How the American Rescue Plan Could Help Insure More Americans
The American Rescue Plan contains the most extensive health insurance improvements for Americans since the Affordable Care Act. On To the Point, the Commonwealth Fund’s Sara Collins and Gabriella Aboulafia explore who the remaining uninsured are and how the $1.9 trillion relief package will help many of them get covered.
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New Support for States’ COVID-19 Response Efforts
The American Rescue Plan also provides significant funding for states to help them respond to COVID-19 — something missing from previous relief measures. Josh LaRosa and colleagues from the Wynne Health Group and the Commonwealth Fund’s Rachel Nuzum break down the money allocated for states’ pandemic responses, including funding for vaccination, testing, public health workforce maintenance and expansion, and nursing homes.
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States to Get Big Medicaid Boost
On To the Point, the Commonwealth Fund’s Akeiisa Coleman offers details on how the new pandemic relief package supports full funding for vaccinating Medicaid beneficiaries, incentivizes the 12 holdout states that haven’t yet expanded Medicaid eligibility to change course, gives states the option to extend pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage, and offers additional funding for a range of long-term care and behavioral health services.
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Stemming the Tide of Overdose Deaths: More Help Is Needed
Drug overdose deaths have soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, new estimates show, with total monthly overdose deaths growing by about 50 percent between February and May 2020. Although the two federal COVID-19 relief funding packages have targeted billions of dollars to support mental health and substance use treatment, the Commonwealth Fund’s Jesse Baumgartner and David Radley say the nation needs greater access to medication-assisted treatment and mental health care, as well as broader Medicaid eligibility in those states that haven’t expanded their programs.
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Telehealth’s Future Role in Medicaid
What role will telehealth play in state Medicaid programs once the COVID-19 pandemic winds down? According to a review of the Commonwealth Fund’s Medicaid managed care contract
database by George Washington University’s Sara Rosenbaum and Rebecca Morris, states showed robust interest in mobile technology even before the current crisis, though actual use of these services has been slow to spread. The authors say more explicit state managed care contract expectations or financial incentives could help.
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A Year into the Pandemic, Where Do Americans Stand on Racism in Health Care?
Have American views regarding race changed since the onset of COVID-19? On To the Point, the Commonwealth Fund’s Eric Schneider, M.D., and Arnav Shah join experts from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in a discussion of polling data on how Americans view health care and racial equity in 2020 compared to previous years. The researchers find that public opinion has shifted modestly, but meaningfully.
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A Marathon, Not a Sprint: The Race Between COVID-19 Vaccines and Variants
If you’re an optimist, then every piece of good news about vaccines has put the end of the pandemic in sight. If you’re a pessimist, then all the new coronavirus variants signal the apocalypse. On the latest episode of The Dose podcast, the Commonwealth Fund’s Eric Schneider, M.D., talks about the high-stakes race between the quick-spreading variants of COVID-19 and the effective vaccines that more Americans receive each day.
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Addressing the Psychological Effects of COVID-19
A study published in JAMA detailed the psychological effects of the coronavirus pandemic’s long-term disruptions to education, income, and finances. Researchers found 13.6 percent of adults in April 2020 and 13 percent in July 2020 reported serious psychological distress. In both April and July, levels were highest among young adults. The Commonwealth Fund’s Sarah Klein and Martha Hostetter recently explored the ways other countries have
made it easier to find treatment for mental health problems and reported on pediatricians’ efforts to help the many kids and teens experiencing anxiety or depression.
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Check Out Our New Instagram Account Focused on Health Equity
Health care in the United States has long been marked by racism and discrimination, leading to the widespread inequities we see today in access, quality, and outcomes for people of color — and COVID-19 has only exacerbated these disparities. But people across the nation are advocating for new policies and practices while also bringing their personal experiences into conversations about racial justice. The Commonwealth Fund’s new Instagram account is intended to contribute to these conversations.
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New Paths to Drug-Pricing Reform Under the Biden Administration
Whether through legislation or regulation, the Biden administration has options for advancing reforms to prescription drug pricing, say Erin Slifer and colleagues with the Wynne Health Group. On To the Point, they discuss some of the pathways available to lower drug costs, including Medicare Part D benefit redesign and new regulatory initiatives.
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The Administration, Congress, and the Supreme Court: Health Implications
In collaboration with the Commonwealth Fund, Politico will host the April 14 forum “The Biden Administration, U.S. Congress, and Supreme Court: Health and Rights Implications” at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Panelists include Harvard University’s Robert J. Blendon and David King, Georgetown University’s Sabrina Corlette, and Duke University’s Guy-Uriel Charles. View the live stream and recorded video at the Forum website, as well as on
Facebook and YouTube. |
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