Latest 蘑菇影院 Health News Stories
In Congress, Calls Mount for Social Security to Address Clawbacks
In the wake of a 蘑菇影院 Health News-Cox Media Group investigation, U.S. lawmakers are asking what Social Security will do about its demands on their constituents to repay money already distributed 鈥 and sometimes in error. Sen. Rick Scott called the agency鈥檚 actions 鈥渦nacceptable.鈥
US Military Says National Security Depends on 鈥楩orever Chemicals鈥
PFAS chemicals are found in hundreds of products and weapons used by the U.S. military. Defense Department officials say a blanket ban on these man-made substances would threaten military readiness.
New Social Security Report Shows Growing Overpayment Problem Tops $23B
Social Security has been overpaying recipients for years, then demanding the money back, leaving people with bills for up to tens of thousands of dollars or more.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Congress Kicks the (Budget) Can Down the Road. Again.
Congress narrowly avoided a federal government shutdown for the second time in six weeks, as Democrats came to the rescue of divided House Republicans over annual spending bills that were supposed to be finished by Oct. 1. But the brinksmanship is likely to repeat itself early in 2024, when the next temporary spending patches expire. Meanwhile, a pair of investigations unveiled this week demonstrate how difficult it still is for seniors to get needed long-term and rehabilitation care. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Joanne Kenen of Johns Hopkins University and Politico Magazine join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more.
Do Republican Spending Cuts Threaten Federal HIV Funding? For Some Programs, Yes.
Spending cuts proposed by a Republican-led House subcommittee would cut millions from HIV-related spending.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': A Very Good Night for Abortion Rights Backers
Abortion rights backers won major victories in at least five states in the 2023 off-year elections Nov. 7, proving the staying power of abortion as a political issue in the wake of the Supreme Court鈥檚 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health finally has a new director, after Democrats temporarily blocked President Joe Biden鈥檚 nominee over a mostly unrelated fight about prescription drug prices. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature.
Biden Pick to Lead Social Security Pledges Action on 鈥楬eartbreaking鈥 Clawbacks
At a Senate confirmation hearing, former Maryland Gov. Martin O鈥橫alley said he would address hardships the Social Security agency has caused by demanding money back from beneficiaries.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': The New Speaker鈥檚 (Limited) Record on Health
The House finally has a new speaker: Mike Johnson (R-La). He鈥檚 a relative newcomer who鈥檚 been a lower-level member of the House GOP leadership. And while he鈥檚 an outspoken opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, his record on other health issues is scant. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health appears on track to be getting a new director, and Georgia鈥檚 Medicaid work requirement experiment is off to a very slow start. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Rachel Cohrs of Stat join 蘑菇影院 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.
Biden Pick to Lead NIH Finally Has Her Day, but Still Gets Caught Up in Drug Price Debate
Monica Bertagnolli, the president鈥檚 choice to head the National Institutes of Health, appeared before a Senate committee this week. Her confirmation has been held up by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has demanded President Joe Biden work more aggressively to lower prescription drug prices.
Senators Demand Answers From Social Security on Clawbacks Tied to Covid Relief
Covid relief payments weren鈥檛 supposed to cost people their Social Security benefits, but some recipients say they did. Senators want to know why.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': The Open Enrollment Mixing Bowl
Open enrollment for Medicare beneficiaries with private health plans began Oct. 15, to be followed Nov. 1 by open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans. The selection for both is large 鈥 often too large to be navigated easily alone. And people who choose incorrectly can end up with unaffordable medical bills. Meanwhile, those on both sides of the abortion issue are looking to Ohio鈥檚 November ballot measure on abortion to see whether anti-abortion forces can break their losing streak in statewide ballot questions since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Under Fire, Social Security Chief Vows 鈥楾op-to-Bottom鈥 Review of Payment Clawbacks
Acting Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi was pressed by a House Ways and Means subcommittee to explain why so many poor, disabled, or retired people are suddenly hit with demands that can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.
Covid Relief Payments Triggered Feds to Demand Money Back From Social Security Recipients
Some Social Security beneficiaries say the government is clawing back benefits after they received covid stimulus payments that were supposed to be exempt from asset limits.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Health Funding in Question in a Speaker-Less Congress
A bitterly divided Congress managed to keep the federal government running for several more weeks, while House Republicans struggle 鈥 again 鈥 to choose a leader. Meanwhile, many people removed from state Medicaid rolls are not finding their way to Affordable Care Act insurance, and a major investigation by The Washington Post attributes the decline in U.S. life expectancy to more than covid-19 and opioids. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Victoria Knight of Axios, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join 蘑菇影院 Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews physician-author-playwright Samuel Shem about 鈥淥ur Hospital,鈥 his new novel about the health workforce in the age of covid.
House Panel to Hold Hearing on Erroneous Social Security Payments
Congress is beginning to take action on the Social Security Administration鈥檚 clawbacks of payments it mistakenly made to poor, retired, and disabled Americans.
Social Security Chief Orders Broad Review of Benefit Overpayments聽
In the wake of an investigation by 蘑菇影院 Health News and Cox Media Group, the聽SSA acting commissioner said a special team will聽review 鈥渙verpayment policies and procedures鈥 and report directly back to her.
Facing Criticism, Feds Award First Maternal Health Grant to a Predominantly Black Rural Area
Mississippi has the highest rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. Now, it also has a federal grant to help in rural areas. The award could signal more flexibility from federal officials.
Social Security Overpayments Draw Scrutiny and Outrage From Members of Congress
Lawmakers are faulting the Social Security Administration for issuing billions of dollars of payments that beneficiaries weren鈥檛 entitled to receive 鈥 and then demanding the money back 鈥 in the wake of an investigation by 蘑菇影院 Health News and Cox Media Group.
What Happens to Health Programs if the Federal Government Shuts Down?
Medicare and Medicaid shouldn鈥檛 be affected, but confusion can be expected.
蘑菇影院 Health News' 'What the Health?': Countdown to Shutdown
Congress appears to be careening toward a government shutdown, as a small band of House conservatives vow to block any funding for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 unless they win deeper cuts to health and other domestic programs. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump continues to roil the GOP presidential primary field, this time with comments about abortion. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Rachel Cohrs of Stat, and Tami Luhby of CNN join 蘑菇影院 Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also, for 鈥渆xtra credit,鈥 the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week they think you should read, too.