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Incoming President Donald Trump’s inauguration is Monday, but the brand new GOP-led Congress is already speeding to work his priorities into laws, eyeing cuts to Medicaid to pay for brand spanking new tax and immigration priorities. But even in its waning days, the Biden administration continues to make large coverage strikes, together with a potential order for tobacco corporations to dramatically lower the quantity of nicotine in cigarettes.
Meanwhile, the fires in Los Angeles are drawing new consideration to the well being risks of not simply smoke from natural matter, but in addition poisonous substances launched by burning plastic and different man-made supplies — in addition to the risk posed to each air and water high quality.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call.
Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:
Republican lawmakers are weighing choices to chop federal spending on Medicaid, the almost $900-billion-a-year authorities program that covers 1 in 5 Americans. They might use the financial savings to bolster Trump priorities, corresponding to extending the 2017 tax cuts. The GOP made splashy however unsuccessful makes an attempt to chop Medicaid when Trump first took workplace and the celebration held a bigger House majority — although the celebration appears extra aligned with Trump at this time than it was then.
Congress has gotten all the way down to enterprise on messaging payments: It superior laws this week that might ban trans athletes from women’ faculty sports activities and, individually, a measure to detain and even deport immigrants who’re dwelling within the U.S. with out authorized standing and have been charged with, although not convicted of, minor crimes corresponding to shoplifting.
The Supreme Court has agreed to listen to a case later this yr concerning the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — an impartial physique of consultants that points suggestions in illness prevention and drugs. A ruling in opposition to its authority might strip protection for key preventive well being providers from not simply these with Affordable Care Act protection, but in addition these on employer-sponsored well being plans. The query stands: If not this activity drive, who would make the determinations about what preventive care ought to be lined?
And the outgoing Biden administration issued a slew of well being rules this week, together with a ban on the dye Red No. 3 in meals and different ingested merchandise, in addition to an early regulation limiting the quantity of nicotine in tobacco merchandise. The incoming Trump administration might upend these and extra rules, although some do align with its coverage pursuits.
Also this week, Rovner interviews Harris Meyer, who reported and wrote the newest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month” function, a few colonoscopy that got here with a a lot bigger price ticket than estimated. If you’ve a mystifying or outrageous medical invoice you’d wish to share with us, you can do that here.
Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists counsel well being coverage tales they learn (or wrote) this week that they suppose it’s best to learn, too:
Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into the Primary Care Pipeline?” by Felice J. Freyer.
Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “It’s Not Just Sunscreen. Toxic Products Line the Drugstore Aisles,” by Anna Edney.
Joanne Kenen: The Atlantic’s “A Secret Way To Fight Off Stomach Bugs,” by Daniel Engber.
Sandhya Raman: Nature’s “New Obesity Definition Sidelines BMI To Focus on Health,” by Giorgia Guglielmi.
Also talked about on this week’s podcast:
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