Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Claims Most Americans Will Get $2,000 Tariff Dividend Payout
President Trump said Sunday that most Americans would receive a $2,000 dividend payment as a result of his administrations tariffs levied against foreign countries. Trump announced the potential payments on his Truth Social platform, calling opponents of his tariffs FOOLS in a post. (Goldberg, 11/9)
President Trump last week hailed his deal with pharma companies to cut the price of blockbuster weight loss drugs as a major win for his administration and for increasing drug affordability. The question is how big of a difference the agreement will make for patients. (Chen, 11/10)
A press conference collapse has sparked days of memes and jokes. Not all are accurate. (Diamond, 11/9)
On the housing affordability crisis
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte on Saturday said the Trump administration is working on a plan to introduce 50-year mortgage terms for home buyers.Thanks to President Trump, we are indeed working on The 50 year Mortgage a complete game changer, Pulte wrote in a statement on the social platform X.(Fields, 11/8)
James Fishback, the CEO of investment firm Azoria, compared the idea of introducing a 50-year mortgage to "economic genocide." (Carbonaro, 11/10)
More health news about the Trump administration
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells POLITICO President Donald Trump should reconsider quitting the UNs health arm. (Paun, 11/9)
A top Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ally rallied anti-vaccine activists over the weekend with an exhortation to stay strong in the face of attacks by the government, media and mainstream medical figures. God is an anti-vaxxer, and he needs you to speak up, said Del Bigtree, a former top Kennedy political adviser and head of the anti-vaccine group Informed Consent Action Network. He urged the Health and Human Services secretarys supporters to press their fight at a weekend-long celebration of their newfound Washington influence. (Weber, 11/10)
Childrens Health Defense, the vaccine-skeptical organization once led by now-health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is playing the long game.The group has more power in Washington than the groups CEO, Mary Holland, imagined possible in her lifetime. (Payne, 11/8)
窪蹋勛圖厙 News: As Health Companies Get Bigger, So Do The Bills. Its Unclear If Trumps Team Will Intervene.
A cancer patient might live in a town with four oncology groups, but only one accepts his insurance the one owned by his insurer. A young couple could see huge bills after their child is born, because their insurer agreed to the health systems rates in exchange for a contract with obstetricians across the country. A woman might have to pay a big sum she cant afford for basic lab tests at a hospital inflated rates her insurer accepted so its customers have access to the systems childrens hospital elsewhere in the state. And even well-insured patients receive unaffordable bills in this era of high-deductible health plans, narrow insurance networks, and 20% cost sharing. (Rosenthal, 11/10)
窪蹋勛圖厙 News: Journalists Shed Light On Opioid Settlement Cash, New Medicaid Work Requirements
窪蹋勛圖厙 News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani discussed how states are using opioid settlement money on CBS News 24/7s The Daily Report on Nov. 3. 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Southern correspondent Sam Whitehead discussed government claims that new technologies will help Medicaid recipients comply with new work requirement rules on WUGAs The Georgia Health Report on Oct. 31. 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Southern California correspondent Claudia Boyd-Barrett discussed the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in and around health care facilities such as hospitals and community health centers on Radio Biling羹es L穩nea Abierta on Oct. 30. 窪蹋勛圖厙 News executive editor Alex Wayne discussed the federal government shutdown and rising Affordable Care Act premiums on Sirius XMs The Smerconish Podcast on Oct. 30. (11/8)