Bernie and Corbyn are the same candidate—in all the wrong ways

February 22, 2019 Democrats, News, politics

Quartz

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Top Democrats rebuke Trump administration for Medicaid work requirement policies

February 22, 2019 News

Top congressional Democrats requested Tuesday that the Department of Health and Human Services halt Medicaid work requirements, citing widespread loss of coverage in Arkansas.
CNN

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Red states try everything but straightforward Medicaid expansion — and the latest is Oklahoma

February 21, 2019 health care, News, obamacare

Red states that opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during Barack Obama’s presidency are more likely to implement the 2010 law now, under Donald Trump, albeit with limitations — and Oklahoma is a fine example of this phenomenon.

To the surprise of Obamacare wonks, Oklahoma lawmakers in a key committee passed a Medicaid expansion bill this week — sort of. The bill directs the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to create a “Oklahoma Plan” within the state&#...

The Health 202: States scramble to head off future Medicaid shortfalls

February 21, 2019 News

States like Oregon are imposing new taxes to make up the difference.

Maryland’s Total Cost of Care CMS Payment Model

February 21, 2019 News

This Viewpoint reviews the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) Total Cost of Care agreement with Maryland, which incentivizes the state in a demonstration project over 8-years to coordinate care among hospitals, clinics, physicians, and clinicians and ensure that upfront care reduces avoidable costly care later.

One Democrat in the race seems serious about governing, and it’s not Bernie Sanders

February 20, 2019 News, politics

Whatever you think of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the frumpy Vermont senator deserves credit for expanding the substantive ambition of the Democratic presidential field. Sanders’ unexpectedly strong 2016 primary campaign proved that there is a hunger for big ideas like Medicare for All within the Democratic electorate, and it’s now likely that whoever the 2020 Democratic nominee is, they will support some form of universal single-payer health care.

Yet, for all of Sander...

What if public insurance covered abortion care?

February 20, 2019 health, health care, News, reproductive-rights

What if public health insurance paid for abortion? More and more people are beginning to ask that question.

With support for Roe v. Wade stronger than ever before, reproductive rights advocates have moved the “Overton window” of what policy ideas are considered feasible. Now, instead of simply defending the right to abortion, they’re talking about securing access.

Advocates have been trying to get public insurance to cover abortion for some time now...

The Health 202: Klobuchar’s 2020 bid highlights Democratic split on Medicare-for-all

February 20, 2019 News

It's a debate that will drive action in Congress, too.

More than 2.5 million people have opted out of My Health Record

February 20, 2019 health, News

New figures show that during the three-month extension about 1.4 million people opted out
More than 2.5 million Australians have opted out of the My Health Record system, new figures show.
The figures, revealed in Senate estimates on Wednesday, show almost one in 10 Australians eligible for Medicare have opted out of the controversial system.
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Sanders started a revolution in 2016. In 2020, he can finish it | Bhaskar Sunkara

February 19, 2019 News, US news, US politics

Without Sanders’ campaign, we would never have had Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or mainstream support for Medicare-for-All
It’s official: Bernie Sanders announced today that he’s going to run for president and lay the groundwork for transforming the economic and political life of this country. His decision comes not a moment too soon.
After all, if you think things are bad now, imagine if Bernie Sanders hadn’t run for president in 2016. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had swept the prim...