Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) issued a statement supporting Senator Cory Booker’s (D-NJ) marathon speech opposing President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to dismantle the federal workforce, slash essential programs, and undermine American democracy.
“What Senator Booker has done tonight is a tremendous act of courage, conviction, and resilience,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “His record-breaking floor speech shows the deep commitment he—and so many Congressional Democrats—have to resisting Trump’s relentless assault on the services and benefits that millions of Americans have earned and rely on.”
“Throughout these difficult hours, Booker has shared the stories of thousands of Americans and their loved ones who are now at risk due to President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and damaging actions. Health care and food assistance are on the chopping block. Timely Social Security payments for seniors are threatened. Jobs for our nation’s veterans are caught in Musk’s crosshairs. Education funding that supports students’ futures is being slashed. And today medical research, disease tracking, and food safety are all under siege.”
“The impact of Trump’s policies is felt in every corner of the country—from Newark to Columbus and beyond. The late John Lewis taught us to make ‘good trouble’ in the pursuit of justice. For the past several hours, Senator Booker has done just that—sounding the alarm on the widespread harm caused by the Musk-MAGA takeover of our government.”
“As Chair Emerita of the Congressional Black Caucus, I’m especially proud of what my friend and colleague has done tonight to stand up for the well-being of all Americans.”
A volunteer lays flowers in front of a monument in honor of organ donors during a commemorative event held at a human organ donor memorial park in Kunming, southwest China’s Yunnan province, April 3, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua] The number of registered organ donors in China has exceeded 7.05 million, according to the latest data released by the China Organ Donation Administrative Center. To date, the nation has carried out 58,000 cases of posthumous organ donation, 63,000 body donations and more than 110,000 corneal donations. As a result, the lives of around 170,000 patients with organ failure have been saved and more than 100,000 individuals have regained their eyesight. The data were released during an event aimed at commemorating organ donors and spreading awareness about voluntary organ donation on Tuesday, ahead of this year’s Tomb Sweeping Day on Friday. The event was held by the center in Shenyang, Liaoning province, under the guidance of the Red Cross Society of China and the National Health Commission. To honor organ donors, more than 280 memorial sites have been built across the nation, said the center.
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday joined the entire Senate Democratic Caucus in a letter urging President Donald Trump to rescind his March 27 executive order to end collective bargaining agreements between public employee unions and dozens of federal agencies and bureaus. The senators blasted the move as a “gross overreach” of presidential authority, asserting that the executive order is a clear attempt to gut the federal merit-based civil service and implement a system of political cronyism. They stressed that the order poses a grave threat to the ability of over one million federal workers to carry out their missions and deliver important services for the American people – and thus should be rescinded immediately.
“We write today in outrage over your recent executive order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, a gross overreach of the authority granted in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA). This order is an insult to the hardworking public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people,” the senators began.
“The executive order effectively classifies two thirds of the federal workforce as having national security missions, a blatant misuse of a limited authority intended to provide operational flexibility to address legitimate security needs,” the senators continued. “There is no evidence that the long-standing collective bargaining agreements at these agencies have jeopardized our nation’s security in any way; to the contrary, the protection collective bargaining has provided for employees allows them to conduct their work on behalf of the American people—including blowing the whistle on fraud or abuse—without political interference.”
“This Administration clearly does not have even a basic understanding of the legally binding nature of federal collective bargaining agreements and is actively trying to bend the law to undermine protections for federal civil servants. We urge you to immediately rescind this illegal executive order so that our dedicated public servants can continue to work on behalf of the American public without fear for their job or political retribution,” they concluded.
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also joined the letter.
The letter is endorsed by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Full text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear President Trump:
We write today in outrage over your recent executive order entitled Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs, a gross overreach of the authority granted in the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (CSRA).
This order is an insult to the hardworking public servants who go to work on behalf of the American people. They care for our veterans, deliver disaster assistance, prevent wildfires, help farmers improve crop yields, manage health benefits for 9/11 first responders, research treatments and cures for diseases, keep air travel safe, process tax returns, staff our national parks and much, much more. Nearly one third of these dedicated civil servants are veterans seeking to continue their service to our country out of uniform.
The executive order effectively classifies two thirds of the federal workforce as having national security missions, a blatant misuse of a limited authority intended to provide operational flexibility to address legitimate security needs. The national security exemption has existed for nearly 50 years and has been used only sparingly by Republican and Democratic Administrations—including during your first term—to exclude federal offices with an unquestionable core function in intelligence, counterintelligence, or national security. There is no evidence that the long-standing collective bargaining agreements at these agencies have jeopardized our nation’s security in any way; to the contrary, the protection collective bargaining has provided for employees allows them to conduct their work on behalf of the American people—including blowing the whistle on fraud or abuse—without political interference.
Federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements are critical to ensuring they continue to serve the American people with the peace of mind that comes with being protected from unfair labor practices. Unlike in the private sector, federal employee unions in most cases cannot negotiate pay or benefits, which are set by Congress, and they are legally prohibited from striking. The federal collective bargaining agreements do, however, protect federal employees from illegal firings, retaliation, and discrimination. They also promote resources for whistleblowers and veterans. These federal union contracts give employees in the civil service protections from retaliation so they can serve the American people fairly and effectively without partisan political interference.
This executive order, which ruthlessly strips collective bargaining agreements for over one million federal workers, is the most recent attack your Administration has levied against our merit-based civil service in the effort to cut the workforce and replace them with political cronies. While the CSRA does give the president the authority to limit collective bargaining agreements due to national security concerns, the executive order’s direction to terminate mass swaths of federal employee collective bargaining agreements is clearly intended to broadly dismantle the CSRA, which is specifically designed to grant federal employees the right to collective bargaining as a means to resolve workplace issues while maintaining the smooth functioning of government operations.
When the Secretary of Labor testified in February in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Members of Congress asked her both in-person and through questions for the record whether she and the Administration would commit to honoring all legally binding collective bargaining agreements signed by federal agencies and labor unions, and whether federal employees have the right to organize and collectively bargain without fear of retaliation. The Secretary answered, “if confirmed, I will follow the law and work with the experts at the Department to understand the collective bargaining process at the Department and the terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreements in place.” This Administration clearly does not have even a basic understanding of the legally binding nature of federal collective bargaining agreements and is actively trying to bend the law to undermine protections for federal civil servants.
We urge you to immediately rescind this illegal executive order so that our dedicated public servants can continue to work on behalf of the American public without fear for their job or political retribution.
The move to greater use of Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) as tools for health and safety compliance will allow businesses to confidently mitigate hazards and risks, says the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).
Following the advice contained within these practical guidelines will give businesses confidence that ‘reasonably practicable’ steps have been met.
“It hasn’t always been clear what ‘reasonably practicable’ actually means,” says EMA Manager of Employment Relations and Safety Paul Jarvie.
“As the term underpins all the duties found within the Health and Safety at Work Act and related regulations, this clarity is welcome.”
There are 23 existing ACOPs (asbestos removal, for example) and they allow industry and stakeholder development of best practice, meaning sectors can more quickly adapt to innovation and changes within their individual areas.
These are typically industry-led, but new ones could have WorkSafe and other stakeholder involvement, with the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety having final sign-off.
The EMA believes this approach will ensure industry sectors have ownership of their workplace safety systems, while using industry insights to produce user-friendly and practical sets of guidelines to keep our workers safer.
While the Minister has announced four recommended changes to the health and safety laws in the past few days, the EMA believes there is still more that could be done to bring our rates of workplace harm closer to jurisdictions such as Australia and the United Kingdom.
“When assessed individually the recent changes make good sense, replacing complexity and confusion with more clarity for those affected,” says Jarvie.
“Our workplace safety legislation is largely based on Australian legislation, which is in turn derived from the UK. But our results lag significantly, and we continue to harm or kill too many of our workers.
“Both of those countries have far more detailed and precise regulation to support their legislation.
“During the Minister’s recent roadshow, and in detailed submissions from industry and health and safety professionals, the systemic issues that still face businesses were clearly highlighted.
“The EMA believes there remains a requirement for more detailed regulations, as in other similar countries, and we need a national strategic plan to make workplaces both safer and healthier.”
The additional funding for new workplace inspectors of $2.7 million is a good step, but the cost of workplace harm is $4.9 billion annually.
“We need to stabilise WorkSafe NZ and give it a clear mandate to work with businesses on making the workplace safer and to be a modern regulator – not just focussed on non-compliance and enforcement,” says Jarvie.
“We have to accept that we are still not doing workplace health and safety well enough, and we need to be better – for the sake of our workforce and their families.”
