GOP Mulls Extra Well being Cuts


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Latest polling finds that well being prices are a prime fear for a lot of the American public, whereas Republicans in Congress are contemplating nonetheless extra cuts to federal well being spending on applications similar to Medicaid and the Inexpensive Care Act.

In the meantime, the Supreme Court docket dominated that Colorado can not ban psychological well being professionals from utilizing “conversion remedy” to deal with LGBTQ+ minors, a call that’s prone to have an effect on different states with related legal guidelines.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Name, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Regulation.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

  • Republicans reportedly are weighing nonetheless extra cuts to federal well being spending. With the battle in Iran draining navy coffers, GOP leaders in Congress are eying a drop in well being funding — a call that would exacerbate issues following the passage of laws anticipated to result in main reductions in Medicaid spending, in addition to the expiration of enhanced ACA premium subsidies that weren’t renewed by lawmakers final 12 months. And President Donald Trump’s finances might embody one other sizable discount in funding to the Nationwide Institutes of Well being.
  • The Supreme Court docket this week struck down a Colorado legislation prohibiting licensed professionals from working towards a type of remedy that tries to alter the sexual orientation or gender id of LGBTQ+ minors. States have lengthy had the ability to control medical care, with the aim of limiting remedies that may be dangerous. Additionally, the Idaho Legislature handed a invoice requiring academics and medical doctors to out transgender minors to their dad and mom.
  • In the meantime, the Division of Well being and Human Providers is finding out whether or not to make non-public Medicare Benefit plans the default choice for seniors enrolling in Medicare, a change that would appear to battle with the Trump administration’s scrutiny of overpayments to the non-public insurance policy. And a tech nonprofit’s lawsuit seeks to disclose extra in regards to the administration’s pilot program testing the usage of synthetic intelligence in prior authorization in Medicare.

Additionally this week, Rovner interviews KFF Well being Information’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the final two KFF Well being Information “Invoice of the Month” tales. You probably have a medical invoice that’s outrageous, infuriating, or simply inscrutable, you may submit it to us right here.

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

Julie Rovner: New York Journal’s “The Canine Homeowners Taking Their Injured Corgis and Doodles to Tijuana: Mexico Is to Pet MRIs What Turkey Has Turn into for Hair Transplants,” by Helaine Olen.  

Jessie Hellmann: The Texas Tribune’s “‘Don’t Take Me to the Hospital’: Undocumented Immigrants in Texas Are Delaying Medical Care,” by Colleen DeGuzman, Stephen Simpson, Terri Langford, and Dan Keemahill. 

Sandhya Raman: Science’s “Supporters Push To Revive Moribund Company Learning Affected person Care,” by Jocelyn Kaiser.  

Alice Miranda Ollstein: The New York Occasions’ “Cuban Sufferers Are Dying Due to U.S. Blockade, Docs Say,” by Ed Augustin and Jack Nicas.  

Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:


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