Megan Howard
@meganhoward.bsky.social
DC by way of California. Not really a poster. Health policy, politics, baseball and Bravo.
Reposted by Megan Howard
Here's why we rate this statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., “It’s going to be the biggest infusion of federal dollars into rural health care in American history,” Mostly False.
@ajzionts.bsky.social explains ⤵️
@ajzionts.bsky.social explains ⤵️
October 16, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Here's why we rate this statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., “It’s going to be the biggest infusion of federal dollars into rural health care in American history,” Mostly False.
@ajzionts.bsky.social explains ⤵️
@ajzionts.bsky.social explains ⤵️
"Human worth does not depend on a wallet or a passport. It bears repeating that EMTALA came from a conservative White House. Across parties, Americans once agreed that you do not check a dying neighbor’s paperwork. We should preserve that great legal and moral commitment."
I'm an ER doctor. JD Vance's claims about immigrants and wait times are utterly wrong.
Emergency medicine has a moral and legal commitment: treat anyone, anywhere, anytime.
www.msnbc.com
October 8, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"Human worth does not depend on a wallet or a passport. It bears repeating that EMTALA came from a conservative White House. Across parties, Americans once agreed that you do not check a dying neighbor’s paperwork. We should preserve that great legal and moral commitment."
Reposted by Megan Howard
Since it needs to be said: states' #Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals don't vary by eligibility group, the applicable federal matching rate or if it's for emergency Medicaid. Like within Medicare & private insurance, Medicaid rates will only vary based on patients' diagnosis/severity.
October 8, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Since it needs to be said: states' #Medicaid reimbursement rates to hospitals don't vary by eligibility group, the applicable federal matching rate or if it's for emergency Medicaid. Like within Medicare & private insurance, Medicaid rates will only vary based on patients' diagnosis/severity.
Reposted by Megan Howard
"Bluesky is like a refuge for me"
October 3, 2025 at 2:52 AM
"Bluesky is like a refuge for me"
Reposted by Megan Howard
.@wyden.senate.gov blasts the new program as a "slush fund": "It’s clear to anyone watching this unfold that this fund is going to be focused toward states whose governors support the ideological agenda of the Trump administration and used to dole out political favors to Trump’s cronies."
States have just weeks to apply for a slice of a new $50b fund for rural health care. How much states get will depend in part on whether they bar low-income people from using food stamps to purchase "non-nutritious foods" and reestablish the Presidential Fitness Test www.politico.com/news/2025/09...
The rural health 'Hunger Games' are underway
States are scrambling for a piece of a $50 billion fund. It's unclear where the money will go.
www.politico.com
September 15, 2025 at 6:15 PM
.@wyden.senate.gov blasts the new program as a "slush fund": "It’s clear to anyone watching this unfold that this fund is going to be focused toward states whose governors support the ideological agenda of the Trump administration and used to dole out political favors to Trump’s cronies."
Reposted by Megan Howard
wrote about the “national conservative” vision for america
Opinion | They Don’t Want to Live in Lincoln’s America
www.nytimes.com
September 10, 2025 at 9:45 AM
wrote about the “national conservative” vision for america
Reposted by Megan Howard
When you break things down, the one group with higher lengths of stay are patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans - in particular, those going to a nursing home for rehab.
The likelihood that these patients stay in the hospital for ≥14 days increased by ~30% from 2018 to 2023.
The likelihood that these patients stay in the hospital for ≥14 days increased by ~30% from 2018 to 2023.
September 8, 2025 at 8:58 PM
When you break things down, the one group with higher lengths of stay are patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans - in particular, those going to a nursing home for rehab.
The likelihood that these patients stay in the hospital for ≥14 days increased by ~30% from 2018 to 2023.
The likelihood that these patients stay in the hospital for ≥14 days increased by ~30% from 2018 to 2023.
