Last Friday, President Biden wisely revoked a Trump executive order which sought to limit liability protections for online platforms, an order originally signed in retaliation to the former president’s ban from Twitter. While President Biden’s action walks back a needless Trump-era legacy, attempts to seek political retribution against "enemy" technology companies have continued from many Republicans.
Our country is in the middle of the worst public health crisis in American history, and despite the approval of multiple COVID-19 vaccines, the Trump administration's failure to effectively distribute the vaccine far and wide has undermined the response to the pandemic, and left North Carolinians vulnerable to the virus.
In the ten years since President Obama signed it into law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has ushered in unprecedented improvements to our nation’s health care system by expanding affordable coverage to millions of Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. For those less likely to be insured, like minority and low-income individuals, the ACA has been a much-needed remedy for disparities in coverage.
Over the last seven months, we have seen an alarming amount of misinformation spread online and worst by our elected officials as we battle with the coronavirus pandemic. Online, we see conspiracy videos like Plandemic. The original post received millions of views and was shared over 140,000 times. In total, it is estimated that the video through various outlets and reposts received over eight million views. The Plandemic is a misleading short film full of schemes about people profiting from the virus and misinformation about how individuals can protect themselves.
The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, especially in North Carolina, and I have seen the devastation firsthand. I am a proud nurse with the honor of serving patients in North Carolina. Throughout the past few months, nurses and healthcare providers across the state have been recognized for the work we are doing on the frontlines. I am grateful for the outpouring of love and support I have received personally and from so many who have donated to my hospital.
North Carolina is experiencing a serious uptick in new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. We have heard from our leaders like Governor Cooper and DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen that we must remain vigilant despite the warmer temperatures and summer get togethers that everyone is eager to have. We are lucky to have Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen who believe and trust in science and facts. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our President and many of our Congressional leaders.
Over the past 18 months we've seen tech giants like Google, Facebook, and Amazon receive harsh criticisms for a myriad of ways their business practices harm consumers, competitors, and workers. We've seen Mark Zuckerberg testify in front of Congressional committees and heard pundits lament the bad behavior of big tech. Despite the consistent negative media attention directed at these mega companies, there has not been any significant punishment to encourage them to change their ways.
After a couple of explosive weeks of impeachment hearings, it's hard to wrap your mind around anything else going on in Washington, but there's still plenty going on in Congress that needs our attention.
Speaker Pelosi's "Lower Drug Costs Now Act" is expected to be voted on in the coming weeks. We can all agree that the cost of prescription drugs is something that must be addressed by Congress. We need our elected leaders to find work together on healthcare reform, but there's a significant part of this bill that could risk patient access to care in a substantial way.
The International Pricing Index (IPI) piece included in Speaker Pelosi's Lower Drug Costs Now Act may seem like the perfect solution to bringing down the price of expensive prescription drugs, but there are some real problems with this model. IPI can potentially hurt the most vulnerable and sick patients when they're at their worst, and take away their ability to get access to treatments. The model would base the price the US pays for prescription drugs off of what six other countries pay.
While our representatives in Washington debate the nuances of broader healthcare policy, uninsured Americans are still turning to local hospitals to access basic care, and these hospitals are still on the hook for covering those costs. But if Congress doesn’t act immediately, funding for the program that helps keep these hospitals open will lapse, affecting dozens of hospitals across North Carolina and the thousands of people who rely on them.
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