Viewpoints: Support For Paid Leave; Immigrants Afraid Of Seeking Care
A collection of opinions on health care from around the country.
The New York Times:
Americans Agree On Paid Leave, But Not On Who Should Pay
Most people say workers should get paid leave to take care of a baby, a sick family member or themselves, according to two new surveys. But they disagree on the details: who should pay, and whether it should be mandatory or optional. (Claire Cain Miller, 3/23)
Arizona Republic:
The Wrong Bill About Dying Went To Ducey's Desk
Gov. Doug Ducey can stand up for individual rights and dignity. Or he can sign Senate Bill 1439 and buck a trend toward letting people control their lives and deaths. The bill is ostensibly about religious freedom. It is supported by the powerful Center for Arizona Policy, which supports conservative social policies and is headed by Ducey supporter Cathi Herrod. SB 1439 is supposed to protect health-care professionals and hospitals from discrimination if they refuse to help people die. (Linda Valdez, 3/22)
Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal:
Savannah's Funeral - 'Tired Of Burying My Friends'
We should not feel comfortable raising children in a world where they learn how to order flowers for their friend’s funeral before they learn how to buy a house or start a retirement fund. I am a full-time student with a part-time job. I went to decent schools and stayed away from the neighborhoods my parents warned me about. I am not an anomaly, and neither is gun violence. I apologize if I seem insensitive towards the individual’s right to own a gun, but it is time we take a critical look at our society’s priorities. What good is a world full of guns if we must fill our days with this pain? How many of our children are we willing to lose to maintain our sense of entitlement? (Tara Ann Steiden, 3/23)
The New England Journal of Medicine:
Chilling Effect? Post-Election Health Care Use By Undocumented And Mixed-Status Families
Navigating the health care system is particularly difficult for people with limited English proficiency and health literacy or without health insurance or a Social Security number. Many undocumented immigrants and their families therefore go without needed care, to their detriment and sometimes that of others, as in the case of a woman with syphilis who is pregnant with a future U.S. citizen. (Kathleen R. Page and Sarah Polk, 3/23)
The New England Journal of Medicine:
Patient Inducements — High Graft Or High Value?
In May 2016, Uber announced a partnership with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) to provide discounted ride-sharing services to “bridge the first and last mile gap” and encourage people to ride the regional rail system. It was a potential win for all — increased ridership for Uber and SEPTA, decreased traffic and pollution. The partnership was lauded for testing an innovative way to advance social goals. Contrast this partnership with one that might be arranged in health care. For instance, a partnership between a health system and a ride-sharing service to provide free rides for patients with transportation barriers might help elderly patients with disabilities or those with limited transportation options get needed care. However, it might be illegal. (Krisda H. Chaiyachati, David A. Asch and David T. Grande, 3/23)
The New England Journal of Medicine:
Adopting Innovations In Care Delivery — The Case Of Shared Medical Appointments
Transformative innovations in care delivery often fail to spread. Consider shared medical appointments, in which patients receive one-on-one physician consultations in the presence of others with similar conditions. Shared appointments are used for routine care of chronic conditions, patient education, and even physical exams. Providers find that they can improve outcomes and patient satisfaction while dramatically reducing waiting times and costs. (Kamalini Ramdas and Ara Darzi, 3/23)
JAMA:
The Rise Of Crowdfunding For Medical Care
The rise of medical crowdfunding carries the promise of more efficiently matching potential donors with unmet needs in ways that may increase overall giving, mirroring emerging technologies in other industries such as ride-hailing and retail services that aim to more efficiently match supply and demand. Despite its protean promises, however, medical crowdfunding raises a constellation of ethical and legal hurdles for patients, clinicians, institutions, and society. Understanding these issues will be of increasing importance as medical crowdfunding continues to grow in popularity. (Michael J. Young and Ethan Scheinberg, 3/23)
