Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
White House Tries To Tackle Health Issues Of Vets Exposed To Burn Pits
The Hill: White House Expanding Health Care For Veterans Exposed To Burn Pits
The White House on Thursday marked Veterans Day by announcing expanded health care resources for individuals exposed to burn pits and other environmental hazards during their time in the military. Assistance for those exposed to burn pits has been a personal issue for President Biden, who has on multiple occasions spoken about how he believes his son Beau Biden's exposure to them may have been linked to the brain cancer that killed him in 2015. (Samuels, 11/11)
Roll Call: Some Troops Are Driven To Suicide By Hunger, Experts Say
One of the biggest problems among U.S. troops and veterans, rising suicides, is made worse by another growing scourge in the ranks: hunger. That was the conclusion experts delivered to a House Agriculture subcommittee in a hearing Wednesday on the eve of Veterans Day. “Veterans dealing with very low food security have an almost four-fold increase in odds of suicidal ideation,” Nipa Kamdar, a health sciences specialist, told the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight and Department Operations. (Donnelly, 11/11)
Modern Healthcare: Cerner's Scheduling System For The VA Runs Into New Issues
A government watchdog has flagged issues with the Veterans Affairs Department's new scheduling platform, which is part of a multibillion dollar effort to modernize the agency's electronic health records system. The new system, built by Cerner as part of a $10 billion contract, was launched at two facilities in Washington state and Ohio last year despite knowledge at the VA of "significant" system and process limitations, the VA Office of Inspector General stated in a report released Thursday. (Hellman, 11/11)
Politico: Report Shines Light On Veterans Affairs’ Digital Health Overhaul
The Department of Veterans Affairs deployed a digital scheduling system despite knowing about significant problems, like giving veterans misleading information about their appointments, according to a new watchdog report, POLITICO’s Darius Tahir writes. The finding is more fodder for observers of the troubled digital health overhaul at the VA. A scandal over falsified wait times at a VA facility in Phoenix helped prompt the development of the scheduling system — which was later folded into a broader electronic health record modernization that’s been delayed as part of a “strategic review” initiated by VA Secretary Denis McDonough. (Owermohle and Cancryn, 11/11)
The New York Times: Veterans Have Become Unlikely Lobbyists In Push To Legalize Psychedelic Drugs
Jose Martinez, a former Army gunner whose right arm and both legs were blown off by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, has a new calling: He’s become one of the most effective lobbyists in a campaign to legalize the therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs across the country. On a Zoom call this spring with Connie Leyva, a Democratic legislator in California who has long opposed relaxing drug laws, Mr. Martinez told her how psilocybin, the psychoactive ingredient in “magic” mushrooms, had helped to finally quell the physical pain and suicidal thoughts that had tormented him.Ms. Leyva says she changed her mind even before the call ended, and she later voted yes on the bill, which is expected to become law early next year. (Jacobs, 11/11)
And on Medicare Advantage —
KHN: Readers And Tweeters Find Disadvantages In Medicare Advantage
With Medicare Advantage open enrollment open until Dec. 7, millions of seniors will consider costs, benefits and networks when selecting a new plan (“Medicare Plans’ ‘Free’ Dental, Vision, Hearing Benefits Come at a Cost,” Oct. 27). Many consumers may not be aware that some health plans have frustrating restrictions buried deep within that limit access to critical procedures. For example, Aetna recently began requiring prior authorization for cataract surgeries across all its health plans — including Medicare Advantage. Tens of thousands of Americans covered by Aetna have had their sight-restoring surgeries delayed or canceled, while insurance company representatives decide who gets to see better — and who must wait for their cataract to get worse before insurance will cover cataract surgery. (11/12)
