Liz Powell

Our last and next president has tried to distance himself from #Project2025, claiming he "has no idea who is behind it." But it was developed by a broad coalition of conservative organizations, spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation, perhaps the leading conservative think tank in the U.S., "for the next conservative administration." And at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025. These include Roger Severino, the Trump appointee who led the HHS Office for Civil Rights through its many successful efforts to rescind regulations clarifying civil rights in health care and drastically expand the rights of health care providers and staff to deny their patients essential care. Severino currently serves as Heritage's VP of Domestic Policy and authored Project 2025's plans for HHS: a frightening playbook to narrow health care access (including abortion) and related civil rights across the entire country, using mechanisms that will affect those in seemingly "safe" states (e.g., those that have passed ballot initiatives and legislation to strengthen state abortion rights). I previously wrote about some of the plan's most frightening proposals for Medicaid, the ACA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in the National Health Law Program blog post below. It doesn't stop there. Six of his former Cabinet secretaries co-authored or collaborated on Project 2025. Four of his ambassadors and several enforcers of his racist immigration agenda were involved. About 20 pages are credited to his first deputy chief of staff. Democracy Forward has a great resource summarizing what Project 2025 will mean to the American people, called "The People's Guide to Project 2025." https://lnkd.in/e79aAJxe. As Democracy Forward writes, "these threats aren't hypothetical. These are their real plans." It's important to not give into despair. We cannot give up hope; we must keep fighting to hold the line on health care access and democracy at large. But first, for those who have not already done so, it is time to understand and steel yourselves for what's to come. https://lnkd.in/epmRHi8Y

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Join me on May 14th for this timely conversation!

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The last time Congress passed a comprehensive disaster package was in December 2022. The short-term Federal disaster response has been funded through FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, which supports Stafford Act authorities and is in need of additional funding. What the Stafford Act does not account for is long-term recovery. Health centers need the Administration and Congress to work together to ensure any upcoming disaster supplemental funding package includes sufficient resources to help health centers keep their doors open and continue serving their patients.

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"Last year, #Maryland established the Maryland Commission on Public Health to recommend improvements for delivering public health services, including how to reform how it uses technology and shares data." Without steady funding, public health agencies slow to upgrade old tech, report shows via StateScoop https://lnkd.in/eCJ5pZUY

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NCPDP Foundation is presenting an excellent opportunity for innovative pharmacists in the following: 1. **Precision Medicine and/or Pharmacogenomics**: Pharmacists play a critical role in precision medicine by utilizing pharmacogenomic data to tailor medication therapies based on individual genetic profiles, optimizing treatment efficacy and minimizing adverse effects. 2. **Digital Therapeutics**: By integrating digital therapeutics into patient care, pharmacists can monitor adherence, provide education, and support patients in managing chronic conditions through technology-based interventions. 3. **Social Determinants of Health**: Pharmacists can address social determinants of health by assessing patients' socioeconomic factors, such as access to medications and healthcare services, to develop personalized care plans that improve health outcomes. 4. **Health Equity**: Pharmacists advocate for health equity by ensuring that all patients, regardless of their background, have access to medications and healthcare services, and by participating in community outreach programs to address health disparities. 5. **HL7 Accelerator Alignment**: Pharmacists can contribute to HL7 accelerator initiatives by collaborating on the development and implementation of health information standards that enhance communication and interoperability among healthcare providers. 6. **Industry Interoperability**: In promoting industry interoperability, pharmacists can help ensure that electronic health records (EHRs) and pharmacy management systems seamlessly share patient information, improving care coordination and medication management. 7. **Pharmacist Supported Clinical Services**: Pharmacists can enhance clinical services by providing medication therapy management, chronic disease management, and preventive care services, leveraging their expertise to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Thanks for sharing this Robert P. Nickell

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A recent report has unsurprising findings about the challenges in accessing and assessing Medicaid HCBS, and includes a necessary call for improving how Medicaid HCBS is delivered! "A maze of federal legal authorities has resulted in inconsistent and inequitable access to [long-term] care among [Medicaid] beneficiaries and across geographies. The many programs are difficult to understand, even for researchers and regulators trying to measure outcomes." #Medicaid #longtermcare #caregiving #HCBS

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https://lnkd.in/ekuJtgW4 Examples here of what is happening at the state and federal level to advance respite care, which we must support through any transitions. States are employing various means of reaching diverse and needy families through single touch points and coalitions with other entities such as faith-based organizations. I was happy to see that academia was mentioned at least in one example as part of coalition building. Also mentioned are recruitment strategies for building respite workforce. Some states are hitting all the right buttons and these should serve as models for other states, and also for expanding help to other areas beyond respite. The best way you can ensure innovative programming at the state and federal level is to let your legislators know that these are priorities. These efforts require financial support. #newagingpartnership #caregivingconfidential #respite #nationalacademyforstatehealthpolicy #caregiving

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In a new blog post, I address how the authoritarian #Project2025 agenda endangers the future of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, with some specific implications for sexual and reproductive health and disability. #ProtectMedicaid https://lnkd.in/epmRHi8Y

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"Despite the stakes, physicians vote at rates nearly 20% lower than the general population, which is concerning given our unique role in influencing health policy." Grateful to Forbes for highlighting the importance of civic health on the precipice of this critical election night. What I'm most proud of is the impact our team at Vot-ER made in the 2024 election cycle so far. With time still left on the clock, our team has helped over 168,000 clinicians, patients, and their families make their voices heard through voter registration, mail-in ballots, and other readiness actions. But its more than the impact in numbers. Amid declining trust and disillusionment, one thing remains clear: healthcare professionals have the opportunity to embrace their role not only as healers but as champions of civic engagement. We don't merely treat symptoms; we combat the roots of inequity when we help our patients vote. And Vot-ER is doing its small part helping to change the culture of medicine so it can embrace this opportunity. This is the heart of creating A Healthier Democracy. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gK5jXdN8

