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8/15/2025 Changes or Headlines for National Healthcare in the past two weeks
On
- Healthcare, News
Here are the key updates on healthcare from the past two weeks:
🏛️ Major Federal Healthcare Legislation
1. Medicaid and ACA Changes Under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”
Signed into law on July 4, 2025, this sweeping legislation introduces:Grantmakers In Health+3The Guardian+3JH Bloomberg School of Public Health+3
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Medicaid Work Requirements: New eligibility criteria and work requirements for Medicaid recipients.JAMA Network+2The Guardian+2
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Affordable Care Act (ACA) Premium Subsidy Reductions: Declines in ACA premium subsidies, potentially increasing out-of-pocket costs for many.The Guardian
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Projected Coverage Losses: An estimated 11.8 million people could lose health insurance by 2034 due to these changes. Grantmakers In Health
Democrats have introduced the Protecting Healthcare and Lowering Costs Act, aiming to reverse these cuts and extend ACA premium tax credits. Senate Finance Committee
🏥 Medicare and Medicaid Updates
2. Medicare Payment Increases
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced:
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2.6% Increase: A net increase in Medicare inpatient payments, translating to approximately 1.9% after adjustments.DeBrunner & Associates
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$2 Billion Boost: Additional funding for Medicare Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) uncompensated care payments. DeBrunner & Associates
3. Medicaid Managed Care Rate Guide
CMS released the “2025–2026 Medicaid Managed Care Rate Development Guide,” providing states with updated standards for setting capitation rates in managed care programs. Alliance of Safety-Net Hospitals+1
🩺 Telehealth Policy Extensions
4. Medicare Telehealth Services Extended
Medicare beneficiaries can continue accessing:
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Non-Behavioral/Mental Telehealth: Services in the home through September 30, 2025, including audio-only options.telehealth.hhs.gov
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Behavioral/Mental Health Telehealth: Permanent access to services in the home, with no geographic restrictions. telehealth.hhs.gov
💊 Pharmaceutical Industry Shifts
5. Direct-to-Consumer Drug Sales
Pharmaceutical companies like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are exploring direct-to-consumer sales for medications such as Zepbound and Wegovy. This approach aims to reduce costs and bypass intermediaries, though it may primarily benefit wealthier patients. Barron’s
🧪 FDA Approvals
6. New Drug Approvals
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Lung Cancer Treatment: The FDA approved a new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for treating lung cancer. Medscape+1
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Chronic Lung Disease: Insmed’s drug became the first approved treatment for a specific chronic lung disease. Reuters+1
These updates reflect significant changes in healthcare policy and access. If you need assistance understanding how these developments affect you or your family, feel free to ask.
Recent Healthcare Developments
Barron’s
Big Pharma Has a New Vision for Selling Drugs. It’s Going to the Mattresses.
Today
The Guardian
Trump’s sweeping bill looms large over Democrats and Republicans as they head for recess
5 days ago
Reuters
Trump health commission expected to miss its deadline, Bloomberg News reports
6 days ago
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8/15/2025 Veterans’ benefits and healthcare from the past two weeks:
On
- News, Veterans News
Here are the key updates on veterans’ benefits and healthcare from the past two weeks:
💰 VA Disability Compensation – August 2025
Veterans receiving VA disability compensation will see a 2.5% increase in their monthly payments, effective August 29, 2025. This adjustment aligns with the 2025 Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). For example, a single veteran with a 100% disability rating and no dependents will receive approximately $3,357 per month, while those with dependents or Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) may receive up to $4,196 monthly .The Economic Times+1Sjnhmch.org
🏥 VA Healthcare – Staffing Challenges
A recent audit by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General revealed severe staffing shortages across all 139 VA medical centers in the U.S. 94% reported shortages in medical officer roles, and 79% in nursing roles. These shortages have worsened over the past year amid significant workforce reductions and fewer medical recruits .The Washington Post+2AP News+2AP News
Additionally, the VA has announced plans to reduce its total staff by nearly 30,000 employees by the end of fiscal year 2025, achieved through normal attrition, early retirements, and deferred resignations .AP News+3VA News+3The Washington Post+3
📚 Education Benefits – Fry Scholarship Expansion
The Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship, which provides education benefits to the children and spouses of service members who died in the line of duty, has temporarily expanded eligibility. This expansion applies to terms with a start date on or after August 1, 2025, and before October 1, 2027 .Benefits
🧾 VALife Insurance Program – Over $2 Billion in Coverage
The VALife program, which provides up to $40,000 of whole life insurance coverage to veterans with service-connected disabilities, has already provided over $2 billion in total coverage to more than 60,000 veterans since its launch in 2023 .GovDelivery
⚖️ Supreme Court Ruling – “Benefit-of-the-Doubt” Standard
In the Supreme Court case Bufkin v. Collins, the Court held that the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims must apply clear error review when reviewing the VA’s application of the “benefit-of-the-doubt rule” regarding a veteran’s claim to a service-related disability .Wikipedia
🏥 VA Clinic Lease Renewal – Stamford, CT
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has renewed its lease for the Stamford Community Based Outpatient Clinic at 1275 Summer Street for one year. Despite ongoing rumors of potential closure, the lease renewal marks the 12th extension since the VA established the clinic’s location in 2005 .Stamford Advocate
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The Hidden Cost of Calling Out the National Guard
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- Commentary, The Fallout
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Okay, call out the National Guard, we can hear the echoing across our living rooms, in our cars and during breaks at work. But what does that cost and more importantly what does it do to the weekend warriors that aren’t trained for civil disorder or prepared financially to be forced to leave their paying employment so Trump can beat his chest and scream he saved us all, Yes, saved us from another overblown or made up crisis.
