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NFL adopts '3 strikes you're out' policy for health, safety violations
The NFL and the NFLPA have agreed to place a greater emphasis on five health and safety rules violations.
A Summer of Discovery: Sarah Chen gains a global perspective on public health in Taiwan
What can a summer in Taiwan teach you about public health? For Sarah Chen, it meant gaining firsthand experience with global health systems, working with migrant families, and seeing how culture, policy, and community shape health outcomes.
Bill Gates Says AI Needs A Transition Plan. Business Doesn't Have One Either.
Bill Gates's new essay urges urgent global deliberation on AI, predicting a turbulent era where policy choices now will determine if it becomes an equalizer or a source of injustice.
ASC operator Regent Surgical embraces outpatient EP ablation services after CMS policy change
This new partnership provides an early look at how the field of electrophysiology is evolving in 2026 and beyond.
Green New Dodge: El-Sayed runs from policy as newly surfaced deleted posts show years of support
Abdul El-Sayed refused to defend the Green New Deal on air, but deleted posts show he once wrote "I believe in a Green New Deal" in all caps.
SEC draws rule to stop NFL, NBA, WNBA players from returning
After the Big Ten passed a rule stopping players returning from the NFL from playing at its schools, the SEC followed suit, but took it further, adding basketball in announcing a policy forbidding members from rostering anyone from the NFL, NBA and WNBA.
Politics & Power: Congress in flux — New faces, high stakes, shifting power
Rick Mullaney, head of the Jacksonville University Haskell Public Policy Institute, joins News4JAX anchor Bruce Hamilton on this week’s episode of Politics & Power to discuss the November midterms. How new faces, new fault lines, and turnover and turnout could decide the Congressional balance of power.
Peacemaking Is Power Politics Again
The post-Cold War model of institutionalized peacemaking has waned. But influential capitals are still looking to end and avoid conflicts.
In a 2023 interview, Trump’s FDA new pick laid out a vision for "conservative-based" science
In a 2023 podcast interview, Heidi Overton called for the creation of "alternative systems" for publishing research that backed conservative policy
A look inside Iran: Professor outlines sentiment, cost pressures & politics
Seyed Emamian from Tehran Polytechnic University and co-founder of Iran's Governance & Policy Think Tank discusses daily life in Tehran amid the war, and why he thinks Iranians now see no chance of a peaceful deal with President Trump.
Blue states should avoid disasters
Back when I was teaching political science at the U.S. Air Force Academy (and amazingly to me, a week from this column’s publication will mark 20 years since my retirement from active duty. Where the heck did that time go?) I used to teach my students about the Constitution, national security policy and little things […]
Fort Worth mental health nonprofit launches youth trauma and grief collaborative
With the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Soar is training 180 school clinicians in trauma and grief therapy.
eBay Removes Early "30th Anniversary" Pokemon TCG Listings at...
eBay has started to remove in-hand listings of 30th Anniversary cards and merchandise under its Stolen Property Policy after receiving communication from
South Carolina runoff to test Trump’s political influence
Darline Graham has differentiated herself from her brother, who was known for his outspoken stances on foreign policy.
THE WEEK OF AUG 24, 2026
- Duration of status lawsuit filed - White House outlines research security policy - Federal job protections to weaken in September
FDA digital health leader promises generative AI regulatory guidance is coming
FDA expects to issue guidance on policies regarding generative AI devices, according to Rick Abramson, the agency’s head of digital health policy.
‘I hate Americans’: Malaysian politician’s anti-US rant draws backlash
Former PM Mahathir Mohamad’s son Mukhriz defended his anti-US rant, claiming ordinary citizens share blame for Washington’s foreign policy.
