Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
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The 340B Drug Pricing program gives hospitals and clinics that serve low-income and other vulnerable patients deep discounts on prescription drugs. But who really benefits from these discounts? In many cases, it’s not patients….
340B: The Drug Discount Patients May Never See
Featuring Sally Greenberg, CEO, & Lisa Bercu, Sr. Director, National Consumers League
Code WACK! | Podcast Episode 345 | August 31, 2026
“There is no way to implement work reporting requirements that does not hurt people’s access to critical healthcare coverage.”
My Job Has Become Mounds of Paperwork. Work Requirements Will Make It Worse.
MedPage Today | David Hill, MD | August 30, 2026
“…the Trump administration approved a final rule this month that ends federal [Medicaid/Medi-Cal] funding for healthcare when some low-income youth explore their gender or decide to transition.”
Trump Administration Cuts Health Care Coverage for Some Transgender Youth in California
Insurance News Net | Grant Stringer, Bay Area News Group | August 30, 2026
“‘The PA Universal Healthcare Plan would be funded through a payroll tax, which costs less than the average monthly rate for health insurance premiums. Coverage will also be provided without copays, deductibles, coinsurance or caps…. By unifying the administration of healthcare…, we will eliminate excessive costs created as a result of bloated executive salaries, duplicative administrative costs and shareholder demands,’ said State Rep. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia)”
Pennsylvania Lawmaker to Propose Bill Establishing Universal Healthcare Within the State
ABC 27 | Colin Day | August 28, 2026
“Depending on the specifics of the proposal — which isn’t public yet — it could help offer lower-cost insurance for millions of self-employed workers like those in the gig economy or for small businesses.”
Labor Department to Propose Expansion of Association Health Plans, Which Could Lower Insurance Costs for Some Workers
CNBC | Sarah Agostino | August 28, 2026
“The decline in triage staffing and the increasing use of artificial intelligence-powered systems at Kaiser have also led to dangerous delays, missed diagnoses and inappropriate treatment decisions, according to multiple Kaiser mental health care workers.”
Mental Health Workers Say Algorithmic Triage Is Hurting Patients
The American Prospect | Nick Romeo | August 27, 2026
“Laura Richardson pays $450 a month out of pocket for a drug that could keep her off insulin for the rest of her life. She’s a California state senator — and even she can’t get her own insurance to cover it.”
Can California Help Lower the Cost of GLP-1s? Here’s What Lawmakers are Proposing
CalMatters | Ana B. Ibarra | August 27, 2026
“Pernicious cost growth is also spurring a broader reappraisal of employers’ role as the backbone of the U.S. insurance system….”
Employers Face ‘Existential Reckoning’ as Health Costs Surge
Healthcare Dive | Rebecca Pifer Parduhn | August 26, 2026
“Bureaucratic hurdles are designed with the intent to narrow the number of people who get Medicaid and therefore reduce how much the federal government spends on care…. Life is unaffordable for so many Americans, and managing your health can be difficult — but health care shouldn’t be a luxury that only the rich can afford. It really is that simple.”
Medicare for All Is Making a Comeback
The New Republic | Abdullah Shihipar, Brandon Marshall | August 24, 2026
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Shining a light on ongoing inequities in health care
and the impact they have on vulnerable individuals and communities.
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