Source:Te Hiringa Mahara – Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
At the five- year mark, the Access and Choice Programme has proved to be a valuable addition to the mental health, addiction and wellbeing support services available to people throughout the country.
Today Te Hiringa Mahara – the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission released a report that documents progress establishing the programme, with recommendations on how to ensure it reaches its full potential.
“The introduction of the Access and Choice programme has filled gap in support and has substantially increased access for people seeking help for mild to moderate mental health, addiction and wellbeing issues. The programme is a good investment, but efforts to reach more people need to be intensified,” said Karen Orsborn, Chief Executive Officer.
During 2023-24, over 207,000 people have accessed support, with over 1.6 million sessions completed across the country since establishment.
“There has been very positive feedback from those accessing the services. The impact of reaching people early is a huge net positive for Aotearoa; not just for those who need it, but for our health system, our workforce, and for New Zealand as a whole,” Ms Orsborn said.
The programme has improved access to primary mental health care. It includes specific services to meet the needs of rangatahi and young people, Māori and Pacific peoples. This is in line with levels of need experienced by these population groups. One marker of need is rates of moderate levels psychological distress. This is highest for young people aged 15-24 years (23.6%), Māori adults (22.5%), and Pacific adults (20.5%).
“We are encouraged that the programme ensures population groups with the highest levels of need are offered tailored services. This is key to the success of the programme.”
“There is more work to do for the programme to reach its full potential. We have noted some regional variations, and the number being seen falls short of the goal of 325,000 people,” Ms Orsborn said.
“While the programme has positive impacts, to be fully realised there needs to be focused effort. This will take greater flexibility of delivery modes, including offering virtual services, increased productivity and recruitment, and, most essentially, to sustain funding.”
One-fifth (20.2 per cent) of all people using Access and Choice services is aged 12-24 (equivalent to nearly 42,000 young people),
“Because rangatahi and young people experience high rates of psychological distress it’s vital there are services available that meet their needs. Therefore it’s a promising sign to see the rate at which young people are accessing services throughout the country,” Ms Orsborn said.
General practice owners encourage Health Minister Simeon Brown to read and act on a report which lists the many benefits of investing in primary healthcare.
The NZ Initiative report correctly concludes that a strong, accessible, and equitable primary care system will improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the quality of life for all New Zealanders.
“The Heart of Healthcare: Renewing New Zealand’s Primary Care System is a considered analysis of the history which led to the current crisis in primary healthcare, explains the reasons why it’s this bad, and suggests ways to fix it. The General Practice Owners Association agrees with many parts of report, which is a valuable addition to the discussion,” said Dr Angus Chambers, Chair of GenPro..
Areas of agreement are that:
General practice directly saves lives, extends life spans, and generates substantial economic benefits. Any attempt to reform primary care without considering the complexity of GP work, their extensive training requirements, and the importance of sustained doctor-patient relationships will fail to build a sustainable GP workforce.
The current state of the GP workforce demands immediate and comprehensive action to ensure the sustainability of New Zealand’s primary healthcare system and the wellbeing of both practitioners and patients.
The current primary care funding model in New Zealand is contributing to widening health inequities, reduced access to care, and increased pressure on hospital services.
Other reforms should enhance IT systems, improve access and equity, embrace innovation while maintaining continuity of care, support GPs to prevent burnout, and strengthen the connection between primary and secondary care.
“Patients are fed up with waiting weeks to see a GP, their local GP closing down or restricting services, not being able to enrol at a local GP, and very short consultations. The NZ Initiative report is right to define the problems and focus on how to improve the situation,” Dr Chambers said.
GenPro looks forward to working with the Minister of Health to find ways to improve primary healthcare to enhance patient outcomes.
GenPro members are owners and providers of general practices and urgent care centres throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. For more information visit www.genpro.org.nz
BusinessNZ says a sharper focus on Approved Codes of Practice will make health and safety management stronger and simpler.
Approved Codes of Practice will become more important under coming changes to health and safety legislation, and complying with a Code will be sufficient for a workplace to be deemed to be complying with its health and safety duties.
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Katherine Rich says the changes will better support health and safety management.
“Currently, it’s not clear to workplaces whether they are compliant with health and safety regulations or not, because of unclear wording in the Health and Safety at Work Act. The Act says workplaces must do what is ‘reasonably practicable’ to manage risks – but it’s not clear what ‘reasonably practicable’ actually means.
“This lack of clarity means at present workplaces over-comply with the law, just to be on the safe side. Workplaces often hire health and safety consultants and spend significant resources just to make sure they are compliant.
“Changing the regime so that compliance with an Approved Code of Practice will be sufficient to fulfil a workplace’s health and safety duties will be welcomed by businesses.
“Also welcome is the proposal to allow industry associations to draft new Codes of Practice for their sector, for approval by the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety.
“This is sensible regulatory change that will bring improved health and safety outcomes for New Zealand businesses.”
The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)
“Firing 10,000 of our nation’s top scientists, doctors, and public health experts is not reform—it’s sabotage. Trump, Musk, and Kennedy Jr.’s reckless purge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is gutting the agency American families rely on to stop disease outbreaks, develop new treatments, and save lives. With these dangerous firings, our government is losing generations of talented researchers, doctors, epidemiologists, and public health professionals—people who have dedicated their lives to advancing medical science and protecting the public. Their departure will set back lifesaving research and likely delay cures for diseases we’ve spent decades fighting.
“With regional offices shuttering, every community—urban, rural, red or blue—will feel the consequences. Fewer staff means longer delays for approvals, slower responses to health crises, and higher costs as the remaining workforce is stretched thin and forced to travel farther to get critical work done.
“Democrats will not stand by while America’s health infrastructure is dismantled. We will fight these dangerous cuts in Congress and in the courts.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)
WASHINGTON, DC — Congressman Paul D. Tonko (NY-20) released the following statement lambasting the Trump administration for eliminating the entire staff at the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as part of the massive and devastating cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The Home Energy Assistance Program provides relief for millions of American families that struggle to afford their utility bills. Over my years in Congress, I’ve worked to deliver HEAP funding to our Capital Region time and again to ensure our neighbors don’t have to choose between keeping the lights on or paying for food, medicine, and other daily essentials. This latest action from the Trump administration to eliminate the employees who deliver this aid is beyond callous. These cuts will rip away a lifeline for families across our Capital Region, New York State, and the nation. It is clear that Trump, Musk, RFK, and the GOP do not care about whether or not families can keep the power on — their focus remains bankrolling tax breaks for their billionaire friends.
“In the face of this cruelty, I’ll not stop my efforts to combat these cuts and deliver meaningful relief for American families struggling to pay their utilities, as with my bipartisan Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act. I encourage all my colleagues to join me in this work to preserve these proven energy affordability programs that support our communities.”
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)
Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led a group of 33 House Democrats in pressing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers after the sudden shutdown of five regional Head Start Offices. The closures come on the heels of a major agency reorganization and reduction in force that led to 10,000 layoffs on Monday. In the letter, the lawmakers raise concerns about the lack of warning or transition plan and the potential impact on children and families who rely on the program. “The abrupt closures—without a clearly communicated transition plan—puts services and education for our nation’s most vulnerable children and families at risk,” the lawmakers wrote. Head Start is a federal program that provides early childhood education, health care, and family services at no cost to low-income children across the country. The letter stresses the essential role regional offices play in helping local Head Start centers access federal support and navigate complex regulations and that the closures will jeopardize vital services. “Removing these support structures without an alternative plan or clear communication on the impact jeopardizes the reliability and quality of services that so many families depend on,” the lawmakers continued. The group is asking Secretary Kennedy to respond by April 7 with answers to the following:
What criteria were used to decide which regional offices to close?
When were staff informed that their offices would be shutting down?
What is the Department’s plan to support Head Start providers in the wake of these closures, and how will that be communicated to states and local communities?
“All children deserve quality education and services to support their early development during the most crucial years of childhood,” the lawmakers wrote. “An investment in Head Start and the regional offices that support them should remain a top priority.” For a full copy of the letter, clickhere.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jason Smith (8th District of Missouri)
WASHINGTON – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (Mo.) released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order directing the Departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services to implement and enforce President Trump’s health care price transparency regulations:
“Over the last four years, soaring health care costs driven by out-of-control inflation have put a heavy strain on American families. President Trump understands that one of the ways we can bring down costs is by strengthening the right of patients to know the actual price they will pay before they step foot in a doctor’s office, fill a prescription, or schedule a procedure. Last Congress, the Ways and Means Committee held hearings to examine the ways price transparency can lower costs and enhance care quality for patients. Unfortunately, the Biden administration failed to hold hospitals and health insurers accountable, forcing Congress to take matters into our own hands and advance legislation to improve health care transparency for patients. This executive order is a welcome step to building on President Trump’s price transparency rule from his first term and House Republican efforts from last Congress. By increasing transparency and accountability, we can drive down costs and put patients back in control of their health care.”
Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston says opening a second multi-million dollar funding round for regional tourism will drive economic growth.
“We know a successful tourism and hospitality sector is crucial for growing our economy,” Louise Upston says.
“Tourism is a crucial part of this Government’s focus on economic growth, with domestic and international tourism expenditure at almost $38 billion and supporting nearly 200,000 jobs
“We also know we need to see visitors in regions outside our main cities, and outside peak periods. Hosting exciting local events is one of the best ways we can do this.
“Today I’m pleased to be announcing that regional tourism organisations will have a pool of $2.45 million to pitch to from the Regional Events Promotion Fund.
“Regions with big ideas can reach out straight away. As Minister, I’m always looking forward to working closely with the sector to help maximise the benefits of tourism and hospitality and support the workforce to grow.
“All ideas are up for discussion, as we reinforce the message that New Zealand is open for business and ready to welcome visitors from home and overseas.
“In this second round, I’m particularly keen to encourage regions which might not traditionally have seen a high volume of domestic tourists to host events which will drive spending and activity in their communities.
“This is the latest in our push to support the tourism sector, including:
$500,000 for marketing New Zealand as the ‘go now’ destination for Australians
$30 million to support conservation visitor related experiences
$9 million for Great Rides cycle infrastructure
$3 million from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy to secure more business events for New Zealand
“2025 is our chance to reinforce the value of tourism and show what our humming, vibrant country has on show. New Zealand tourism is open for business,” Louise Upston said during comments to the University of Otago Tourism Policy School in Queenstown.
The first round of funding for the Regional Events Promotion Fund saw 132 events approved, with $2.375 million allocated.
Applications for the second round of funding are open now with decisions expected to be made in May 2025.
New data highlights that while the Government’s commitment to health targets continues to stabilise the health system, increased service delivery is required to get on top of waitlists, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Ensuring all Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government. I am encouraged by Health New Zealand’s release of second quarter 2024/25 results today, which show improvements in three of the five health targets,” Mr Brown says.“Wait times in emergency departments continue to reduce, with 72.1 per cent of patients being admitted or discharged within six hours, an improvement from 67.4 per cent in the previous quarter.“Access to faster cancer care continues to improve, with 85.9 per cent of patients receiving treatment within 31 days – just 0.1 per cent away from the yearly milestone. “And more children are now fully immunised, with 77 per cent of two-year-olds being immunised in the second quarter of this year, up from 75.7 per cent in the previous quarter.”The data also confirms that more work is needed to get on top of waitlists for those waiting over four months for elective treatment and first specialist assessments, which grew by 2,500 per cent and 6,400 per cent respectively under the previous government.“While performance declined for the elective treatment and first specialist assessment targets, more was delivered by Health New Zealand in 2024, with more Kiwis having their elective surgeries and first specialist assessments than previous years.
2021 2022 2023 2024
Total first specialist assessments delivered* 608,384 567,901 608,027 624,202
Total elective care delivered 320,328 305,310 338,692 341,276
“However, more people are being added to waitlists than who are receiving treatment or assessments, which means there is still significant work required to improve the pace at which elective treatment and first specialist assessments are being delivered.“Delivering more at a faster rate than patients are added to waitlists is key to reducing waitlists and wait times.“That’s why I recently announced the elective boost, partnering with private hospitals to maximise operating capacity and expand procedures. This initiative will deliver 10,579 additional procedures by mid-year, with 2,000 already completed, including cataracts, hip, and knee replacements.“We are reducing specialist assessment delays by improving waitlist management, expanding service models, and implementing initiatives like AI diabetes retinal screening and Kaitaia’s complete cataract care pathway to free up waitlists.“To further ease pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, our Government is taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and expanding primary healthcare options.“The Government is investing more than ever into our health system – a record $30 billion each year – and we expect it to deliver more for patients as a result.“By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver the healthcare New Zealanders need in a timely and quality manner,” Mr Brown says.
* First specialist assessment data for 2024 excludes the Auckland district.
Sadly, a woman in her 80s has died after a single-vehicle crash at Devonport. Police and emergency services were called to the Bass Highway about 6.30am Thursday after reports a vehicle had rolled. A woman – who was a passenger in the vehicle – sadly died at the scene. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the North West Regional Hospital for treatment. Investigations into the crash are ongoing, and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. Our thoughts are with the woman’s family and loved ones at this difficult time. Anyone with information should contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today led all House Democrats from New Jersey in sending a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., urging him to reverse the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind $11.4 billion in federal public health funding—including $350 million allocated to New Jersey. Pallone’s letter was signed by NJ Representatives Menendez, Watson Coleman, Sherrill, Conaway, Pou, McIver, Gottheimer, and Norcross.
The lawmakers warned that the cuts would severely weaken New Jersey’s public health infrastructure, including efforts to prevent disease outbreaks, expand access to addiction and mental health treatment, and support a stable health care workforce. The funding, originally authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic, has become a critical lifeline for state and local health departments.
“If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government’s ability to respond to future health crises,” the delegation wrote.
New Jersey is already seeing the consequences of eroded public health protections. On March 28, the state Department of Health issued a warning that a person infected with measles may have exposed others at a Mercer County emergency room—one of hundreds of new cases reported nationwide this year. Measles, once declared eliminated in the U.S., is now back, fueled by anti-vaccine misinformation and public distrust sown by Donald Trump and Secretary Kennedy himself.
Pallone is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal public health programs.
A full copy of Pallone’s letter is availablehereand below:
We write to express our deep concern and strong opposition to the recent decision to revoke $11.4 billion in federal funding for health programs across the United States, including $350 million in critical public health funding for New Jersey.[1]These cuts will have severe consequences for addiction treatment, mental health services, and infectious disease prevention in our state. We urge the Administration to reverse this decision and restore the funding to ensure the health and well-being of our communities.
These federal funds have been instrumental in strengthening our public health infrastructure, which was critically under-resourced before the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]Contrary to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) assertion that these funds were exclusively for pandemic-related responses, they are used for a wide range of essential health programs in New Jersey, including:
Infectious Disease Monitoring and Prevention: These funds have enabled state and local health departments to track and respond to outbreaks of flu, RSV, measles, tuberculosis, and bird flu. The sudden elimination of this funding will severely weaken our ability to monitor and contain infectious diseases, placing vulnerable populations at significant risk.
Mental Health and Addiction Treatment: At a time when opioid overdoses remain a leading cause of preventable death, New Jersey has used these funds to expand access to counseling, treatment, and harm reduction services. These efforts have contributed to a decrease in overdose deaths from 3,171 in 2022 to 2,816 in 2023[3]. Cutting these funds threatens to reverse this progress and exacerbate the opioid crisis.
Public Health Workforce and Infrastructure: The loss of $350 million in funding will likely lead to job losses within the New Jersey Department of Health, Department of Human Services, local health departments, and contracted health service providers. These cuts will not only impact employment but will also reduce the capacity of health professionals to respond to ongoing and emerging health threats.
These cuts are occurring alongside anticipated reductions in Medicaid funding and medical research grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), further compounding the strain on New Jersey’s health care system. Medicaid provides critical health care access to low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.[4]Any reduction in funding will place an additional financial burden on hospitals and health care providers, forcing them to cut services or shift costs to state and local governments.
The Department of Health and Human Services has justified these cuts by stating that ”the COVID-19 pandemic is over.”[5]However, this funding has long since evolved and has been approved beyond pandemic response and become a cornerstone of public health programs that protect the most vulnerable and ensure public safety. The reality is that infectious disease outbreaks, mental health crises, and addiction epidemics are ongoing public health emergencies that require sustained investment.
If these cuts are allowed to proceed, the consequences will be severe and immediate. Health programs will be dismantled, services will be terminated midstream, and the burden of these cuts will fall disproportionately on low-income communities, seniors, and individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorders. In addition, closing regional HHS offices and laying off thousands of public health professionals will weaken the federal government’s ability to respond to future health crises.[6]
We strongly urge you to reconsider this decision and reinstate this funding in full. Public health should not be a partisan issue—investments in health infrastructure save lives, reduce long-term health care costs, and ensure that states have the resources necessary to address ongoing and emerging health threats. New Jersey, like many other states, cannot afford to bear the consequences of these ill-advised cuts.
