Democrats See Opportunity in GOP Threats to Repeal Health Law 

The Host

With different GOP presidential candidates following Donald Trump’s lead in calling for an finish to the Reasonably priced Care Act, Democrats are leaping on a problem they suppose will favor them within the 2024 elections. The Biden administration nearly instantly rolled out a controversial proposal that would dramatically lower the worth of medicine developed with federally funded analysis {dollars}. The drug trade and the enterprise neighborhood at massive are vehemently against the proposal, however it’s more likely to be widespread with voters.

In the meantime, the Supreme Courtroom hears arguments in a case to determine whether or not the Sackler household ought to be capable to protect billions of {dollars} taken from its bankrupt drug firm, Purdue Pharma, from additional lawsuits relating to the corporate’s extremely addictive drug OxyContin.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Well being Information.

Among the many takeaways from this week’s episode:

• The ACA could find yourself again on the proverbial chopping block if Trump is reelected. However as many in each events know, it’s unlikely to be a successful political technique for Republicans. ACA enrollment numbers are excessive, as is the regulation’s recognition, and years after a failed effort throughout Trump’s presidency, Republicans nonetheless haven’t unified round a proposal to switch it.
• Democrats are desperate to capitalize on the revival of “repeal and exchange.” This week, the Biden administration introduced plans to train so-called “march-in rights,” which it argues enable the federal government to grab sure patent-protected medication whose costs have gotten too excessive and open them to cost competitors. The plan, as soon as largely embraced by progressives, might give President Joe Biden one other alternative to assert his administration has confirmed more practical than Trump’s heading into the 2024 election.
• The Senate voted to approve greater than 400 army promotions this week, successfully ending the 10-month blockade by Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama over a Pentagon coverage that helps service members journey to acquire abortions. On the state stage, the Texas courts are contemplating instances over its exceptions to the state’s abortion ban, whereas in Ohio, a girl who miscarried after being despatched house from the hospital is dealing with prison prices.
• In the meantime, the Supreme Courtroom quickly might rule on whether or not EMTALA, or the Emergency Medical Remedy and Labor Act, requires docs to carry out abortions in emergencies. And justices are additionally contemplating whether or not to permit a settlement deal to maneuver ahead that doesn’t maintain the Sacker household accountable for the hurt brought on by opioids.
• “This Week in Medical Misinformation” highlights a lawsuit filed by Texas Legal professional Common Ken Paxton accusing Pfizer of failing to finish the covid-19 pandemic with its vaccine.

Additionally this week, Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of KFF Well being Information’ sister podcast, “An Arm and a Leg,” about his investigation into hospitals suing their sufferers for unpaid medical payments.

Plus, for “further credit score,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn this week that they suppose it is best to learn, too:

Julie Rovner: The Wisconsin State Journal’s “Dane, Milwaukee Counties Cease Making Unwed Fathers Pay for Medicaid Delivery Prices,” by David Wahlberg.  

Anna Edney: Bloomberg Information’ “Tallying the Greatest Stats on US Gun Violence Is Trauma of Its Personal,” by Madison Muller.  

Alice Miranda Ollstein: Stat’s “New Abortion Restrictions Pose a Severe Risk to Fetal Surgical procedure,” by Francois I. Luks, Tippi Mackenzie, and Thomas F. Tracy Jr. 

Rachana Pradhan: KFF Well being Information’ “Sufferers Anticipated Profemur Synthetic Hips to Final. Then They Snapped in Half,” by Brett Kelman and Anna Werner, CBS Information.

Additionally talked about on this week’s episode:

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