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The health care reform debate has become — already was — a game of hot potato among individuals, insurers and the government over who pays. Last week, two competing plans failed to pass in the Senate: Democrats want to extend Obamacare subsidies for three years; Republicans want to directly fund health savings accounts. (Peter R. Orszag, 12/16)

On December 14, 1999, a previously healthy infant was admitted to a Michigan hospital with diarrhea and jaundice. Within hours, doctors diagnosed acute liver failure caused by hepatitis B. She died three days later. Her mother had tested positive for hepatitis B at her first prenatal visit. She attended 10 appointments. But somewhere between that positive test and the delivery room, the information vanished. (Jake Scott, 12/15)

Federal agencies are preparing new guidance on recovery housing, transitional housing and long-term recovery supports. The shift comes at a time when communities face growing pressure from rising addiction, repeat overdoses, and a widening gap between treatment and stable housing. (Jim O'Connor, 12/15)

The Trump administration’s plans to restructure the National Institutes of Health and cut its annual budget by about $18 billion, along with this year’s layoffs, terminated grants, and disputes with major universities, have left many researchers concerned that the NIH — our publicly-funded biomedical research engine that has underpinned decades of lifesaving medical breakthroughs — has been, as STAT has put it, “shattered.” (Christopher M. Worsham and Anupam B. Jena, 12/16)

Around the world, nations with robust research and development infrastructure race to create therapeutics that meet the needs of their residents. Simply put, they dictate research priorities based on need. During the Covid pandemic, the United States was one of the first countries to gain access to vaccines to protect its citizens. (Michael Kinch and Kevin Gardner, 12/16)