Leadership Transition - Erica Rossitto has been appointed as the Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive of HCA Healthcare, effective February 1, succeeding Sammie Mosier, who passed away in December [1][2] - Rossitto has a 25-year tenure at HCA, starting her career as a nurse at HCA HealthONE Swedish in Englewood, Colorado [2] Operational Background - In her previous role as Assistant Chief Nurse Executive, Rossitto managed an operations support team focused on enhancing emergency, trauma, and surgical services, as well as improving patient experience and leadership advocacy [3] Company Performance - HCA Healthcare, one of the largest health systems in the U.S. with 191 hospitals and approximately 2,500 ambulatory care sites, reported a positive financial year despite challenges in the healthcare sector [4] - The company raised its full-year outlook for revenue and profit after reporting third-quarter earnings, with revenue increasing nearly 10% year-over-year to $19.2 billion and net income rising over 29% to $1.6 billion [5] Future Challenges - The healthcare sector is expected to face new financial pressures due to Medicaid cuts and the expiration of enhanced financial assistance for Affordable Care Act health plans, which may increase the number of uninsured individuals [6] - HCA is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter earnings on January 27 [6]

I want to bring in Democratic Congressman Brendan Bole from Pennsylvania, ranking member of the House Budget Committee. Congressman, it's good to see you again. And I understand you just came from a Democratic caucus meeting.What can you tell us about it. >> Well, I can tell you that in that room, uh, every single person who spoke up talked about what a terrible uh, deal this is. Frankly, not even an agreement.It is something um that makes sure the health care crisis imposed by Republicans continues in this ...

SNAP Program & Constituents - Republican leaders' policies disproportionately impact their own constituents who rely on government assistance like SNAP and Medicaid [4][6] - Senator Tommy Tuberville may lack understanding of American culture, employment, the SNAP program, and its beneficiaries [2] - The pressure is mounting on representatives due to constituents' reliance on SNAP for survival, especially in inner cities [1] Alabama & Food Assistance - 750,000 people in Alabama, representing 15% of the state's population, receive food assistance [5] - Many SNAP beneficiaries in Alabama are Trump voters, highlighting the disconnect between political rhetoric and the needs of constituents [5][6] - There's concern that Tommy Tuberville may not understand the impact of programs like WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) on his constituents [7] Employment & SNAP - There's a perception that many young men on SNAP should be working [1] - The discussion touches upon American employment and how Congress should operate regarding the SNAP program [2]

Healthcare Costs & Policy Impacts - Kaiser Family Foundation analysis estimates a 114% increase in annual out-of-pocket premiums if tax credits expire, averaging $1,016 [2] - Healthcare costs are expected to rise for all Americans due to the Republican tax bill, with ACA exchange participants experiencing the most immediate impact [3][4] - Medicare cuts are scheduled to take effect on January 1st, impacting providers and potentially leading to cost increases passed on to consumers [3] - Medicaid cuts are planned to begin in December of next year, potentially affecting a significant portion of the population [4] - Cost shifting throughout the healthcare system, including closures especially in rural areas, will likely lead to increased costs for the 160 million Americans with employer-sponsored healthcare [4] Political Landscape & Legislative Actions - Some House Republicans are reportedly open to mitigating healthcare cuts, but face opposition from a majority of their caucus who oppose taxpayer-funded healthcare [5][12][13] - Democrats are pushing for measures to limit the president's ability to cut funding appropriated by Congress [13][15] - The Republican tax bill included over $5 trillion in tax cuts, largely benefiting the top 1%, and was partially offset by roughly $1.5 trillion in cuts, with healthcare cuts accounting for about $1 trillion [10] Executive Power & Congressional Authority - The executive branch is accused of seizing the power of the purse through recisions and empowerment, potentially undermining the system of checks and balances [15][16] - Legislation like the Congressional Power of the Purse Act aims to strengthen Congress's ability to prevent the executive from unilaterally cutting appropriated funds [15][25] - Concerns are raised that allowing the executive to continue impounding funds would grant dictatorial power to the president [16][18]

Joining us now, a Democratic Congressman from Maryland, Glenn Ivy, who represents about 65,000 federal workers. Congresswoman, welcome. Um, you just heard AOC there.Do you agree with her that Democrats are looking for a long-term solution. They don't want any kind of a quick band-aid fix. Well, I think her uh political analysis is right there for sure.And couple points in addition, keep in mind that when it came to extending the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, the House Republicans and the Senate Rep ...

