Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Restricting Teletherapy To Within State Borders Is First Amendment Violation
USA Today: Teletherapy Across State Lines Is Constitutionally Protected Speech
Like so many other therapists across the nation throughout the pandemic, Elizabeth Brokamp used online video technology to talk with one of her clients about family struggles, COVID-19 anxiety, an engagement and a looming job change. Unfortunately, that last one meant these conversations eventually turned from "counseling" into "crimes." Not because anything changed about the client or her needs, but because the job change meant the client moved across state lines – so Brokamp's helpful conversations were suddenly forbidden by the government. (Rob Johnson, 4/25)
The New York Times: Congress Has To Ask How Much McKinsey Hurt The F.D.A.
The managing partner of the global consulting firm McKinsey will testify before Congress on Wednesday to respond to a stunning congressional report revealing that his company’s consultants were simultaneously working for Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of the opioid OxyContin, and the Food and Drug Administration. As McKinsey was sending what one consultant called a “mini army” to serve Purdue Pharma — which would later declare bankruptcy while facing thousands of lawsuits over its role in the opioid epidemic — it was advising the F.D.A. on how to organize the offices overseeing the safety of opioids and other medications. (Joshua M. Sharfstein, 4/26)
Columbus Dispatch: Medicare Advantage Reimbursement Rates Must Be Kept Stable
If we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that ensuring access to health care services and treatments for everyone—particularly for more vulnerable patients like seniors and those living with disabilities—is not just the right thing to do, but it is an absolute necessity to ensure a stronger health care system. (Dontavius Jarrells, 4/26)
Chicago Tribune: Hospitals Are Doing More To Tackle Chicago Gun Violence Than Treating Gunshot Wounds
In 2018, I launched a partnership of the 10 major hospitals serving Chicago on a project to address the root causes of violence called the Chicago HEAL Initiative. Recently, we released a report on the progress made over three years and the ways that hospitals are reaching beyond their walls to partner with the community. Under this project, University of Chicago, Advocate Christ, Mt. Sinai, and Stroger-Cook County hospitals are not just stitching up the physical wounds of gunshot patients — they are addressing their emotional scars to prevent retaliations. (Dick Durbin, 4/25)
Also —
The Atlantic: There's No Knowing What Will Happen When Roe V. Wade Falls
Everything about the American abortion war has taken on an air of inevitability. The Supreme Court will reverse Roe v. Wade, the landmark abortion decision establishing a constitutional right to end a pregnancy. The United States will divide along expected lines, with abortion broadly accessible in blue states and all but entirely criminalized in red states. This narrative is not completely wrong. Twelve states have passed so-called trigger bans that will outlaw all or most abortions if Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey are overturned. At the same time, 16 states and the District of Columbia have policies guaranteeing abortion rights no matter what the Supreme Court decides. (Rachel Rebouche and Mary Ziegler, 4/25)
Kansas City Star: Abortion A Case Of Religious Freedom, Missouri Republicans
Missouri legislative proposals range from laws to criminally prosecute anyone trying to help someone obtain an abortion in another state to prohibiting abortion after a so-called “heartbeat” is detected at roughly six weeks. Apparently, that rhythmic cardiac activity in an embryo is now equated with being a fully-formed human. Politicians are culpable for babies born through the force of the state into circumstances that increase their probability of experiencing abuse and neglect. Credible research has identified conditions associated with a greater probability that these children will be physically and/or sexually abused. They include domestic violence, isolation, economic distress, lack of support systems, past family abuse, substance abuse and unintended pregnancy. (Victoria Johnson, 4/26)
Columbus Dispatch: Abortion Ban Would Unfairly Impact Poor And People Of Color
Abortion is legal in Ohio, yet legislators continue to chip away at abortion access in the state. The entire country is awaiting the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — a case that could ultimately overturn Roe v. Wade. However, the weight of this decision hits differently in Ohio, where legislators are considering several bills, two “trigger ban” laws (Senate Bill 123 and House Bill 598) and one law that would allow private citizens to sue individuals aiding abortions (House Bill 480). (Payal Chakraborty and Danielle Bessett, 4/26)