A deep dive into climate change
Some policymakers continue to question the science of climate change, despite the growing evidence of significant damage to life on land and in the ocean.Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, believes the ongoing attempts to politicise climate science and discredit researchers are hindering international cooperation and public understanding. The ocean provides clear evidence of the extent to which changes are occurring, she says.“We are seeing severe, unprecedented and accelerating changes in the ocean — warming ocean temperatures, acidification and oxygen depletion — that are destabilising the most important system that makes life on this planet possible,” Matthes explains. Visible signs of these changes include the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic and Greenland. Deeper down, the growing frequency of hypoxia — or oxygen-deprived “dead zones”, where marine life can no longer survive — in the Baltic and record-high Mediterranean surface temperatures are indicators of the “dramatic warming” of the ocean, she adds.The ocean, which covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface, acts as a vital carbon sink, absorbing around 30% of the planet’s carbon dioxide (CO2) and 90% of the excess heat. However, the global ocean surface temperature has risen by an average of half a degree Celsius since 1982, according to the EU Copernicus observatory. More significant rises have been recorded in the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic and other shallower seas.Some ocean temperature increases do occur naturally, such as during El Niño events. But sustained rises can trigger extreme weather on land — including droughts, floods and catastrophic storms — while also harming marine ecosystems. Only 10% of marine species have been studied, Matthes notes, “so the consequences might be even more severe than we know.”Fostering European cooperation amid uncertaintyMatthes, who holds a doctorate in meteorology, is a professor of atmospheric physics as well as director of GEOMAR. She serves as one of Kiel’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), an EU-funded programme that aims to promote science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. SCTT is hosted by the coastal cities of Kiel, Brest (in France) and Split (in Croatia).The SCTT project also provides a platform for raising awareness and understanding between scientists and the public about major issues, such as climate change. Having worked on both sides of the Atlantic, Matthes is frustrated by recent attempts to erode decades of international climate collaboration and question the credibility of research. Earlier this year, the US administration delivered a major blow to global cooperation by withdrawing from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global climate organisations, claiming they were “contrary to the interests of the United States.”In addition, a US Department of Energy (DOE) report cast doubt on the latest IPCC climate assessment, which was published in 2024. As a contributing author to the IPCC study, Matthes says the DOE sought to discredit scientists like herself. “Climate change is not a matter of opinion, it really exists and we are witnessing dramatic changes,” she notes. “It’s not climate change as a whole that is being targeted, but scientists and their research.”Other US actions have also hit home for Matthes, who spent three years at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. The White House has announced plans to close the facility, a move that was “pretty tough” due to the German scientist’s personal connections with the staff and their reputation for excellence.Changing the narrative on climate changeEurope’s scientific community remains a driving force on climate research and collaboration. As one of the world’s leading marine research institutions, GEOMAR attracts students from more than 50 countries and plays an important role in global observation initiatives that contribute to understanding and protecting the ocean basins. At a European level, GEOMAR works closely with other top marine research facilities, including France’s Ifremer, an SCTT partner in Brest. GEOMAR has also developed innovative and safe strategies for removing unexploded wartime munitions from the seabed, which release toxic substances that pose a danger to humans and the marine environment. Through the Horizon Europe MMinE-SwEEPER project, this knowledge has been transferred to the European level.These initiatives are examples of how local action can have a global impact, Matthes says, and how Europe can strengthen climate research and partnerships. “This is a chance for Europe to step up and work on climate cooperation and agreements,” she notes. “Climate change is an international problem and a real threat, and we need more speed on climate action than we have now.”Matthes believes her fellow scientists need to communicate that climate change is not only a threat, but an opportunity to find solutions. “We need to change our narrative and expand our strategic alliances with those who are willing,” she says, “and luckily there are a lot of willing people and countries.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Tuberculosis policy should shift focus to population-level interventions for greatest impact
Nature Health - Interventions to improve tuberculosis care for those who already seek it or their household contacts will have limited impact on the tuberculosis epidemic, whereas strategies to...
A deep dive into climate change
Some policymakers continue to question the science of climate change, despite the growing evidence of significant damage to life on land and in the ocean.Katja Matthes, director of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel in Germany, believes the ongoing attempts to politicise climate science and discredit researchers are hindering international cooperation and public understanding. The ocean provides clear evidence of the extent to which changes are occurring, she says.