Possibly It’s a Well being Care Election After All

The Host

The final election marketing campaign for president is (unofficially) on, as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have every apparently secured sufficient delegates to grow to be his respective celebration’s nominee. And well being care is popping out to be an unexpectedly front-and-center marketing campaign subject, as Trump in latest weeks has urged he could also be concerned with reducing Medicare and taking one other swing at repealing and changing the Reasonably priced Care Act.

In the meantime, the February cyberattack of Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of insurance coverage big UnitedHealth Group, continues to roil the well being trade, as 1000’s of hospitals, medical doctors, nursing properties, and different suppliers are unable to course of claims and receives a commission.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins College and Politico Journal, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Instances.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

• It’s unclear precisely what Trump meant in his latest remarks about potential cuts to Medicare and Social Safety, although his feedback supplied a gap for Biden to pounce. By operating because the candidate who would shield entitlements, Biden may place himself nicely, notably with older voters, as the overall election begins.
• Well being care is shaping as much as be the sleeper subject on this election, with excessive stakes for protection. The Biden administration’s expanded subsidies for ACA plans are scheduled to run out on the finish of subsequent yr, and the president’s newest funds request highlights his curiosity in increasing protection, particularly for postpartum ladies and for youngsters. Plus, Republicans are eyeing what modifications they might make ought to Trump reclaim the presidency.
• In the meantime, Republicans are grappling with an inside celebration divide over entry to in vitro fertilization, and Trump’s combined messaging on abortion is probably not serving to him along with his base. Might a operating mate with extra reasonable views assist soften his picture with voters who oppose abortion bans?
• A federal appeals court docket dominated {that a} Texas legislation requiring youngsters to acquire parental consent for contraception outweighs federal guidelines permitting teenagers to entry prescription contraceptives confidentially. However considerations that if the U.S. Supreme Courtroom heard the case a conservative-majority ruling would broaden the legislation’s affect to different states might dampen the possibilities of additional appeals, leaving the legislation in impact. Additionally, the federal courts are making it more durable to file circumstances in jurisdictions with pleasant judges, a tactic referred to as judge-shopping, which conservative teams have used just lately in reproductive well being challenges.
• And weeks later, the Change Healthcare hack continues to trigger widespread points with medical billing. Some small suppliers worry continued cost delays may power them to shut, and it’s potential that the hack’s repercussions may quickly block some sufferers from accessing care in any respect.

Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Kelly Henning of Bloomberg Philanthropies a few new, four-part documentary sequence on the historical past of public well being, “The Invisible Defend.”

Plus, for “further credit score” the panelists recommend well being coverage tales they learn this week that they assume you must learn, too:

Julie Rovner: The Washington Submit’s “Navy Demoted Ronny Jackson After Probe Into White Home Habits,” by Dan Diamond and Alex Horton.

Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “Frigid Places of work May Be Killing Ladies’s Productiveness,” by Olga Khazan.

Margot Sanger-Katz: Stat’s “Inflexible Guidelines at Methadone Clinics Are Jeopardizing Sufferers’ Path to Get well From Opioid Dependancy,” by Lev Facher.

Anna Edney: Scientific American’s “How Hospitals Are Going Inexperienced Underneath Biden’s Local weather Laws,” by Ariel Wittenberg and E&E Information.

Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:

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