1. Cost to Guardsmen
A. Personal Income & Career Impact
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Many Guardsmen are part-time reservists and also work civilian jobs.
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When called to active duty, they may lose pay from their civilian employers if it isn’t fully covered. The federal law USERRA protects jobs, but gaps in pay and benefits can still occur.
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For longer deployments, career projects, side hustles, or family responsibilities can suffer.
B. Stress & Mental Health
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Sudden activation to a politically charged situation (like a presidential order) can cause stress and moral dilemmas, especially if the orders conflict with their personal beliefs.
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Deployments can disrupt family life and schooling for their children.
C. Physical Risk
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Guardsmen are trained, but they are often not equipped or trained for full-scale combat or civil unrest policing at the same level as active-duty soldiers.
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Exposure to rioting, tear gas, or physical confrontations carries real risk.
2. Cost to Taxpayers / Public
A. Direct Financial Cost
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Pay & benefits for Guardsmen during activation come from federal or state budgets. This includes base pay, hazard pay, travel, and per diem.
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Activation costs include transportation, housing, equipment, fuel, and logistical support — often millions for large-scale operations.
B. Opportunity Cost
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When Guardsmen are deployed, they are unavailable for their usual missions: disaster relief, local emergencies, and community support.
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Local services may be understaffed, slowing responses to fires, floods, or other emergencies.
C. Political / Social Cost
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Deploying troops for political purposes can undermine public trust in the Guard’s neutrality.
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Using part-time citizen-soldiers in domestic political maneuvers can affect morale and recruitment long-term.
Example: Washington, D.C. (Jan 6, 2021 & other activations)
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Guard troops were activated with little notice, often sleeping in parking garages or unheated gyms, sometimes for weeks.
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Costs ran into tens of millions of dollars for housing, meals, and pay.
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Many Guardsmen reported stress, PTSD symptoms, and resentment over being caught in politically charged deployments.
Bottom line: When Trump or any politician calls out the National Guard, the burden isn’t abstract — it hits individual soldiers, their families, local communities, and taxpayers. The part-time nature of the Guard amplifies these costs because they are not career combat troops; they are civilians asked to drop everything for politically motivated missions.
So, for concise recap:
The Hidden Cost of Calling Out the National Guard
Who They Are:
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Part-time citizen-soldiers with civilian jobs, families, and responsibilities.
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Not full-time combat troops — often under-equipped for large-scale civil unrest.
Cost to Guardsmen:
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Income & Career: Potential loss of civilian pay or disruption of work.
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Family & Life: Missed time with children, disrupted routines, and personal stress.
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Physical & Mental Risk: Exposure to unrest, injury, and long-term stress/PTSD.
Cost to Taxpayers:
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Financial: Base pay, hazard pay, per diem, housing, transport — millions per activation.
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Opportunity: Guards unavailable for fires, floods, and disaster response.
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Political / Social: Morale and recruitment take a hit; public trust erodes.
Example: Washington, D.C. (Jan 6, 2021)
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Guardsmen slept in gyms and parking garages, deployed under stressful conditions for weeks.
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Deployment cost tens of millions; personal and community disruption was immense.
Bottom Line:
Calling out the National Guard isn’t abstract theater. It’s a real burden on people, families, communities, and taxpayers, amplified when used for politically motivated missions rather than true emergencies.
