hospitals
Instead of beating up hospitals, lawmakers fought each other
Four health system CEOs were called to testify Tuesday at the House Ways and Means Committee’s hearing on hospital costs.
The event seemed designed as an industry takedown. There were tough-talking opening statements accompanied by press releases and social media posts. Chair Jason Smith (R-Mo.) warned the executives against trying to blame their high prices on other health care sectors.
They didn’t have to. Lawmakers did that for them, Tara Bannow reports. Instead of focusing on hospitals, the two parties pointed the finger at each other for high health care costs.
Medicaid
Seven
That’s how many states plan to either implement work requirements early or use a more restrictive approach to verifying Medicaid work requirements and exemptions than is required by law, according to a survey of Medicaid directors by KFF.
Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, and New Hampshire plan to apply longer look-back periods when people apply for or renew Medicaid coverage. Indiana and New Hampshire will also check compliance quarterly, instead of every six months.
Medicare officials have until June to issue a regulation on implementation of work requirements. Nevertheless, three other states — Nebraska, Iowa, and Montana —plan to implement work requirements earlier than the statutorily required Jan. 1 start date. Arkansas says it will do a soft launch in 2026, but will not disenroll anyone until next year.
health equity
Health equity improves, for now
Although health inequities persisted, there were improvements between 2022 and 2024, according to a Commonwealth Fund report. Two states expanded eligibility for Medicaid, many states extended postpartum coverage for mothers, and enrollment in Affordable Care Act marketplace plans increased at an unprecedented clip.
But that progress may be short-lived, according to Anil Oza, after the Trump administration instituted changes to insurance coverage and vaccine policies and made cuts to programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“Oh my gosh, it’s about to get so much worse,” said Miranda Yaver, a political scientist at the University of Pittsburgh who published a book on the ways insurance coverage drives inequities.
Read more.
infant formula
Drink up, baby
Infant formula is safe.
So says the FDA after it tested 312 samples from 16 infant formula brands sold in the U.S., according to Sarah Todd. The vast majority had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, and the “forever chemicals” known as PFAS.
That’s reassuring news, but the FDA still does not have formal limits for contaminants in infant formula.
Read more for what food safety experts think the agency should do next.
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