As usual, the cruelty is the point. People with low-incomes, women, and racial and ethnic minorities are harmed by Trump's petty grudges against blue states.

Medicaid & CHIP cover almost half of American children. A new CMS policy means we’ll know less about their health. My colleague @jillrose.bsky.social explains: tinyurl.com/bdn2bzkt

RIP Rob Reiner. “This Is Spinal Tap,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “The Princess Bride" are as responsible as my parents for turning me into who I am today. Such a tragic loss (and getting more tragic).

Don't be fooled: Health Savings Accounts aren't insurance and can't replace enhanced premium tax credits. CAP Health explains @nzmurphy.bsky.social @americanprogress.bsky.social

I didn’t realize that I am a broken reader until I read this. Thank goodness there’s hope!

New report from Alex Thornton, Claire Koyle, and myself reveals how private-equity’s short-term focus on profit is concerning in health care, where quality of care and patient safety should be the highest priorities. @americanprogress.bsky.social

It's Medicare open enrollment time! If you or anyone you love is signing up for Medicare, please read this column. And don't get tricked by a Medicare Advantage sales pitch!

SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in a college applicant's file is blatantly unconstitutional ALSO SCOTUS: considering race as one factor in targeting whom to detain and deport is cool cool cool

How will the passage of Trump's megabill affect your state? @americanprogress.bsky.social explains, state by state: ⇣ www.americanprogress.org/article/stat...

Health care across the country is in DANGER. If Planned Parenthood is “defunded,” nearly 200 health centers could close, and more than 1.1M patients could lose access to care. Contact your senator and tell them not to “defund” Planned Parenthood: ppact.io/care

Our health care system prioritizes profits over patients. This is the inevitable result. Maybe we should have different priorities. Just a thought.

You know how you keep thinking, "Nothing can surprise me anymore?" Wow. That keeps being super wrong. This is absolutely unbelievable. At least we can rest easy knowing that Congress will exercise its authority and remove him from office for this massive unconstitutional grift. My head is spinning.

Trump and Dr. Oz's push for fully privatized Medicare should alarm all of us. @andreaducas.bsky.social and David Lipschutz explain why for @MarketWatch.com: www.marketwatch.com/story/trumps...

A great summation from Rachel Madley at HEALTH CARE Un-Covered of how Congress wants to cut the lifesaving care real people receive when cutting actual fraud being committed by giant corporations would save more money.

A small step toward reform of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), but it shows that D's and R's are aligned on this. Congress can and should pass the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Transparency Act! @cantwell.senate.gov

This informative piece by @americanprogress.bsky.social senior fellow @shwoolf.bsky.social on the assault on DEI explains how failing to track racial disparities will lead to tragic outcomes. @milbankfund.bsky.social

This does not bode well.

Medicaid access provides peace of mind to millions of Americans. No one understands this better than my colleague @seemiaroll.bsky.social. In this op-ed for @NCNewsline, she shares vulnerably about her family’s experience:

Oh goddess... Calley Means at #POLITICOHealth just said NIH research hasn't been cut, just bureaucracy. Do these clowns believe the garbage they are spewing? Apparently research can happen without paying for buildings, janitorial services, and equipment.

Watching Calley Means at #POLITICOHealth twist himself into a pretzel explaining how corporations profiting off making kids sick aren't profiting off making kids sick, the way to stop them is to fire regulators, regulations aren't regulations, these are not the droids you're looking for...

Former health insurance execs like @wendellpotter.bsky.social and Ed Weisbart of @pnhp.bsky.social know how desperate the situation is. We should listen to them.

Great piece from @dropsitenews.com explaining how they are coming for your Medicare. Fight back, before it's too late!

Make America Segregated Again! This may not (immediately) lead to separate drinking fountains, but it is going to allow contractors to discriminate against trans people. And this was done without notice or public comment, the new standard for this administration. Bad news for democracy and justice.

Four of these five heath care companies that filed for bankruptcy protection last year are partially or fully owned by private equity firms. Coincidence? Or are private equity and health care incompatible? (Hint: it's not coincidence.)

The flue vaccine committee meeting in secret might not seem like the biggest deal, but this is democracy dying in darkness, in real time. First they came for my flue vaccine and I said nothing....

I've been fantasizing about challenging Schumer in a primary since 2020. I think it's time to form an exploratory committee. Any volunteers?

If Congressional Republicans slash Medicaid funding, Iowa’s economy could lose $8 billion over the next decade. Read my piece with @suedins.bsky.social on Bleeding Heartland.

The best thing about our tragically dysfunctional health care system? Nursing shortages, corporate profit motives, unaffordable care, impossible wait times, lack of insurance, and violence against health workers combine to make great TV!* *A small price to pay for our worsened lives.

What more could I possibly say...

This is surprising. What could senators have seen in Weldon that is worse than what they saw in RFK Jr?

Wait! I thought I heard that California had gone to hell in a hand basket. Apparently it hasn't affected their happiness! Half of the top ten happiest cities are in the Golden State!

How many people are covered by Medicaid or CHIP in your congressional district? My colleagues at CAP can tell you!

Not every crisis is about DOGE. We must not lose sight of problems that have been growing for decades. Something is very wrong with our values when we refuse to pay workers enough to pay rent and choose not to build enough housing for everyone. We need a moral reset that puts people over profits.

Is this just theater to protect against lawsuits accusing Musk of exceeding his authority? Or are Secretaries taking their authority back? Could Congress do the same? I'm not holding my breath.

There's no doubt that our health care "system" needs massive reforms. That's why I do what I do. But this is NOT the way to go about it. Let's stop president Trusk from destroying everything while we also design a plan for meaningful reform!

I fill my regular prescription at my local independent pharmacy. It's usually about $6 with my insurance, but yesterday it was $48. Without insurance it was $17. Aren't Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) supposed to negotiate lower prices for insurance beneficiaries?

I hope this doesn't go unnoticed. The GSA is suggesting using private equity practices like sale-leasebacks, which often bankrupt businesses, for government buildings. No doubt to fund tax cuts for the rich now, while burdening the rest of us with long term lease payments on buildings we once owned.

There is a common theme to all of Trump/Musk's actions in the last five weeks. Whether it's shuttering USAID, firing federal workers for no reason, taking away Medicaid coverage, bullying Zelensky, or whatever they are going to do tomorrow, the cruelty is the point.

I know you’re overwhelmed and terrified already, but please read or watch this interview to understand how illegal, unconstitutional, and dangerous this administration’s actions really are. Then call your member of congress and tell them to exercise their power to stop it.

Measles is highly contagious—but it’s also highly preventable. State policymakers play an important role in encouraging families to protect themselves, argues @jillrose.bsky.social

This is deeply concerning. WaPo no longer cares to have a broad-based opinion section that covers all views? Just Jeff's view, apparently.

New analysis from my colleagues at CAP:

The cruelty is the point.

AUSA Hagan Scotten, former clerk for John Roberts, really put some mustard on his resignation letter.

KFF's health policy valentines are the best part of this holiday. My favorite this year: "My love for you is like health care as a percentage of GDP. It grows larger every year." – David Schleifer

Excited for two days of forging a path forward with fellow health policy enthusiasts!

Has no one told him (or them) he's not president until noon tomorrow?

Kudos to the many people who worked to make this a reality, including my colleague @katekelly.bsky.social!

I love my current job, but when your nation calls, you step up. Inspired by these patriots, I will be applying for a job at DOGE.