Bridget Early
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birdy.bsky.social
Bridget Early
@birdy.bsky.social
she/her | opinions are my own | regulatory reporter at Modern Healthcare | Signal: bridget.40
Reposted by Bridget Early
On Nov. 6, share prices for $UNH, $HUM and $CVS, the Medicare Advantage market share leaders, jumped a collective 10.9%. Seven months later, their value is down 38.1%, largely driven by $UNH's downfall.

www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-pol... w/ @birdy.bsky.social
Medicare Advantage sector’s hopes dashed as Trump keeps up pressure
Health insurance stocks soared when President Donald Trump won last year. The Medicare Advantage world is less bullish now.
www.modernhealthcare.com
June 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
The Federal Aviation Administration has barred its employees from participating in a host of advisory committees intended to help come up with solutions to issues facing the aviation industry.
February 4, 2025 at 8:37 PM
My lovely colleague Nona Tepper is here!! Please give her a follow for top-tier insurance coverage @nonatc.bsky.social ⭐️
February 4, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Modern Healthcare is on Bluesky! Give us a follow @modernhealthcare.bsky.social & add us to your lists :)
January 15, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
Trump called himself a "big believer" in the polio vaccine today but said he's not a fan of mandates.

"You're not going to lose the polio vaccine."
Polio vaccine isn't going anywhere, Trump says
"You're not going to lose the polio vaccine," Trump said during a press conference Monday. "That's not gonna happen."
www.axios.com
December 16, 2024 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
Online hate against insurers continues to mount following the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Its prompted several large insurers to remove staff pages or photos of executives from their websites.

Important read from Nona Tepper!

www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/br...
UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing unleashes rage against insurers
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing could prompt health insurers to change how they communicate with members about claims denials, experts say.
www.modernhealthcare.com
December 6, 2024 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
BREAKING: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City Wednesday morning, the NYPD said bloom.bg/4f5Ieou
December 4, 2024 at 2:13 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
1. The conventional explanation for food deserts—that these places are too poor or too rural to generate enough spending on groceries, or too Black to overcome racist corporate redlining — fail to grapple with a key fact: food deserts didn’t used to exist. My new piece in The Atlantic.
The Mystery of Food Deserts
They didn’t materialize around the country for no reason. Something happened.
www.theatlantic.com
December 1, 2024 at 2:06 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
Belatedly, here's today's look at Dr. Oz's penchant for promoting Medicare Advantage and healthcare businesses he's invested in to give folks clues to his possible priorities running CMS. BTW, no response from Team Trump on possible conflicts of interest. $$ www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-pol...
CMS pick Dr. Oz touts Medicare Advantage, invests in healthcare
Mehmet Oz, Trump's pick for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, owns healthcare stocks, promotes Medicare Advantage and criticizes the ACA.
www.modernhealthcare.com
November 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM
@maya-goldman.bsky.social has arrived the party can officially start!!! Everyone give her a follow :)
November 21, 2024 at 4:05 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
RFK Jr. wants to reduce the American Medical Association's role in determining what Medicare pays for medical services. For those who follow billing codes and the RUC, big scoop from @rachelcohrs.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2024/11/20/r...
RFK Jr. is exploring a plan to upend Medicare’s physician payments system
The idea would reduce the role played by the American Medical Association in determining how much doctors get paid
www.statnews.com
November 20, 2024 at 5:01 PM
The MA and Part D rule has cleared OMB, folks. Good morning!
November 20, 2024 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
That's what I'm talking about, DC
November 19, 2024 at 11:48 PM
Trump has nominated Dr. Mehmet Oz for CMS administrator:
November 19, 2024 at 9:30 PM
RFK has been outspoken about his priorities for agencies such as NIH, CDC and FDA, but his goals for CMS are a black box, and that’s making the healthcare world uneasy. Here’s the latest from my colleague @mcauliff.bsky.social and I: www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-pol...
Washington healthcare world steels itself for RFK Jr.’s HHS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., best known for public health conspiracy theories and misinformation, doesn't have much of a record on the rest of healthcare.
nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com
November 18, 2024 at 3:32 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
NEW: Legislation that would bar the United States government from spying on journalists—except under rare, specific circumstances—is currently stalled in Congress.

Now, with only weeks left to legislate, press advocates are urging Senate Democrats to pass the bill, known as the PRESS Act.
Senate Democrats Are Running Out of Time to Pass a Shield Law to Protect Journalism
The PRESS Act, which would protect journalists from government spying, enjoys broad bipartisan support and has passed the House—but it’s unclear whether the Senate will take it up.
www.wired.com
November 14, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
New: What RFK Jr. wants from Washington
www.politico.com/news/2024/11...
What RFK Jr. wants from Washington
Food additives, pesticides and vaccines are on his “Make America Healthy Again” hit list.
www.politico.com
November 14, 2024 at 10:03 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
JUST IN: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a former presidential candidate who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories, including about vaccines — is poised to have a key health role in the Trump administration.
Trump picks RFK Jr. for health role
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a former presidential candidate who has a history of spreading conspiracy theories, including about vaccines — is poised to have a key health role in the Trump administration.
www.npr.org
November 14, 2024 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
Happy 85th birthday Wendy Carlos, who revolutionised the synth with Bob Moog, made electronic music before Eno & Kraftwerk, & composed scores for Tron, Clockwork Orange and The Shining. A trans icon, Carlos gave few interviews but this BBC one features her beloved cat www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3ca...
November 14, 2024 at 7:22 AM
Reposted by Bridget Early
You can guess Arrington is talking about Medicaid, and probably ACA subsidies. For Medicare, he's really big on site-neutral payments, which could save something like $140 billion, depending on particulars. Gotta subscribe, but here's today's story on that: www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-pol...
November 13, 2024 at 7:40 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
Pregnant or recently pregnant women are likelier to be murdered than die from medical causes. www.axios.com/2024/11/13/h...
Homicide found to be top cause of maternal death
Pregnant women or those who've given birth in the past year are likelier to be murdered than die from medical causes.
www.axios.com
November 13, 2024 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by Bridget Early
The universe is expanding.

But how fast? Why is this happening? And what will be the universe’s ultimate fate?

New observations of distant galaxies have intensified a debate that scientists call the Hubble Tension.
The ultimate cosmic question: How fast is the universe expanding?
New observations of distant galaxies have intensified a debate that scientists call the Hubble Tension.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 11, 2024 at 4:26 PM
reconnecting with my Twitter mutuals
July 4, 2023 at 3:10 AM
rate limit drove me back to check on bsky how’s everyone doin over here
July 3, 2023 at 10:55 PM