Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: US Health Insurance Is Broken; EBSA Will Hold Insurance Providers Accountable For Care
The New York Times: Open Enrollment Reminds Us How Easy It Is To Lose Health Insurance In America
Why do Americans have to “remember” to get health insurance every year? We don’t ask citizens to remember to enroll with the fire department every year, or to remember to sign up for electricity service or water. Yet with health insurance, we’ve set up an unwieldy mechanism where millions of people have to opt in every year or do without. (Danielle Ofri, 10/25)
The Washington Post: Don't Let Your Insurance Company Win So Easily. Call This Number
“I don’t know if it is the mother in me or the New Jersey,” says Lisa Gomez, “but I don’t want to hear ‘It’s too hard. We can’t do this.’ ”Gomez needs this grit. It is her job to ensure that health plans and insurance companies pay for the care Americans are entitled to. She is the Labor Department’s assistant secretary for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA). It is a wonky title for what Gomez does: She’s a mental health activist. (Kate Woodsome, 10/23)
Bloomberg: Medicare Advantage Is Great. Except For Taxpayers
Every year, from mid-October to early December, millions of Medicare beneficiaries get the chance to pick a new health plan. With dozens to choose from and a blizzard of advertising, more seniors are going with the simplest, cheapest option: privately run plans known as Medicare Advantage. (10/24)
The Tennessean: Health Care Industry Must Lead By Reducing Its Huge Carbon Footprint
Now – perhaps more than ever – protecting our personal health also means protecting the health of our environment. And the industry tasked with creating better health outcomes, the health care sector, should be leading the charge. (Bill Frist and Fahad Tahir, 10/24)
Also —
Stat: The Problems With Dementia Villages
Recently, dementia villages have gained popularity in Europe and Australia as an all-in-one solution to caring for and improving the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The New York Times has reported that it looks like the “future of home care.” (Kristina Carvalho, 10/24)
Scientific American: Spicy Food Probably Doesn't Cause Long-Term Harm
Everyone has a different tolerance for spicy food — some love the burn, while others can’t take the heat. But the scientific consensus on whether spicy food can have an effect — positive or negative — on your health is pretty mixed. (Paul D. Terry, 10/24)
The CT Mirror: CT Nurses’ Campaign For Safe Staffing Can Be A Model For Other States
It was International Patient Safety Day, and I joined with elected officials and my fellow Connecticut nurses to celebrate our legislative success, which requires hospitals to create a dedicated staffing committee to develop annual nursing staffing plans. Reflecting back, I realized that it often takes a crisis or near-crisis to force needed change or, at the very least, to jumpstart a process of reforms, adjustments and steps to address significant challenges. (Susan A. Goncalves, 10/25)
