Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: If Patient Voices Could Be As Loud As Lobbyists, Then Surprise Medical Bills Might End; How Is it That Greedy Corporations Get Rich On Insulin?
Stat: To Fight Surprise Medical Bills, Create A Powerful United Patient Lobby
Physicians are taught to prioritize the interests of their patients, using their knowledge, preferences, and values to guide clinical decisions. Political decisions about the U.S. health care system tend to take the reverse perspective: prioritizing the interests of everyone else — pharmaceutical companies, insurers, hospitals, and physicians — above patients. (Soleil Shah and Bob Kocher, 2/25)
Boston Globe: Big Pharma’s Unconscionable Insulin Racket Endangers People With Diabetes
Nearly 100 years ago, Dr. Frederick Banting used insulin to treat patients with diabetes and shared a Nobel Prize for its discovery. He sold the patent rights to the University of Toronto for $1. “Insulin does not belong to me, it belongs to the world,” Banting proclaimed. Yet, here we are in 2020 and insulin does not belong to the world. Instead, greedy corporations are using it to line their pockets. Who will be the one to release insulin back where it belongs? (Erinne Magee, 2/24)
Roll Call: Taking Care Of Loved Ones Shouldn’t Be So Taxing
The wafting smell of cleaning supplies and a lack of ventilation was overpowering as I walked through the nursing home door. I could feel the anxiety I shared with my parents and my uncle as we approached my great-aunt’s room... Seeing a loved one suffering from an illness such as dementia is stressful. But the anxiety I felt visiting my great-aunt last fall wasn’t only about her condition. I was haunted by the fact that a nursing home was her only option and that many Americans won’t get the care they need because our policies don’t support family caregiving. (Evan Preston, 2/24)
Boston Globe: My Son Was Killed In The Virginia Tech Shooting — Which Is Why I’m Voting For Mike Bloomberg
On April 16, 2007, I received the gut-wrenching phone call that my only son, Ross, had been murdered in the Virginia Tech massacre, which took the lives of 32 people and critically injured 17 others.My heart aches for Ross every day — he was an intelligent, kind, and musically talented young man with a dry wit who loved languages, technology, and building computers. But for the first time in more than a dozen years, today I am filled with hope — because when we cast our ballots in Massachusetts on March 3 we will have an opportunity to vote for a candidate who will actually tackle this issue and get the job done: former New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg. (Lynnette Alameddine, 2/25)
The New York Times: The Distorted Reflections Of An Eating Disorder
The rules were simple. Whenever Madonna sang, we strutted our stuff up and down the matted blue carpet. If the music stopped, we struck a pose in front of the full-length mirror. “Your face is crooked!” my friend Diana shrieked. “Your legs are 10 feet long!” I yelled back. (Abby Sher, 2/25)
The Washington Post: Bringing A Companion To A Doctor's Appointment Is Often Recommended, But That Means They Hear Everything
Sometimes it’s a good idea to bring a close friend or relative with you to a doctor’s appointment. They can provide support and another perspective. But not always. I’m a urologist, and I have discovered there are times when my patients have regretted bringing someone with them. Not everyone knows what urologists do, and many who know of the specialty think that we treat only men. (Marcos Del Rosario-Santiago, 2/23)
San Francisco Chronicle: Just Say No To California’s Drug-Making Plan
Gov. Gavin Newsom just announced his intention to have the state contract with generic drug manufacturers to make drugs to sell to state residents, presumably at lower cost than they’re available on the market today.But the plan won’t deliver much in the way of savings. In fact, it could cost taxpayers a significant amount of money. There are far more effective ways to make prescription drugs more affordable — say, by injecting transparency into the notoriously opaque drug supply chain. (Wayne Winegarden, 2/24)