We hope you will recognize the critical need for this funding and take immediate action to reverse this decision. We stand ready to work together to ensure that all Americans have access to the health care services they need and deserve.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed onto a letter, led by Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy condemning the cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that include terminating 10,000 employees and dismantling or consolidating several health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The HHS is integral to protecting the health of Americans and providing critical services and resources, including Medicare and Medicaid, food and drug safety, and medical.
“My constituents are calling my offices every day outraged by the ridiculous firings under the Trump administration, including from those unfairly dismissed after years of dedicated public service,” Rep. Meeks said. “It is clear that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Secretary Kennedy are indifferent to the harmful impact these funding cuts will have on Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services was created to protect public welfare—not to undermine access to quality health care.”
The 10,000 HHS workers being fired include the removal of 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees from the CDC, 1,200 employees from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Congressman Meeks calls for the reversal of these firings and dismantling of the existing agencies within HHS.
The members wrote in the letter:
“Make no mistake, we have no faith that these drastic cuts will benefit the American people. We are concerned that this will ultimately lead to slowdowns in service, approvals, and research, and impacts to public health response capabilities.”
“Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare services and funding provided by HHS and its affiliates. Any delay in these services and funding would have drastic consequences for our most marginalized communities. Despite claims that FDA layoffs will not impact inspectors or drug, medical device, or food reviewers, prior layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the FDA are reported to already have caused staff to struggle to meet deadlines.”
“As Black and brown communities continue to face severe healthcare disparities, it is crucial that access to affordable healthcare is not reduced in any way, but rather prioritized and improved, and research is undertaken to develop tailored solutions to these problems Moreover, in light of pervasive attempts to restrict access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women, LGBTQ+ communities, and people of color, and increasing racial gaps in maternal health outcomes, your efforts to further deprioritize these offices is likely to further deprive our constituents of healthcare targeted to their needs, including HIV/AIDS care, maternal healthcare, minority healthcare, and women’s healthcare.”
“Given the Trump Administration’s broad intentions to eviscerate civil rights protections to harm Black and brown communities, as well as proposals to slash funding for social safety net programs, we have no faith that this restructure will result in improved protections for our constituents’ civil rights or their hard-earned and critically needed medical coverage.”
The letter was signed by the following members: Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-8), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Henry Johnson (GA-4), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-7), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-at large), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Eleanor Norton (DC-at large), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-7), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).
Recent media coverage in the Nine newspapers highlights a surge in non-medical ultrasound providers offering “reassurance ultrasounds” to expectant parents.
The service has resulted in serious harms, such as misdiagnosed ectopic pregnancies and undetected fetal abnormalities, according to the reports.
So why do some women choose additional ultrasounds? And how can you tell if you should trust the person providing your ultrasound?
What are reassurance scans?
Reassurance scans are a type of non-medical elective or “entertainment” ultrasound some women seek in addition to their routine first- and second-trimester scans.
Reassurance scans are marketed as a way to “give you peace of mind” about your baby’s development, or to assure you “everything is progressing as it should” if you’re not due for a routine scan.
They’re also called souvenir, boutique or keepsake ultrasounds, because these business typically sell memento packages. These often include so-called 4D images: renderings combined with the fourth dimension of time to show movement.
Some businesses offer gender identification information, sometimes with “gender-reveal” party accessories, as well as audio recordings of the fetal heartbeat.
Why do women get them?
Detailed interview studies have explored why ultrasound images beyond the routine scans are so popular.
Many expecting parents want to learn the fetal sex as early as possible, seek reassurance, see the facial features of their future child and acquire keepsake images.
Rather than trivialising the “entertainment” value of these services, some argue obstetricians could learn from the service, thus improving patient satisfaction during obstetric imaging.
Professional organisations have denounced these businesses for misleading consumers with false reassurances. As these scans aren’t checked by a clinician, these operators cannot give reliable assurances.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates the supply of medical devices. It registers them, classifies them according to their risk and sometimes attaches conditions to their use.
Last year, the TGA de-registered several handheld devices used to detect fetal heartbeats during pregnancy without health practitioner supervision.
The decision followed a post-market review that found expectant parents had been falsely reassured by the devices themselves or by untrained people using them in home settings.
However, no such review has been conducted for portable ultrasound devices.
While removing devices from the register in this manner may limit consumer access, it is not a “product recall” and would not prevent the continued sale of second-hand devices.
These days it’s normal to share ultrasound images on social media. fizkes/Shutterstock
Who can perform ultrasounds?
While some specialist health practitioners may perform ultrasounds (such as obstetricians holding a relevant certificate), most diagnostic imaging specialists are sonographers.
But there is no sonography registration board to receive complaints about sonographers or take disciplinary action against them. This sets sonographers apart from registered health practitioners such as doctors, nurses and pharmacists.
This could make sonographers more clearly identifiable through title protections, ensure poorly performing sonographers are disciplined and allow for consistent national standards.
However, it would not stop unregistered people from providing non-medical ultrasounds.
So how can you tell if your provider is a sonographer?
One clear signal that a provider is offering a non-diagnostic ultrasound is that no Medicare subsidy is on offer.
Australian providers conducting imaging without accreditation must inform consumers of their non-accreditedstatus and confirm no Medicare benefit is payable.
You can make complaints to state-based health complaints bodies. The Health Care Complaints Commission in New South Wales, for example, can investigate complaints about sonographers as non-registered health practitioners and consider the relevant code of conduct.
When a sonographer is found to have acted improperly, or to pose a health or safety risk, these complaints bodies may issue orders prohibiting the sonographer from providing any health services for a specified period.
Australian consumer law is another way authorities may crack down on unscrupulous providers. In 2015, a person was prosecuted in Western Australia after selling identical images to six women who received non-medical ultrasounds in their homes.
Her offences involved making false or misleading claims and accepting money for services not provided.
If non-medical imaging providers make misleading claims, including about the level of clinical reassurance a non-diagnostic scan can provide, you can report them to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission.
The author was employed as a research officer at the Medical Council of New South Wales in 2018.
Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
Grant Awarded
Recipient
Project Description
$1,515,421.77
Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District
This grant will provide federal funding for equipment replacement at Hewitt-Robbins Ship Loader #1 damaged by Hurricane Laura.
$1,725,740.10
West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to hospital buildings damaged by Hurricane Laura.
$6,209,552.39
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for management costs associated with recovery projects following Hurricane Ida.
$1,312,558.39
Orleans Levee District Non-Flood Protection Asset Management Authority
This grant will provide federal funding for permanent repairs to South Shore Harbor facilities damaged by Hurricane Ida.
$13,358,873.33
St. John the Baptist Parish
This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Laura.
$1,562,359.50
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
This grant will provide federal funding for debris removal operations following Hurricane Ida.
$5,286,570.30
Terrebonne Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
$1,415,716.20
Jefferson Parish School Board
This grant will provide federal funding for repair costs resulting from Hurricane Ida.
Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
Mullin, Padilla, Tillis Introduce the Ensuring Access to Specialty Care Everywhere Act
Washington, D.C. – Today,U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Alex Padilla (D-CA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Ensuring Access to Specialty Care Everywhere (EASE) Act, legislation that will increase access to specialty care for rural and underserved Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) patients.
The U.S. House companion of this bipartisan bill was introduced by Reps. Jodey Arrington (R-TX) and Andrea Salinas (D-OR).
“Rural communities are disproportionately impacted by clinician shortages, an aging population, and transportation hurdles, which decrease individuals’ access to specialty care,” said Senator Mullin. “Harnessing the power of telehealth will address these needs and increase access to quality health care, of which many patients are in desperate need. I am glad to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bill to ensure access to quality health care regardless of a patients’ zip code.”
“Everyone deserves access to quality, efficient health care. However, people in rural communities often face unacceptable barriers to care, including unsustainably high wait times and impossibly long drives to connect with specialists,” said Senator Padilla. “Our bipartisan EASE Act would expand telehealth capabilities so rural communities can access specialty care, allowing for earlier intervention and reducing unnecessary emergency visits.”
“Telehealth has become an invaluable tool in increasing access to quality care for all Americans,” said Senator Tillis. “However, too many individuals in rural and underserved communities still face serious challenges in accessing specialty care, which results in worse outcomes and higher costs. This legislation leverages technology to create a virtual specialty network to ensure everyone – regardless of location – receives the necessary care when and where they need it.”
“The National Rural Health Association applauds Senators Mullin and Padilla and Representatives Arrington, Salinas, and LaHood and for the introduction of the EASE Act. A shortage of health care providers in rural areas means that patients can often have long wait times and challenges accessing needed specialty care. The EASE Act is an innovative piece of legislation that would leverage virtual technologies to reduce wait times, overcome geographic barriers, and improve care for rural Americans,” Alan Morgan, National Rural Health Association.