“We are seeing severe, unprecedented and accelerating changes in the ocean — warming ocean temperatures, acidification and oxygen depletion — that are destabilising the most important system that makes life on this planet possible,” Matthes explains. Visible signs of these changes include the melting of ice sheets in the Arctic and Greenland. Deeper down, the growing frequency of hypoxia — or oxygen-deprived “dead zones”, where marine life can no longer survive — in the Baltic and record-high Mediterranean surface temperatures are indicators of the “dramatic warming” of the ocean, she adds.The ocean, which covers around 70% of the Earth’s surface, acts as a vital carbon sink, absorbing around 30% of the planet’s carbon dioxide (CO2) and 90% of the excess heat. However, the global ocean surface temperature has risen by an average of half a degree Celsius since 1982, according to the EU Copernicus observatory. More significant rises have been recorded in the Mediterranean, Black, Baltic and other shallower seas.Some ocean temperature increases do occur naturally, such as during El Niño events. But sustained rises can trigger extreme weather on land — including droughts, floods and catastrophic storms — while also harming marine ecosystems. Only 10% of marine species have been studied, Matthes notes, “so the consequences might be even more severe than we know.”Fostering European cooperation amid uncertaintyMatthes, who holds a doctorate in meteorology, is a professor of atmospheric physics as well as director of GEOMAR. She serves as one of Kiel’s ambassadors to Science Comes to Town (SCTT), an EU-funded programme that aims to promote science’s role in society and strengthen cross-border collaboration in research, innovation and sustainability. SCTT is hosted by the coastal cities of Kiel, Brest (in France) and Split (in Croatia).The SCTT project also provides a platform for raising awareness and understanding between scientists and the public about major issues, such as climate change. Having worked on both sides of the Atlantic, Matthes is frustrated by recent attempts to erode decades of international climate collaboration and question the credibility of research. Earlier this year, the US administration delivered a major blow to global cooperation by withdrawing from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other global climate organisations, claiming they were “contrary to the interests of the United States.”In addition, a US Department of Energy (DOE) report cast doubt on the latest IPCC climate assessment, which was published in 2024. As a contributing author to the IPCC study, Matthes says the DOE sought to discredit scientists like herself. “Climate change is not a matter of opinion, it really exists and we are witnessing dramatic changes,” she notes. “It’s not climate change as a whole that is being targeted, but scientists and their research.”Other US actions have also hit home for Matthes, who spent three years at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado. The White House has announced plans to close the facility, a move that was “pretty tough” due to the German scientist’s personal connections with the staff and their reputation for excellence.Changing the narrative on climate changeEurope’s scientific community remains a driving force on climate research and collaboration. As one of the world’s leading marine research institutions, GEOMAR attracts students from more than 50 countries and plays an important role in global observation initiatives that contribute to understanding and protecting the ocean basins. At a European level, GEOMAR works closely with other top marine research facilities, including France’s Ifremer, an SCTT partner in Brest. GEOMAR has also developed innovative and safe strategies for removing unexploded wartime munitions from the seabed, which release toxic substances that pose a danger to humans and the marine environment. Through the Horizon Europe MMinE-SwEEPER project, this knowledge has been transferred to the European level.These initiatives are examples of how local action can have a global impact, Matthes says, and how Europe can strengthen climate research and partnerships. “This is a chance for Europe to step up and work on climate cooperation and agreements,” she notes. “Climate change is an international problem and a real threat, and we need more speed on climate action than we have now.”Matthes believes her fellow scientists need to communicate that climate change is not only a threat, but an opportunity to find solutions. “We need to change our narrative and expand our strategic alliances with those who are willing,” she says, “and luckily there are a lot of willing people and countries.”Science|Business, which connects policymakers, academics and industry through its news reporting, analysis and events, is an SCTT partner.
Data centers spark bipartisan political battle in midterm races
NetChoice director of policy Patrick Hedger discusses the growing bipartisan pushback against data center expansions in key midterm races on 'Fox Report.'
Data centers spark bipartisan political battle in midterm races
NetChoice director of policy Patrick Hedger discusses the growing bipartisan pushback against data center expansions in key midterm races on 'Fox Report.'
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Sadikin Becomes Fourth Candidate To Run For WHO Director-General
Indonesia has officially nominated its Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, for the WHO Director-General election - in what is also an unconventional
Indonesian Health Minister Budi Sadikin Becomes Fourth Candidate To Run For WHO Director-General
Indonesia has officially nominated its Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, for the WHO Director-General election - in what is also an unconventional
NH's Business: Medicaid enrollment across New Hampshire
Fred Kocher sits down with Jessica Williams with the NH Fiscal Policy Institute to talk about the changes we could see to Medicaid within the Granite State in the coming years.
What is the 'political firewall' against Germany's AfD?
Germany's centrist parties reject any cooperation with the Alternative for Germany (AfD), parts of which are classified as right-wing extremist. However, this policy is coming under increasing pressure.
UK orders reviews of franchising sector after Vodafone allegations
Two studies will be used to shape government policy amid claims about a former franchisee who took his own life
Federal judge vacates Trump policy that suspended processing of immigration visas from 75 countries
The judge ruled that Secretary of State Marco Rubio exceeded his authority by issuing the policy, which “runs afoul” of the Immigration and Nationality Act by mandating "the refusal of visas to eligible applicants without any basis in law.”
Backlash roils against Blue Cross mental health billing policy change
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is changing how it covers mental health services, drawing the ire of workers, who say it'll strip access to care.
Politics Unusual: NYC Councilmember Feliz, Fiscal Policy Institute Health Policy Director
In this episode of Politics Unusual, FOX 5 NY's political reporter Morgan McKay speaks with New York City Councilmember Oswald Feliz about a seven hour 911 outage in the Bronx, and his role as Chair of the Committee on Public Safety. Also, a conversation with the Fiscal Policy Institute's Health Policy Director, Michael Kinnucan, about how nearly half a million New Yorkers are losing their health insurance coverage.
