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Democratic state attorneys common are asking the Supreme Court to intervene this time period in a case that would invalidate all the Affordable Care Act. In December, a federal appeals courtroom panel dominated that the “individual mandate” provision of the well being legislation is unconstitutional now that Congress has diminished the penalty for not having insurance coverage to zero. But it despatched the case again to the lower-court decide to find out how a lot else of the legislation can stay in gentle of that discovering.
Democrats need the excessive courtroom to rule on the case now, which might be uncommon however not unprecedented.
Meanwhile, Republicans on Capitol Hill are asking the Supreme Court to make use of a Louisiana abortion case already on this yr’s docket to overturn the landmark abortion rights case, Roe v. Wade. The Louisiana legislation — requiring medical doctors who carry out abortions to have admitting privileges at close by hospitals — is much like a Texas legislation struck down by the courtroom in 2016. But the courtroom has added anti-abortion justices since then.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner from Kaiser Health News, Joanne Kenen of Politico, Stephanie Armour of The Wall Street Journal and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
The Democratic push to get the Supreme Court to shortly evaluate the most recent ACA problem may have political advantages for the get together within the marketing campaign season. Democrats are desirous to be seen as defending new well being care advantages. And if President Donald Trump is elected subsequent fall, the excessive courtroom may nicely turn into extra conservative as a number of liberal-leaning justices might go away the courtroom within the subsequent few years. Some advocates for a “Medicare for All” well being care system are satisfied that if the Supreme Court had been to strike down the ACA, the ensuing vacuum would make a government-run program extra engaging to Americans. Amid growing efforts by states to limit abortions and a extra conservative majority on the Supreme Court, abortion might turn into a stronger voting problem for Democrats. It has lengthy motivated Republican voters, however Democrats have been much less pushed by that single problem. The much-publicized administration guidelines to chop again on flavored vaping merchandise embrace a lesser-known provision permitting corporations to undergo a Food and Drug Administration course of to show their merchandise have a internet well being profit: serving to adults give up smoking. States proceed to hunt Trump administration approval for work necessities for his or her Medicaid applications, but when Democrats win the presidency in 2020, these approvals are prone to be reversed. Meanwhile, a lot of the state plans are tied up in courtroom.
Also this week, Rovner interviews NPR’s Richard Harris, who reported the most recent KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” installment a few very costly laboratory invoice for a New York girl who had a chilly. If you might have an outrageous medical invoice you wish to share with us, you are able to do that here.
Plus, for additional credit score, the panelists advocate their favourite well being coverage tales of the week they suppose it’s best to learn too:
Julie Rovner: Stat News’ “Washington Took a Decade to Approve an Obscure Drug-Pricing Bill. That’s a Bad Omen for More Ambitious Reforms,” by Nicholas Florko
Joanne Kenen: The New Yorker’s “A World Without Pain,” by Ariel Levy
Stephanie Armour: The New York Times’ “In the U.S., an Angioplasty Costs $32,000. Elsewhere? Maybe $6,400,” by Margot Sanger-Katz
Paige Winfield Cunningham: KHN’s “Reduce Health Costs By Nurturing The Sickest? A Much-Touted Idea Disappoints,” by Dan Gorenstein and Leslie Walker. You can hear the episode of Dan’s podcast, “Tradeoffs,” about this research here.
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