Americans don't have much faith in government, and it's hard to think of our society as one that's pulling together in the face of the pandemic and its revelation of our systemic inequities. But it's not all dysfunction, oligarchy, rising fascism and disregard for the common good. And we do have a serious new bid from the Biden administration for good government.
This year's #healthpolicyvalentines are from various organs of government and other institutions to the American people.
From the Biden Coronavirus task force
Producing and dispensing fact
is our core Defense Production Act
From SCOTUS
Inseverable?
Did I hear Roberts scoff?
The vestigial mandate
will be cut off.
From Democrats in Congress:
For the "middle class"
in expensive hub cities
we're lifting the income cap
on subsidies.
* * *
We love our constituents,
we love them so well,
we're zeroing out premiums
to 150 FPL.
* * *
In a legislative blow
to the seven-year itch
we're getting rid of
the family glitch.
[OOPS UPDATE: The Covid relief bill does not do this! It should.]
* * *
Unity! Energy & Commerce woos
red states with a deal they can't refuse:
Extra FMAP for* Medicaid expansion
(certain to pass if blessed by Manchin):
Surely some hard red hearts will melt
fired by extra federal gelt.
* * *
The country will heal, and here's the trigger:
The BFD just got a lot bigger.
From CMS:
If we see legislative efforts imploding
we'll mandate maximal silver loading.
* * *
Still uninsured?
Well, seize the day:
Open Enrollment is back
till May.
From CCIO:
Our deepest expression of love and trust went
into perfecting risk adjustment
From Democratic state reps:
State healthcare activists:
Love 'em! Friend 'em!
They'll expand Medicaid
by referendum.
From the voters for Missouri Amendment 2
Medicaid expansion
will be a bounty
to every single
Missouri county.
From Moderna
Be not afraid
for we'll help you evade
the B.1.1.7
stairway to heaven.
From Becton Dickinson
As vaccine conservation
is a game of inches,
we'll make tens of millions of
low-deadspace syringes
From your local safety net hospital
Our ventilators
are vintage '80s.
Our ICU
is a step from Hades.
Our front-line staff
daily faces death
working round the clock
to preserve life's breath.
We're the distillation
of ills systemic.
We're your front line
in this pandemic.
From the National Guard
As warfare recedes
to the planet's fringes
we'll beat our swords
into syringes.
From your honey:
No flowers, no chocolate!
All that I ask,
if you really love me
is wear a mask.
..and tough love:
I don't mean to be harsh, Love,
but let's be realistic.
Put on a mask:
Don't become a statistic.
Show your chops:
Good at scoring tickets?
On V-Day, surprise her.
Get her a date
with Moderna or Pfizer.
Finally, showering some love on an old bone of contention:
Health care or healthcare?
This tiff made me fret some.
But now... I don't care
as long as I get some.
* * *
As long as two syllables
are rightly sequential
one word or two
is inconsequential.
* * *
Rose are red,
Violets are blue.
Healthcare is one word
except when it's two.
---
* The "for" here = "in exchange for." The extra FMAP goes to all of a state's non-expansion Medicaid programs (a much bigger financial lift for states than increasing the current 90% FMAP for ACA expansion enrollees).
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