Healthcare & Policy News
Reporting on health care policy, insurance coverage, and federal health programs. Includes news updates and conservative commentary from The Daily Signal.
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- Opinion
The Last Great Pandemic
Hardly anything that happens in this world is truly unprecedented. As Americans respond to the coronavirus pandemic, which began in China, with canceled events, business closures, and aggressive social distancing, many are taking an interest in another great pandemic that took place a hundred years ago. “We have an invisible enemy. We have a problem that a…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
‘Flattening the Curve’ Critical to Fighting Coronavirus
Some commentators have ominously suggested that the United States is just a few days—maybe a week to 10 days—behind the crippling coronavirus crisis that is hammering Europe, especially Italy. If true, that’s troubling. That said, however, taking personal responsibility for doing the right thing with public hygiene and the new (to most of us) concept…Peter Brookes -
- News
‘Going Big’: White House Says COVID-19 Relief Checks on Way to Americans
To stimulate a flagging economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is “going big” by sending out checks directly to Americans. During the daily briefing with the White House’s coronavirus task force, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said more details are coming, but suggested the amount of money in the…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Coronavirus Shows the Importance of Telehealth
The coronavirus pandemic has renewed interest in telehealth—the practice of letting patients consult with doctors directly, via phone or video conferencing. This method of health care delivery offers obvious advantages, allowing patients to get personal medical advice quickly, without having to come to the doctor’s office first. President Donald Trump reiterated his commitment to clearing…Marie Fishpaw -
- Opinion
Here’s How the Courts Are Coping With Coronavirus
With schools, businesses, and many government offices closing in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus, state and federal courts are starting to follow suit. Courts across the country are grappling with how to respond to the outbreak while balancing the health and safety of court personnel and litigants against the need to handle…Elizabeth Slattery -
- News
Trump Says COVID-19 Could Last Until Summer, Urges Social Distancing
President Donald Trump said Monday that concerted diligence on the part of every American is necessary to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly,” Trump said during a press conference at the White House. The president recommended that Americans not take…Rachel del Guidice -
- Opinion
Coronavirus Testing Delays Show Why Federal Health Care Rules Need Thorough Review
The coronavirus pandemic demonstrates with crystal clarity how the federal government’s vast regulatory apparatus governing health care can be an obstacle to rapid response in a national emergency. We’ve seen this movie before. The law of unintended consequences is an ironclad rule of public policy, and in health policy, that law can go berserk. The…Robert Moffit -
- News
A Tale of 2 Pandemics and the Government’s Response
The first confirmed case in the United States was on the West Coast. The spread was faster than governments or hospitals were prepared for. The World Health Organization declared it a pandemic, and the U.S. president eventually declared a national emergency. Before it was over, the pandemic had hit 60.8 million Americans, hospitalized 274,304, and…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Our Efforts to Fight Coronavirus Require Individual Responsibility
The novel coronavirus disease, known as COVID-19, mostly has outpaced efforts by nearly every national government to prevent its spread. And the United States has yet to face the brunt of the disease’s effect. As of this writing, the virus has reached every state save for West Virginia. It is likely that this is only…Kevin Pham -
- Opinion
Trump’s Emergency Declaration Allows US to Escalate War on Coronavirus
History condemns generals who plan to fight the last war, rather than anticipate the challenges ahead. Effective leaders strive to get in front of the problem. In his Rose Garden news conference Friday outlining the federal government’s next steps to get in front of the advancing coronavirus pandemic, President Donald Trump was much more forward-looking than his critics….James Carafano -
- Opinion
The Biggest Threat From Coronavirus Isn’t Racism
Even the threat of global pandemic apparently can’t slow the hysterical culture of modern political correctness. Apparently, according to some in the news media and even Congress, it’s racist to refer to coronavirus as “the Wuhan virus” or “Chinese coronavirus” or any other name that identifies the likely city, province, or country of origin. The fervor…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Our Civic Duty in the Coronavirus Era
President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency Friday to deal with the coronavirus pandemic is anything but a sign to panic. Instead, it’s a reassurance to the American people that the federal government, state and local governments, nongovernmental organizations and American industry are working together to stop the spread of the virus. In many parts of…Kay C. James -
- News
In National Emergency, Trump Waives Regulations to Fight Coronavirus
To better coordinate the federal government’s response, President Donald Trump on Friday declared the coronavirus to be a national emergency, temporarily waiving a host of laws and regulations and teaming with the private sector. “To unleash the full power of the federal government in this effort, today I am officially declaring a national emergency—two very…Fred Lucas -
- News
‘Immoral and Irresponsible’: China Blames US Military for Coronavirus
Amid a global pandemic that began in their country, Chinese government officials have ramped up rhetoric to blame America for the spread of coronavirus in an unusually overt propaganda effort. Following one Chinese government official’s tweet implying the U.S. military spread the virus, another Chinese official asserted that the U.S. was “immoral and irresponsible” in…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Can America Successfully Navigate the Coronavirus Crisis?
One of the first rules of weathering a crisis is to remain calm. Freaking out never helps. It’s not yet clear how big of a crisis the new coronavirus will be, but panicking over even the most minor matters has become an American specialty these last few years. In our politics, we have jumped from…Neil Patel -
- Opinion
How Policymakers Can Help Low-Income Americans Access Care During the Coronavirus Pandemic
As my fellow Heritage Foundation colleagues have laid out, any policy responses to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic should be targeted, temporary, and directed at aiding public health efforts. That includes both economic and social responses, such as those involving food security. Congress should follow those principles as well with any policy response that…Nina Owcharenko Schaefer -
- Opinion
Why ‘Medicare for All’ Isn’t the Right Prescription for a Pandemic
Is a pandemic, like other crises, a terrible thing to waste? For progressives, it looks like a golden opportunity to outlaw Americans’ private health insurance and create a single-payer system of national health insurance for every legal or illegal resident in every nook and cranny of the country. Take it from the irrepressible Rep. Alexandria…Robert Moffit -
- Opinion
Government Collaboration ‘Unparalleled,’ New Senator Says of Coronavirus Fight
Sen. Kelly Loeffler is the first woman from Georgia ever to vote in the U.S. Senate. Loeffler, who took the oath of office Jan. 6, was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of fellow Republican Johnny Isakson. She joins The Daily Signal Podcast to talk about transitioning from the private sector, what…Rachel del Guidice -
- News
Trump Hits Democrats’ Coronavirus Bill as Stuffed With Unrelated ‘Goodies’
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he doesn’t support House Democrats’ coronavirus relief bill in its current form because it includes too many “goodies” that have nothing to do with the disease. Although the bill addresses providing testing and masks to respond to the coronavirus, it also expands unemployment insurance and food stamps, requires the…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
The Great Coronavirus War Is Upon Us
Try this thought experiment. Envision the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, as a living, breathing enemy—which, of course, is exactly what it is. But imagine for a moment that we are in real war with a cognizant, thinking, and clever enemy whose sole reason to live is to hurt, maim, or kill as many of…Victor Davis Hanson