CDC Firings Undermine Public Health Work Far Beyond Washington

The Trump administration’s sudden firing of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees gutted training programs across the nation whose participants bolstered the workforce of state and local public health departments that for decades have been starved of resources. The programs are designed to cultivate a new generation of public health leaders, many of whom…

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Years Later, Centene Settlements With States Still Unfinished

More than three years ago, health insurance giant Centene Corp. settled allegations that it overcharged Medicaid programs in Ohio and Mississippi related to prescription drug billing. Now at least 20 states have settled with Centene over its pharmacy benefit manager operation that coordinated the medications for Medicaid patients. Arizona was among the most recent to…

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Stuart Blitz, Hone Health

Stuart Blitz is COO and founder of Hone Health. He comes from a long career in health tech, notably at diabetes device pioneer Agamatrix. Stuart’s been working on his aggressive social media career, but in the background he launched Hone Health in the male health online telehealth/pharmacy space in March 2020 (great timing!). It’s now…

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Trump Vowed To End Surprise Medical Bills. The Office Working on That Just Got Slashed.

As President Donald Trump wrapped up his first term in 2020, he signed legislation to protect Americans from surprise medical bills. “This must end,” Trump said. “We’re going to hold insurance companies and hospitals totally accountable.” But the president’s wide-ranging push to slash government spending, led by billionaire Elon Musk, is weakening the federal office…

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Law and Order or Bystander Safety? Police Chases Spotlight California’s Competing Priorities

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pressuring Oakland to expand its police department’s ability to chase suspects, referencing the public’s desire for a crackdown on crime. He said that voters had recently taken more tough-on-crime positions and “expressed in pretty clear terms they want change.” Weeks later, a police pursuit across the bay…

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About face for RFK Jr. on MMR vaccine?

Last month, I noted that the decrease in vaccination rates has likely resulted in increased rates of measles in Texas and around the US. With measles cases on the rise, RFK Jr. now is has made a “call to action” to increase uptake of the MMR vaccine. Here is a quote from his editorial: As…

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Natalie Schneider, Fort Health

Natalie Schneider is CEO of Fort Health, a relatively new entrant into the children’s mental health market. Fort Health’s modus operandi is to partner with (i.e. market via) pediatricians to recruit patients. They are delivering integrated care and something called collaborative care…a newer model that has more frequent and shorter interventions and is more affordable….

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Para enfrentar la escasez, estados buscan facilitar que médicos extranjeros ejerzan en el país

Cada vez más estados están facilitando que médicos que se formaron en otros países obtengan licencias médicas, un cambio que, según los partidarios, podría aliviar la escasez de doctores en áreas rurales. Los cambios involucran a los programas de residencia: la experiencia práctica y supervisada que los médicos deben completar después de graduarse de la…

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