Reposted by Megan Howard
‘Going to be a bloodbath’: The GOP megalaw threatens a flooded hospital’s future www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
‘Going to be a bloodbath’: The GOP megalaw threatens a flooded hospital’s future
The company that owns the hospital in Erwin, Tennessee, vowed to rebuild after Hurricane Helene. Federal cuts may make that impossible.
www.politico.com
September 5, 2025 at 1:44 AM
‘Going to be a bloodbath’: The GOP megalaw threatens a flooded hospital’s future www.politico.com/news/2025/08...
Reposted by Megan Howard
“Bring It On” might have been the first movie — and, 25 years later, one of the only movies — to view cheerleading as a sport and cheerleaders as something more than just eye candy at a football game. https://wapo.st/4mvTm2E
At 25, ‘Bring It On’ deserves all the spirit fingers
The classic cheerleading film, starring Kirsten Dunst, still has what it takes to get a crowd going.
wapo.st
August 22, 2025 at 6:00 PM
“Bring It On” might have been the first movie — and, 25 years later, one of the only movies — to view cheerleading as a sport and cheerleaders as something more than just eye candy at a football game. https://wapo.st/4mvTm2E
Reposted by Megan Howard
Went ahead and updated my map of cities with higher crime than D.C. to accommodate the two new states from the Deep South who are sending troops to the capital. In the five states there are 64 cities, home to 1.7 million people, that had more crime in 2024 than D.C.
www.pbump.net/o/more-peopl...
www.pbump.net/o/more-peopl...
August 19, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Went ahead and updated my map of cities with higher crime than D.C. to accommodate the two new states from the Deep South who are sending troops to the capital. In the five states there are 64 cities, home to 1.7 million people, that had more crime in 2024 than D.C.
www.pbump.net/o/more-peopl...
www.pbump.net/o/more-peopl...
Reposted by Megan Howard
64% of Medicaid recipients under age 65 work, per KFF. As for the rest, see below. There are not 34m potential agricultural workers on Medicaid just raring to go pick vegetables.
July 8, 2025 at 2:28 PM
64% of Medicaid recipients under age 65 work, per KFF. As for the rest, see below. There are not 34m potential agricultural workers on Medicaid just raring to go pick vegetables.
Reposted by Megan Howard
The Nationals fired manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo, ending one of the longest partnerships in baseball that included a World Series title in 2019 and the second-worst record in baseball in the six years that followed.
Read more via @andrewgolden.bsky.social and @spencernusbaum.bsky.social:
Read more via @andrewgolden.bsky.social and @spencernusbaum.bsky.social:
Nationals fire manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo
Washington’s lengthy rebuild has cost its manager and its general manager their jobs.
www.washingtonpost.com
July 6, 2025 at 11:06 PM
The Nationals fired manager Dave Martinez and GM Mike Rizzo, ending one of the longest partnerships in baseball that included a World Series title in 2019 and the second-worst record in baseball in the six years that followed.
Read more via @andrewgolden.bsky.social and @spencernusbaum.bsky.social:
Read more via @andrewgolden.bsky.social and @spencernusbaum.bsky.social:
Reposted by Megan Howard
The bill's staggering Medicaid cuts put 55 independent rural hospitals at serious risk of closure, per an analysis by Families USA.
Those cuts also put 579 nursing homes at a high risk of closure, per an analysis from Brown University’s School of Public Health.
Those cuts also put 579 nursing homes at a high risk of closure, per an analysis from Brown University’s School of Public Health.
July 1, 2025 at 8:57 PM
The bill's staggering Medicaid cuts put 55 independent rural hospitals at serious risk of closure, per an analysis by Families USA.
Those cuts also put 579 nursing homes at a high risk of closure, per an analysis from Brown University’s School of Public Health.
Those cuts also put 579 nursing homes at a high risk of closure, per an analysis from Brown University’s School of Public Health.
Reposted by Megan Howard
Also rural hospitals and clinics are screwed.
June 28, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Also rural hospitals and clinics are screwed.