“We need to rethink how we ensure Rural America’s access to specialty care. The EASE Act is an innovative and cost-effective way to provide reliable and integrated access to specialists. OCHIN applauds Senators Mullin and Padilla for championing bi-partisan solutions that will redesign how high-quality care is delivered,” Jennifer Stoll, Chief External Affairs Officer at OCHIN.
The EASE Act is supported by the following groups: National Rural Health Association, America’s Health Centers (AHC), National Association of Community Health Centers, City of Hope Cancer Centers, American Podiatric Medical Association, Society of Interventional Radiology, Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, ATA Action, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, American Alliance of Orthopedic Executives, and LIBRE.
Read more about the EASE Act in the Washington Examiner.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democrats across the country, as well as health care providers and advocates, are highlighting the negative impacts that face seniors, children, and working parents if the House Republican budget becomes law. Republicans’ budget sets up billions of dollars of cuts to Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.
“House Republicans are using their majority to serve their wealthy donors at the expense of working families, children, and seniors,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The budget Republicans passed in February could cut Medicaid by as much as $880 billion, which would weaken a critical healthcare lifeline that over a million Minnesotans rely on.”
“Nearly 1.3 million Minnesotans—about one quarter of our state—rely on Medicaid,” said Congresswoman McCollum in a statement following a vote on the budget in February. “A cut of this magnitude would have severe consequences for our entire population. Here in the Fourth District, 54,000 Minnesotans rely on SNAP to put food on the table. 172,000 rely on Medicaid for healthcare access, including nearly 90,000 children on CHIP. The health and well-being of our communities are under attack by this Republican majority. I will continue to oppose all Republican efforts to take away food, healthcare, and basic government services that Minnesotans rely on.”
To highlight the importance of Medicaid to East Metro residents and Minnesotans living in every corner of the state, Congresswoman McCollum called upon leaders in healthcare, homecare, labor unions, and disability advocacy to share how Medicaid cuts would impact their work and harm Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance.
“Cutting federal Medicaid funding will have a significant impact on Minnesota children with complex medical conditions and disabilities,” said Barbara Joers, President and CEO of Gillette Children’s Hospital. “These children often rely on Medicaid for access to necessary healthcare services, therapies, medications, medical equipment, and home-based care. Cuts to Medicaid would result in reduced coverage, limited access to specialists, longer wait times for services, and decreased quality of care for these at-risk populations.”
Congresswoman McCollum visited President Joers at Gillette Children’s on Tuesday morning for a discussion on how Medicaid cuts could impact patients.
Click here to watch.
“Medicaid plays a crucial role in ensuring that every child has access to the quality healthcare they need,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, President and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “At Children’s Minnesota, we see firsthand the profound impact of Medicaid. Nearly half of the patients we serve rely on Medicaid, which helps set up kids for a lifetime of success by providing access to essential preventative care, such as check-ups and vaccines, and effective treatment for chronic conditions. This proactive approach prevents more serious health issues that ultimately cost society more in the long run. Cutting Medicaid threatens access to these essential services for the kids and families we serve. An investment in Medicaid is an investment in our children, and ultimately an investment in a healthier future for all.”
“Many older adults and people with disabilities count on support through the Medicaid program when they’re unable to receive life-sustaining supports elsewhere,” said Kathy Messerli, Executive Director, MN Home Care Association (MHCA). “Chronic underfunding of these essential home and community-based services has already led to the closure of agencies in Minnesota and resulted in worse and at times no access to care for people who need it. Further cuts will lead to more Minnesotans without access to care or turning to safety net hospitals, which shifts the government costs to a more expensive setting.”
Medicaid is a lifeline for Minnesotans with disabilities. Sumer Spika, a mother and home care worker from St. Paul with SEIU Healthcare MN & IA, shared what Medicaid cuts would mean to thousands of families like hers.
“As a mother and a longtime home care worker who provided support for a wonderful young woman named Jayla for over a decade, when I think of potential cuts I think, ‘what would Jayla do without Medicaid?’ If there was no funding, it would mean there would be no care for her and no access to equipment that allowed her to live her life,” said Spika. “Medicaid meant not just a person to help with her care, it meant things like hearing aids and fire alarms that have flashing lights because she can’t hear. It meant getting care for a heart disorder. It means a lifeline and coverage for millions of people. The thought of cutting even one penny to give tax breaks for billionaires is so offensive I can’t believe it is even being considered.”
“Medicaid allows people with disabilities to work, participate in community activities, volunteer and do everything other people often take for granted,” said Linda Wolford, M.S., Government Relations Director at the Minnesota Council on Disability. “Also, the direct care workers who provide care to people with disabilities contribute to the economy as Medicaid funding provides them with jobs. The unemployment rate would also likely increase if Medicaid payments are reduced or cut off as there are thousands of people who work in the service delivery system for people with disabilities and seniors.”
MINNESOTA MEDICAID SNAPSHOT:
1,184,597 Minnesotans are enrolled in Minnesota’s Medicaid program, known as Medical Assistance
33% of births in Minnesota are covered by Medicaid
1 in 3 Minnesota children are covered by Medicaid
5 in 9 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid
1 in 3 working age adults are covered by Medicaid
In MN-04, the 172,477 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget. This includes 89,871 children under the age of 19 and 14,000 seniors over 65 in MN-04.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democrats across the country, as well as health care providers and advocates, are highlighting the negative impacts that face seniors, children, and working parents if the House Republican budget becomes law. Republicans’ budget sets up billions of dollars of cuts to Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.
“House Republicans are using their majority to serve their wealthy donors at the expense of working families, children, and seniors,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The budget Republicans passed in February could cut Medicaid by as much as $880 billion, which would weaken a critical healthcare lifeline that over a million Minnesotans rely on.”
“Nearly 1.3 million Minnesotans—about one quarter of our state—rely on Medicaid,” said Congresswoman McCollum in a
statement
following a vote on the budget in February. “A cut of this magnitude would have severe consequences for our entire population. Here in
To highlight the importance of Medicaid to East Metro residents and Minnesotans living in every corner of the state, Congresswoman McCollum called upon leaders in healthcare, homecare, labor unions, and disability advocacy to share how Medicaid cuts would impact their work and harm Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance.
“Cutting federal Medicaid funding will have a significant impact on Minnesota children with complex medical conditions and disabilities,” said Barbara Joers, President and CEO of Gillette Children’s Hospital. “These children often rely on Medicaid for access to necessary healthcare services, therapies, medications, medical equipment, and home-based care. Cuts to Medicaid would result in reduced coverage, limited access to specialists, longer wait times for services, and decreased quality of care for these at-risk populations.”
Congresswoman McCollum visited President Joers at Gillette Children’s on Tuesday morning for a discussion on how Medicaid cuts could impact patients.
Click here to watch.
“Medicaid plays a crucial role in ensuring that every child has access to the quality healthcare they need,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, President and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “At Children’s Minnesota, we see firsthand the profound impact of Medicaid. Nearly half of the patients we serve rely on Medicaid, which helps set up kids for a lifetime of success by providing access to essential preventative care, such as check-ups and vaccines, and effective treatment for chronic conditions. This proactive approach prevents more serious health issues that ultimately cost society more in the long run. Cutting Medicaid threatens access to these essential services for the kids and families we serve. An investment in Medicaid is an investment in our children, and ultimately an investment in a healthier future for all.”
“Many older adults and people with disabilities count on support through the Medicaid program when they’re unable to receive life-sustaining supports elsewhere,” said Kathy Messerli, Executive Director, MN Home Care Association (MHCA). “Chronic underfunding of these essential home and community-based services has already led to the closure of agencies in Minnesota and resulted in worse and at times no access to care for people who need it. Further cuts will lead to more Minnesotans without access to care or turning to safety net hospitals, which shifts the government costs to a more expensive setting.”
Medicaid is a lifeline for Minnesotans with disabilities. Sumer Spika, a mother and home care worker from St. Paul with SEIU Healthcare MN & IA, shared what Medicaid cuts would mean to thousands of families like hers.
“As a mother and a longtime home care worker who provided support for a wonderful young woman named Jayla for over a decade, when I think of potential cuts I think, ‘what would Jayla do without Medicaid?’ If there was no funding, it would mean there would be no care for her and no access to equipment that allowed her to live her life,” said Spika. “Medicaid meant not just a person to help with her care, it meant things like hearing aids and fire alarms that have flashing lights because she can’t hear. It meant getting care for a heart disorder. It means a lifeline and coverage for millions of people. The thought of cutting even one penny to give tax breaks for billionaires is so offensive I can’t believe it is even being considered.”