Industrial policy meets red state politics
Manufacturing jobs aren't always as popular as politicians think.
Update: What We’re Watching, Aug. 21, 2026
This update covers the latest federal health policy news and its potential impact on Kansas.
The tariff math turns negative as refunds outpace revenue
The Trump administration’s tariff policy has resulted in substantial refunds and continued uncertainty about tariff revenue, Fortune reports. In May 2026, the Treasury refunded approximately $21.97 billion in tariffs while collecting about $21.93 billion. In June, refunds increased to $49.18 billion compared with $23.63 billion in new tariff collections, resulting in negative net customs revenue […]
Turning Research Into Purpose
In Professor Destynie Sewell’s legal studies research course, UNO students tackle complex questions at the intersection of law, technology, and policy.
How States Leverage Policy to Build Up Community Health Workers
Learn how states are bolstering CHWs through training, funding, and more in this Health Policy Update.
18 Months of Action: President Trump, Secretary Kennedy Deliver Historic Reforms to Make America Healthy Again
In just 555 days, President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy have delivered sweeping changes across American health policy.
White House “Golden Age” of Science Plan Ignores What Made US Science Succeed
The report from the Trump Administration sparked debate over reforming federal science policy and the future of American research institutions.
Young scientists ask NH candidates for stances on science
Young scientists in NH gather candidate opinions via the SNAP questionnaire on AI, vaccines, and climate change to influence policy.
U.S. National Security Science & Technology Strategy
The following is the White House National Security Science and Technology Strategy released earlier this week. From the report This document establishes a National Security Science and Technology Strategy (NSSTS) to support and enable the 2025 National Security Strategy (NSS). It satisfies the Congressional requirement for a “Strategy…on the nation’s economic security, science, research, and innovation to support the national security strategy” (42 USC 19221; Sec. 10612 of the CHIPS and Science Act, P.L. 117-167) to be submitted by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) after the transmission of each National Security Strategy. The NSSTS
Wildlife photos from around the world dazzle in competition
Australian scientists are among the winners of a photo competition featuring stunning images of peeking damsel flies, tree selfies and cuddling manatees.
SBA Rule Change Makes 110,000 More Businesses Eligible For Benefits
The policy switch could be a major boon for small businesses hoping to compete against the likes of Boeing and Raytheon, says the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Why governments need science advice: Lessons from UK’s chief science adviser
Professor Dame Angela McLean, the U.K. government’s chief science adviser, discussed the role of science advice in government during an armchair discussion at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, hosted by the Science and Technology Policy Program as part of its Civic Scientist Lecture Series.
Xavier Becerra gets to play it safe in the race for governor, and he isn't making promises
The Democratic frontrunner is exceedingly cautious, preferring to study policy and avoid making promises he might not be able to keep
Lawmakers, business leaders discuss insurance, workforce at Legis-Gator event
Policy makers from around the state gathered to assess the present and look toward the future of Louisiana.
AMC Entertainment Stock Moves Higher Wednesday: What's Going On?
Shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (NYSE:AMC) are climbing Wednesday afternoon, lifted by broader market strength following a major macroeconomic policy move.Treasury Bond Buyback Program Relieves Market PressureThe U.S. Treasury Department announced a surprise expansion of its debt buyback…
Trump nominates anti-abortion White House aide as next FDA commissioner
If confirmed by the Senate, Heidi Overton, MD, PhD, would replace Marty Makary, MD, who resigned in May. Overton, who is associated with the America First Policy Institute, is an outspoken opponent of the abortion drug mifepristone.
Trump picks White House aide Dr. Heidi Overton to lead FDA
Overton is a medical doctor and deputy director of the White House Domestic Policy Council who has worked on several of President Donald Trump's second-term health initiatives.
Pictures: Sentinel 150 — Politics in Orlando panel discussion
Former Orange County mayors Linda Chapin and Teresa Jacobs; University of Central Florida Political Science Associate Professor Aubrey Jewett, and AdventHealth Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy Michael Griffin answer…
Trump to Nominate Heidi Overton, a Top Domestic Policy Aide, for F.D.A. Commissioner
Dr. Overton is a fierce opponent of abortion rights and a supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
Harold Ford Jr rips clickbait politics over real policy solutions
Fox News contributor Harold Ford Jr. examines the rise of clickbait politics, urging lawmakers to focus on kitchen-table issues instead of social media clicks, on ‘The Five.’