Reposted by Megan Howard
NEWS: Wyden Statement on New CBO Numbers Showing More than $930 Billion in Medicaid Cuts In New Senate Draft
Wyden Statement on New CBO Numbers Showing More than $930 Billion in Medicaid Cuts In New Senate Draft | The United States Senate Committee on Finance
Wyden Statement on New CBO Numbers Showing More than $930 Billion in Medicaid Cuts In New Senate Draft
www.finance.senate.gov
June 28, 2025 at 6:27 PM
NEWS: Wyden Statement on New CBO Numbers Showing More than $930 Billion in Medicaid Cuts In New Senate Draft
Reposted by Megan Howard
So on Big Bill, H.R.1, a provision added was a $25 billion fund to help rural hospitals.
Problem: Medicaid cuts are roughly $1 trillion over 10 years.
Since roughly 24% of rural population is on Medicaid, that's roughly a $240 billion cut
A $25B rural fund offsets only about 1/10th of the cuts.
Problem: Medicaid cuts are roughly $1 trillion over 10 years.
Since roughly 24% of rural population is on Medicaid, that's roughly a $240 billion cut
A $25B rural fund offsets only about 1/10th of the cuts.
June 28, 2025 at 10:16 AM
So on Big Bill, H.R.1, a provision added was a $25 billion fund to help rural hospitals.
Problem: Medicaid cuts are roughly $1 trillion over 10 years.
Since roughly 24% of rural population is on Medicaid, that's roughly a $240 billion cut
A $25B rural fund offsets only about 1/10th of the cuts.
Problem: Medicaid cuts are roughly $1 trillion over 10 years.
Since roughly 24% of rural population is on Medicaid, that's roughly a $240 billion cut
A $25B rural fund offsets only about 1/10th of the cuts.
Reposted by Megan Howard
🚨 The Senate parliamentarian just disqualified a bunch of provisions from the GOP bill — including Medicaid provider tax language, funding restrictions based on immigration status, spread pricing and one prohibition on gender-affirming care. List via a Democratic budget aide:
June 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM
🚨 The Senate parliamentarian just disqualified a bunch of provisions from the GOP bill — including Medicaid provider tax language, funding restrictions based on immigration status, spread pricing and one prohibition on gender-affirming care. List via a Democratic budget aide:
Reposted by Megan Howard
Thread on highly inadequate and flawed "rural health transformation" fund intended to prevent rural hospitals from closing or cutting services/staff in face of draconian #Medicaid cuts in Senate reconciliation bill. Details from @punchbowlnews.bsky.social here (1/x): punchbowl.news/rural-health...
Rural Health Transformation Program - Punchbowl News
punchbowl.news
June 25, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Thread on highly inadequate and flawed "rural health transformation" fund intended to prevent rural hospitals from closing or cutting services/staff in face of draconian #Medicaid cuts in Senate reconciliation bill. Details from @punchbowlnews.bsky.social here (1/x): punchbowl.news/rural-health...
Reposted by Megan Howard
Senate & House Rs are rushing a massive reconciliation plan that promises widespread harm to people & communities in *every state*, partly thru shifting major costs states simply can't afford. Fresh out from us today is more state-by-state context on the potential pinch. www.cbpp.org/research/sta...
Roundup: State Budgets Increasingly Strained as House, Senate Republican Plans Would Impose Major Costs | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Senate and House Republican leaders are advancing a massive tax and budget package — a process technically known as reconciliation — that features extreme cuts to food assistance and health care...
www.cbpp.org
June 25, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Senate & House Rs are rushing a massive reconciliation plan that promises widespread harm to people & communities in *every state*, partly thru shifting major costs states simply can't afford. Fresh out from us today is more state-by-state context on the potential pinch. www.cbpp.org/research/sta...
