading the way, has made remarkable strides in pursuit of that Triple Aim. (Carmela Coyle, 11/12)
The Tampa Bay Times: Antibiotic Overuse, Misuse Can Be Harmful To Us All
Every year, roughly 2 million people in the United States will develop an antibiotic-resistant infection, resulting in 23,000 deaths — more than 60 people each day. Try to imagine yourself or a family member with a life-threatening infection caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Your doctor comes to the bedside to tell you that there are few, if any, available antibiotics to treat the infection. (Dr. David M. Berman, 11/12)
The New York Times' Room For Debate: Should Drug Addicts Be Forced Into Treatment?
Opiate addiction is on the rise in the United States. Death rates, partly stemming from substance abuse, are increasing among middle-age white Americans. In response to what is being called a heroin epidemic, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has proposed legislation that would give hospitals the power to force treatment on drug addicts. Is this an effective approach to the problem? (11/12)
Los Angeles Times: 'Recreational' Marijuana Proponents Are Pushing A False Narrative
The weed warriors are back, peddling pot for the California ballot. And one old tale they're spinning is pure bunk. It's that too much tax money, cop time and jail space are wasted corralling and incarcerating marijuana users. Maybe that was true decades ago. But today it's a myth. No one gets busted and jailed for merely smoking a joint. (George Skelton, 11/12)
The New England Journal Of Medicine: Improving Diagnosis In Health Care — The Next Imperative For Patient Safety
The 1999 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report To Err Is Human transformed thinking about patient safety in U.S. health care. On its 15th anniversary, a topic largely missing from that report is finally getting its due. With its new report, Improving Diagnosis in Health Care, the IOM has acknowledged the need to address diagnostic error as a “moral, professional, and public health imperative.” The new report emphasizes that diagnostic errors may be one of the most common and harmful of patient-safety problems. (Hardeep Singh and Mark L. Graber, 11/11)
