A Health-Heavy State of the Union

February 18, 2023 Vera

The Host

Julie Rovner
KHN

Read Julie’s stories.

Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KHN’s weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A to Z,” now in its third edition.

Health care was a recurring theme throughout President Joe Biden’s 2023 State of the Union address on Capitol Hill this week. He took a victory lap on recent accomplishments like capping prescription drug costs for seniors on Medicare. He urged Congress to do more, including making permanent the boosted insurance premium subsidies added to the Affordable Care Act during the pandemic. And he sparred with Republicans in the audience — who jeered and called him a liar — over GOP proposals that would cut Medicare and Social Security.

Meanwhile, abortion rights advocates and opponents are anxiously awaiting a federal court decision out of Texas that could result in a nationwide ban on mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortion.

This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KHN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet.

Panelists

Rachel Cohrs
Stat News

@rachelcohrs

Read Rachel’s stories

Sarah Karlin-Smith
Pink Sheet

@SarahKarlin

Read Sarah’s stories

Alice Miranda Ollstein
Politico

@AliceOllstein

Read Alice’s stories

Among the takeaways from this week’s episode:

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address emphasized recent victories against high health care costs, like Medicare coverage caps on insulin and out-of-pocket caps on prescription drug spending. Biden’s lively, informal exchange with lawmakers over potential cuts to Medicare and Social Security seemed to steal the show, though the political fight over cutting costs in those entitlement programs is rooted in a key question: What constitutes a “cut”?
Biden’s calls for bipartisanship to extend health programs like pandemic-era subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans are expected to clash with conservative demands to slash federal government spending. And last year’s Senate fights demonstrate that sometimes the opposition comes from within the Democratic Party.
While some abortion advocates praised Biden for vowing to veto a federal abortion ban, others felt he did not talk enough about the looming challenges to abortion access in the courts. A decision is expected soon in a Texas court case challenging the future use of mifepristone. The Trump-appointed judge’s decision could

Major Improvements Are Coming to U.S. Wellbeing Treatment as Pandemic Emergencies Expire

February 15, 2023 Vera

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 8, 2023 (HealthDay Information) — Individuals acquired unparalleled accessibility to wellbeing treatment during the pandemic, which include trouble-cost-free community insurance and cost-free tests, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19.

Now, they have to have to get ready for most of that to unwind, authorities say.

“Essentially, Congress and the administration moved to a model of universal health protection for COVID vaccines, treatment options and tests” through the pandemic, mentioned Jennifer Kates, senior vice president with the Kaiser Spouse and children Basis.

But the United States’ public well being crisis declarations linked to the pandemic will close on May 11, as purchased in January by the Biden administration.

And late past 12 months, Congress voted to allow states to conclusion the expanded Medicaid gains presented throughout the pandemic.

“It’s not the case that everything’s likely to finish, but some factors are likely to conclude and some issues are going to change,” Kates explained.

The adjust most People will observe is an conclude to no cost COVID care, starting off with tests, gurus said.

“People were being used to getting eight COVID assessments a thirty day period from the federal government for absolutely free,” reported Dr. Carlos del Rio, president of the Infectious Illnesses Modern society of America. “That, for absolutely sure, is heading to finish.”

Based on their insurance policies status, folks will have to fork out some or element of the price tag of both of those at-dwelling exams as properly as the a lot more complete and exact COVID tests conducted at doctors’ offices and hospitals.

“Testing is likely to come to be something that is likely to be extra like tests for other ailments,” del Rio reported.

Sooner or later, folks will also have to commence forking more than income for COVID vaccines and treatment options like Paxlovid.

Not promptly, even though. The federal govt nonetheless has a offer of Paxlovid and COVID vaccines on hand as a consequence of its pandemic response, Kates mentioned.

“Those goods that ended up obtained by the federal government, we can’t be charged for individuals. All those are compensated for by now,” Kates discussed. “But when those supplies are long gone, that is when every little thing will be moved into the industrial sector.”

