CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, is pushing new types of insurance, including so-called catastrophic health plans with high deductibles and low premiums. After a patient pays a large deductible, these plans protect against costs of care. Critics decry such plans as junk insurance, saying that they still leave patients at substantial financial risk. The Trump administration says its proposed rule issued in February would expand consumer choice and lower premiums. The draft proposal, which still must go through a public comment period before being finalized, mainly affects offerings on the ACA exchanges. By proposing catastrophic plans with multi-year contracts, which could last as long as 10 years, CMS is turning to a solution first proposed in 2017 during Trump's first term in office when the administration sought to expand the availability of 'short-term' health insurance plans.
In a social media landscape shaped by hashtags, algorithms, and viral posts, nurse leaders must decide: Will they let the narrative spiral, or can they adapt and join the conversation?
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