Harold Ford Jr rips clickbait politics over real policy solutions
Fox News contributor Harold Ford Jr. examines the rise of clickbait politics, urging lawmakers to focus on kitchen-table issues instead of social media clicks, on ‘The Five.’
How to fix U.S. healthcare? ‘Radical action,’ says John McDonough.
Chan School expert links soaring costs to broader policy shifts in ‘America’s Wrong Turn’
The Gap Between State and Territorial AI Policies and Public Health Practice
Learn how public health agencies are utilizing state policy to craft frameworks for responsible AI use.
Matthew Yglesias on Abundance and the Politics of Energy - Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA
Hear in-depth conversations with the world’s top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society.
Baker Institute fall calendar brings global leaders, foreign policy scholars and science innovators to Houston
The Baker Institute’s fall 2026 calendar will bring prominent policymakers, scientists, business leaders and scholars to Houston this fall for a series of public conversations on energy and grid resilience, artificial intelligence and health, global affairs, demographics, science policy and the future of Texas.
Protecting Science from Government Intimidation
In an era where people can easily publish ideas and find an audience online, how much damage can a travel and immigration policy actually do to the integrity of science and industry? Lots.
Trump swings hard at Oman and South Korea, but his foreign policy misses are piling up
As Donald Trump’s critics see it, he’s striking out badly on foreign policy.
Madison County commissioners approve pay raise, health benefits change
Madison County commissioners approved several policy changes during a meeting Monday morning, including one resolution described as controversial among some members and the community.
Should Jaguars Trade For Steelers' QB Mason Rudolph?
With Nick Mullens struggling, Jacksonville must decide if trading for a backup like Mason Rudolph is the insurance policy the team needs for any potential Trevor Lawrence injury.
NYC sexual violence prevention program expanding statewide
For more than two decades, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault has worked at the intersection of prevention, research, policy change and education.
A Democratic warning sign in Michigan: From the Politics Desk
Plus, Trump’s latest foreign policy moves.
Stein vetoes bill that would give chief justice power to suspend judges
The measure deals with disciplinary policy for judges and would make administrative and other judicial changes.
The problem with Trump’s foreign policy by empty threat
Monday should be a very scary day for the small Middle Eastern country of Oman after a threat from President Donald Trump. But he’s done this before.
Will the AI bubble break American politics?
Is the massive investment in artificial intelligence creating a catastrophic economic bubble? In this episode of "Make It Make Sense," Damir Marusic sits down with Impact Theory co-founder Tom Bilyeu to break down the risks of AI-driven debt, shadow banking, and fast-depreciating GPU hardware. They examine how an AI market correction could ignite political extremism, critique US fiscal policy under Donald Trump, and discuss what it will take to rebuild the American middle class.
US government is pushing to gain unprecedented access to your medical records – as data protections are weakening
Large datasets can be useful research tools, but current government efforts to gather medical records depend on policy and technology that falls short of protecting people’s privacy.
Sauer: Mass. must get ahead of health care fraud
If policymakers drag their feet, Medicare Advantage’s waste, fraud, and abuse problems could erode public trust, drive up taxpayer costs, and threaten the long-term viability of the program.
How the anti-AfD firewall broke German politics
A policy designed to keep the far right from office has ended up strengthening it
The post-Hormuz era offers Africa a great opportunity
But to capture its benefits, the continent needs to develop an effective, common maritime policy.
Inside America's health insurance 'death spiral'
The Affordable Care Act is facing what policy experts call its most serious affordability crisis since it began widely offering coverage more than a decade ago
NV lawmakers mull maternal health protections for ’27 session, punt on child welfare funding fix
Nevada lawmakers approved several health policy proposals, including a maternal health momnibus bill and plans to study child welfare funding.
Colorado Politics Calendar Aug. 17-23
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances, water meetings, book signings, county commission hearings, city council meetings and more. As a subscriber, […]
Former Dallas Cowboys Star Suspended for Season Opener
Former Cowboys star and current Commanders DE Dorance Armstrong has been suspended 1 game for violating NFL's personal conduct policy. The post Former Dallas Cowboys Star Suspended for Season Opener appeared first on HEAVY.
Commanders DE Dorance Armstrong suspended one game
The NFL suspended Commanders defensive end Dorance Armstrong for one game for violating its personal conduct policy.
Bills DT Phidarian Mathis suspended three games
The NFL has suspended defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis for the first three games of the season for violating its substances of abuse policy.
Tri Ta, Paula Swift, and the superficial state of California politics
That Tri Ta and Paula Swift hold superficial positions on housing policy was unsurprising given how the rest of their interviews went.