“Medicaid allows people with disabilities to work, participate in community activities, volunteer and do everything other people often take for granted,” said Linda Wolford, M.S., Government Relations Director at the Minnesota Council on Disability. “Also, the direct care workers who provide care to people with disabilities contribute to the economy as Medicaid funding provides them with jobs. The unemployment rate would also likely increase if Medicaid payments are reduced or cut off as there are thousands of people who work in the service delivery system for people with disabilities and seniors.”
MINNESOTA MEDICAID SNAPSHOT:
1,184,597 Minnesotans are enrolled in Minnesota’s Medicaid program, known as Medical Assistance
33% of births in Minnesota are covered by Medicaid
1 in 3 Minnesota children are covered by Medicaid
5 in 9 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid
1 in 3 working age adults are covered by Medicaid
In MN-04, the 172,477 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget. This includes 89,871 children under the age of 19 and 14,000 seniors over 65 in MN-04.
CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, monitoring and regulating the international movement of items made from protected species. CITES ensures the long-term survival of these species is not threatened.
Mark Ryan, DOC’s Border Operations Team Lead, says the recently compiled CITES statistics show the level of seizures and surrenders is returning to pre-COVID levels, with around 6,337 CITES-listed items seized or surrendered at the border in 2024 (up from 6,278 for 2023, and 3,060 surrenders and seizures in 2022).
“We are seeing seizures and surrenders begin to increase again, although we’ve not yet reached the pre-COVID levels – in 2019 for example, we had more than 8,700 CITES items seized or surrendered,” says Mark.
“Although corals, clams, and medicine still dominate the CITES items coming in, 2024 saw an array of exotic food items and leather goods carried by in-bound passengers or shipped by importers.”
Among the 1,144 food items seized or surrendered was a large volume of crocodile jerky – much of it from Australian crocodile farms – and a few cans of whale and bear meat with elaborate label art. Shark and turtle meat were also among the items seized or surrendered in 2024.
“Although the packaging of the bear meat suggests it may have been legal to purchase it in the country of origin, the importer still needed the correct CITES permits to bring it into New Zealand,” says Mark.
Fashion products made from the leather of protected species also feature in the 2024 CITES seizures and surrenders, including handbags, purses, and footwear made from python or crocodile skin.
Although some items may be worth hundreds of dollars and legally purchased overseas, this does not exempt them from needing a CITES permit when coming into New Zealand. Mark says CITES works at the level of species, and is not determined by the value of an item.
“We appreciate these types of fashion items and accessories are treasured by their owners, but anyone planning on bringing them into New Zealand should check the CITES rules and ensure they have the correct permit.”
Other unusual items seized or surrendered since the start of 2024 include dried sea horses, hippopotamus teeth, and the skull and tail of a lynx. CITES also covers items such as elephant ivory carvings, some insect species, and more than 34,000 plants.
More information
The main CITES seizure/surrender events in 2024 involved:
Coral (raw) – 1,678 seizures/surrenders
Medicine – 1,254 seizures/surrenders
Shells – 1,253 seizures/surrenders
Meats – 1,144 seizures/surrenders (most of these are crocodile jerky)
DOC has an entire section of its website dedicated to CITES, and anyone planning on travelling overseas is urged to familiarise themselves with the CITES rules.
DOC carries out a range of outreach activities, education, and publicity work to support its CITES responsibilities.
New Zealand has the highest proportion of threatened native species compared to anywhere else in the world – more than 4,000 are threatened or at risk of extinction.
It’s not just a few unique species – 72% of our birds, 84% of our plants, 88% of our fish, and 100% of our reptiles are only found in Aotearoa New Zealand. Trade represents a threat for some of these species.
Having the freedom to choose your own health care provider is something many Americans take for granted. But the Supreme Court is weighing whether people who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance have that right, and if they do – is it enforceable by law?
“There’s a right, and the right is the right to choose your doctor,” said Justice Elena Kagan on April 2, 2025, during oral arguments on the case. John J. Bursch, the Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer who is representing South Carolina Director of Health and Human Services Eunice Medina, countered that none of the words in the underlying statute had what he called a “rights-creating pedigree.”
The case started with Julie Edwards, who is enrolled in Medicaid and lives in South Carolina. After she struggled to get contraceptive services, she was able to receive care from a Planned Parenthood South Atlantic clinic in Columbia, South Carolina.
Planned Parenthood and Edwards sued South Carolina, claiming that the state was violating the federal Medicare and Medicaid Act, which Congress passed in 1965, by not letting Edwards obtain care from the provider of her choice.
A ‘free-choice-of-provider’ requirement
Medicaid operates as a partnership between the federal government and the states. Congress passed the law that led to its creation based on its power under the Constitution’s spending clause, which allows Congress to subject federal funds to certain requirements.
Two years later, due to concerns that states were restricting which providers Medicaid recipients could choose, Congress added a “free-choice-of-provider” requirement to the program. It states that people enrolled in Medicaid “may obtain such assistance from any institution, agency, community pharmacy, or person, qualified to perform the service or services required.”
This provision is at the core of this case. At issue is whether a civil rights statute provides a right for Medicaid beneficiaries to sue a state when their federal rights have been violated. Known as Section 1983, it was enacted in 1871.
Bursch, backed by the Trump administration, argued before the court that the absence of words like “right” in the Medicaid provision that requires states to provide a free choice of provider means that neither Edwards nor Planned Parenthood has the authority to file a lawsuit to enforce this aspect of the Medicaid statute.
Nicole A. Saharsky, Planned Parenthood’s lawyer, argued that the creation of a right shouldn’t depend on “some kind of magic words test.” Instead, she said it was clear that the Medicaid statute created “a right to choose their own doctor” because “it’s mandatory” that the state provide this option to everyone with health insurance through Medicaid.
She also emphasized that Congress wanted to protect “an intensely personal right” to be able “to choose your doctor, the person that you see when you’re at your most vulnerable, facing … some of the most significant … challenges to your life and your health.”
Restricting Medicaid funds
Through a federal law known as the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid cannot reimburse health care providers for the cost of abortions, with a few exceptions: when a patient’s life is at risk or her pregnancy is due to rape or incest. Some states do cover abortion when their laws allow it, without using any federal funds.
McMaster explained that he removed “abortion clinics,” including Planned Parenthood, from the South Carolina Medicaid Program because he didn’t want state funds to indirectly subsidize abortions.
South Carolina “decided that Planned Parenthood was unqualified for many reasons, chiefly because they’re the nation’s largest abortion provider,” Bursch told the Supreme Court.
And the Supreme Court has long recognized that Section 1983 protects an individual’s ability to sue when their rights under a federal statute have been violated.
The court’s decision in the Medina case on whether Medicaid patients can choose their own health care provider could have consequences far beyond South Carolina. Arkansas, Missouri and Texas have already barred Planned Parenthood from getting reimbursed by Medicaid for any kind of health care. More states could follow suit.
In addition, given Planned Parenthood’s role in providing expansive contraceptive care, disqualifying it from Medicaid could harm access to health care and increase the already-high unintended pregnancy rate in America.
The ramifications, likewise, could extend beyond the finances of Planned Parenthood.
If the court rules in South Carolina’s favor, states could also try to exclude providers based on other characteristics, such as whether their employees belong to unions or if they provide their patients with gender-affirming care, further restricting patients’ choices.
Or, as Kagan observed, states could go the opposite direction and exclude providers that don’t provide abortions and so forth. What’s really at stake, she said, is whether a patient is “entitled to see” the provider they choose regardless of what their state happens to “think about contraception or abortion or gender transition treatment.”
If the Supreme Court rules that Edwards does have a right to get health care at a Planned Parenthood clinic, the controversy would not be over. The lower courts would then have to decide whether South Carolina appropriately removed Planned Parenthood from Medicaid as an “unqualified provider.”
And if the Supreme Court rules in favor of South Carolina, then Planned Parenthood could still sue South Carolina over its decision to find them to be unqualified.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Message: Improved guidance to help companies better understand the risks in workplaces and how best to mitigate them is a welcome step, says the professional body for health and safety experts, the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management.
“The announcement by the Minister today is exactly what needs to happen to remove uncertainty and make the job of helping companies understand and reduce risks much easier,” said Mike Cosman, NZISM’s Chair.
“Guidance on how to do health and safety well is a cornerstone of our health and safety system but has been missing since the Health and Safety at Work Act came into force nine years ago. It’s also something that we advocated strongly for in the consultation over these reforms, so we’re pleased to see this included.
