Home About Sarah Press Contact Portfolio: Human and Civil Rights Portfolio: Policy, Politics, and Governance Portfolio: Features and Longform

American Health Care

Bustle •

Which State Has The Worst Health Care? There Are 9 Contenders

Health care has taken center stage in 2017. As congressional Republicans have repeatedly tried (and, so far, failed) to repeal and replace Obamacare, a good deal of time has been spent assessing the tenets of the American health care system. As you probably know, health care access, affordability, and coverage differs from state-to-state and, even with the current, federally-mandated protections provided by Obamacare. Sadly, some states are still regressive when it comes to the health care optio
Bustle •

Can Trump End Obamacare With An Executive Order? Here's How It Could Be Destabilized

President Donald Trump is reportedly planning to sign an executive order on Obamacare as soon as this week. Many people are understandably concerned about the implications the order could have on health care in the United States, with some likely wondering whether or not Trump could actually end Obamacare with an executive order. While Trump cannot end Obamacare with an executive order per se, he could potentially destabilize the Obamacare marketplace heavily and reintroduce many health care cov
Bustle •

Your Obamacare Premium Could Skyrocket If You Live In A State That Voted For Trump

Last week, President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending federal payment of cost sharing reduction (CSR) subsidies used to offset the cost of health insurance for low-income individuals. As a result, Americans' Obamacare premiums could skyrocket in certain states, especially for people who pay for their health insurance completely out-of-pocket in the individual marketplace. The states whose residents will experience the highest premium increases are also predominately those where Trum
Bustle •

How Much Is Gun Culture Costing America? Emergency Hospital Care Costs Are Through The Roof

A recent analysis published in the Health Affairs journal revealed that gun culture is costing Americans billions of dollars each year. The study, which was coincidentally released the day after the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas, revealed that in addition to substantial emotional and societal expenses, there are also profound financial costs associated with gun violence in the U.S.

To examine the cost of gun violence in the U.S., the study, according to Newsweek, used data from the Healthca
Bustle •

Mass Shootings In America Are A "Serious Public Health Issue" According To Doctors

Following this weekend's horrendous mass shooting in Las Vegas, in which at least 59 people were killed and hundreds were injured, the American College of Physicians issued a statement calling mass shootings in America a "serious public health issue" and demanded a ban on automatic and semiautomatic weapons.

The American College of Physicians (ACP), a national organization of internal medicine physicians, issued its statement about mass shooting on Monday. In the statement, the organization not
Bustle •

Senate Blocks 20-Week Abortion Ban, But Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Let Your Guard Down Just Yet

On Monday, the United States Senate rejected a 20-week abortion ban by a vote of 51 to 46. However, while the legislation has failed, congressional Republicans have promised to bring it up again in the future — and many states are already leading the way by passing their own abortion 20-week abortion bans.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina. Two Republicans, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Senator Susan Collins of Maine, were among the 51 Sen
Bustle •

11 TRAP Laws That Prevent Abortion Across America

Women are consistently reminded that a woman's right to an abortion in the United States is something that is perpetually under fire. Whether it's the March for Life or the hundreds of bills that threaten the right to choose, for many women, the attacks can feel constant. And even though though a woman's right to an abortion was guaranteed under Roe v. Wade exactly 45 years ago, Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws prevent women's abortion access across the entire country today.
Bustle •

American Medical Association Is Backing Gun Control Proposals With A "New Sense Of Urgency"

Following a spate of mass shootings this year and widespread gun violence, many around the United States have grown increasingly concerned about lawmakers' refusal to take concerted action on gun control. This lack of action has prompted others to step up to the plate. On Tuesday, the American Medical Association revealed it's backing gun control proposals with a "new sense of urgency." The organization referred to gun violence as a disease which is profoundly impacting American society.

The Am
Bustle •

Abortion Clinic Trespassing Tripled The Year Trump Took Office & It's So Dangerous For Women

On Monday, a new report from the National Abortion Federation revealed that abortion clinic trespassing has tripled since Trump took office — further infringing on a woman's right to safely secure an abortion. Moreover, the organization believes that those committing these offenses may be encouraged by the anti-reproductive rights stance of the Trump administration.

As Rewire.News reported, the National Abortion Federation has been tracking levels of violence and disruption at abortion clinics
Bustle •

New York Prepared For Brett Kavanaugh's Nomination With An Executive Order On Reproductive Rights

On Monday evening, President Donald Trump announced his pick to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the United States Supreme Court. Leading up to the nomination, many have expressed concern that the landmark federal abortion case, Roe v. Wade, could be overturned in the future as SCOTUS becomes more conservative. To help mitigate this concern, New York prepared for Brett Kavanaugh's nomination with an executive order on reproductive rights. New York's executive order demonstrates the crucial rol
Bustle •

The CBO Score For An Obamacare Repeal Without Replacement Is Incomprehensible

On Monday evening, two Republican senators announced that they would not be supporting the revised Better Care Reconciliation Act, effectively ending Republican prospects of passing an Obamacare replacement bill for now. However, Senate Republicans have now indicated that they will seek to pass a bill to repeal Obamacare with a delayed replacement plan — the effects of which would be devastating. Indeed, the CBO score for an Obamacare repeal without immediate replacement indicates that the move
Bustle •

Obama's One Hope For The ACA Is Very Optimistic

During an interview with Steve Kroft on CBS' 60 Minutes on Sunday, outgoing President Barack Obama briefly reflected on the legacy of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Interestingly, Obama hinted that his outlook on healthcare in the United States is surprisingly optimistic, even amidst consistent threats from the GOP to repeal Obamacare.

