- Share This Post
- Pin It
- 0
- 0
-
Sparkle (0)
A big Friday in health care news: We have pledges, reforms and analysis, oh my!
First, some major provisions of the health care bill go into effect today –- though exactly how many seems to be up for debate (I credit the crystal clear, completely straightforward, not even remotely ambiguous language of the bill for that.) Democratic House Caucus chairman John Larson outlines the 10 new reforms and how they will impact health care policy here. Meanwhile, Kaiser's Health on the Hill blog explains the eight new laws (and their subsequent seven caveats) here. Interpret away.
And for answers to all your questions about health care reform, including the latest 10 provisions, check out this Q&A with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
Also worth a read, National Journal's Meghan McCarthy offers a more thoughtful look at health care reform – six months later.
The Republicans unveiled their Pledge to America (full text) yesterday, a 21-page document outlining their revised vision for the country and especially for health care reform. All the details of their intentions and vision here and Jonathan Allen's analysis of it here.
We know things haven't been going so well for Obama, especially on the health care front, but how bad are they really? Well, if this Politico headline is any indication, pretty darn bad. One of the headlines in their health care section: "Barack Obama seeks divine intervention on health care reform." Read the story here.
Not everyone is quite as pessimistic, though. According to Kaiser Health News writer Jenny Gold, Democrats' best bet at selling health care reform is going back to the basics. As Democratic pollster Peter Hart told Gold, Democrats need to start saying, "'Here's what the bill's about. Here's why it makes a difference. Here's why it's good for you and it's good for America.'" Read more analysis here.
Post reporter/blogger Ezra Klein offered his own analysis on the situation and advice to Obama this week -– his was a bit more straightforward than Hart's. Klein's take on the ever-complex and highly complicated situation: Cut Medicare first. The second most straightforward advice Obama has ever gotten on HCR, after "REPEAL." Well, it’s something at least.
Going outside the Beltway, an interesting story in the Wall Street Journal blog about how many lives mammograms actually save. Hint: not as many as you think! Great news to break on the day that a law goes into effect mandating insurance companies cover mammograms. Maybe Politico wasn't so off on the divine intervention jibe.
Another interesting blog entry, this one from Washington Post's The Checkup -– do abortions cause depression? Not in teens, says a new study, contrary to previous research on the subject.
And, shifting focus to another politically charged health debate -– genetically modified salmon. Are they safe for human consumption? Will allowing them into our food source jeopardize our ecosystems? Will these genetically superior salmon be capable of actually swimming upstream? Read the Washington Post analysis here.
On another note, Disruptive Women in Health Care turns two this month; a big thank you to all our bloggers and readers for making these past two years truly disruptive!
This post originally appeared as Weekly Health Care News Round-up by Hope Ditto on the blog Disruptive Women in Health Care.