This could particularly hit the poor and uninsured, stated Dr. William Schaffner, clinical director of the Countrywide Foundation

Governor Josh Eco-friendly, M.D. | Information Launch: Hawai’i Office of Well being announces first pediatric influenza demise of the season

February 12, 2023 Vera

Information Launch: Hawai’i Section of Well being announces very first pediatric influenza dying of the season

Posted on Feb 10, 2023 in Newest Office News, Newsroom

HONOLULU, Hi – A point out resident below the age of 18 has died of influenza, the Office of Overall health (DOH) introduced currently. This dying serves as a sober reminder that influenza is circulating commonly in Hawai’i. Everyone six months of age and older can be safeguarded from influenza by receiving their flu vaccine.

This is the very first dying of a little one from influenza in Hawai’i all through this flu time. The boy or girl was hospitalized at the time of death. Out of regard for the family’s privateness and in compliance with medical privacy regulations, no more details about the kid is staying released.

“We are specially saddened to announce the death of a baby in our neighborhood. Our ideas and condolences are with the family at this hard time,” stated Condition Health Director Dr. Kenneth Fink, “If you or your beloved ones have not received the flu vaccine this time, I hope you will take into consideration carrying out so.”

Vaccines present security versus the impacts of sure infectious diseases, like influenza and COVID-19. Trying to keep up to date on all advised vaccinations and boosters delivers robust defense from critical disease, hospitalization, and dying. Vaccines are commonly available statewide at pharmacies, clinics, and healthcare facilities. A record of COVID 19 and flu vaccination areas can be located at https://www.vaccines.gov/. The DOH encourages any one who is not up-to-day, or is uncertain regardless of whether they are up-to-day, to talk to with a pharmacist or health care supplier about obtaining vaccinated.

Hawai’i’s last pediatric demise from influenza occurred in January 2020. In the prior 10 a long time, Hawai’i has recorded 6 pediatric fatalities due to influenza. All through the top of the pandemic, Hawai’i skilled extremely minimal premiums of flu in residents of all ages. “The constraints we place in area for COVID-19 protected us from other respiratory viruses as nicely,” reported Point out Epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble, “That’s probable the cause there have been no pediatric influenza deaths throughout the final three several years.”

Several respiratory viruses are circulating in Hawai’i this winter season, which include flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. Signs are identical, and it’s typically not achievable to inform a person

COVID, Mpox, Misinformation: The Way Forward for General public Well being | Healthiest Communities Well being News

February 5, 2023 Vera

The not long ago concluded year was one particular rife with issues but also signs of guarantee for the nation’s community overall health workforce.

Individuals in the subject can glance back again on a 2022 that observed continued COVID-19 exercise merged with other respiratory menaces – particularly, an early resurgence of influenza and circumstances of RSV that have strained clinic potential.

In the meantime, wellbeing departments experienced to facial area added threats normally extra distant to Individuals. Considering the fact that the initially scenario of mpox, formerly identified as monkeypox, in the state was documented in May well, virtually 30,000 folks have contracted the ailment and 20 have died. A latest measles outbreak in Ohio and the 1st identified case of polio in the U.S. in virtually a decade also stored the nation’s currently overburdened community health community on inform.

“This year in unique, what’s happened in community wellness confirmed us the hazards of ongoing threats from close to the globe,” claims Lori Freeman, CEO of the Nationwide Affiliation of County and Metropolis Wellness Officials.

Throughout the U.S., all those concerns have been compounded by enhanced general public scrutiny of health officials and their function, as nicely as an erosion of believe in in the institutions they represent.

Polling from the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis and the Harvard T.H. Chan University of Community Overall health found that 52% of Us residents in early 2021 said they experienced “a fantastic deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in tips from the Centers for Ailment Management and Prevention, although only 37% reported the exact same concerning the National Institutes of Well being and the Foodstuff and Drug Administration. Only 44% of Individuals claimed they experienced a good deal of rely on in their neighborhood overall health department, and 41% shared the identical sentiment about their state well being department.

Survey outcomes released in February by the Pew Investigate Centre located that the share of American grownups who claimed they had “a fantastic deal” of self-confidence in healthcare scientists to act in the most effective passions of the community fell from 43% in April 2020 to 29% in December 2021. Pew polling also discovered that only 52% of grownups this past May believed community wellness officers like these at the CDC have been undertaking an great or great work responding to COVID-19, down from 79% in March 2020.

