Government
FactCheck.org Highlights Trump’s Fuzzy Medicare Math, "Medicare will be $700 billion stronger over the next decade thanks to our growth." South Dakota, September 7, 2018
President Donald Trump on several occasions has taken credit for making Medicare “stronger.” “Medicare will be $700 billion stronger over the next decade thanks to our growth.” Medicare’s finances have worsened since he took office, and economic growth is not expected to help the program as much as he claims: The latest Medicare trustees report says the Medicare Part A trust fund, which covers payments to hospitals, will run out of money by 2026, three years earlier than projected just last year. That’s partly because the tax cut law that Trump signed last year will reduce Medicare revenues and increase expenses. more »
Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria: Funded by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Others
"From the survey data, we estimated a mortality rate of 14.3 deaths (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.8 to 18.9) per 1000 persons from September 20 through December 31, 2017. This rate yielded a total of 4645 excess deaths during this period (95% CI, 793 to 8498), equivalent to a 62% increase in the mortality rate as compared with the same period in 2016. However, this number is likely to be an underestimate because of survivor bias." more »
The Source for Women's Issues in Congress: Hearings Ahead: Better Data and Better Outcome Reducing Maternal Mortality in the US
Senator Kamala Harris introduced a bill to support states in their work to end preventable morbidity and mortality in maternity care* by using evidence-based quality improvement to protect the health of mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, and in the postpartum period, and to reduce neonatal and infant mortality*, to eliminate racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. Sen. Tammy Baldwin introduced a bill to require that group and individual health insurance coverage and group health plans provide coverage for treatment of a congenital anomaly or birth defect. more »
Nomination of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; Nomination Hearing
Some background on Brett Kavanaugh's 2006 hearing on C-Span: "Mr. Kavanaugh testified at a hearing on his nomination as a judge on U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Among the issues he addressed were his qualifications and service as White House counsel, his rating by the American Bar Association, and various legal matters in which the administration had been involved during his tenure as counsel. Many members expressed frustration with his vague answers to specific questions. " Tune in this week to the Senate Judiciary hearings. more »