During the January 2021 inauguration of President Joe Biden, thousands of National Guard troops were deployed to Washington, D.C., to provide security following the January 6 Capitol breach. Initially, many Guardsmen were housed within the Capitol complex itself, including the Capitol Visitor Center and other areas, where they rested between shifts. However, shortly after the inauguration, these troops were ordered to vacate the Capitol and were relocated to a nearby parking garage. Reports indicated that the garage lacked adequate facilities, with only one electrical outlet and two bathrooms for thousands of soldiers, leading to widespread criticism.
After bipartisan outrage from lawmakers, the Guardsmen were allowed to return to the Capitol complex and were provided with better accommodations. Some were also allowed to rest in nearby hotels. These events highlighted concerns about the treatment and conditions faced by National Guard members during domestic deployments.
In ending, Guardsmen are not full time soldiers, they are not trained for insurrection and most importantly, they are forced to make their friends and neighbors the enemy.
But if it makes potus feel the mostus, go for it.
Putz, oops, did I say that?
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Gaza
On
- International
Opinion as of August 12, 2025
Is What’s Happening in Gaza Genocide?
The legal definition
Under the Genocide Convention, genocide means:
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Acts like killing, causing serious harm, or creating life conditions meant to destroy a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group; plus
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Specific intent to destroy that group, in whole or in part.
What the courts have said so far
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ICJ (World Court) – In South Africa v. Israel, the Court did not rule genocide is happening, but found a plausible risk of genocidal acts and ordered Israel to:
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Prevent such acts
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Allow more humanitarian aid
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Stop incitement to commit genocide
These are emergency measures, not a final ruling.
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ICC (Criminal Court) – The Prosecutor has sought arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity (including starvation as a weapon). This is separate from genocide charges.
Facts pushing it toward the “genocide” line
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Mass civilian deaths – Over 60,000 Palestinians reported killed, many women and children.
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Destructive living conditions – UN reports famine-level deprivation, child deaths from malnutrition, and aid far below survival needs.
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Patterns of conduct – Ongoing strikes in civilian-heavy areas and restricted aid delivery despite court orders.
The sticking point
The key unresolved question is specific intent — whether the goal is to destroy Palestinians as such or, as Israel claims, to destroy Hamas while minimizing civilian harm. Courts often infer intent from patterns, policies, and rhetoric — but this is still under litigation.
Bottom line
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Already established: Alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
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ICJ finding: Plausible risk of genocide, urgent prevention measures ordered.
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Not yet decided: Final ruling on genocide — hinges on proving intent to destroy the group.
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Human reality: Civilian death toll, destruction, and deprivation are at levels many scholars say are perilously close to meeting the legal definition.
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Trumps Line in The Sand
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So there you have it, short, sour and simple. You do know we have enabled comments. If you want to spew hate, stay away. And that doesn’t matter which side you hate. If you want to discuss solutions, then welcome.
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What we hear about us.
The Michael and Sarah Walker podcast from “Elephant in the Ink Room” is a political commentary podcast that focuses on the current political climate in the United States. The episodes are often quite short, with many lasting only a few minutes.
The podcast’s commentary often addresses the polarized nature of politics and the role of truth and facts in public discourse. Topics covered include:
- Foreign Policy: For example, a recent episode discussed the rationale behind supporting Ukraine.
- Journalism and Media: The podcast frequently examines issues like the weaponization of context, the challenges of reporting in a polarized environment, and the chilling effect of lawsuits on journalism.
- Social Commentary: They also touch on broader societal issues and how they are manipulated for political gain, such as manufactured outrage and immigration policy.
Essentially, the podcast offers a critical perspective on contemporary political events, urging listeners to look beyond easy answers and consider the complexities of the issues at hand.
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When Crime Is a Convenient Excuse: Trump’s Selective Martial Law Target List
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- Commentary, The Fallout
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When Crime Is a Convenient Excuse: Trump’s Selective Martial Law Target List
Donald Trump’s recent threats to impose martial law have sent chills through the nation. But behind the bluster and fear-mongering lies a disturbingly clear political agenda: targeting cities that dare to resist his authority while ignoring those that align with it — no matter their crime rates.
Take a look at the cities Trump has publicly set his sights on: Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle. These are places branded as “woke,” fiercely protective of immigrant rights, and openly hostile to the kind of mass deportations and ICE raids Trump champions. For him, these cities aren’t just trouble spots — they are the heart of an “Evil Empire” that must be brought to heel.
The justification? Sky-high crime rates. Trump and his allies wield “crime” like a weapon, confident that most Americans won’t bother checking the facts. But here’s the inconvenient truth: violent crime in these cities has often been declining in recent years. While not crime-free by any means, these urban centers aren’t the out-of-control war zones Trump portrays.