Healthcare Policy & Funding - The report highlights the urgent need to address the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the potential expiration of tax credits, emphasizing the dramatic impact on everyday Americans [3] - The speaker calls for a complete rollback of Medicaid cuts, despite Republican opposition, framing it as essential to addressing the healthcare crisis [1] - The report advocates for a bipartisan negotiation to reopen the government and pass a spending bill that improves the quality of life for Americans, particularly concerning healthcare costs [7] Cost of Healthcare - A married couple making $88,000 per year currently pays about $8,000 annually for healthcare insurance [3] - If ACA tax credits expire, the same couple could be forced to pay $24,000 per year, a 300% increase, making healthcare unaffordable [4] - The report argues that allowing ACA tax credits to expire will cause premiums and healthcare costs to skyrocket, exacerbating the existing financial burden on Americans [8] Political Stance & Negotiation - The speaker criticizes Republicans for failing to lower costs as promised and attributes rising costs to Trump's policies and tariffs [8] - The report emphasizes the need for a bipartisan negotiation to address the healthcare crisis with urgency [8] - The speaker advocates for a "clean" continuing resolution (CR) at fiscal year 2023 levels as the only way forward, opposing the use of government shutdowns to advance policy agendas [6] Impact on Americans - The Republican healthcare crisis is described as devastating to the well-being of Americans across various demographics, including rural, working-class, urban, small-town, and minority communities [2] - The potential expiration of ACA tax credits is portrayed as a threat that could bankrupt families and leave them without healthcare coverage [4]

Welcome back. And joining me now is House Democratic Leader Hakeim Jeff of New York. Leader Jeff, welcome back to Meet the Press.>> Good morning. Great to be with you. >> Well, it's great to have you here on a very busy morning.I do, of course, want to get to the shutdown, but first I have to ask you about these developments in the Middle East. Of course, Hamas saying that it will in fact turn over the hostages. Leader Jeff, let me ask you.Do you support President Trump's 20point peace proposal. >> Well, I ...

Trump says Democrats must drop their demands to renew health care subsidies and roll back Medicaid cuts before he will meet with Democratic party leaders to talk about a looming federal shutdown deadline https://t.co/OphmJ9AWkp ...

Senate Procedure & Political Maneuvering - Senate Republicans invoked the "nuclear option" to expedite confirmation of Trump nominees by lowering the threshold from 60 votes to a simple majority [1][2] - This change limits the minority party's (Democrats) ability to block nominees, though Republicans can still flag nominees [6] - The move is seen as a way to break the Democratic "blockade" of nominees, but Democrats argue Republicans will regret it when the situation is reversed [2] - Changes like this can undermine the bipartisan function of the Senate [7] Democratic Strategy & Challenges - Democrats face limited options in response to the rule change [8] - Some argue Democrats should have used similar tactics when they held power to advance their agenda [9][10] - A key point of contention is potential Medicaid cuts, which Democrats see as a salient issue for the midterms [20][21] - Democrats aim to portray Republicans as failing to protect Medicaid [21] Potential Government Shutdown - The report mentions the possibility of a government shutdown and Democrats' willingness to fight back [15] - Democrats are united in opposing legislation that doesn't include key healthcare provisions [16] - Democrats believe Republicans will be held responsible if a bipartisan deal isn't reached [16] - Democrats see leverage in fighting potential Medicaid cuts during budget negotiations [18][20]

But today, Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. . showed the country once again that he is not just a raving conspiracy theorist, and he definitely is one of those. He is also a pathological liar.Take this exchange for instance. Just last week, in the days after the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in my home state of Minnesota, you went on Fox News blaming school shootings on anti-depressants. You have no evidence of that because you have no evidence of a connection and you wa ...