Health policy must be driven by data, not political grandstanding
'The administration’s anti-vaccine rhetoric will only sow widespread confusion, ultimately driving up rates of entirely preventable childhood diseases,' writes an L.A. Times reader.
Make policy based on science, not on RFK Jr. ’s lifestyle choices
Kennedy is neither a doctor nor a medical researcher, and his personal practices should not guide federal policies.
Opinion: Cleveland’s enrollment cliff is becoming a talent cliff
"Demography created the enrollment cliff. Immigration policy should not turn it into a talent cliff," attorney Richard T. Herman writes.
Alzheimer’s can run but not hide from researchers, policymakers
The war on Alzheimer’s disease has been underway for so long that people can’t help but think it may be unwinnable. Now comes a fresh set of reasons to think again and hope anew.
Armstrong appoints senior advisor Conner Swanson to lead ND Department of Health and Human Services | North Dakota Office of the Governor
Gov. Kelly Armstrong appointed Conner Swanson to lead the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), effective Aug. 29, citing his experience with complex policy issues at both the state and federal levels and his guidance to the agency through the Governor’s Office these past two years.
New Executive Order Undermines Child Health
On August 10, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making major changes to federal vaccine policy. Among several other actions, this order would make major revisions to the childhood vaccination schedule, direct care providers to administer monovalent vaccines as soon as they are available (starting with splitting up the MMR (measles, mumps, […]
Maine shifts focus to mental health as PFAS crisis deepens
State policymakers will use emotional aid and peer mentoring to address the stress of impacted farmers.
Asia-Pacific parliamentarians urge bolder action for universal health coverage, climate resilience and responsible AI
Parliamentarians representing 16 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region concluded the Ninth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) today, reaffirming their key role in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) amid the risks and opportunities posed by AI and climate change. In adopting the Phnom Penh Communiqué, parliamentarians urged fellow legislators regionwide to strengthen sustainable financing for UHC to widen access to health for all, including the most vulnerable populations; promote responsible governance of AI amid ethical concerns over this fast-evolving technology; and build climate-resilient health systems to anticipate and respond to mounting pressures ranging from rising sea levels in coastal areas to air pollution and other environmental degradation.The National Assembly of Cambodia, with support from Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), hosted the Forum in Phnom Penh from 11 to 13 August 2026 – the first time the Forum has convened in a Mekong country.Parliamentarians urge action to close gaps in accessIn the Communiqué, parliamentarians recognized that at-risk and marginalized groups are the ones most severely affected by gaps in access to health services. These groups include people living in poverty, women and children, persons with disabilities, older people, migrants, refugees, and those in rural, remote or island communities. The Communiqué urges fellow parliamentarians and policy-makers to advocate for laws and policies that support sustainable financing to protect people from financial hardship, with a focus on primary health care, prevention and equity. "The Communiqué is a call to action. It sets out ambitious, concrete measures that deliver meaningful impact on the ground. We are all accountable for advancing universal health coverage and translating our commitments into tangible results. Cambodia is fully committed to advancing UHC, including the promotion of ‘healthy people, prosperous country’ campaign,” said Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia, highlighted the need for collaboration beyond the health sector. “Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by the Ministry of Health alone. It requires support, particularly from parliamentarians, across political, legislative, financial, social protection, education, infrastructure, and environmental domains. While each country follows its own path, one factor is universally critical for success: strong governance and leadership. We all believe in this principle, and in our respective political roles, we remain committed to strengthening these key success factors to ensure that no one is left behind.”Promoting responsible AI adoption Parliamentarians acknowledged that, while AI has already demonstrated its ability to improve access to health services and support delivery, careful and ethical governance is necessary to safeguard quality, safety, privacy and public trust. This underscores the importance of parliamentarians in promoting legal and regulatory frameworks addressing liability, records ownership and data governance, while embracing innovation that protects ethical practice.“Without strong governance, safeguards for privacy and data security, sustainable financing, and attention to those most at risk of exclusion, new technologies may widen existing gaps instead of closing them. This is why parliamentarians matter. We pass laws. We approve budgets. We scrutinize government action. We represent communities. We can ask whether health services are reaching rural, remote, ageing, poor, and marginalized populations. We can ask whether innovation is being guided by equity, evidence, and ethics,” said Hon. Man Hee Lee, President of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.Building climate-resilient health systemsParliamentarians also reiterated that the climate crisis is a direct threat to people’s health and to achieving UHC more broadly, deepening the same gaps in access already faced by at-risk and marginalized communities. They recognized the need for WHO Member States to ensure sufficient national appropriations and oversight, and for parliamentarians to raise awareness in their constituencies and mobilize local action in building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.