Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Viewpoints: Prior Authorization Can Be Deadly; Ableism Is Behind Anti-Vaccination Trend
Should your insurance company be allowed to stop you from getting a treatment 鈥 even if your doctor says it鈥檚 necessary? (Alexander Stockton, 3/14)
Newly reported measles cases in Chicago are the latest in a potentially deadly鈥攁nd highly preventable鈥攕tring of outbreaks, which have been recorded in at least 17 states since the start of 2024. These outbreaks are a direct result of anti-vaccination misinformation that is rooted in ableism and harms all communities鈥攁ble-bodied and disabled alike. (Sam Streuli, 3/13)
Medical students who anticipate hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt will likely make career decisions based on whether they can afford their monthly payments. Graduating debt-free opens every possible option 鈥 including working in less lucrative specialties or in underserved communities. (Erin Lowry, 3/13)
Decades after a Black man鈥檚 heart was used in a transplant without his family鈥檚 consent, Virginia lawmakers express 鈥減rofound regret.鈥 That matters. (Theresa Vargas, 3/13)
In the early days after it was hit by a cyberattack on Feb. 21, Change Healthcare, one of the country鈥檚 largest claims and prescription processors, said it would be back online soon. Three weeks later, customers were still waiting 鈥 and Biden administration officials were calling its owner, the giant company UnitedHealth Group, to task, even as Medicare offered emergency funds to providers who hadn鈥檛 been paid. However the crisis plays out in the coming days, one thing is clear: The critical technology infrastructure of the U.S. health care system needs to be better protected from any future attack. (Jonathan Slotkin and David Vawdrey, 3/14)