Reposted by Megan Howard
New: 16 House Republicans write a letter rebelling against the Senate bill’s Medicaid spending cuts, which are more aggressive than the House bill. Concerns include provider taxes, state payments, harm to hospitals and “cuts to emergency Medicaid funding.” Led by Rep. David Valadao:
June 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM
New: 16 House Republicans write a letter rebelling against the Senate bill’s Medicaid spending cuts, which are more aggressive than the House bill. Concerns include provider taxes, state payments, harm to hospitals and “cuts to emergency Medicaid funding.” Led by Rep. David Valadao:
Reposted by Megan Howard
From me: It hasn't been stressed enough just how disastrous the Republican Medicaid cuts would be for the hospital system—rural hospitals, yes, but ALL hospitals will be more crowded, more burdened, & at more risk of collapse if hundreds of closures occur, as is likely.
prospect.org/health/2025-...
prospect.org/health/2025-...
Republicans Threaten a Hospital Apocalypse
Experts warn of potentially hundreds of hospital closures, which would degrade the entire medical system.
prospect.org
June 19, 2025 at 12:38 PM
From me: It hasn't been stressed enough just how disastrous the Republican Medicaid cuts would be for the hospital system—rural hospitals, yes, but ALL hospitals will be more crowded, more burdened, & at more risk of collapse if hundreds of closures occur, as is likely.
prospect.org/health/2025-...
prospect.org/health/2025-...
Reposted by Megan Howard
This will also:
-bankrupt most pediatric hospitals
-bankrupt most academic and safety net hospitals
-there will be nowhere for Veterans to get the community care they’re promised
-bankrupt most pediatric hospitals
-bankrupt most academic and safety net hospitals
-there will be nowhere for Veterans to get the community care they’re promised
700 rural hospitals will possibly close completely if the Republican budget bill passes. That's a cataclysm for rural America - where lots of Trump's voters (maybe former voters?) live.
June 17, 2025 at 12:01 AM
This will also:
-bankrupt most pediatric hospitals
-bankrupt most academic and safety net hospitals
-there will be nowhere for Veterans to get the community care they’re promised
-bankrupt most pediatric hospitals
-bankrupt most academic and safety net hospitals
-there will be nowhere for Veterans to get the community care they’re promised
Reposted by Megan Howard
Hospitals would be hit hardest by Medicaid cuts in GOP tax bill, report finds www.statnews.com/2025/06/14/g...
Hospitals would be hit hardest by Medicaid cuts in GOP tax bill, report finds
To finance tax cuts, a GOP bill would reduce Medicaid payments to hospitals by $321 billion, hitting both blue and red states hard, a new report calculates.
www.statnews.com
June 14, 2025 at 5:19 PM
Hospitals would be hit hardest by Medicaid cuts in GOP tax bill, report finds www.statnews.com/2025/06/14/g...
Reposted by Megan Howard
Nearly 6 years since I started down a rabbit hole to find out who was Dan of Dan’s Cafe, my magnum opus (abridged) has now been published:
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7659...
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7659...
How A Man Not Named Dan Came to Own Dan’s Cafe for Six Decades
Clinnie “Dickie” Dickens owned the iconic dive Dan’s Cafe since he was 31. He died in February, just shy of 91, but his sons will keep the party going.
washingtoncitypaper.com
June 11, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Nearly 6 years since I started down a rabbit hole to find out who was Dan of Dan’s Cafe, my magnum opus (abridged) has now been published:
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7659...
washingtoncitypaper.com/article/7659...
Reposted by Megan Howard
In @techpolicypress.bsky.social, I explain why using AI to reform government is much harder than policymakers and technologists assume. It's most directly about DOGE, but also raises warnings about the bipartisan push to adopt AI at all levels of government.
www.techpolicy.press/using-ai-to-...
www.techpolicy.press/using-ai-to-...
Using AI to Reform Government is Much Harder Than it Looks | TechPolicy.Press
Policymakers need to rethink the values that justify government AI adoption in the first place, writes Ben Green.
www.techpolicy.press
June 3, 2025 at 2:14 PM
In @techpolicypress.bsky.social, I explain why using AI to reform government is much harder than policymakers and technologists assume. It's most directly about DOGE, but also raises warnings about the bipartisan push to adopt AI at all levels of government.
www.techpolicy.press/using-ai-to-...
www.techpolicy.press/using-ai-to-...