Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Too Many Insured People Can't Afford Health Care; Mandy Cohen Is Right Choice For CDC Director
The New York Times: Fixing Health Care Starts With The Already Insured
There is no shortage of proposals for health insurance reform, and they all miss the point. They invariably focus on the nearly 30 million Americans who lack insurance at any given time. But the coverage for the many more Americans who are fortunate enough to have insurance is deeply flawed. (Liran Einav and Amy Finkelstein, 7/18)
The Washington Post: Biden's New CDC Director Is The Right Person To Lead The Agency
Mandy Cohen, President Biden’s newly appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was sworn into her role last week. The internal medicine physician and former North Carolina state health secretary is exactly the right person to lead the agency through a critical inflection point. (Leana S. Wen, 7/17)
The Atlantic: I Have Cancer. I Can’t Put My Kids First Anymore
In February, two months before my 40th birthday, my left breast became swollen and painful. I chalked it up to the catchall pile of indignities known as perimenopause. But March and April came and went, and my breast seemed worse. May arrived, and I scrambled to schedule a mammogram. (Miranda Featherstone, 7/17)
Miami Herald: US Youth Exhibiting Unprecedented Mental-Health Difficulties
The subject line of the email declared: “Protecting the health of Florida’s children is a priority for the department, we aspire to do all we can to ensure the well-being of every child. ”The irony of these words from the Florida Department of Health is disturbing and incomprehensible, for the department has repeatedly remained silent as state lawmakers atrociously attack youth. (Natasha L. Poulopoulos and Melisa Oliva, 7/17)
The Baltimore Sun: Medicaid Now Covers Prenatal Care In Md. For Undocumented Residents, But Many Barriers To Access Still Exist
During the 2022 legislative session, we were elated by the news that the Maryland General Assembly passed the Healthy Babies Equity Act, which would extend Medicaid coverage to pregnant people who would otherwise be eligible if not for their immigration status. But our moods dampened when we realized it would not be implemented until July of this year. There was already a great need. (Alexander Kaysin, 7/17)
Also —
Modern Healthcare: AI Tools Are Impressive But Can’t Replace The Physician Brain
Talk to physicians today about the promises and pitfalls of digital technology in medicine and, inevitably, questions about ChatGPT and other AI-enabled tools surface. (Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, 7/18)
Stat: AI Can’t Replace A Physician’s Gut Feeling
I’ve heard “WebMD said it could be cancer” countless times in my 15 years working as an emergency medicine physician. I get it: When someone is feeling unwell or hoping a worrying symptom will go away, it makes sense for them to turn to easily accessible resources. As people become increasingly familiar with artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT, it’s only a matter of time before patients turn to these tools in search of a diagnosis or second opinion. Change is already on the horizon. (Craig Spencer, 7/18)
