Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: RFK Jr.'s New Vaccine Silence Is Strategic; The Way American Health Insurance Is Designed Actively Drives Up Costs
Stat: Kennedy Has Gone Quiet On Vaccines. It’s A Political Tactic
For the moment, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seems quieter and more positive on vaccines than many, us included, ever expected he could be. Public messaging has shifted — at least superficially — toward nutrition, chronic disease, and the Make America Healthy Again agenda. Kennedy even acknowledged in a recent congressional hearing that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is safe and effective “for most people.” (Will Walters and Richard Hughes IV, 4/23)
The Boston Globe: Health Insurance Isn't Containing Costs. It's Fueling Them.
High deductibles and flawed incentives are pushing prices higher while leaving patients less protected. (Ashish K. Jha, 4/20)
The Boston Globe: Home Is The Most Dangerous Place For Women And Children
Recent events are a somber reminder that domestic violence-related shootings are more prevalent than similar acts in public spaces. (Renée Graham, 4/21)
The Boston Globe: The Supreme Court's Hypocrisy On Trans Student Rights
By staying out of a dispute, the justices did right by a Mass. student but left others around the nation either unprotected or guessing. (Kimberly Atkins Stohr, 4/22)
The Washington Post: Butt Out, Cigarette Banners
What this law does is create a two-tier system of consumer rights. In 2055, it will be legal for 47-year-olds to purchase a pack of cigarettes but not 46-year-olds. Decades after that, a 92-year-old will need to be carded to buy a cigar, to make sure his 91-year-old friend isn’t doing so illegally. (4/22)
