Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Presidential Candidates' Health Care Positions Would Affect Consumers' Finances, Retirement Plans
A critical part of your retirement planning is to make sure you have sufficient medical insurance. Your options will be significantly influenced by our political leaders' positions on how the government should pay for Medicare and health care for retirees over the next few years and decades. (Vernon, 11/30)
The most ambitious "repeal and replace" health care plan from a presidential candidate comes from Sen. Bernie Sanders, not from a Republican. The Vermont independent who's seeking the Democratic nomination has been chastised by front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton for espousing an all-inclusive, government-run system. It's called the "single-payer" plan, loosely modeled on how health care is financed in Canada and most of Western Europe. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 11/27)
Among Mr. Cruz鈥檚 admirers at the general store was Terri Bennett, 43, of Knoxville, Iowa, who said she caucused for Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2008. 鈥淲e watched him filibuster Obamacare, and I said, 鈥業 wish he鈥檇 run for president,鈥 鈥 Ms. Bennett said. Outside, a local pastor, Joshua Verwers, waited to pray with Mr. Cruz, whom he called 鈥渙ne of the few running who are still biblically qualified to hold office,鈥 along with Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum. (Flegenhaimer, 11/29)
The Republican presidential field, which for much of the year has been full-throated in its denunciations of Planned Parenthood, has been nearly silent about the shooting in Colorado at one of its facilities that left a police officer and two others dead. In contrast, all three of the leading Democratic contenders quickly issued statements in support of Planned Parenthood. (Tumulty, 11/29)
[M]any GOP presidential candidates are calling for an end to one of its central tenets 鈥 by agreeing with Democrats to treat low-level drug offenders rather than incarcerating them. The Republicans are selective, however, about who is deserving of their compassion. Several GOP presidential contenders have advocated treating the nation鈥檚 growing heroin epidemic as a health crisis, not a criminal one. But most stop short of advocating the same approach to other drug laws, notably those involving marijuana and crack cocaine, which disproportionately affect African Americans. (Phillip and Zezima, 11/27)
