Author: John C. Goodman
Friday Links
- 400 million people worldwide have been diagnosed with some form of long Covid. (NYT)
- Congressional Republican are busy taking down Biden Administration regulations.
- Guess who is one of the largest users of the H-2B temporary visa program for seasonal workers? Donald Trump and his resort properties.
- The Biden Pill Penalty: shots or infusions can be in the market for 13 years before being subjected to government price setting, while cutting-edge ‘small molecule’ medicines, which typically come in pill or capsule form, are subject to price setting after only 9 years on the market.
- Haislmaier: If patients secure a service below a reference price, they should be able to deposit the savings in an HSA. (Something I think we recommended about a decade ago.)
- California to spend $8.4 billion this year on health care for illegal aliens.
What Medicaid Expansion Has Done
One big problem is that federal Medicaid payment policy discriminates against the most vulnerable—the people it is meant to serve. The federal Medicaid rate for able-bodied, working-age adults is 30 percentage points higher than the average rate states receive for children, pregnant women, seniors and the disabled. That hurts those who need Medicaid the most.
Thursday Links
- What conservatives got wrong about covid.
- Food regulation is a regulatory jungle.
- The 2025 World Happiness Report: solitary activities, including solo meals, can lead to depression and shorter life expectancies.
- 90% of rare diseases have no approved treatments. AI may be the answer. (NYT)