- CBO: The Trump administration has proposed shrinking the budget of the N.I.H. by nearly 40 percent. But even a 10 percent reduction would prevent roughly 30 additional drugs from coming to market in the next three decades.
- Young workers could lose $110,000 in lifetime earnings to keep Social Security solvent.
- Why do we need a Surgeon General?
- An interesting 20-year bet.
Wednesday Links
- Dieting can make you sad?
- About 350 million male chicks are routinely killed each year, typically by methods such as maceration (being ground up alive).
- 340B shenanigans explained.
- OBBBA: No more employer tax deduction for giving free food to employees.
- 1,800 page rule on physician pay would favor primary care over specialist care. (NYT)
- Based on thousands of gene variants, an obesity risk score estimates your odds of being fat.
Tuesday Links
- Do tariffs disproportionately hurt low-income households? Apparently not.
- “computer algorithms [will] soon be able to identify people not just by their faces, or fingerprints, or DNA — but by the unique ways they walk.”
- Approximately 67 percent of American women are considered “plus-size.”
- Organ transplants: (NYT)
A surgeon made an incision in her chest and sawed through her breastbone. That’s when the doctors discovered her heart was beating. She appeared to be breathing. They were slicing into Ms. Hawkins while she was alive…..
Fifty-five medical workers in 19 states told The Times they had witnessed at least one disturbing case of donation after circulatory death. Workers in several states said they had seen coordinators persuading hospital clinicians to administer morphine, propofol and other drugs to hasten the death of potential donors.
The No Surprises Act Only Eliminated One Type of Surprise Medical Bill
The No Surprises Act (NSA) banned balance billing, where patients were required to pay the balance between what doctors [they did not choose] charge versus what their health plans are willing to pay for a service. In that regard it was relatively effective. Unfortunately, balance bills are not the only surprises patients encounter. At least in theory, patients have some protection from outrageous bills if they ask for a quote several days in advance.