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⏪ #ICYMI CDA presented insights into the evolving demographics of aging populations, the fundamental programs outlined in the Older Americans Act, intrastate funding formulas critical for sustaining aging services & how these funding formulas are developed. Watch here ⤵️

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CAHC supports efforts to create a more sustainable health system through reforms that will increase competition, improve access, expand consumer choices, promote value, and empower consumers through transparency. Learn more about CAHC's priorities: https://lnkd.in/edSVzCat #healthcare #healthpolicy #priorities #transparency #drugprices #employeebenefits #smallbusiness #HSA #affordability

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How are you using #AI in health communication?

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The critical telehealth flexibilities, which are crucial for millions of patients to access essential virtual care services, face an impending deadline. With key provisions already expired as of December 31, 2024, urgent action is required before March 31, 2025, to ensure continued access to virtual care. ATA Action has outlined telehealth priorities for the 119th Congress in a letter to congressional leadership. The focus is on urging the permanent extension of vital provisions, including the removal of geographic and originating site restrictions, waiving in-person requirements for telemental health, and sustaining telehealth for FQHCs, RHCs, and Acute Hospital Care at Home programs. Additionally, efforts are underway to address critical policies neglected in the package last year, such as HDHP HSA first-dollar coverage, flexibility in providing In-Home Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation (CR) Services, expanding the Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) Model, and eliminating the in-person Requirement for the Remote Prescribing of Controlled Substances. We remain confident that President Trump and Congress can deliver fresh wins for telehealth by making these provisions permanent. #Telehealth #VirtualCare #PolicyAdvocacy #Healthcare Read our full letter:

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Every month, GW Health PR publishes articles to drive awareness of the key issues and gaps in healthcare communications. December's feature: The Intersection of Politics and Health Equity: A Marketing Perspective The recent election results have sparked deep concerns among many Black Americans, particularly regarding how political shifts could impact health equity and access to essential services. For communities that have fought tirelessly to secure basic rights and quality healthcare, these fears are not unfounded—they are rooted in historical precedents and the current political climate. Many worry that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) efforts will be deprioritized or even eliminated in the wake of political changes. These initiatives, which have been instrumental in addressing systemic inequities in healthcare and beyond, risk being sidelined, leaving several communities vulnerable. For healthcare marketers, this raises critical questions about how to navigate this new landscape while continuing to prioritize cultural resonance and equity in communications. Fear of Backsliding: A Crisis for Health Equity People are voicing fears that access to quality healthcare—a challenge even in the best of times—will become even more restricted. These concerns are particularly acute for individuals and families who rely on government-supported programs to bridge gaps in healthcare access, as potential cuts to these programs could exacerbate disparities. In a political environment that threatens to erode these safety nets, the risk of deepening inequities becomes even more pressing. One area of acute concern is maternal and fetal health. Black women already face disproportionately high rates of maternal mortality, a disparity driven by systemic racism, unequal access to care, and implicit bias within the healthcare system. The possibility of losing programs designed to address these issues only deepens anxieties within the community. 🚀Please visit https://gwhealthpr.com to read more. Come back at the end of every month. #HealthcarePR #HealthEquity #CulturallyResonant #BlackCommunityHealth #PharmaCommunications #HealthForAll #GWHealthPR

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MACPAC met last week and released new data showing HUGE increases in Medicaid state-directed payments. Make no mistake--it's SDPs for hospitals, funded w/provider taxes and IGTs, driving this growth. MACPAC noted that the link to better HOSPITAL access is tenuous at best for these payments. We'll have a new Congress and Administration in January, and this spending category is surely going to be a target--even if Florida and Texas hospitals are among the biggest beneficiaries of this spending. We've been here before (yeah, I'm old enough to remember). Those of us who care about #Medicaid need to call for hard caps on these payments, more accountability from those who receive them, and shifting them out of expensive hospital systems and into community-based care. And provider taxes must be reformed, too, so that they are more re-distributive and fund a range of high-value services. Rebecca Pifer MACPAC - Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission #Medicaid

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Ahead of #WHA77 next week, GHTC is urging policymakers to prioritize and advance policy reforms on #AMR, maternal and child health, #TB and #NTDs, and #PandemicPreparedness to deliver a more fit-for-purpose, equitable R&D ecosystem. https://lnkd.in/e6QbT_Xu

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National Association of Medicaid Directors #13November2023 #IssueBrief : #Why #did #they #do #it #that #way? "Check out NAMD’s latest issue brief to learn more about #Medicaid #eligibility #policy."

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Telehealth is an essential part of healthcare delivery – and has been upheld as a bipartisan issue, with support from both political parties and across two presidential administrations. But telehealth is now in jeopardy due to political forces threatening to stop a vital year-end funding package that includes multi-year extensions to vital flexibilities that would allow for uninterrupted access to needed virtual care services.   Countless Americans rely on telehealth for their care yet, without swift action, access to virtual care programs could expire in mere days. #Telehealth #HealthcareAccess   President-elect Trump enacted these flexibilities during his first administration, and we are confident that his incoming administration will show the same support for extending essential telehealth services for the American people.   Contact your representatives in Congress now and urge them to prioritize telehealth in any funding package. Your opinion matters! #savetelehealth   U.S. House of Representatives, United States Senate

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