“Unfortunately, it’s an area where both MBIE’s and WorkSafe’s records have not been good. The failure to complete the core Regulations needed to support the Act has created the gap the Minister refers to. More than half of WorkSafe’s guidance is out-of-date and much of the current guidance is not well tailored to its audience.”
WorkSafe needs the expertise and resources to deliver the quality guidance and Approved Codes of Practice (ACOP) that are needed and to keep it current, given the pace of technological change occurring. NZISM welcomes the ability to enable industry, such as forestry to develop their own ACOPs in conjunction with their workers, given that it’s now 12 years since the need for clearer guidance in that high-risk sector was first recognised by the Independent Forestry Safety Review.
“In the short term we encourage the Minister to finish the job on the plant and structures (machines, vehicles and buildings) regulations which are largely complete and to begin work on other regulations such as hazardous substances which are dangerously out of date. The intent of following the Australian model law was so that we could ‘steal with pride’ and quickly adapt their Regulation and guidance, rather than trying to reinvent a kiwi-shaped wheel.
“Health and safety experts are a vital part of mature health and safety systems, not the pointless burden suggested in the Minister’s statement.”
There’s some technical detail here around the difference between regulations and guidance. Regulations are agreed by Order in Council (essentially by the Governor General on advice from the Prime Minister) and (in the health and safety space) set mandatory requirements for dealing with certain types of work or risk. They are the next step down from the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
Health and safety duties are focused on what an organisation “knows or ought to know” about dealing with certain risks so the role of guidance is very important. Industry guidance can be useful and information from WorkSafe or the other health and safety regulators is particularly important. The most formal and significant type of guidance is an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP); this guidance is signed off by the Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety and is the most persuasive. Minister van Velden proposes to lift the status of ACOPs by making compliance with an ACOP a legal defence (a safe harbour). This makes the rules in the ACOP much more significant.
Background NZ Institute of Safety Management
NZISM is New Zealand’s leading professional association for health and safety practitioners. We are a 2,800-strong community, operating nationwide through a network of 14 branches, whose members represent the entire spectrum of New Zealand business and 3,000 health and safety professionals. Our purpose is to influence better health and safety outcomes at work. We achieve this by representing the interests of our members at industry and Government levels, and by supporting the growth and development of members.
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined Market Day Report on RFD-TV today to discuss the Senate Agriculture Committee’s hearing yesterday on his legislation, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act – a bipartisan bill that would bring back whole and reduced milk to American schools.
Senator Marshall also discussed President Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs and how the president is leveling the playing field for American workers and businesses while also fighting for long-term solutions for farmers and ranchers.
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Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s interview.
Highlights from the interview include:
On health benefits of consuming whole milk:
“Growing up, my grandfather stopped by our house twice a week with whole milk from our farm… We had a generation of healthy kids. But today… 40% of our children are obese. We have a generation of children now that have not ever [drunk] much milk… They’re going to have osteoporosis, osteopenia, at a decade sooner than previous generations.
“… Whole milk helps absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. It’s very important. There’s good fats in milk. It helps your brain health… Lots of good things about whole milk.”
On whole milk being part of the solution to Make America Healthy Again:
“The big movement with my MAHA moms is whole foods. I think whole milk is equally the same. Rather than breaking it down in its part, God made it whole. Let’s drink it that way. I think it’s much healthier for you, and the benefits outweigh any potential risk.
“The problem with our diets today is about 70% of our calories come from opening a package one way or another. So that’s what we need to change as far as getting the obesity levels down in our nation. Whole milk is not the problem, whole milk is part of the solution.”
On Liberation Day:
“Today is liberation today, and I think about milk products. Right now, Canada has a 200% tariff on cheese and butter going into their country. I just want to remind all your listeners what happened in Trump 45 – that there was a tariff war, a trade war with China. He gave the farmers $28 billion from that tariff money. Just last week, President Trump released $10 billion of emergency economic aid for our farmers because of high input costs and low commodity prices.
“Our farmers trust President Trump, and just like again with Trump 45 he used those tariffs as levers to negotiate really good trade deals with Japan, with South Korea, USMCA, and China Phase One, and we’re still benefiting from those trade agreements. I think the bright spot in agriculture in Kansas anyways, of course, the cattle and beef industry, a lot of that beef is going overseas, to South Korea, to Japan, and China as well.
“We have to give the president a little bit of leeway… This is a national security issue, we want to stop the fentanyl flowing into this country, and the president is using these tariffs as levers on Mexico, Canada, and China to say, stop making fentanyl, stop bringing it into our country.”
On unfair trade practices harming American ranchers and farmers:
“Every time I talk to the president, he asks me, ‘How are my farmers and ranchers doing?’ And I say, ‘Well… you know, we’re struggling.’ He says, well, ‘Tell them I love them, that I’ll take care of them.’ He realizes 90% of rural America voted for President Trump.
“On the other hand, though, farmers and ranchers have been complaining to me since I was a boy, that there’s unfair trade practices. Again, [the] European Union [has] a 50% tariff on most agricultural products. India, 50% to 100% – they use non-tariff barriers as well. And those farmers and ranchers said, we want free and reciprocal trade agreements. We have a president now who’s out here fighting for long-term solutions for our farmers and ranchers, not just the short-term gain. So I understand, I have empathy. There’s going to be some short-term pain. We are the tip of the spear. The president knows that. He’s going to do everything he can to make it right with his farmers and ranchers. So we appreciate them hanging in there with us.
“We’re the patriots. We are the modern-day patriots of our nation, our Republic. We are the backbone of this country. We give our country values and that agriculture is a way of life, so much more. So the president gets that. Give us a little bit of grace, and we’ll make it right.”
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) introduced a bill to establish a nonprofit foundation that would support the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) by bolstering public-private collaboration on U.S. technological innovation and competitiveness. This bill was initially introduced in the 118th Congress. Representatives Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) and Jay Obernolte (R-Calif.) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Expanding Partnerships for Innovation and Competitiveness (EPIC) Act would establish a foundation to help NIST achieve its goal of promoting U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness in science and technology. Congress has established similar foundations to support the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Energy, and other federal agencies. In Delaware, NIST supports the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), a public-private partnership on the University of Delaware’s campus focused on advancing biopharmaceutical production and developing Delaware’s workforce for the future.
“America’s economic strength depends on technological leadership, and NIST has long been an engine of innovation for our country,” said Senator Coons. “The EPIC Act reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a nonprofit foundation that will mobilize resources to support U.S. leadership on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, biotech, and quantum computing. With strong bipartisan support across both chambers, this legislation represents a critical investment in America’s technological future.”
“Maintaining and encouraging research and development in the U.S. is critical to winning the technological race against China and other adversaries,” said Senator Young. “Our bipartisan legislation will support these efforts by establishing an independent foundation to identify and foster innovative public-private partnerships across the country and strengthen the American economy.”
“Whether it’s AI or quantum computing, the United States is pushing the boundaries of technological innovation on all fronts,” said Senator Hickenlooper. “There are no second chances with technologies this powerful; NIST needs every tool at its disposal to ensure responsible R&D from the start.”
“Our nation’s technological innovation is what keeps us globally competitive,” saidSenator Fischer. “To stay ahead of our rapidly advancing adversaries, we must invest in emerging technologies and the metrics that underpin them. The EPIC Act is an effective, bipartisan way to help us generate more resources to do so without additional taxpayer costs.”
“Now more than ever, our federal science agencies need every tool to drive U.S. technology leadership,” said Representative Stevens. “The reintroduction of the EPIC Act ensures that NIST—a vital agency in emerging technology, standards, and manufacturing—has the resources to secure American leadership in the mid-21st century. By establishing the Foundation for Standards and Metrology, this bill will accelerate technology commercialization, strengthen international collaborations, and support NIST’s world-class workforce. I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance this bipartisan, bicameral bill and unleash American innovation.”
“It is vital that America maintains its position as the world leader in science and technology,” said Representative Obernolte. “The creation of the Foundation for Standards and Metrology will assist in ensuring industry, non-profits, and academia receive the resources that they need to establish cutting-edge standards that enhances the economic security and prosperity of the U.S., which is why I’m proud to be a Republican co-lead on this critical legislation.”
Specifically, the EPIC Act would establish a nonprofit Foundation for Standards and Metrology, enabling NIST to:
Mobilize private and philanthropic funding to support critical scientific and technical initiatives.
Collaborate more closely with the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and institutions of higher education.
Train the emerging technology workforce of the future and retain top talent at the institute.
