Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: US Withdrawal From WHO Could Lead To Positive Reform; Claim Appeals Are A Real Pain
The Washington Post: Trump's Withdrawal From The WHO Is A Mistake - But Also An Opportunity
President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization could severely damage American interests. If his order stands, the U.S. government will find it more difficult to track and fight infectious diseases around the world. The United States’ relationships with allies will suffer, and its adversaries’ influence over the management of viral threats will increase. Yet it is still possible to avoid these outcomes. (1/22)
Stat: Why Appealing An Insurance Denial Is So Overwhelming
When Jessica (not her real name) learned in her 20s that she had severe immunodeficiency, she was prescribed subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy (SCIg), a very expensive type of injection treatment that can protect against infection and prevent long-term damage from infections. She had no idea the challenges that would lie ahead when her physician submitted the request for prior authorization, or pre-approval from her private insurer. (Miranda Yaver, 1/23)
Stat: The Public Health Costs Of Allowing ICE In Hospitals
The Trump administration moved this week to end longstanding protections barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from conducting raids in hospitals and medical clinics. This decision is not only cruel; it is a public health catastrophe in the making. (Eric Reinhart, 1/23)
The Washington Post: How Human Bodies End Up On Dissection Tables Without Consent
In September, the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth made headlines for dissecting the unclaimed remains of hundreds of individuals without their consent or the permission of their next of kin. The bodies were sent to the health science center by county officials to avoid paying for the cremation of their poorest residents. This was neither illegal nor peculiar to Texas. Indeed, the use of unclaimed bodies is one of the oldest dirty secrets in medicine. (Eli Shupe, 1/22)
