Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump Claims Most Americans Will Get $2,000 Tariff Dividend Payout
President Trump said Sunday that most Americans would receive a $2,000 dividend payment as a result of his administration鈥檚 tariffs levied against foreign countries. Trump announced the potential payments on his Truth Social platform, calling opponents of his tariffs 鈥淔OOLS鈥� in a post. (Goldberg, 11/9)
President Trump last week hailed his deal with pharma companies to cut the price of blockbuster weight loss drugs as a major win for his administration and for increasing drug affordability. The question is how big of a difference the agreement will make for patients. (Chen, 11/10)
A press conference collapse has sparked days of memes and jokes. Not all are accurate. (Diamond, 11/9)
On the housing affordability crisis 鈥�
Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Bill Pulte on Saturday said the Trump administration is 鈥渨orking on鈥� a plan to introduce 50-year mortgage terms for home buyers.聽鈥淭hanks to President Trump, we are indeed working on The 50 year Mortgage聽 鈥� a complete game changer,鈥� Pulte wrote in a statement on the social platform X.聽(Fields, 11/8)
James Fishback, the CEO of investment firm Azoria, compared the idea of introducing a 50-year mortgage to "economic genocide." (Carbonaro, 11/10)
More health news about the Trump administration 鈥�
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tells POLITICO President Donald Trump should reconsider quitting the UN鈥檚 health arm. (Paun, 11/9)
A top Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ally rallied anti-vaccine activists over the weekend with an exhortation to stay strong in the face of attacks by the government, media and mainstream medical figures. 鈥淕od is an anti-vaxxer, and he needs you to speak up,鈥� said Del Bigtree, a former top Kennedy political adviser and head of the anti-vaccine group Informed Consent Action Network. He urged the Health and Human Services secretary鈥檚 supporters to press their fight at a weekend-long celebration of their newfound Washington influence. (Weber, 11/10)
Children鈥檚 Health Defense, the vaccine-skeptical organization once led by now-health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is playing the long game.聽The group has more power in Washington than the group鈥檚 CEO, Mary Holland, imagined possible in her lifetime. (Payne, 11/8)
51视频 Health News: As Health Companies Get Bigger, So Do The Bills. It鈥檚 Unclear If Trump鈥檚 Team Will Intervene.聽
A cancer patient might live in a town with four oncology groups, but only one accepts his insurance 鈥� the one owned by his insurer. A young couple could see huge bills after their child is born, because their insurer agreed to the health system鈥檚 rates in exchange for a contract with obstetricians across the country. A woman might have to pay a big sum she can鈥檛 afford for basic lab tests at a hospital 鈥� inflated rates her insurer accepted so its customers have access to the system鈥檚 children鈥檚 hospital elsewhere in the state. And even well-insured patients receive unaffordable bills in this era of high-deductible health plans, narrow insurance networks, and 20% cost sharing. (Rosenthal, 11/10)
51视频 Health News: Journalists Shed Light On Opioid Settlement Cash, New Medicaid Work Requirements聽
51视频 Health News senior correspondent Aneri Pattani discussed how states are using opioid settlement money on CBS News 24/7鈥檚 鈥淭he Daily Report鈥� on Nov. 3. 51视频 Health News Southern correspondent Sam Whitehead discussed government claims that new technologies will help Medicaid recipients comply with new work requirement rules on WUGA鈥檚 鈥淭he Georgia Health Report鈥� on Oct. 31. 51视频 Health News Southern California correspondent Claudia Boyd-Barrett discussed the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in and around health care facilities such as hospitals and community health centers on Radio Biling眉e鈥檚 鈥淟铆nea Abierta鈥� on Oct. 30. 51视频 Health News executive editor Alex Wayne discussed the federal government shutdown and rising Affordable Care Act premiums on Sirius XM鈥檚 鈥淭he Smerconish Podcast鈥� on Oct. 30. (11/8)