 Health Care |
Health Care |
|
|
Fauci says it's time to 'move forward' from COVID
|
Former chief White House medical adviser Anthony Fauci said it's time to move away from the emergency era of the COVID-19 outbreak while acknowledging there were "a lot of problems" with the U.S. response. |
© Peter Afriyie, The Hill |
In a rare interview since leaving government work, Fauci responded to a recent report that determined the U.S. government was ill-prepared and disjointed in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. "We really fell very short. So hopefully the lessons learned from that type of a really strict analysis of what went wrong will help prepare us for future pandemics," Fauci told CNN's Kaitlan Collins. "But no doubt about it there were a lot of things that we didn't do as well as we could and we got to do better not only in the continued response to the current outbreak but in preparation for the inevitability of future outbreaks." The more than 350-page report from the COVID Crisis Group called out outdated health systems and "bad governance" as contributing factors to the inept national response. This is not the first time Fauci, who stepped down from his longtime position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in December, has acknowledged feeling that things could have been done differently during his time working with the federal government in tackling the pandemic. In the months leading up to his departure, Fauci said he should have been "much more careful" in his messaging on COVID, adding he should have better conveyed the uncertainty that surrounded the novel virus. When asked about the imminent end of the national public health emergency for COVID-19 — set for May 11 — Fauci said that if access to treatments and vaccines has been taken care of then it is "important to move forward." |
Welcome to The Hill's Health Care newsletter, we're Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi — every week we follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health. |
|
|
Crenshaw to introduce bill on Medicaid payment model
|
© Peter Afriyie, The Hill |
Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw (Texas) will introduce legislation on Thursday aimed at expanding the use of a health care payment model that forgoes traditional insurance for Medicaid recipients, in the hopes that patients can receive more regular primary care. The bill, titled the "Direct Primary Care for Medicaid Act," would essentially give state Medicaid programs explicit permission to employ a payment model known as direct primary care for Medicaid beneficiaries. What is it: Direct primary care is an umbrella term for payment models in which primary care physicians don't bill patients' insurance companies and instead accept a flat monthly fee. Proponents for this model argue it allows providers to give more personalized care, allowing them to spend more time with patients while reducing burnout since they see fewer individuals. Critics have pointed out that patients could pay more in this model as they may still require traditional insurance to see specialists and monthly membership fees aren't feasible for everyone. The bill from Crenshaw seeks to clarify that nothing in XIX of the Social Security Act strictly prohibits states from providing medical assistance through the use of direct primary care models. In a statement to The Hill, Crenshaw's office said primary care physicians reduce the use of emergency rooms, improve health outcomes and potentially reduce overall health costs. They further noted that emergency room visits are a common driver of costs for Medicaid recipients. Crenshaw is introducing the bill alongside Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier (Wash.). |
|
|
How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
|
|
Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated a bill calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to research marijuana as a remedy for post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic pain. Senators voted 57 to 42 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, falling short of the 60 votes necessary for it to advance. Eight Republicans — Sens. Bill Cassidy (La.), Susan Collins (Maine), Josh Hawley (Mo.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), … |
| |
|
The Biden administration on Wednesday asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reverse a ruling that would revoke federal approval of mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen used in medication abortions. Calling U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's ruling an "unprecedented order countermanding the scientific judgment" of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Justice Department urged a three-judge appeals panel … |
| |
|
A new study has revealed that melatonin gummies advertised to help with sleep may have potentially harmful levels of the hormone, as well as cannabidiol (CBD) that was not labeled on the packaging. A study published Wednesday in the medical journal JAMA investigated 25 different gummy brands that were labeled with “melatonin” and were also listed in the National Institutes of Health's Dietary Supplement Label … |
| |
|
Upcoming news themes and events we're watching: |
- A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing at 2:30 p.m. ET on COVID-19 origins, focused on the safety of virus research.
|
|
|
Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
|
|
Overall support for abortion rights on the rise despite restrictions across US: poll |
Americans’ overall support for abortion rights has increased despite state legislatures and courtrooms across the U.S. implementing bans and restrictions on the medical procedure and medication, according to a new PBS NewsHour/NPR/Marist poll. The poll, published Wednesday, found that 61 percent of respondents said they support abortion rights, while 37 percent of those surveyed said they opposed. This is a 6-point … | |
|
We hold a deep respect for the value of every mind. |
|
|
Local and state headlines on health care: |
- 'Immense and needless suffering': Idaho's abortion ban is creating a crisis of care (HuffPost)
- 'I'm terrified': Trans Missourians prepare for nation's widest bans on gender-affirming care (St. Louis Public Radio)
- Fentanyl test strip bill stalled in Texas Senate as the drug crisis grows (Dallas Morning News)
- Snafu sets Washington on path to decriminalize drugs, unintentionally (Pluribus News)
|
|
|
Expanding Access to Alzheimer's Care & Treatment, May 11, 2-4 p.m. ET About 1 in 9 Americans over 65 suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, treatment options are still limited. Why is CMS declining coverage, and where are we in terms of new treatments on the horizon? The Hill will bring together lawmakers, researchers, doctors, caregivers and patients to explore the latest treatments and roadblocks, and discuss what more needs to be done to curb this disease. |
|
|
Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- As federal emergency declaration expires, the picture of the pandemic grows fuzzier (KFF Health News)
- 2024 Republicans eye new abortion battle lines (Axios)
- Health system Kaiser Permanente to combine with hospital operator Geisinger (Wall Street Journal)
|
|
|
Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
|
|
Tucker Carlson, the leading prime-time host who was ousted from his job this week, was shown the door at the cable news giant in part because of comments … Read more |
| After a week of internal sniping, House Republicans on Wednesday approved legislation in a 217-215 vote that would slash federal spending and extend … Read more |
|
|
Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: |
|
|
You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
1625 K Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20006 |
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. |
|
|
|
If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely unsubscribe.
No comments:
Post a Comment