Alex Wayne’s appointment as Executive Editor of KFF Health News is official today, and it’s a big deal. One of the most important senior appointments I make at KFF. I am thrilled to have Alex in this vital role.

Trump now says he won’t push to repeal the ACA, or touch Medicare. In election speak what this means is basic: the primaries are over and he doesn’t want to fight on turf favorable to Biden and democrats, or hand them attack lines.

In a recent column I wrote about countering extremist threats with common values that cross partisan lines. Check out Ali Velshi’s interview this morning with Marilyn Lands and Mallory McMorrow who have done just that in Alabama and Michigan kff.org/other/perspect…

MJ Lee reports Obama believes health could have traction in the election. Trump must agree: why he disavowed ACA repeal. Don’t underestimate health IF Dems campaign on it. Not health reform: abortion, affordability, drug costs, plus targeting the Republican health proposals.

I don’t usually comment on this stuff but this does seem like the next public health emergency: usatoday.com/story/money/fo…

We have badly needed a way to assess whether new digital medical technologies bring new benefits or only new profits. Government isn’t doing it but the Peterson Health Technology Institute is now filling the need. phti.com/assessment/dig…

Republicans in several states thousands of miles from the border without immigration problems name immigration their top issue. Victor Orban visits Mara Lago. He wrote the script for making immigration a rallying cry (in a country that did not have an immigration problem.)

Reports are Biden is being advised to get off “Bidenomics” and frame issues including health in terms of costs/prices. That’s no discovery and it’s an opportunity equally available to republicans if they move off the culture wars. Its where the public is: kff.org/other/perspect…

Great KFF Health News story in the medical debt extravaganza series.

A COMMUNITY hospital in Oklahoma

Provides little charity care

But, sues 5,000 people 

kffhealthnews.org/news/article/m…

KFF is based in San Fran and I live in the Silicon Valley, so I see the AI craze first hand (the latest game changer passing through). Thinking of changing our name (again), to KFF/HI (only human intelligence here).

Drug importation from Canada will be complicated to implement and may not achieve its full promise, but: it’s embraced by blue and red states; it’s a simple, popular idea people can understand; and candidates can campaign on it. nytimes.com/2024/01/05/hea…

Op ed by Shorenstein’s Nancy Gibbs arguing universities need not speak out on every issue (I’m on the board). I suspect declining faith in gov’t has us looking to employers, universities, companies for leadership on public issues more than in the past. washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/…

There is no bigger health issue than this: about half of U.S. adults say it is difficult to afford health care, and one in four say they or a family member had problems paying for health care in the past 12 months. kff.org/health-costs/i…

It’s often said that marketplace coverage is worse than employer coverage, but actually, for lots of reasons, insurance coverage is worse for lower income people with ESI too: kff.org/private-insura…

Our research shows doctors and local TV news are two groups the public trusts most for health information. One implication: mobilize local docs on local tv news to counter health misinformation. My latest column: kff.org/health-reform/…