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Shock Democratic victories in Georgia’s two runoff elections this week will give Democrats management of the Senate, which suggests they are going to be in control of each homes of Congress and the White Home for the primary time since 2010. Though the slender majorities within the Home and Senate will possible not permit Democrats to cross main expansions to well being packages, it’s going to make it simpler to do issues resembling cross fixes for the Reasonably priced Care Act.
In the meantime, the speedy improvement and approval of vaccines to guard in opposition to covid-19 is being squandered by the dearth of a nationwide technique to get these vaccines into individuals’s arms. Straightening out and rushing up vaccinations can be a significant precedence for the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.
This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of Kaiser Well being Information, Anna Edney of Bloomberg Information, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Mary Ellen McIntire of CQ Roll Name.
Among the many takeaways from this week’s podcast:
- The Georgia election outcomes will make it simpler for a few of Biden’s Cupboard picks to be confirmed, together with Xavier Becerra, his selection to go the Division of Well being and Human Providers.
- Among the many ACA fixes that congressional Democrats could search is a restoration of a small penalty for individuals who don’t have well being protection. That would negate the case earlier than the Supreme Court docket now that was introduced by Republican state officers.
- One strategic error within the covid vaccine distribution efforts was that the discharge of the vaccine was not coupled with a significant messaging marketing campaign to clarify what the vaccine does and dispel fears about it.
- Late final month, a federal courtroom blocked the Trump administration from implementing a plan to tie what Medicare pays for some medicine to the costs in different international locations. It’s not clear if the Biden administration will proceed the authorized struggle to maintain this system, however the president-elect has recommended he’s extra involved in bringing down drug costs by negotiating with producers.
- The Trump administration has sued retail large Walmart, alleging it unlawfully allotted opioids from its pharmacies.
Additionally, for further credit score, the panelists suggest their favourite well being coverage tales of the week they suppose it’s best to learn too:
Julie Rovner: The New York Instances’ “One Hospital System Sued 2,500 Sufferers After Pandemic Hit,” by Brian M. Rosenthal
Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico’s “Congress Utilizing COVID Take a look at That FDA Warns Could Be Defective,” by David Lim and Sarah Ferris
Mary Ellen McIntire: Bloomberg Information’ “The World’s Most Loathed Trade Gave Us a Vaccine in Document Time,” by Drew Armstrong
Anna Edney: STAT Information’ “How It Began: A Q&A With Helen Branswell, One Yr After Covid-19 Grew to become a Full-Time Job,” by Jason Ukman
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