During the interview, Kroft asked Obama what he would be remembered for following his presidency. In addition to mentioning his positive impact on the economy an
Bustle •

A GOP Lawmaker Wonders Why Men Should Pay For Maternity Care If They "Can't Use" It

During an interview on a radio show last Friday, Pete Olson, a Texas congressman, made a comment on prenatal and maternity coverage that has stoked widespread backlash. In his opposition to health insurance plans that cover essential benefits like prenatal and maternity care, Olson indicated that because men cannot bear children, they should not have to pay for coverage that they cannot access.

Olson, who represents the 22nd district in Texas, made these comments during an interview on the Sam
Bustle •

How Many Votes Does The GOP Need For The Health Care Bill?

On Tuesday, Senate Republicans are set to vote on heath care legislation. Many people are closely following the upcoming vote due to its controversial nature, as legislative sparring over health care reform has dominated much of Congress' year thus far. As the vote approaches, many Americans are probably wondering how many votes the GOP health care plan needs to pass — and whether or not the party has enough votes to proceed with the legislation.

Tuesday's vote is actually a vote on whether or
Bustle •

What Is A Vote-A-Rama? The Health Care Bill Debate May Last For Hours On End

On Tuesday evening, Senate Republicans voted to proceed to open debate on health care reform and they're just getting started. The debate is expected to take up to 20 hours and will likely include the offering of many amendments. After debate closes, senators will then embark on a health care bill "vote-a-rama."

A vote-a-rama is (perhaps surprisingly) the official term for the rapid-fire amendment voting process that occurs after debate closes during the Senate budget reconciliation process. As
Bustle •

What's Happening With The AHCA? The Senate Version Of It Is Shrouded In Secrecy

In May, the House of Representatives passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Following the bill's passage, Senate Republicans announced that they would be crafting their own version of a healthcare bill for consideration. However, since then, little information has been made public about the content of this bill, leaving many to wonder what exactly is happening with the AHCA.

Sadly, it looks like the public (and even, perhaps, many senators) will remain in the dark about the Senate bill's c
Bustle •

What Is A CBO Score? The AHCA’s Fate Depends On It

On Wednesday afternoon, Congress will know more details about the controversial revised American Health Care Act (AHCA) that recently passed the House. More specifically, the revised AHCA's Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score will be released, providing analysis of the budgetary implications of the health care bill. The new CBO score could vastly impact the fate of the AHCA, as it may play heavily into the development of the Senate healthcare bill and/or require that the House bill be revise
Bustle •

Under Graham-Cassidy, Abortion Coverage Would Disqualify You From Receiving Tax Credits

Last week, Republicans introduced another bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. The Graham-Cassidy bill, as it's known, has been widely criticized for a variety of reasons, including the potential to cause millions of Americans to lose health insurance. Two particular provisions of Graham-Cassidy makes insurance plans that cover abortions ineligible for tax credits.

The abortion coverage and tax credit-related provisions of Graham-Cassidy fall within sections 102 and 103 of the bill. They were
Bustle •

The White House Thinks Birth Control & Abortion Are The Same — Here's Why That's Dangerous

In October, the Trump administration rolled back Obama-era rules requiring most employers to provide contraception coverage. As it turns out, this is not the only controversial move it has made in regards to birth control. A recent report by Vox found that the White House is essentially conflating birth control with abortion when communicating with constituents, hinting at how the administration is approaching access to reproductive health care.

As Vox reported, some Americans who sent the Trum
Bustle •

Will The CVS-Aetna Merger Affect Me? Experts Are Divided About The Implications

On Sunday, the pharmacy giant CVS announced that it intends to merge with the health insurance company, Aetna. If approved by anti-trust regulators, the merger would constitute the biggest health insurance deal in history. However, along with news of this announcement, many Americans are likely wondering how the CVS-Aetna merger will affect them. Interestingly, experts seem split on the matter: some believe that the merger could save consumers money and improve health care, though others caution
Bustle •

What Does Trump's Freeze On Obamacare Payments Mean? Premiums Could "Significantly Increase"

On Saturday, the Trump administration announced that it is freezing key Obamacare payments intended to stabilize the insurance marketplace. Following this announcement, you might be wondering what Trump's freeze on Obamacare payments means for you. Unfortunately for recipients of Obamacare, the suspension of these payments could mean that premium rates increase substantially in 2019.

As the New York Times described, the Trump administration is suspending what are known as risk adjustment paymen

Follow Me