As the beginning of the fiscal yr attracts close to — together with pivotal midterm elections — Congress is choosing up its tempo on laws. This week alone the Senate handed a complete invoice aimed toward curbing the opioid epidemic and a virtually ultimate invoice to fund the Department of Health and Human Services.
Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled draft laws aimed toward serving to sufferers who obtain “surprise” medical payments after inadvertently receiving medical care exterior their insurance coverage provider’s community.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times and Joanne Kenen of Politico.
On Sept. 27, the podcast will tape in entrance of a dwell viewers on the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas. Details are here. Also on Sept. 27, KHN is internet hosting a dwell occasion to debate medical overtreatment and its well being penalties. More info on that occasion is here.
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
Legislation to fight the opioid epidemic is predicted to maneuver by means of Congress shortly as a result of each Republicans and Democrats are keen to indicate voters they’re addressing what’s a nationwide public well being disaster. That opioid bundle received’t present an answer to probably the most vexing issues of the epidemic: The majority of deaths come from the usage of a particularly highly effective drug, fentanyl, that’s typically blended with unlawful opioids. For the primary time in years, Congress is prone to cross a invoice to fund HHS earlier than the beginning of the fiscal yr on Oct. 1. The invoice is thought for triggering “culture war” debates, particularly on points coping with abortion, however lawmakers have largely averted that this yr. Opponents of abortion sought to make use of the HHS appropriations invoice to defund Planned Parenthood. But each Republicans and Democrats labored to cease any poison tablets which may have held up the invoice. Also, the invoice wants 60 votes to cross the Senate, so Democrats needed to be accommodated in an effort to get it by means of. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) headed a bipartisan group of senators who unveiled a invoice this week that will squelch shock medical payments that sufferers get from out-of-network hospitals or medical doctors, a course of often called “balance billing.” The initiative isn’t anticipated to cross this yr, however it is a matter that Cassidy will possible convey up once more subsequent yr when the brand new Congress meets.
Plus, for additional credit score, the panelists suggest their favourite well being tales of the week they assume it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: Politico’s “Obamacare Lawsuit Boosts Democrats in State AG Races,” by Alice Ollstein
Rebecca Adams: The Wall Street Journal’s “Behind Your Rising Health-Care Bills: Secret Hospital Deals That Squelch Competition,” by Anna Wilde Mathews
Joanne Kenen: The New York Times’ “23andMe Said He Would Lose His Mind. Ancestry Said The Opposite. Which Was Right?” by Laura Hercher
Margot Sanger-Katz: The New York Times’ “Manchin Counts on Health Care to Stave Off Republican Tide in West Virginia,” by Trip Gabriel
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