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The Super Tuesday presidential primaries have left solely two main Democratic candidates standing: former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Whoever prevails to face off towards President Donald Trump in November will form how the celebration confronts Republicans on well being care.
Meanwhile, Congress and the Trump administration are working to deal with the persevering with unfold of the novel coronavirus, whereas the Supreme Court heard its first main abortion case in 4 years and agreed to determine the destiny — for the third time — of the Affordable Care Act.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Kimberly Leonard of the Washington Examiner, Tami Luhby of CNN and Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News.
Among the takeaways from this week’s podcast:
Many of Sanders’ critics have questioned his proposal for “Medicare for All,” however there was much less consideration to the specifics of Biden’s plan for a public possibility. That may start to alter now that the presidential discipline for the Democrats is, lastly, narrowing. As the general public — and the White House — mobilize to battle the novel coronavirus, efforts to decrease drug costs might need to take a again seat to getting drugmakers to push out a vaccine or new therapeutic medication. The coronavirus outbreak is exposing holes within the American well being care security internet. Questions are being raised about hospitals’ capability to accommodate many sufferers with the virus and who will shoulder the prices for testing and care. Public well being officers insist that enough testing capability for the virus might be accessible quickly. Yet with so many customers now on the hook for a big portion of their medical prices via high-deductible well being plans or no insurance coverage in any respect, many sufferers may face massive payments for the take a look at and associated bills. The Supreme Court could possibly be poised to roll again abortion rights, utilizing a Louisiana legislation that requires docs who carry out abortions, even medical abortions, to have admitting privileges at a hospital inside 30 miles of the abortion clinic. The court docket struck down an almost an identical Texas legislation in 2016, however two new justices who presumably oppose abortion have joined since then. The excessive court docket additionally might have stunned the Trump administration by accepting the case by Republican state officers in search of to overturn the Affordable Care Act. Although the administration helps that case, the argument may come shortly earlier than the November election, and Democrats assume that can bolster their case towards Trump. While politics and the coronavirus crammed information feeds this week, the House handed a invoice that may outlaw flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes, together with menthol. It’s not clear if the Senate will take up the invoice, which divided even some Democrats within the House.
Plus, for further credit score, the panelists advocate their favourite well being coverage tales of the week they assume you need to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: The Connecticut Mirror’s “‘I’m Relying on Prayer.’ Complaints Pile Up Against Health Care Sharing Ministries as State Mounts a Defense,” by Jenna Carlesso
Kimberly Leonard: U.S. News & World Report’s “Alcohol Is Increasingly a Women’s Health Issue,” by Katelyn Newman
Tami Luhby: ProfessionalPublica’s “U.S. Hospitals Say They’re Ready for Coronavirus. Their Infection Control Violations Say Otherwise,” by Marshall Allen, Caroline Chen, J. David McSwane, and Lexi Churchill
Emmarie Huetteman: Reuters’ “Sanofi to Pay $11.9 Million to Resolve U.S. Drug Charity Kickback Probe,” by Nate Raymond
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