 Health Care |
Health Care |
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How Walz stacks up on health |
Vice President Harris tapped Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice-presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket. Now in his second term as governor, Walz brings a track record of progressive action on issues like abortion, gender-affirming care, marijuana legalization and prescription drug costs. |
Walz has some history with taking on corporate interests in health care. With a Democratic state Legislature, Walz has launched a prescription drug affordability board that can set limits on what insurers pay. He signed a bill to help people afford insulin in emergency situations, and the state this year reached a settlement with Eli Lilly to cap all insulin prices at $35 for the next five years. Walz has said his health policy priorities have been shaped in part by his personal experience. His father died of cancer when Walz was 19, leaving his mother drowning in medical debt. In June, Walz signed a law banning medical providers from withholding medically necessary care due to unpaid debt. Minnesota also aims to block for-profit insurers from participating in its Medicaid program beginning next year. The provision, which was included in an omnibus spending bill signed into law in May, would restore a ban that had been in place for 40 years before the GOP-controlled Legislature repealed it in 2017. The ban will only immediately impact UnitedHealthcare, which sued the state earlier this month. But Walz backed down from two bills last year that aimed to rein in hospital costs and mandate hospital and clinic staffing, after the nonprofit Mayo Clinic health system threatened to pull billions of dollars in new investments. Mayo Clinic is a powerhouse in the state. It's the largest employer, generates tens of billions of dollars in profit and attracts hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research grants. Walz and the Legislature watered down a bill that would have curbed health spending, as well as one that would have required hospitals to create staffing plans. |
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. |
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How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond: |
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Wildfire smoke may impact anesthesia, surgical outcomes: Study |
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Pollutants absorbed into the body from wildfire smoke may affect the function of anesthesia and the outcome of surgery, particularly in children and other sensitive populations, researchers fear. |
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The American Red Cross's national blood inventory dropped by more than 25 percent in July, driven in part by extreme heat throughout the country, the organization announced Monday. The organization now faces an emergency blood shortage as nearly 100 blood drives — in almost every state the Red Cross operates — have faced heat-related challenges in the past month. Under extreme heat conditions, people are more likely to stay … |
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(AP) -- There are small signs of improvement in the mental health of U.S. teenagers, a government survey released Tuesday said, but the share of students — particularly girls — feeling sad and hopeless remained high. From 2021 to 2023, the portion of high school students who reported feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness declined from 42% to 40%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. |
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Branch out with a different read: |
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Judge upholds Ohio's gender-affirming care ban; civil rights group vows immediate appeal |
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio law that limits gender-affirming health care for youth under 18 can go into effect, a county judge ruled Tuesday. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio said it will file an immediate appeal. The law bans transgender surgeries and hormone therapies for minors, unless they are already receiving such therapies … |
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Local and state headlines on health care: |
- Folwell: State Health Plan needs $250 million from the legislature, plan for financial stability (NC Newsline)
- New survey finds many Coloradans delay or go without health care due to cost (Colorado Public Radio)
- Report says North Dakota is above average when it comes to women's healthcare in the U.S. (KFYR)
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Health news we've flagged from other outlets: |
- How a device for diabetics became a wellness accessory (The Washington Post)
- States have spent nearly $500 million on anti-abortion counseling centers since fall of Roe (CBS News)
- Tim Walz stood up to corporate health care. Mayo Clinic was a powerful exception (Stat)
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Most read stories on The Hill right now: |
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Vice President Harris and running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz introduced themselves to a full house with plenty of applause in Philadelphia crowd … Read more |
| Vice President Harris will appear with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz in their first rally together Tuesday in Philadelphia, just hours after Harris’s … Read more |
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Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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