“Universal health coverage, climate change and AI cannot be addressed in isolation. The same communities struggling to access health services today are often the ones most exposed to climate shocks, and most in need of the opportunities AI can offer if this technology is governed responsibly,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Having served previously in this Forum myself as a parliamentarian from Tonga, I recognize how the Phnom Penh Communiqué reflects the shared resolve of legislators across the Asia-Pacific region: the laws parliamentarians pass and the budgets they approve help ensure this progress reaches the people who need it most.”As the Forum drew to a close, delegates reflected on what they would carry back to their own parliaments and constituencies.“I wish to share three points here worth carrying home from Phnom Penh: we need to invest in primary health care as the foundation of coverage; we need to remove the barriers that keep people from care, whether financial, geographic or social; and we need to build systems that are inclusive by design, protecting those most at risk of being left behind,” added Hon. Ouch Borith, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia.###Notes for editors:The Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity and foster collaboration towards sustainable health action. This was the ninth meeting of the APPFGH, with the theme “Universal Health Coverage in the era of Climate Change and Artificial Intelligence”. Target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls on countries to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health services, and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. In the Western Pacific, UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1) rose from 63 in 2000 to 81 in 2023 (figures include Indonesia), and roughly one in four people in the Western Pacific have experienced financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2). Progress towards UHC in the Asia-Pacific region remains uneven, with hundreds of millions of people still lacking access to essential health services or facing financial hardship due to health-related expenses. Strengthening the role of parliaments – through legislation, financing and oversight – is central to closing this gap and accelerating progress towards UHC across the region.Parliamentarians participating in APPFGH in Cambodia this week include: Hon. Pehin Dato Adanan YUSOF, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. Rosmawatty ABDUL MUMIN, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. LORK Kheng, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. YOS Phanita, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOUN Khundy, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. HENG Halim, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOENG Noupheap, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. SENG Nhak, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. LY Sukry, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. NHOEURN Raden, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. Dr Ratu Atonio LALABALAVU, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Vijay NATH, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Man Hee LEE, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Jiho CHA, Republic of Korea; Hon. Jonghun BAEK, Republic of Korea; Hon. Youngsuk SEO, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Phayvanh KEOPASEUTH, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Suhaizan Bin KAIAT, Malaysia; Hon. Dr Perpetua KONMAN, Federated States of Micronesia; Hon. Ganmaa DAVAASAMBUU, Mongolia; Hon. Charmaine SCOTTY, Republic of Naoero; Hon. Vincent Ambance KUMURA, Papua New Guinea; Hon. Dr Edwin CRUZADO, Republic of the Philippines; Hon. AUUAPAAU Mulipola Aloitafua Mulipola, Samoa; Hon. ASIATA TAVUI Tafu Salevao, Samoa; Hon. Dr Alani Petelo TANGITAU, Tonga; Hon. Paul PAOLO, Republic of Vanuatu; Hon. Franklyn Ezra WILLIAM, Republic of Vanuatu.For more information, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia (International Relations Department): ir.nacambodia@gmail.com
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The U.S. Healthcare System is Already Mostly Socialized
Now that Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for Michigan’s open Senate seat, the outcome of this crucial race will depend mainly on two things: Whether Republicans succeed in demonizing El-Sayed because he’s brown and a Muslim, and whether they succeed in demonizing him as a left-wing radical. I will defer for the now the question of whether bigotry will be effective this year, although I will address it another day. What I want to address instead is El-Sayed’s signature issue — healthcare. Yes, El-Sayed advocates Medicare for All, a position the usual suspects denounce as “socialism.” I will get to the politics of his stance soon. Today, however, I want to talk about the substance. We should be clear that El-Sayed doesn’t even call himself a socialist. On the contrary, he explicitly disavows the label, saying “I’m a capitalist who just knows about capitalism”. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, the policies that El-Sayed advocates qualify him as a social democrat, not a socialist. Still, El-Sayed advocates a system under which the government would pay almost all medical expenses. Isn’t that socialism? Well, if that is the criterion then much of U.S. healthcare is already socialist. In fact, the government’s role is so large that U.S. healthcare is better described as partially privatized socialism than as anything resembling a free market. Let’s start with the raw numbers on health insurance, which pays the bulk of Americans’ medical expenses. Americans receive health insurance either from private companies or from public programs, overwhelmingly Medicare and Medicaid. Here’s what the breakdown of coverage and spending between private and public looked like in 2024: While a majority of Americans with health insurance get it from private companies, well over 100 million of us are covered by government programs instead. And these government programs pay more total