House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that the work requirement helps 'return the dignity of work to young men who need to be out working instead of playing video games all day.' However, Saucedo countered that most benefit recipients are already employed, and research indicates that such requirements do not enhance employment or earnings.
In light of the systemic dismantling of America's public health agencies, these moves essentially create a shadow infrastructure to maintain some of what is being lost. While this is a promising development, it does nothing to stop a troubling trend that has been emerging for some time: The country is quickly becoming fragmented along partisan lines when it comes to public health.
The 340B program allows hospitals to buy outpatient drugs at steep discounts, with the purported purpose of helping them fund care for low-income and uninsured patients. The now-axed rebate model would have invited drugmakers to participate voluntarily in a rebate-based discount system. Basically, instead of the provider receiving a discount upfront at purchase, the 340B discount would be applied after purchase via rebate - and subject to tedious data submission requirements.
A month ago, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, was projecting confidence that a bipartisan group of lawmakers was nearing a deal to restore lapsed health insurance subsidies. The enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired at the end of last year, despite a majority of Americans in favor of Congress renewing them, according to polling from the nonprofit KFF. "We're in the red zone," Moreno told reporters. "But that does not mean a touchdown. It could mean a 95-yard fumble."
