Sharon Post

Even in the AI era, learning to quickly "read" an academic article is an essential skill.

When I started grad school, I thought I had to read every word, in order, for every article I "read".

I don’t do that anymore.

Here’s how I "read" most academic articles:

Feels sort of under the radar amidst everything else: CMS has until December 31 — just six business days away — to decide awards under the Rural Health Transformation Program.

Every single state is waiting to learn what share of the $50 billion pie they’ll be getting.

Insurers increasingly use AI to make coverage decisions, but overreliance risks biased denials and lost clinical judgment. This piece breaks down the dangers. By Brit Vanneman https://healthlaw.org/federal-ai-policy-threatens-prior-authorization-reform/

An article titled "Integrating Financing Variables Into Behavioral Health Policy Implementation Research" by Jonathan Purtle et al. Includes a table of policy implementation financing variables & applications in behavioral health policy research.

Viewpoint: Measuring and modeling financing variables is essential for evaluating how behavioral health policies are implemented and their impact on outcomes. ja.ma/44lYYp7

www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/...

Lessons from Pandemic Era Medicaid Automation for Work Requirements Small tech capacity investments offer big returns

New at Can We Still Govern? New Medicaid work requirements will see an estimated 5 million lose coverage.
Small investments in in-house tech capacity could allow states to start preparing now to expand automatic renewal of clients. Here is the evidence 🧵
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/how-a-van-...

Positive News:
Green turtles came back from the brink.

The species came off the ‘endangered’ list. It offers hope at a time when more species are being added to the IUCN’s red list.
61% of bird species are now in decline.
Coordinated actions can reverse populations at risk of extinction.

Mamdani's response to Cuomo's claims that he's too inexperienced to be NYC mayor: "What I don't have in experience, I make up for in integrity. And what you don't have in integrity, you could never make up for in experience."

“The Government sometimes makes brief investigative stops. . . . If the officers learn that the individual they stopped is a U. S. citizen or otherwise lawfully in the United States, they promptly let the individual go.”

Justice Kavanaugh in Vasquez Perdomo:

www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/24p...

Head of the U.S. Military’s Southern Command Is Stepping Down, Officials Say

Not a lawyer but 2 things I think are true:
1. Under the doctrine of command responsibility, a combatant commander has a duty to follow the law;
2. There is no statute of limitations for murder.

So Halsey was right IMO to "raise concerns about the mission" & resign rather than continue to go along.

more of this

Why Is the DOJ Telling NIH Staff They Can't Attend a Public Health Conference? Hello, welcome to my relaunched newsletter, read more about the deal here and please subscribe! On Wednesday, employees at various parts of the National Institutes of Health received an odd email. Sh...

As far as I can tell no one else has yet reported (tell me if I missed something!) on the DOJ dictating what meetings NIH employees can attend, which, well, seems odd to me.

Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro X.com Agree with @ezraklein: Democrats must not be party to a government funding bill that does not meet key demands. As a former OMB official, here's what Democrats could demand: Opinion | Stop Funding Trump's Takeover From nytimes.com 10:26 AM • 9/7/25 • 3.3K Views

Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h 9 ... 1. Restore Medicaid cuts, or increase other Medicaid funding, so that no one loses Medicaid coverage (as certified by CBO). 172 0 5 ill 401企 Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h Democrats have the upper hand politically on this. And this demand leaves a lot of flexibility for negotiation, while fulfilling a core, popular principle. . ... 11 08 il1 345只 Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h 2. An iron-clad requirement to spend congressionally-appropriated funds. 09 ill 333只企 Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h .... The Impoundment Control Act (ICA) already prohibits the president from withholding funds. The problem is judicial enforcement is too slow. il1 315只企 Topher Spiro @@TopherSpiro •1h Amend the ICA to give the appropriations committees (chair or ranking member) an express cause of action to bring an action in federal district court to enforce the ICA. 9 ...

Topher Spiro @TopherSpiro • 1h Require the court to hold a hearing and issue a ruling within 30 days, and allow for direct appeal to the Supreme Court within 10 days. セマ Ill 374 贝 Topher Spiro @TopherSpiro •1h In addition, make the OMB Director personally liable (civil penalty up to $50,000) for withholding funds. 172 il1 381贝企 Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h g... Ban "pocket rescissions." Under the ICA, the president can propose rescissions (cancellation of funds) and withhold the funds for 45 days; but if the proposal is transmitted <45 days from the expiration of funds, the funds will expire! This is a pocket rescission. 17 ill 859工 Topher Spiro & @TopherSpiro • 1h 3. Provide for fast-track congressional review of tariffs that increase prices for consumers (as determined by the CBO). This can be modeled after the Congressional Review Act (i.e., disapproval can't be filibustered).

