Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Here's How To Improve Health Insurance; Will SCOTUS Uphold Anti-Trans Legislation?
Los Angeles Times: The UnitedHealthcare Killing Won't Improve Insurance. This Would
Last week’s shocking killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson, reopened a national wound inflicted by the delay and denial of health coverage to countless Americans. This was a violent crime that won’t solve anything. But the ensuing organic and spontaneous outpouring of populist anger underscored how many Americans have been cruelly and unjustly denied medical treatment. (Jamie Court, 12/12)
Sacramento Bee: Supreme Court Appears Ready To Discriminate Against Trans Youth By Denying Them Care
Sadly, it appears that the Supreme Court is poised to uphold a Tennessee law that prohibits transgender youth from obtaining gender-affirming care. In a case heard last week, the six conservative justices expressed deference to the Tennessee legislature’s choice, indicating that the court is likely to reject the constitutional challenges to the law. (Erwin Chemerinsky, 12/11)
Chicago Tribune: Donald Trump Must Embrace Expanded Access To Obesity Fighting Drugs
President Joe Biden proposed a policy last week that would allow Americans on Medicare and Medicaid to access obesity-fighting drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic. The White House is pitching the regulation as these new drugs are exploding in the health care arena, and which, so far, have been effective and in high demand. (Laura Washington, 12/11)
The New York Times: Men In Caring Jobs Will Make Society More Equal
According to Harriet Torry in The Wall Street Journal, “The number of male registered nurses in the U.S. has nearly tripled since the early 2000s,” going “from about 140,000 in 2000 to about 400,000 in 2023.” In health care, wage and market growth exceed the national average, and people still need emergency surgeries, even in recessions, CNN’s Bryan Mena notes. Health care jobs are particularly vital in rural parts of the country, where hospitals may be among the largest employers in their areas. (Jessica Grose, 12/11)
Stat: How Texas Is Undermining Its Own Medical System
As a first-generation immigrant, much of my childhood was spent in a state of perpetual uncertainty. My family and I fixated on an ever-refreshing screen, patiently watching our status shift from “H-1B visa” to “green card” holder to “citizen” over 14 long years. Yet amid this endless cycle of anxiety, one place surprisingly gave me solace: the hospital. As a long-time patient of Texas Children’s Hospital, I saw early on how health care stood apart — a field untouched by the grasp of immigration status, a space where humanity held precedence over nationality. (Akshara Ramasamy, 12/12)