dollars for medical bills than the private insurers do. Why do government programs that cover a minority of the population account for a majority of health insurers’ outlays? Mainly because Medicare covers seniors, and we’re expensive. Also, while Medicaid covers many younger Americans, disabled and elderly beneficiaries account for most of its spending. Even by the raw numbers, then, U.S. health insurance looks as much public as private. But that understates the government’s role: Private health insurance in the U.S. is both highly regulated and heavily subsidized. This is obviously true for the insurance coverage purchased by tens of millions of Americans through the exchanges established by the Affordable Care Act. But employment-based health insurance, which covers 161 million Americans, is far more of a government creation than most people realize. For employment-based insurance exists largely because of huge implicit government subsidies that come with major strings attached. Here’s how that works. If your employer pays you $10,000, that’s taxable income. But if your employer pays $10,000 toward a company health insurance plan that meets certain criteria, it isn’t taxable. That’s a huge effective subsidy, running at more than $300 billion a year. Take that subsidy into account, along with the more than $100 billion per year spent subsidizing policies purchased under the ACA, as well as the outlays on Medicare and Medicaid, and net effect is that the government pays for more than two-thirds of Americans’ health insurance. Granted, there are strings attached. Roughly speaking, employment-based health plans can’t discriminate based on medical history — that is, they can’t deny coverage to employees with pre-existing conditions — and they also can’t offer the plans only to highly compensated employees — a health plan that is only for the C-suite is considered taxable income. So given the restrictions of the federal tax code, employer-based health insurance is a lot like Obamacare, which also prohibits discrimination based on medical history and provides subsidies to make insurance affordable to lower-paid workers. The fact is that virtually all of private healthcare insurance is already well under some form of government control through regulation and tax subsidies. How should we think about this system? First of all, is Medicare socialist? Don’t tell anyone, but the way Medicare operates — it covers every senior’s medical expenses, whatever they turn out to be, while being funded by taxes that depend on one’s income — could be summarized by the old Marxist slogan “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” And back in 1961, when Ronald Reagan was the face of a last-ditch effort by the American Medical Association to block the creation of Medicare, he denounced Medicare as “socialized medicine” and warned that it would destroy our freedom. In reality, American freedom survived until Jan. 20, 2025, while Medicare is immensely popular, with an 82 percent favorable rating in the most recent KFF survey. Medicaid, government health insurance for lower-income Americans, comes in at 73 percent. This is in sharp contrast to public views about private insurers, who are widely disliked if not hated and accused of denying essential care. Furthermore, if Medicare is socialism, then the whole U.S. health insurance system, with the government paying most of the bills and placing conditions on private insurers, is almost equally socialist. If you insist on calling any program the government pays for and regulates socialist, then U.S. healthcare would best be described as a partially privatized form of socialism. And one must ask, what is the point of the part that is privatized? Do private insurers add anything positive? Or are they simply parasites, skimming off money that could have been paying for care? The case for viewing insurers as parasites is strong. Many Medicare benefits are now delivered via Medicare Advantage, that is, plans paid for by the government but run through insurance companies. MedPAC, an independent advisory commission, estimates that last year Medicare Advantage plans were overpaid by $84 billion, thanks to practices such as “upcoding,” in which patients’ health problems are overstated to get larger sums from Medicare. Assessing the waste from employer-based insurance is harder, but most evidence suggests that private insurers have substantially higher administrative costs than Medicare does. Furthermore, the complexity of private insurance, with multiple payers all trying to deny care when they can, is a huge burden both on providers — doctors, nurses, and hospitals — and on patients. What do private insurers offer to compensate for these costs? One must go through intellectual contortions to avoid the conclusion that they are, in fact, parasites. Which brings me back to El-Sayed. In supporting Medicare for All, he’s basically calling for an end to the partial, parasitic privatization of a healthcare system that is already hugely dependent on public funding. When one looks at it that way, it’s not at all a radical proposal. Admittedly, the political lift requires overcoming the opposition to higher taxes to pay for Medicare for All. Political realism rather than economics was the reason I and many other progressives supported Obamacare, with all its complexities, rather than demanding an immediate move to Medicare for All. But the political calculus may very well have shifted since the 2000s, as Americans are fed up with a system of unaffordable premiums, rampant claim denials, and byzantine claim administration. Moreover, funding healthcare insurance through taxation would allow for a much more progressive distribution of the cost. That is, compared to the present system, middle-income households would pay less as high-income households would pay more. And the U.S. would stop wasting large sums on pointless administrative costs. So let’s be clear: El-Sayed’s healthcare platform is perfectly reasonable on the merits of cost, fairness and health efficacy. And with private insurers never more hated, while millions of Americans are losing their health insurance, 2026 may be its time. MUSICAL CODA
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