The EPIC Act is endorsed by four former directors of NIST, as well as SEMI Americas, the Semiconductor Industry Association, NIST Coalition, SPIE, SeedAI, Institute for Progress, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, Center for AI Policy, Telecommunications Industry Association, Institute for AI Policy and Strategy, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Colorado Boulder, Americans for Responsible Innovation, Chainguard, CJW Quantum Consulting, American Physical Society, ACT | The App Association, CivAI, SandboxAQ, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Google, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, SC Quantum, Software Information Industry Association, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 5 Lakes Institute, and the APA Services, Inc.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden says safe harbours of deemed compliance will be created to increase business and worker certainty about what they need to do to comply with their health and safety duties. Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) are practical guidelines to help people in specific sectors and industries to comply with their health and safety duties. “Health and safety compliance is based on people doing what is ‘reasonably practicable’ to manage risks, yet I’ve heard time and time again that many people don’t know what ‘reasonably practicable’ actually looks like. There is a demand for more and better guidance,” says Ms van Velden. “As part of my health and safety reform, I am making a change to the ACOP model to reassure people that if they comply with an ACOP, they have done enough to meet their health and safety duties. “In the absence of clear regulations and guidance, an entire health and safety industry has developed, which comes at a cost to businesses, consumers and taxpayers. You should not have to hire a health and safety consultant just to understand whether or not you are compliant with the law. “Public consultation feedback indicated that uncertainty about what to do has led to overcompliance and a focus on paperwork instead of actions. I want to ensure that businesses and workers know what they need to do.” “My health and safety reform will see a shift from a reliance on regulations to greater use of ACOPs. Regulations often remain in place that are outdated, not fit for purpose, and often overly complex. Changing regulations can often take years. Even if new regulations are made, the pace of change in industry practices and technology means that they can rapidly become out of date. “ACOPs may be sector based but can also be used to help businesses know what ‘reasonably practicable’ means for specific issues that may occur across a range of sectors. They will likely be a useful tool for supporting innovation by responding to new and emerging industries where certainty about the risks would not yet warrant regulations. “Rather than having WorkSafe lead this process exclusively, I am also introducing a change to allow individuals and groups, such as industry organisations, to initiate work on ACOPs to speed things up and ensure they reflect what will work in practice and what makes sense for those who deal with these risks every day. “As the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety I will approve each new ACOP against a set of standards to ensure they are high quality.” These changes are part of the wider health and safety system reform and will be progressed through changes to legislation later this year.
Associate Health Minister David Seymour is welcoming Cabinet’s decision to enable medicines to be approved in less than 30 days if the product has approval from two recognised overseas jurisdictions. This change is included in the Medicines Amendment Bill (the Bill), which amends the Medicines Act 1981. The pathway will be in operation by early 2026. The policy will start with Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Singapore and Switzerland, as recognised countries. These are the main countries Medsafe currently recognises. “Faster access to medicines has always been a priority of mine. For many New Zealanders, pharmaceuticals are life or death, or the difference between a life of pain and suffering or living freely,” Mr Seymour says. “This change will increase access to medicines for Kiwis by introducing a streamlined verification pathway for medicines. People will access new treatments more quickly. This is committed to in the ACT-National and National-NZ First coalition agreements. “Cabinet has agreed to give the responsible Minister powers to regulate the Rule of Two. That means I will be outlining the proposed regulatory pathway for industry and the public to feedback on via the Select Committee process. This system should be as straightforward as possible to allow New Zealanders the greatest level of access to innovative medicine possible. “New cars are acceptable for the New Zealand market if they meet at least one of several foreign standards. We can apply the same principle to medicines, if other jurisdictions have already done the work and can ensure the products’ safety, we don’t need to delay patient’s access by doing the exact same tests,” Mr Seymour says. “This is a common-sense efficiency that costs nothing. It helps Kiwis in need. It can shave months off the approval process. A perfect example of this was with a treatment for asthma which could have been approved by the end of 2022 under this pathway, but was not approved until 16 months later in May 2024. “This Government is making medicines access a priority because it leads to better patient outcomes. So far, we have:
Changed Pharmac’s process so it can assess a funding application at the same time as Medsafe is assessing the application for regulatory approval Allocated Pharmac its largest ever budget of $6.294 billion over four years, and a $604 million uplift to give Pharmac the financial support it needs to carry out its functions – negotiating the best deals for medicine for New Zealanders Made patient voice a crucial consideration in Pharmac’s funding decisions Put pseudoephedrine back on the shelves of pharmacies
“We’re committed to ensuring that the regulatory system for pharmaceuticals is not unreasonably holding back access. It will lead to more Kiwis being able to access the medicines they need to live a fulfilling life.” Notes to editors: Draft criteria for regulatory pathway rules will likely relate to ensuring that:
manufacturing sites associated with product have evidence of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) compliance which is valid to Medsafe’s satisfaction, if a product is a generic or biosimilar prescription medicine, the innovator or reference product is identical to that approved for New Zealand.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
CONNECT For Health Act Holds Broad Bipartisan Support, Most Comprehensive Legislation On Telehealth In Congress
Current Flexibilities Set To Expire September 30 Without Congressional Action
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch joined U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) in leading a bipartisan group of 60 senators to reintroduce the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act. The CONNECT for Health Act will expand coverage of telehealth services through Medicare, make COVID-19 telehealth flexibilities permanent, improve health outcomes, and make it easier for patients to connect with their doctors. Current flexibilities are set to expire on September 30 unless Congress extends them.
“The COVID-19 pandemic proved that telehealth not only works, but is essential,” said Senator Welch. “Rural and underserved areas in Vermont and across the country desperately need solutions to address the widening gap in health care access, and increasing telehealth services must be part of the answer. This bipartisan bill takes commonsense steps to help bridge that gap and make sure that our policies adapt to the capabilities of our technology.”
“While telehealth use has rapidly increased in recent years, our laws have not kept up,” said Senator Schatz. “Telehealth is helping people get the care they need, and it’s here to stay. Our comprehensive bill makes it easier for more people to see their doctors no matter where they live.”
“We live in a digital world, and our health services should reflect that. In the past decade, telehealth has made medical care more accessible for patients across the state and country,” said Senator Wicker. “It is time to make telehealth coverage permanent for Medicare recipients so that more Americans, especially those in rural Mississippi, have access to health care.”
“Telehealth services have proven to be a safe and effective form of medical care. Through the expansion of telehealth services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, more patients have received quality, affordable care. I’m glad to introduce legislation that will make permanent some of these services and ensure Virginians continue to access affordable health care when they need it, and where they need it,” said Senator Warner.
“Even before the pandemic, Mississippi recognized the vital role of telehealth. Across America, rural communities, the elderly, and those with mobility challenges have long struggled to access traditional healthcare,” said Senator Hyde-Smith. “This legislation is essential to delivering affordable, accessible, and quality care that Americans deserve, and I’m proud to continue this years-long effort to expand telehealth services.”
“Telehealth is a critical for rural states like Wyoming,” said Senator Barrasso. “It has given folks access to specialized care no matter where they live. This important bipartisan bill will make it easier for Medicare patients, especially those in remote areas, to continue to have access to the health care they need.”
In addition to Welch, Schatz, Wicker, Warner, Hyde-Smith, and Barrasso, the bill is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Angus King (I-Maine.), Jim Justice (R-W.V.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and John Boozman (R-Ark.).
Telehealth provides essential access to care with nearly a quarter of Americans accessing telehealth in a month, according to the most recent available data.
The CONNECT for Health Act would:
Permanently remove all geographic restrictions on telehealth services and expand originating sites to the location of the patient, including homes;
Permanently allow health centers and rural health clinics to provide telehealth services;
Allow more eligible health care professionals to utilize telehealth services;
Remove unnecessary in-person visit requirement for telemental health services;
Allow for the waiver of telehealth restrictions during public health emergencies; and
Require more published data to learn more about how telehealth is being used, impacts of quality of care, and how it can be improved to support patients and health care providers.
The CONNECT for Health Act was first introduced in 2016 and is considered the most comprehensive legislation on telehealth in Congress. Since 2016, several provisions of the bill have been enacted into law or adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including provisions to remove restrictions on telehealth services for mental health, stroke care, and home dialysis.
Companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mike Thompson (D- Calif.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), David Schweikert (R-Ariz.), and Troy Balderson (R-Ohio).
The CONNECT for Health Act has the support of more than 150 organizations including the American Medical Association, AARP, American Hospital Association, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Association of Rural Health Clinics, and American Telemedicine Association.
The full text of the bill is available here.