Meanwhile, some of the most dangerous cities in America fly under the radar. St. Louis, Missouri, with violent crime rates far exceeding those in Seattle or Portland, remains off Trump’s radar. Little Rock, Arkansas, another high-crime city nestled in a deeply Republican state, doesn’t warrant a mention in Trump’s crackdown plans. Why? Because these cities don’t challenge his authority. They don’t defy his immigration policies. They are loyal to the political order he demands.
If crime were truly the issue, the list of cities facing martial law would look very different. But it doesn’t. Instead, the threat of military intervention is wielded as a blunt instrument of political control — reserved for cities that resist, ignored where loyalty prevails.
This is not about safety or justice. It’s about power.
The real danger lies not in the streets of America’s “woke” cities but in the unchecked ambitions of a man eager to silence dissent under the guise of law and order.
So next time you hear “crime” used as a reason to militarize a city, remember: crime only matters when it votes blue.
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Fires Everywhere
Daily Ramble: Fires Everywhere
I keep coming back to analogies when I think about Trump. The simplest? A kid playing with matches. The question is, is he just a foolish kid with a new toy, or an experienced arsonist starting little fires on purpose to keep us distracted?
Whether accidental or deliberate, there are too many fires to do anything but run around putting them out. Take the DOJ. We hear of resignations — principled people saying, “Enough. We won’t be part of your crimes. We took an oath.” Sounds noble. But in reality, it’s functioning more like a stay of execution for Trump.
As more lawsuits pile up against him and his executive orders, everything in the courts gets delayed. The DOJ says it lacks the lawyers to handle the cases, so courts grant more time. And that extra time is a gift to Trump: he keeps ignoring injunctions, moving his agenda forward. By the time he’s forced to stop, either no one cares anymore or he’s already achieved what he wanted.
Today’s ramble is sparked by Trump’s federalizing of Washington, D.C. Is this just a crime-fighting measure? Or is it the first step toward martial law, holding onto power by claiming the country “needs” him — or by removing the barriers altogether? Make no mistake: he does not want to leave office. Who spends $200 million on a ballroom nobody wants unless they plan on sticking around to use it?
And this isn’t a one-track operation. Trump can multitask chaos. He’s in a panic as the Epstein mess keeps unraveling — a mess he helped create. Maxwell is suddenly being moved to a minimum-security prison after allegedly threatening Trump. Gossip says she’ll get work-release privileges. Why? Because Trump wants her silent. She must have documentation he hasn’t found yet; otherwise, she’d have “committed suicide” by now.
The danger here is losing focus. This isn’t just about Trump and Epstein. Or Trump and the DOJ. Or Trump and martial law. It’s about the endgame — and what we can do to prevent it. In our earlier editorial “Okay, He’s Been Impeached, Now What?” we explored the idea of power passing to a bunch of nobodies. Not comforting.
The Most Important Political Move You Can Make
Check the Values and the Agenda of the Political Party You Think You Are
A long time ago, in a land far, far away, I found out my father was a Republican. And if he was a Republican, well, that’s what I was too.
For decades I voted the party line. There was only one box I shaded in, and it was the one that said “Republican.” After a while, I started to actually think about who I was voting for, not just what. I began making independent decisions — something most of us never do. But I’ll admit, on the issues I wasn’t up on, I still voted the party.
This little note about Charlton Heston — one of the actors I admired — makes sense to me. Not because he changed from being a Democrat to a Republican, but because of why he changed:
“By the 1980s, Heston supported gun rights and changed his political affiliation from Democratic to Republican. When asked why, he replied, ‘I didn’t change. The Democratic Party changed.’ In 1987, he first registered as a Republican.”
Now, let’s take a step back — because this isn’t about Democrats or Republicans. It’s about us.
When I look at MAGA and what they’ve done to the GOP, I feel despair. They’re so extreme I can’t feel ownership of that party anymore. Over the years I’ve probably become more liberal, or maybe I’ve just admitted it to myself. Either way, I don’t consider myself a Republican — not if being Republican means I have to be MAGA.
I have friends on the other side of the fence — long-time Democrats who are not “woke.” We’ve let the extremes take over on both sides.
So, back to the most important political move you can make: discover who you are, not who you thought you were.
There are plenty of political-leaning questionnaires online — some good, some just trying to get your money. Take a couple of them. Don’t be afraid of the labels. They don’t really matter. What matters is that they can give you some insight and help you find a direction based on your beliefs — not Bubba’s, and not Karen from the HOA.
Once you’ve found your center, celebrate. And if you feel generous for the push, I drink Jim Beam.
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