“Trust in govt was low

Obtaining Powerful Social Connections Can Boost Your Health and fitness

February 2, 2023 Vera

Summary: Powerful bonds with family members can support boost health-connected behaviors, though solid connections with good friends and other social groups were linked with much better overall psychological overall health and nicely-remaining.

Resource: College of Kent

The time men and women invested with family members about the festive period of time could have enhanced their well being, according to new research which examined how social bonds with close social circles and extended teams relate to health and psychological properly-staying.

The review, led by researchers at the College of Kent, Nottingham Trent College (NTU) and Coventry University, applied self-documented facts from more than 13,000 people today across 122 international locations, gathered during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surveys assessed people’s toughness of bonding with shut social circles, this sort of as relatives and mates, as perfectly as with extended teams, these as country, authorities and humanity. People’s pandemic-similar well being behaviors and mental health and very well-currently being ended up also measured.

Outcomes present that only bonding with relatives, instead than other teams, is connected to partaking positively with behavior which can improve health in this scenario, illustrations involved washing hands, wearing a mask and social distancing.

For illustration, 46% of individuals who had solid household bonds washed palms at the very least “a good deal,” as opposed to 32% who were being not strongly bonded with their spouse and children. Moreover, 54% of people today not bonded with their family members described they under no circumstances wore a mask.

Bonded people have been vastly over-represented amongst those who engaged in health behaviors. Regardless of individuals with sturdy spouse and children bonds constituting only 27% of the whole sample, they constituted 73% of those people who engaged in social distancing, 35% of those people who washed arms, and 36% of all those who wore a mask “a lot” or much more.

The study also identified that possessing powerful bonds with both equally near social circles and prolonged groups is associated with improved mental wellbeing and effectively-becoming. Importantly, the greater number of teams persons experienced solid bonds with, the better their engagement in well being behaviors and the superior their documented psychological properly-being was, with less anxiety and despair.

The study recommends that public health messaging aim on smaller networks as very well as a number of teams, especially in occasions of disaster when people today need to be inspired

4 Means to Have a Much healthier Romantic relationship With Social Media

January 30, 2023 Vera

New year, new me…right? For some, that could indicate turning off social media, or adopting healthier social media routines.

But just before you deactivate your Fb or Instagram, is it possible to have a balanced partnership with social media?

The response is indeed, if you use a few beneficial tactics, suggests Paul Weigle, MD, a psychiatrist with Natchaug Healthcare facility, component of the Hartford Health care Behavioral Health and fitness Community.

“It will involve well balanced and aware use that promotes a healthier lifestyle,” he clarifies. “This often indicates actively conversing with pals on social media to facilitate in-individual socializing.”

Dr. Weigle shares 7 signals that your marriage with social media could possibly be unhealthy and a several tactics for environment greater boundaries.

Link with the Behavioral Well being Network

Impulse browsing

Addiction to social media is not a regarded professional medical problem. But investigation reveals “excessive pathological use” of social media resembles the indicators of behavioral addictions and their results on brain operate, suggests Dr. Weigle.

“Compulsive or uncontrolled use of social media usually sales opportunities to complications in day-to-day existence, but it is not outlined as addiction unless of course it will cause critical dysfunction, which is rare,” he notes.

Social media platforms, he carries on, are intended to make use habitual and even compulsive for human beings, who are inherently social creatures.

“A big portion of our brains is devoted to social working and language. Social media requires edge of this by supplying users gratifying interactions that are obtainable and encourage our brains’ satisfaction centers,” Dr. Weigle states. “For some, the urge to scroll by social media feeds results in being so robust that it overpowers voluntary handle, leading to excessive use and failure in every day functioning.”

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Indications of difficulty

Unhealthy online patterns can acquire several types, these as:

Paying out as well substantially time scrolling by means of others’ posts
Evaluating your profile to others’
Dealing with declining self-esteem
Participating in online aggression or even cyberbullying
Putting up excessively about destructive thoughts and feelings, triggering a cycle of self-satisfying unhappiness
Becoming a member of on line communities that boost harmful behaviors like eating conditions or self-damage
Dealing with chronic sleeplessness because of to social media use in bed and/or late at night time

Established boundaries

Many individuals