Health Affairs This Week

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.This week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Pfizer full approval for its COVID-19 vaccine. Schools around the country also started to reopen for the 2021-2022 school year. With schools reopening and the Delta variant of COVID-19 flaring up across the US, many are bringing up the pros and cons of mask mandates in schools in addition to COVID-19 vaccine access to young children. In today's episode of Health Affairs This Week, Senior Editors Rob Lott and Jessica Bylander weigh the perspectives for both topics as parents prepare for the new school year.Sign up to the the Health Affairs Today newsletter for more Back-To-School Essentials content during the week of August 30, 2021. In the newsletter, we will promote past Health Affairs content for future health policy experts. Related Links:COVID-19 Vaccines for Children and Teens (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine (FDA)As Schools Reopen, It's Time To Increase Funding For School-Based Health Centers (Health Affairs Blog)Children and COVID-19: State-Level Data Report (American Academy of Pediatrics)The Delta Variant: I’m Vaccinated. Should I Wear A Mask? (Johns Hopkins University)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.This week, the Biden administration updated its Thrifty Food Plan, which is used to calculate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.The analysis led to an increase in the average SNAP benefit which is set to increase in October.The cost adjustment, according to the Biden administration, is the first update since the plan was first introduced in 1975.Food insecurity is a big issue, especially as the social determinants of health increasingly are in health policy discussion. For example, one Health Affairs research article found that food-insecure children are at least twice as likely to report being in fair or poor health.SNAP reduces the prevalence of food insecurity. Listen to Health Affairs' Editors Jessica Bylander and Leslie Erdelack discuss the Biden administration's latest move on SNAP, and what it means for health care. Related Links:Biden Administration Prompts Largest Permanent Increase in Food Stamps (The New York Times)USDA Modernizes the Thrifty Food Plan, Updates SNAP Benefits (U.S. Department of Agriculture)Loss Of SNAP Is Associated With Food Insecurity And Poor Health In Working Families With Young Children (Health Affairs)The Effect Of The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program On Mortality (Health Affairs)Podcast: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill - What's in it for Health Care (Health Affairs This Week)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.This week, the US Senate approved the sweeping Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan. The bill includes a $39 billion investment in public transit to report aging infrastructure across the US.Public transportation in the US is an important aspect of American Life, including health care. Health Affairs recently published a Health Policy Brief on the connection between public transportation and health.On this episode of Health Affairs This Week, Health Affairs' Rob Lott and Jeff Byers discuss what to expect next for the infrastructure bill and dive into the insights from the health policy brief.Related Links:Public Transportation In the US: A Driver Of Health And Equity (Health Affairs)Senate Approves The $1 Trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill In A Historic Vote (NPR)Podcast: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill - What's in it for Health Care (Health Affairs This Week)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Last week, President Joe Biden and his administration released more detail on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.While a lot of focus has been given to provisions, such as the $66 billion investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak 50 years ago, there are many areas which will affect the health care sector.Health Affairs' Senior Editors Ellen Bayer and Chris Fleming share the latest on the bipartisan infrastructure deal and how health care will be affected, including policies on telehealth, clean drinking water, climate change, broadband internet, and other social determinants of health.Related Links:Bipartisan Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (White House Fact Sheet)A Lead Poisoning Crisis Enters Its Second Century (Health Affairs)Climate & Health Theme Issue (Health Affairs)Health Risks Due to Climate Change: Inequity In Causes and Consequences (Health Affairs)Ensuring the Growth of Telehealth During COVID-19 Does Not Exacerbate Disparities In Care (Health Affairs Blog)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.This week has seen considerable movement in the effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic from the federal level.On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its mask guidance, recommending that fully vaccinated individuals wear mask indoors in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates to reduce the spread of COVID-19. At the time of this recording on Thursday July 29, 2021, President Joe Biden is expected to announce a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for federal employees.On this episode of Health Affairs This Week, editors Rob Lott and Leslie Erdelack discuss the latest on COVID-19, the Delta variant, CDC's updated mask guidance, and President Joe Biden's expected vaccine requirement for federal government employees.Related Links:Assessing The Legality Of Mandates For Vaccines Authorized Via An Emergency Use Authorization (Health Affairs Blog)Community User Of Face Masks And COVID-19: Evidence From A Natural Experiment Of State Mandates In The US (Health Affairs)President Biden To Announce New Actions To Get More Americans Vaccinated And Slow the Spread Of the Delta Variant (White House)COVID-19 Data Tracker: Integrated County View (CDC)When You've Been Fully Vaccinated (CDC)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.In July, Health Affairs published an issue dedicated to borders, immigrants, and health. A public health crisis is unfolding along and inside the US-Mexico border. Immigrants arriving at the US border are likely to have experienced political, economic, or interpersonal violence prior to their arrival, leading to unmet mental health and physical health needs. Immigrants detained at the border may face crime and violence in border towns as they await trial in the US, or prolonged stays in detention centers and family separations if they are able to cross the border. Immigrants in the US face health challenges that extend well beyond the border.Health policy issues are impacted by the continuously shifting demography of US immigrants. The July 