Obama’s Pitch That Subsidies Offer Safety Net For High Premiums May Have Some Holes
Not only do many people not qualify for subsidies, but the higher premiums mean taxpayers are footing the larger bill for those who do.
The New York Times:
As Health Premiums Jump, Obama Wields An Imperfect Shield
Urging people to sign up for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, President Obama said last week that while premiums might be rising, most consumers need not worry. “Premiums going up,” he said, “don’t necessarily translate into higher premiums for people who are getting tax credits.” ... But left unmentioned in the pitch to consumers are what economists and health policy experts describe as possible reasons to be concerned about rising premiums. (Pear, 10/30)
In other national health care news —
McClatchy:
U.S. Healthcare Sector Vulnerable To Cybersecurity Attack
The U.S. health care industry has been hit with 22 major computer breaches since mid-2015 that have resulted in the loss of millions of patient records, says SecurityScorecard, a New York City firm that offers cybersecurity ratings and monitoring. Nearly two-thirds of the 27 largest hospitals in the United States are slow to install security patches to overcome cyber vulnerabilities, the company said in a report released Thursday. It was only one of two surveys released this week on the health care system and cybercrime. A second report, released by Intel Security’s McAfee Labs unit, underscored that stolen medical records are less valuable than stolen records from banks – but still valuable. (Johnson, 10/28)
Stat:
New Cholesterol Drugs Aren't Selling, And That's Worrying Biotech
A year ago, two new drugs that used a novel mechanism to drive down cholesterol levels came on the market, and were promptly crowned as blockbusters in waiting. Analysts estimated sales at more than $3 billion a year. But the two drugs have been commercial flops, in part due to a complicated reimbursement system that has frustrated doctors, confused patients, and left the biotech industry worried about the implications for other high-priced drugs in the pipeline. (Garde, 10/28)
The Washington Post:
There’s A Shortage Of Child Psychiatrists, And Kids Are Hurting
Pediatrician Karen Rhea said she found it “gut-wrenching” to see young people in psychiatric crisis: a teen who overdosed, the one with mental illness who landed in jail, the high school senior who tried to kill herself by crashing her car. With a population of about 20,000 then, Franklin, Tenn., where she practiced, had no child and adolescent psychiatrists, so Rhea spent long hours searching for inpatient care, phoning judges, looking for mental-health specialists in Nashville 20 miles away. Sometimes her efforts made a difference. The suicide survivor thrived in therapy. She wrote a note to Rhea, thanking her for saving her life. (Vander Schaaff, 10/30)
The New York Times:
Medicaid Finds Opportune Time To Offer Birth Control: Right After Birth
Last month, Akia Gayle gave birth to her third child. Sixteen hours later, while she was still in her hospital bed, a doctor implanted a matchstick-size plastic rod in her left arm because she did not want to have a fourth. “To have it done right then and there — that’s good,” Ms. Gayle said. “I don’t want more kids.” (Tavernise, 10/28)