Today I wrote about pressure to cut funding for a key Dem initiative in half -- and, more broadly, about the internal dynamics as leaders choose from among popular, substantively important proposals.
To be clear, champions of different initiatives have not for generally attacked one another, publicly or even privately.
A big reason for that is that they are allies, and have a broadly shared enthusiasm for pretty much everything on the agenda. (2) huffpost.com/entry/caregivi…
Still, there’s only so much money to go around. And there will be even less if Manchin, Sinema and some other more conservative Democrats get their way.
A few weeks ago @jmartinwrites got in touch with me, because he wanted to share his story — about his efforts to take grad classes at Vanderbilt, part of pursuing his dream of becoming a high school English teacher (2) huffpost.com/entry/disabili…
I first wrote about @jmartinwrites during the ACA repeal debate.
He has cerebral palsy. Medicaid pays for supports and services that enabled him to attend college. And cuts in the GOP legislation would have jeopardized that funding. (3) huffpost.com/entry/medicaid…
As @zackcooperYale notes, the findings raise questions about how well insurers are negotiating prices -- which, after all, is a big part of the value they are supposed to bring to the health care system. nytimes.com/interactive/20…
One thing that stands out is the sheer magnitude of price variation, even for relatively standard/low-tech care.
Here is what three different insurers are paying for rabies vaccines (for people bitten by animals) at a Utah hospital. nytimes.com/interactive/20…
The importance of those Rx savings to other initiatives is one reason I continue to think — and continue to hear from some veteran operatives and staff — that ambitious reforms could actually pass despite all of the familiar obstacles huffpost.com/entry/prescrip…
Via multiple sources, Dem budget negotiators may scale back funding increase for home and community-based care. Like, by more than half -- from $400B, which was what Biden proposed, to below $200B.
Very much in flux, nothing decided. (1)
This is the initiative to boost funding of home care aides and other services that let the elderly, people w/disabilities live at home, stay in labor force, etc. (2)
Medicaid funds these services, but with limited allotments. That creates long waiting lists, plus the care workers are famously underpaid. huffpost.com/entry/joe-bide… (3)