Health Affairs This Week

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Vabren Watts chat about the latest developments from the health equity department at Health Affairs. They discuss a recent professional development event for authors, the second theme issue we published on racism and health, Native American Heritage Month, and more.Related Links:Professional Development: Writing About Racism in Health Care (Health Affairs Events)Private Sector Opportunities To Foster American Indian/Alaska Native Health Equity (Health Affairs Forefront)A Black Woman’s Pandemic Birth Experience (Health Affairs)Changing How The Health Care Workforce Sees Patients Like Me (Health Affairs)How Funding Policy Maintains Structural Inequity Within Indigenous Community-Based Organizations (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Marianne Amoss discuss the findings in KFF's new Employer Health Benefits survey. In the report, KFF finds that annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage will increase 7% on average this year.Related Links:Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of Dobbs (Health Affairs)Incorrect Provider Directories Associated With Out-Of-Network Mental Health Care And Outpatient Surprise Bills (Health Affairs)The Problem With Provider Directories (Health Affairs This Week)Consistency of Physician Data Across Health Insurer Directories (JAMA)

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Michael Gerber discuss labor relations and news out of California, providing an update on the Kaiser Permanente workforce strike and how California will raise its minimum wage for health care workers to $25 an hour. So does California, so does the US?Read the ahead-of-print article, "Health Benefits In 2023: Premiums Increase With Inflation And Employer Coverage In The Wake Of Dobbs."Related Links:California sets $25 per hour minimum wage for healthcare workers (Healthcare Dive)After historic strike, Kaiser Permanente workers win 21% raise over 4 years (NPR)Addressing the healthcare staffing shortage (Definitive Healthcare)

Health Affairs' Kathleen Haddad and Rob Lott discuss the recent news where direct-to-consumer companies continue to expand into the Medicare Advantage territory. They discuss Instacart launching a new grocery benefits and the news out of the HTLH conference in Las Vegas regarding a partnership between Uber and Optum.Read the health policy brief on Water Insecurity and Population Health.Listen to the final episode of the first series of Research and Justice For All.Related Links:Filling The Gaps: The Role and Value of Supplemental Benefits in Medicare Advantage (Health Affairs Forefront)Rapid Enrollment Growth In 'Look-Alike' Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans: A Threat To Integrated Care (Health Affairs)Medicare Advantage Now Chosen By the Majority of Minority and Low-Income Beneficiaries (Health Affairs Forefront)Instacart Will Accept Medicare Advantage for Grocery Orders (The Verge)Uber Adds Optum-enabled Benefits Card to Health Platform (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Ellen Bayer explore the new October issue focusing on Structural Racism In Health. Their conversation provides insight into unique online features exclusive to this issue as well as highlighting a number of the journal articles featured.Health Affairs would like to thank Gilbert Gee of the University of California Los Angeles and Ruqaiijah Yearby of Ohio State University, who served as theme issue advisers.Health Affairs would also like to thank the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the California Wellness Foundation, and the Episcopal Health Foundation for their financial support of this issue.Order the October 2023 Health Affairs Tackling Structural Racism In Health theme issue!Related Links:Health Affairs Tackling Structural Racism In Health Theme IssueHealth Affairs Racism & Health Resource PageTackling Structural Racism In Health: A ConversationRyan J. Petteway On Poetry, Place-Health Research, And Structural Racism (Health Affairs)Interactive Gallery: Baltimore Voices

Health Affairs' Marianne Amoss and Rob Lott explore the impact of Medicaid unwinding on children's health.Read Milkie Vu's article from the upcoming "Tackling Structural Racism in Health" issue.Related Link:We cut child poverty to historic lows, then let it rebound faster than ever before (Vox)Federal Health Policy Requires Child Health Investment Focus (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicaid (KFF)Racism and Health Resource Page (Health Affairs)

Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer and Rob Lott break down CMS's new funding opportunity for states to create an all-payer model.Listen to the second Research and Justice For All episode, sponsored by CVS Health.Related Link:Three Outstanding Questions About CMS's Ambitious New AHEAD Model (Health Affairs Forefront)Maryland Hospital All-Payer Model: Can It Be Emulated? (Health Affairs Forefront)Maryland's All-Payer Model - Achievements, Challenges, and Next Steps (Health Affairs Forefront)Hospital Rate Setting: Successful in Maryland but Challenging to Replicate (Healthcare Value Hub)

Health Affairs' Michael Gerber and Chris Fleming discuss the Biden administration's proposal to increase minimum staffing levels at nursing homes.Listen to the first Research and Justice For All episode, sponsored by CVS Health.Related Link:HHS Proposes Minimum Staffing Standards to Enhance Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes (CMS)High Nursing Staff Turnover In Nursing Homes Offers Important Quality Information (Health Affairs)President Biden: Nursing homes are putting residents at risk. We're ending the abuse today. (USA Today)Federal Officials Propose New Nursing Home Standards To Increase Staffing (New York Times)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott and Chris Fleming discuss Biden administration's announcement regarding the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation.Listen to the Research and Justice For All trailer.Related Link:Biden-Harris Administration Announces First Ten Drugs Selected for Medicare Price NegotiationA Deep Dive Into Takings Clause Challenges to the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare Drug Price Negotiations: A Principles-Based Guide for CMS (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Leslie Erdelack and Kathleen Haddad discuss the shifting pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) landscape in the wake of Blue Shield of California's decision to shift some of its pharmacy business to new companies.Read the ahead-of-print article, "The Forgotten Middle: Worsening Health and Economic Trends Extend to Americans with Modest Resources Nearing Retirement."Related Links:Blue Shield of California Press Release