Medicaid 1115 Waiver Watch: Round-up of Key Themes at the End of the Biden Administration

Section 1115 Medicaid demonstration waivers offer states an avenue to test new approaches in Medicaid that differ from what is required by federal statute, so long as the approach is likely to “promote the objectives of the Medicaid program.” Waivers generally reflect priorities identified by states as well as changing priorities from one presidential administration…

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How Does U.S. Life Expectancy Compare to Other Countries?

This chart collection examines how life expectancy in the U.S. compares to that of other similarly large and wealthy countries. Between 2019 and 2022, the U.S. experienced a sharper decline and a slower rebound in life expectancy than peer countries, on average, due to increased mortality and premature death rates in the U.S. from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023,…

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Most Insurance Covers IUDs. Hers Cost More Than $14,000.

During her annual OB-GYN visit, Callie Anderson asked about getting off the birth control pill. “We decided the best option for me was an IUD,” she said, referring to an intrauterine device, a long-acting, reversible type of birth control. Anderson, 25, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, asked her doctor how much it might cost. At the time,…

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Trump’s Order on Gender-Affirming Care Escalates Reversal of Trans Rights

President Donald Trump ratcheted up his administration’s reversal of transgender rights on Tuesday with an executive order that seeks to intervene in parents’ medical decisions by prohibiting government-funded insurance coverage of puberty blockers or surgery for people under 19. Trump’s order, titled “Protecting Children From Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” is certain to face legal challenges…

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How Did We End Up with a Broken Health Insurance System? 

By LEONARD D’ AVOLIO The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has drawn attention to Americans’ frustration with the for profit healthcare insurance industry. Change is possible but less likely if people don’t understand how we got here, the real issues, and how they might be fixed.  Health insurance wasn’t always run by big for…

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