The Host
Incoming President Donald Trump’s inauguration is Monday, but the brand new GOP-led Congress is already speeding to work his priorities into laws, eyeing cuts to Medicaid to pay for brand new tax and immigration priorities. However even in its waning days, the Biden administration continues to make large coverage strikes, together with a potential order for tobacco firms to dramatically lower the quantity of nicotine in cigarettes.
In the meantime, the fires in Los Angeles are drawing new consideration to the well being risks of not simply smoke from natural matter, but additionally poisonous substances launched by burning plastic and different man-made supplies — in addition to the risk posed to each air and water high quality.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins College Bloomberg College of Public Well being and Politico Journal, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Name.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:
- Republican lawmakers are weighing choices to chop federal spending on Medicaid, the practically $900-billion-a-year authorities program that covers 1 in 5 Individuals. They may use the financial savings to bolster Trump priorities, corresponding to extending the 2017 tax cuts. The GOP made splashy however unsuccessful makes an attempt to chop Medicaid when Trump first took workplace and the occasion held a bigger Home majority — although the occasion appears extra aligned with Trump at this time than it was then.
- Congress has gotten right down to enterprise on messaging payments: It superior laws this week that will ban trans athletes from women’ faculty sports activities and, individually, a measure to detain and even deport immigrants who’re residing within the U.S. with out authorized standing and have been charged with, although not convicted of, minor crimes corresponding to shoplifting.
- The Supreme Court docket has agreed to listen to a case later this 12 months in regards to the U.S. Preventive Providers Activity Pressure — an impartial physique of consultants that points suggestions in illness prevention and drugs. A ruling in opposition to its authority might strip protection for key preventive well being providers from not simply these with Inexpensive Care Act protection, but additionally these on employer-sponsored well being plans. The query stands: If not this job drive, who would make the determinations about what preventive care needs to be lined?
- And the outgoing Biden administration issued a slew of well being laws this week, together with a ban on the dye Purple No. 3 in meals and different ingested merchandise, in addition to an early regulation limiting the quantity of nicotine in tobacco merchandise. The incoming Trump administration might upend these and extra laws, although some do align with its coverage pursuits.
Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the newest KFF Well being Information “Bill of the Month” function, a couple of colonoscopy that got here with a a lot bigger price ticket than estimated. You probably have a mystifying or outrageous medical invoice you’d prefer to share with us, you can do that here.
Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn (or wrote) this week that they suppose you must learn, too:
Julie Rovner: KFF Well being Information’ “Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?” by Felice J. Freyer.
Anna Edney: Bloomberg Information’ “It’s Not Just Sunscreen. Toxic Products Line the Drugstore Aisles,” by Anna Edney.
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “A Secret Way To Fight Off Stomach Bugs,” by Daniel Engber.
Sandhya Raman: Nature’s “New Obesity Definition Sidelines BMI To Focus on Health,” by Giorgia Guglielmi.
Additionally talked about on this week’s podcast:
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