Trump's proposal to have the government pay for I.V.F. could create something like single-payer for fertility treatment. More from me on how, exactly that would work: nytimes.com/2024/08/30/hea…

Proposals from Trump like universal coverage for IVF pose a challenge for policy experts. He said it, so you can’t ignore it. But, it’s also completely at odds with his past efforts to deregulate and repeal the ACA, so it’s hard to treat it as a serious priority.

There’s actually already a means-tested tax credit to pay for health care. It’s called the Premium Tax Credit. It’s what helps people get covered under the Affordable Care Act.

1. In the U.S., firearms are involved in more child deaths than any other cause kff.org/mental-health/…

Particularly given how much Republicans focused their efforts on large cuts to Medicaid funding during the Trump Administration See, e.g.: brookings.edu/articles/effec… brookings.edu/articles/effec…

Here's my new blog elaborating on why #Medicaid would be a target for draconian cuts in order to offset the costs of making next year's expiring tax cuts permanent which is a top Trump/Congressional GOP priority: ccf.georgetown.edu/2024/09/04/gop…

VP Harris’s push to reduce medical debt is a tangible signal to voters about making health care more affordable, which is a top economic concern for the public. jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-…

With VP Harris vowing to address medical debt in her campaign, @Larry_Levitt explores its connection to broader issues around affordable health care for families and recent policy efforts aimed at addressing it in his latest post JAMA Health Forum: on.kff.org/4dRKHD9

As president, Trump proposed a budget that cut about $1 trillion out of the ACA and Medicaid over a decade by capping spending. The Republican Study Committee has proposed a similar plan with $4.5 trillion in cuts.

New: 4 in 10 people with private insurance are clinically eligible for GLP-1s like Ozempic & Weygovy for diabetes, weight loss, and other conditions. It's hard to think of another drug that is so expensive and has the same potential for such widespread use healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-many…

NEW: More than 50 million adults under 65 with private health insurance or 42% of the market could take GLP-1 drugs. This could have implications for private insurance premiums and health system spending. healthsystemtracker.org/brief/how-many… KFF Peterson Center on Healthcare

One person’s idea of “ waste” is another’s vital program. There’s a response most republicans would whisper to a Trump government efficiency and performance task force chaired by Elon Musk: please don’t complete the work until after the midterms.

Two questions Trump has not been asked (to my knowledge) or answered: Would you support cuts in federal Medicaid funding to states? Would you support  any policy that weakens protections for people with pre- existing medical conditions?

We’re live at #TribFest24! In our panel on health policy and the election, KFF’s Larry Levitt kicked things off by saying he’d like to hear more from the candidates about Medicaid. Here in Texas, Medicaid hasn’t expanded.

Medicaid block grants or per capita caps would have big tradeoffs and pass the risk to the states, Larry Levitt notes.

While the future of Medicaid is not a central issue being debated, the election could have significant implications for the program, its enrollees, and states. NEW KFF brief explores the candidates’ records and policy proposals from outside groups: kff.org/medicaid/issue…