Topher Spiro @@TopherSpiro •34m 4. Require insurance coverage of all vaccines recommended by the CDC as of September 1, 2025. Parents and doctors must retain choice. E71 il1 840贝工 Topher Spiro &@TopherSpiro • 12m 5. Provide funding for states and localities to hire and train local police officers, and prohibit the president from deploying the National Guard for local law enforcement purposes.

Interesting shutdown politics thread by health policy expert and former OMB official Topher Spiro.

The summer blockbuster is this thread on a Berkeley city council meeting about building more housing

A too-often neglected approach to unjustly neglected disease—a community-centered project to prevent and treat Chagas’ disease

Chilling

There's no declaration of war, and no AUMF that covers this. Entering this war is wrong on the merits; we had a perfectly peaceful way to address Iran's nuclear program. It's also unlawful. A democratic republic should not be able to enter a war of choice on one man's say-so.

Only Congress has the power to declare war and our elected officials must take that power back. Urge your senators to use their constitutional authority with the war powers resolution: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...

Then do the same with your representative: act.indivisible.org/sign/no-iran...

Tracking Senate Action on Tax and Budget Reconciliation Plan | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities The Senate is beginning to consider Republican leadership’s tax and budget reconciliation legislation. Follow this space for our analyses of the legislation.

For more @centeronbudget.bsky.social analysis of the bill, find our live blog with ongoing updates here: www.cbpp.org/blog/trackin...

A clear-eyed look at what’s at stake is f’ing horrifying

Firearm Laws and Pediatric Mortality in the US This study attempts to measure excess mortality due to firearms among US children aged 0 to 17 years after the McDonald v Chicago US Supreme Court decision (2010).

Excited that my JAMA Pediatrics article with @jeremyfaust.bsky.social @bhrenton.bsky.social @hmkyale.bsky.social and others is now published. It turns out that permissive firearm laws aren’t great if you want to reduce pediatric firearm deaths. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Finally a small win: NIH rescinds requirement to denounce DEI as a condition for receiving funding.

Which is great, since saying I don’t care to create inclusive spaces is antithetical to my mission as an educator.

grants.nih.gov/grants/guide...

Immigration Enforcement in Nursing Facilities and Other Settings for Older Adults - Justice in Aging The federal government's aggressive deportation stance raises the possibility of immigration raids in nursing homes and facilities serving older adults.

Since the Trump administration greenlit immigration raids in previously off-limits areas like healthcare facilities, it's crucial that staff in nursing homes and adult day centers know their rights.

Remember: ICE agents need warrants to legally enter private areas such as resident rooms.

I really appreciate @briannosek.bsky.social for being clear from the start that this EO is in no way a win for open science.
"The executive order converts principles of good practice into weapons against scientific evidence."

Earlier this evening, the Univision crew grabbed their gear and started running when federal police began shooting pepper balls at us. @lataco.bsky.social

The most vital thing you can do right now is spread this message offline to normies. There is no "unrest", there's a protest. It has 400 people. LA does worse when the Lakers come in 3rd in a season.

House Budget Bill Would Impose Administrative Barriers for Kids, Families, Seniors, and People with Disabilities in Medicaid With the House Energy and Commerce Committee reporting out its budget reconciliation bill with at least $625 billion in cuts to Medicaid, I find it ironic that a section of the bill entitled “Impro…

My colleague Tricia Brooks explains how the budget reconciliation bill would make it harder for eligible children, seniors, people with disabilities and others to apply for, enroll in and renew #Medicaid coverage: ccf.georgetown.edu/2025/05/19/h...

A Cut to Medicaid is a Cut to Medicare - Justice in Aging Without Medicaid, 12 million Medicare enrollees could not access the care they need.

❌ Myth: Medicare covers all long-term care needs.

✅ Fact: #Medicaid funds most long-term care in the U.S.

Medicaid also covers other critical services that Medicare doesn't, such as transportation to appointments; motorized wheelchairs and other special equipment; and dental and hearing care.

These folks are monsters—just absolutely horrible people.