America's Agenda: Healthcare | Sponsored by Healthcare Distribution Alliance

Sponsored by Healthcare Distribution Alliance | View in browser     Barrett confirmation stokes Democrats' fears over ObamaCare By John Kruzel   Judge Amy Coney Barrett's expected confirmation to the Supreme Court on Monday has reignited Democrats' fear of a 6-3 conservative majority court siding with GOP challengers in an upcoming lawsuit targeting ObamaCare. The high court is set to hear oral arguments in the case next month, with a ruling likely sometime in June. Court watchers say a number of outcomes are possible, with the most extreme scenario involving the court striking down the entire law. Read the full story here     Nursing homes prepare for third COVID-19 surge By Alex Gangitano   Nursing homes, long in the spotlight as a key battleground in the fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19, are making key structural changes to prepare for an expected third surge of the disease. Read the full story here     Hospitals brace for more cyberattacks as coronavirus cases rise By Maggie Miller   Hospitals and health care institutions preparing for a fall wave of coronavirus cases are bracing for more cyberattacks after hackers seeking to take advantage of the pandemic launched several successful attacks this year that severely disrupted patient services. The attacks have been widespread around the world, hitting health care groups during the worst public health crisis in a century. Experts say the attacks have involved both cyber criminal groups and nation states looking to target COVID-19 research and sow chaos. Read the full story here     On health care, voters in 2020 face an easy choice By House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), Opinion Contributor   American voters face a decision this election season between starkly different policies on nearly every issue. But, on one issue in particular, that choice could not be more stark. When it comes to ensuring access to affordable health care, voters are being asked to select between those who wish to protect and expand that access and those who want to dismantle it. Read the full story here     There's no universal phone number for Americans struggling with their mental health, but there should be By Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Fla.), Opinion Contributor   Over 1 in 5 Americans, including 1 in 6 children, are living with mental health issues, and often experience long waits when seeking assistance. Over 1.7 million of our nation's veterans are coping with mental health challenges, and not all are able to go to the VA for assistance. In fact, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan health non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation, the United States only has approximately 27 percent of the mental health professional workforce needed to address the current need. Even worse, my home state of Florida has less than 16 percent of the needed professionals to meet the mental health needs of Floridians. This is felt especially in my district, where Monroe County has the highest rate of suicide of any county in Florida. Read the full story here     Americans have a choice: Socialized medicine or health care freedom By Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Opinion Contributor   As an emergency room physician and cancer survivor, I understand that each minute counts in a medical emergency. And as our nation chooses a direction on health care this November, we need to remember the realities that follow from government-run socialized medicine — increased taxes, longer wait times, delayed care and fewer incentives to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Socialized medicine will have profoundly negative effects on our country. The Medicare for All plans proposed by Democrats in the House and Senate are authoritarian measures that will control the lives of Americans in the most intimate way possible. Under Medicare for All, the federal government will possess the medical records of every American and have the power to dictate when and what type of care you receive. This will ultimately lead to rationed care and unaccountable bureaucrats making the most difficult, ethical decisions about your life. Read the full story here     During pandemic, 'telehealth' emerging as important lifeline to connect patients with caregivers By Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Opinion Contributor   In March, when Congress passed its major bipartisan COVID-19 relief package, it included a $200 million investment in "telehealth" that has emerged as a valuable lifeline for millions of patients across the country. It has allowed those in rural, urban and tribal communities to use technology to connect to their doctors and mental health professionals from home, while still taking precautions to protect themselves and their families from the virus. Read the full story here     In 2020, the future of health care is on your ballot By Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.), Opinion Contributor   America's health care system is at the root of every political question — from the coronavirus response and the economy to our national security. Without access to quality and affordable health care, Americans cannot succeed. While then-candidate Donald Trump was mounting his historic presidential campaign in 2016, I was practicing medicine and caring for patients in central Pennsylvania, working in our nation's broken health care system and fighting every day for my patients. Four years later, much has changed — both in my own life and in our nation; and yet, health care remains the paramount issue in this election. Read the full story here     Lost cures and innovation, too high a price for Democrats' drug pricing proposals By Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Opinion Contributor   Democrats and Republicans alike can agree on one thing: prescription drug prices are unacceptably high. Predictably, however, we cannot seem to agree on a proper solution to this urgent issue. ...It is our responsibility in Congress to keep this momentum going and establish permanent fixes to the current pharmaceutical pricing standards. Despite the efforts of Republicans to make bipartisan progress to reform the prescription drug standards, our Democrat colleagues refuse to collaborate. Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? 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