Author: Carmen Howard

Federal news Biden changes health coverage, women’s health funding policies [Roll Call, 1/28/21] “The Biden administration announced two wide-ranging health care executive actions … one expanding access to reproductive health care and another supporting enrollment in the individual insurance market and Medicaid.” Death of EPA’s controversial ‘censored science’ rule delights researchers [Science, 2/3/21] “…would have…

Federal News Trump Administration Finalizes Rule Requiring Health Insurers to Disclose Price and Cost-Sharing Information [HHS.gov, 10/29/20] “Under this final rule, more than 200 million Americans with private-sector insurance (both individual-market and employer-based) will have access to a list of real-time price information, including cost-sharing, enabling them to know how much care will cost them…

Federal News Senate Democrats block Republican Covid relief proposal [Politico, 9/10/2020] “Senate Democrats blocked a scaled-down, $500 billion Republican coronavirus relief measure Thursday, weakening the chances that Congress will approve another package before the November election.” (S.178) Pushing for Action on LSFA [American Libraries, 9/14/2020] “[The Library Stabilization Fund Act] (S. 4181/H.R. 7486) would establish…

Federal news Bills to watch ·         H.R.990 Recognizing racism as a national crisis and the need for a truth and reconciliation process. This resolution recognizes racism as a national public health crisis and supports the creation of a truth and reconciliation process to address historic, enduring systemic and structural racism against black people. [Introduced 6/4/20]…

Federal news H.R.266 Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act [became Public Law No. 116-139] “This bill responds to the COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) outbreak by providing additional funding for small business loans, health care providers, and COVID-19 testing.”   State news Hospitals, health care workers given civil immunity [Chicago Daily Law Bulletin…

Federal news White House unveils $2.5B emergency coronavirus plan [Associated Press, 2/24/20] White House formally invites public comment on open-access policies [Science, 2/21/20] In the House this week: HR 2339 Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act of 2019 [House.gov, 2/25/20]   FY21 Budget Proposal National Institutes of Health would see 7% cut in 2021 under…

Federal news Supreme Court denies blue states’ effort to expedite ObamaCare challenge [The Hill, 1/21/2020] “Tuesday’s order makes it unlikely that the high court will rule on the health care law before the November presidential election, where health insurance policy is sure to play a prominent role.” Trump’s Claim He ‘Saved’ Preexisting Conditions ‘Part Fantasy,…

Federal news Democrats face a number of hurdles in order to enact a Medicare for All-type health care system, including recreating the health care insurance industry. This Roll Call story covers the complications of this central campaign issue. State news HB3888 – EPA-Ethylene Oxide Phase Out : This bill may be of interest to some. It…

Federal news: Trump suspends entry for migrants who will ‘financially burden the United States healthcare system’ [The Hill, 10/4/2019] “Migrants will be considered people who will burden the system if they are not covered by approved health insurance within 30 days of entering the country unless they have enough money to ‘pay for reasonably foreseeable medical…

Federal News Trump Administration Moves To Make Health Care Costs More Transparent [from Kaiser Health News] A recap of Wednesday’s Democratic debate, with a focus on healthcare remarks: Biden-Harris Debate Rematch Highlights Health Plan Differences [from Kaiser Health News] Juul [e-cigarette company] Targeted Schools and Youth Camps, House Panel on Vaping Claims [from The New…