The Food and Drug Administration took some critical steps towards curbing teen use of tobacco and nicotine merchandise this month, together with proposing a digital ban on most flavors of the liquid utilized in e-cigarettes.
Meanwhile, open enrollment continues for particular person protection underneath the Affordable Care Act and Medicare. ACA sign-ups are barely lagging behind final 12 months’s. It is unclear why, however it’s nonetheless early within the six-week open-enrollment interval.
And the brand new Democratic majority within the U.S. House faces large selections about whether or not to cross a “Medicare-for-all” invoice when it assumes management in January. First, the coalition should select a speaker. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose deal-making abilities as speaker have been instrumental in getting the ACA handed in 2010, is dealing with challenges from each wings of the get together, though no single candidate has emerged to attempt to substitute her.
This week’s panelists for KHN’s “What the Health?” are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal, Joanne Kenen of Politico and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News.
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
Several components might have contributed to the drop in market enrollment over final 12 months’s tally. The midterm elections might have distracted prospects, the federal government is doing much less shopper outreach, the labor market could be very tight so extra individuals could also be getting protection by work, and other people won’t face a tax penalty in 2019 for not having protection. There’s additionally one other open enrollment occurring: Medicare plans. Although seniors’ protection isn’t on the road, they’ve a wealth of decisions that may be complicated. In each ACA and Medicare enrollment durations, it is vital for shoppers to take a look at their decisions, as a result of the most suitable choice might have modified. As the FDA weighs new guidelines for tobacco merchandise, it’s strolling a tightrope. E-cigarettes could also be an vital instrument for adults who want to wean themselves from cigarettes, however officers are cautious of the joys they might maintain for younger individuals. The push amongst progressive Democrats within the House to cross a invoice to implement a “Medicare-for-all” plan might value the get together assist within the essential suburban districts that members relied on this month for victory.
Plus, for further credit score this vacation week, the panelists advocate a few of their favourite well being coverage books:
“The Heart of Power: Health and Politics in the Oval Office,” by David Blumenthal and James A. Morone
“Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup,” by John Carreyrou
“Sick: The Untold Story of America’s Health Care Crisis — and the People Who Pay the Price” by Jonathan Cohn
“Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” by Sam Quinones
“An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back,” by Elisabeth Rosenthal
“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” by Rebecca Skloot
“The Social Transformation of American Medicine: The Rise of a Sovereign Profession and the Making of a Vast Industry,” by Paul Starr
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