New research finds immigration literally saves American lives
When more immigrants move into a community, older Americans are less likely to die. 25% increase in immigration = 5,000 fewer American deaths nber.org/papers/w34791
To make America healthier, welcome immigrants
A year ago, a city official reflected on how Brookside Community Health Center shaped his childhood. “I felt like we weren’t just going there for an appointment,” he said. “It felt more like community.”
This version of primary care is what I hope we can protect and grow in 2026.
Trump Seeks to Cut Basic Scientific Research by Roughly One-Third, Report Shows www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
Medicare Advantage plans target veterans and claim offering dental and vision benefits justify high reimbursements.
But we find veterans in MA used these services with the same frequency as veterans in traditional Medicare.
@joefigs.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
Taken together, the comprehensive CMS payments MA plans get to care for vets (especially those who get little to no medical care paid by MA) are simply not justified by the “extra” MA supplemental benefits.
Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
Using national survey data, we find:
1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM.
2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.
Many veterans enrolling in Medicare Advantage get zero care paid by plans.
MA insurers argue that vets get extra benefits (vision + dental).
But in new @jama.com study, we find that this claim is NOT actually the truth.
@adambeckman.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Table 1. Characteristics of Veterans With Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare, 2018-2021
Veterans in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare used dental and vision services at similar rates, with no significant difference in total spending. #SGIM25
https://ja.ma/3ZficKj
Medicaid cuts would threaten rural hospitals, nursing homes in Colorado www.denverpost.com/2025/03/16/m...
“In its 60 years, Medicaid has swelled from a small program that provided medical care to poor Americans receiving cash assistance to the largest source of public insurance.”
An important look into who suffers most from potential Medicaid cuts.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
Breaking: RFK Jr. moves to quietly eliminate public comment from HHS's decision making: www.statnews.com/2025/02/28/r...
NYTimes excerpt
"The budget committee document listed several possible options, such as...eliminating the tax exemption for nonprofit hospitals"
nytimes.com/interactive/... by @sangerkatz.bsky.social @aliciaparlap.bsky.social h/t Naomi Stark
New York Times headline about cuts to Medicaid
In clinic, I just saw the social safety net at work yet again: a patient newly enrolled in Medicaid having her first primary care visit at a community health center. She said plainly it saved her life.
Patriotism means strengthening the safety net for people who rely on it, not ripping it apart.
RIP to one of the bona fide greats
“The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is still blocking most ongoing scientific funding over concerns about "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), according to NIH sources and internal NIH correspondence.”
popular.info/p/update-nih...
Update on the Measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/u...
There likely hundreds of cases, so many not being diagnosed. And many more to come. All preventable.
Researchers working on the Career Firefighter Health Study received notice last week of the CDC contract’s termination.
DOGE in practice: Disabled Army veteran who has 4 kids and did 3 tours overseas is fired from his job at Bronx VA hospital
A Montana House committee has advanced a bill to ban mRNA vaccines.
Not just the COVID vaccine, mind you -- this is any mRNA vaccine.
And not just withhold recommendation -- this is an outright prohibition
dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/fe...
We are seeing the most severe flu season in 15 years and an inability to send data to the World Health Organization or release complete health alerts to clinicians means that we are unable to have the best evidence to make decisions.
kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Missed this yesterday: Ohio reports a suspected human case of #H5N1 #birdflu in a farmworker exposed to infected poultry. Needs confirmation by #CDC. odh.ohio.gov/media-center...
2/ And we know from other medications, including naloxone to reduce opioid overdose deaths, that statewide pharmacy standing orders work to help people get the medicine they need.
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Image of standing order from MassHealth
Some good news–Medicaid in Massachusetts just made it easier for members to access needed prenatal vitamins and oral contraceptives. New standing order from MassHealth across pharmacies:
www.mass.gov/doc/pharmacy...
Don't look away!
People aren't always aware that if they have Medicare Advantage & later want to switch to Original Medicare after more than 1 year, they likely won't have guaranteed access to Medigap.
Only a few states have laws to ensure this. This year, IL & WA are considering legislation to ensure that access.
Community health centers are now starting to shut down across the country because of Trump’s executive orders.
These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
Erasing facts, history, and data isn't leadership or public service
