Viewpoints: Medicaid Director Is Perfect Fit For Trump Administration; Lessons On Costs Of Being Seriously Ill

Portland Press Herald: Mary Mayhew Brings Maine Failures To Washington
Prior experience is a key part of any job interview, so we’re sure Mary Mayhew’s new boss at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services looked deep into her work history. If so, they would have seen this assessment from the Office of the Inspector General: “Maine failed to demonstrate that it has a system to ensure the health, welfare and safety of the 2,640 Medicaid beneficiaries with developmental disabilities.” The inspector general’s report covered 2½ years of Mayhew’s tenure as commissioner at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, beginning two years after she was named to the job – and it did not reflect well on her. Under Mayhew’s lead, DHHS failed to meet its most basic obligations to residents with severe disabilities, hardly a ringing endorsement of the person who now oversees the Medicaid program nationwide. (10/17)

The New York Times: 1,495 Americans Describe The Financial Reality Of Being Really Sick
The whole point of health insurance is protection from financial ruin in case of catastrophic, costly health problems. But a recent survey of people facing such problems shows that it often fails in that basic function. The survey, of some of the country’s most seriously ill people, found that even with health insurance, more than a third of the respondents had spent all or most of their savings while sick. They are often faced with deductibles and co-payments; treatments their insurance won’t cover; and financial challenges — like lost work — that health insurance alone can’t address. (Margot Sanger-Katz, 10/17)

The Hill: American Patients Face Too Many Hurdles In Regard To Health-Care Access
In my many years as lawmaker, rarely have I seen an issue as complex and contentious as the debate around health care in this country. Yet, common ground did and still does exist. Policymakers today are advancing bipartisan policies that break down barriers and reverse a number of misaligned incentives that can jeopardize the doctor-patient relationship. (Former Sen. Tom Coburn, 10/16)

Bloomberg: If Republicans Won’t Confront Entitlements, Who Will?
Entitlement reform is more than an accounting exercise. At stake is the health care and retirement security for future generations. The sooner we act, the better we will be able to protect those who will be affected by the change. Conservatism has seen this issue as an exercise in advancing the common good. The GOP’s turn away from reducing future entitlement spending is bad for conservatism, which has prided itself on promoting the common good and possessing a serious governing vision based on objective reality and prudent judgment. (Michael R. Strain, 10/16)

The Hill: Short-Term Insurance Policies Likely To Cause Long-Term Problems
It is completely understandable why a small business owner would offer these short-term policies. Costs for large corporations have stabilized, but small businesses continue to see healthcare costs skyrocket, even with the ACA in place. Something must be done to address this, but in the midst of a nationwide opioid, mental health and mental illness epidemic, businesses should consider the short- and long-term ramifications of their policy choices. Similarly, individuals without access to employer-based health care have seen prices rise significantly, making short-term plans much more viable. As they consider their options, they must be aware of the potential shortfalls of short-term plans. (Scott Olson, 10/16)

The New York Times: The Lasting Pain Of Children Sent To Orphanages, Rather Than Families
President Trump is considering reviving the policy of separating immigrant families at the border. He is doing so not despite the policy’s cruelty, but because of it — he considers it an effective deterrent. Whether it deters Latin American immigration is unclear. But the stories of children taken from their parents, locked into institutions, and even being lost in the system, are certainly heartbreaking to many Americans. They grab us like no other issue concerning immigration. Those stories touch us because we know that children belong with their families, whenever possible. (Tina Rosenberg, 10/16)

Stat: Restoring Trust In Medical Research Among African-Americans
All of Us requires informed consent. That means participants are able to learn all of the details of the program before deciding to join. This process was designed to encourage transparency and make the aims of the program clear. Enrollees can also withdraw from the research pool at any time. We believe that this model of informed consent, combined with sharing information about the program’s goals and recruiting more black participants, will help change negative perceptions in our community, one physician and one patient at a time, while also contributing to groundbreaking medical research that will benefit our society for generations. (Randall C. Morgan, 10/17)