Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
If Dems Win Back Congress, They'll Immediately Work To Reverse Medicaid Cuts, Reinstate ACA Tax Breaks
House Democrats are preparing an ambitious 100-days agenda focused on delivering their campaign promises 鈥 making life more affordable and conducting vast oversight of the Trump administration 鈥 if the party seizes majority control in next month鈥檚 elections. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if the party wins power, said the Democrats will be united 鈥渞ight out of the gate鈥 on reinstating Affordable Care Act tax breaks, reversing Republican Medicaid cuts, holding votes against the Iran war and undoing President Donald Trump鈥檚 tariff regime. (Mascaro, 10/14)
Corin Denmon has a lot of concerns for Florida and her country, but there is one topic that she puts above the rest. "Healthcare. I'm voting for anybody that has healthcare on their ballot as a priority," Denmon said. Healthcare affordability is the cause of a lot of anxiety for voters across the country ahead of an election where the general concept of affordability dominates the conversation. (Pedersen, 10/14)
Republicans running for governor across the country are backing away from abortion bans they once endorsed. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for governor in Wisconsin, calls his state鈥檚 20-week abortion limit 鈥渟ettled law.鈥 Just three years ago, he co-sponsored a bill that would have banned abortion six weeks into pregnancy. (Luthra, 10/14)
Secretaries of state鈥檚 offices in Ohio, Louisiana and Oklahoma were sent packages this week with mysterious powders, just weeks before the offices are set to oversee the midterm elections. Oklahoma and Louisiana reported receiving the envelopes, while Ohio said U.S. Postal Service investigators intercepted a package destined for it. (Coronell Uribe, 10/15)
Also 鈥
On September 14, far-right influencer Chaya Raichik, known online as Libs of Tiktok, attacked a Washington state high school on Facebook for displaying a Pride flag. 鈥淗ey Mercer Island High School, why does your profile photo display a mutilation flag??鈥 she wrote, tagging the school鈥檚 account in the post and attaching a photo of the entrance. (Pisoni, 10/14)
The Transgender Education Network of Texas on Wednesday sent a cease and desist notice that demanded two digital messaging companies stop a client from impersonating the LGBTQ+ advocacy group in a series of texts sent this week to Texans. (Runnels, 10/14)