2021 journal issue of Health Affairs and related content focuses on immigrants and borders and the impact on health policy. The issue examines recent trends in immigrant health and health care after the Great Recession and the nationwide implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).In today's episode of Health Affairs This Week, Senior Editors Leslie Erdelack and Jessica Bylander discuss the publication process and highlight research insights from the issue.Order your copy of the July 2021 issue of Health Affairs.Related Links:Borders, Immigrants & Health July 2021 Issue (Health Affairs)Health Policy Challenges Posed By Shifting Demographics And Health Trends Among Immigrants To The United States (Health Affairs)Immigrant Essential Workers Likely Avoided Medicaid And SNAP Because Of A Change To The Public Charge Rule (Health Affairs)Podcast: Many US Immigrants May Defer Health Care to Avoid ICE (A Health Podyssey)Health Care Has Few Plans To Address The Aging Immigrant Population (Axios)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Last week, the Biden Administration unveiled a sweeping executive order, focused on promoting competition in the US economy. With Lina Khan as the new chairperson of the Federal Trade Commission, the administration is looking to increase its antitrust focus and potentially break up monopolies. The new executive order contains 72 provisions, giving direction to multiple agencies on sectors such as agriculture, transportation, labor, and health care. In health care, the executive order focuses on drug pricing, hospital mergers and acquisitions, hospital pricing transparency, biosimilars, and comparison shopping for health plans.Listen to Health Affairs' Deputy Editor Rob Lott and Senior Content Marketing Manager Jeff Byers go over the health care sections in the Biden administration's executive order on promoting competition in the US economy. They also discuss the hipster antitrust movement, the cost of hearing aids, and hospital deal trends since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.Related Links:Fact Sheet: Executive Order On Promoting Competition In The American Economy (White House)Hospital M&A Down From Pre-Pandemic Highs, Though Deal Size Growing, Kaufman Hall Says (Healthcare Dive)Biden Administration's First Marketplace Rule Promotes Coverage and Reverse Trump-Era Changes (Health Affairs Blog)How Biosimilars Are Affecting The Drug Markets (A Health Podyssey)Lina Khan And the "Hipster Antitrust" Movement (The Atlantic)The End of Friedmanomics (The New Republic)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Last week, the Biden administration issued an interim final rule to implement critical components of the No Surprises Act (NSA).Building on the Affordable Care Act, the NSA includes new patient protections against surprise medical bills. About one in five insured adults had an unexpected medical bill from an out-of-network provider, according to a 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation survey. A study released this week found that about one in five newborn hospitalizations or childbirth deliveries result in receiving a surprise medical bill. These surprise medical bills can cause financial stress to patients and their families.Listen to Health Affairs' Senior Editors Leslie Erdelack and Chris Fleming break down the interim final rule, how it will impact surprise medical bills or "balance billing," and what we can expect regarding what's next.Check out the July issue on Borders, Immigrants & Health. Register for the July 12 Event on Border Health.Related Links:Banning Surprise Bills: Biden Administration Issues First Rule on No Surprises Act (Health Affairs Blog)Unpacking The No Surprises Act: An Opportunity To Protect Millions (Health Affairs Blog)Emergency Physicians Recover A Higher Share Of Charges From Out-Of-Network Care Than From In-Network Care (Health Affairs)Timing Out-of-Pocket Spending In Health Care Is Challenging (A Health Podyssey)Surprise Billing Protections Are One Step Closer To Becoming Reality (The Washington Post)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.President Joe Biden has been making negotiations to get his massive infrastructure plan over the finish line. Some funding related to health care that was originally in the plan ended up on the cutting room floor.In particular, $400 billion in federal Medicaid funding for home and community-based long term care services were removed from the plan. The earmarked funds for Medicaid still could be passed through a budget reconciliation act but that remains to be seen. This has implications for the health and well-being of many Americans including low-income individuals 65 and older, people with disabilities, and home-based care workers. Listen to Health Affairs' Senior Editors Ellen Bayer and Jessica Bylander go beyond recent headlines on President Biden's infrastructure plan and discuss important provisions to improve home-based care.Order your copy of the July 2021 issue of Health Affairs.Related Links:Biden's Pledge To Boost Home Caregiver Funding Excluded From Infrastructure Deal (CNBC)Making Care Work Pay: How A Living Wage For LTSS Workers Benefits All (Health Affairs Blog)Home And Community-Based Workforce For Patients With Serious Illness Requires Support To Meet Growing Needs (Health Affairs)Modernizing Long-Term Services And Supports And Valuing The Caregiver Workforce (Health Affairs Blog)Direct Care Workers In The United States: Key Facts (PHI)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Tech giants like Apple and Alphabet, the parent company of Google, have been trying to push into health care for some time now. But pursuing health care as a business is hard. Recent news of Google reorganizing its health team and Apple struggling to create primary care services illuminate how difficult it can be for companies - even those with deep pockets and resources - to break into the health care industry.To discuss the recent Apple news as well as the maturity of the digital health industry, Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Brian Dolan, founder of digital health news and market research publication Exits & Outcomes, to Health Affairs This Week. Dolan is a veteran journalist in the health tech space and shares his insights from his reporting on Crossover Health's partnership with Apple.Related Links:Apple Struggles In Push To Make Healthcare Its Greatest Legacy (The Wall Street Journal)The Crossover Health Report (Exits & Outcomes)Apple Explored Buying A Medical-Clinic Start-Up As Part Of A Bigger Push Into Health Care (CNBC)Google Is Downsizing Its Health Team And Moving Employees To Fitbit As Part Of A Major Reorganization (Insider)Subscribe: RSS | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Castro | Stitcher | Deezer | Overcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.