Hello from the Common Health Coalition! The 2-4-2 Digest is a weekly snapshot for health leaders that highlights four key things to know and can be read in less than two minutes or with two swipes on your phone. 

Weekly Health Insights

Medicaid: Newly enacted tax legislation includes over $1 trillion in Medicaid reductions, with anticipated state-level cuts averaging about 11% in Medicaid expansion states and as high as 21% in non-expansion states. It also imposes new work requirements and lets ACA premium tax credits expire, risking coverage losses and higher costs. The legislation creates a five-year $50 billion rural health fund, extends telehealth-related HSA flexibilities, and removes earlier provisions that limited access to gender-affirming care.

Historic Measles Cases: With 1,281 cases reported, the U.S. is experiencing its highest measles count in 30 years - surpassing the last surge in 2019 and marking the largest outbreak since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000. See today's Datawatch for the latest.

Behavioral Health: Iowa has overhauled their behavioral health system which consolidates 13 regional mental health and disability service agencies and 19 substance use disorder provider networks into one system. This model, made possible through public health-health care partnership, prioritizes cross-county access, community input, and coordinated funding.

RSV Vaccine: The CDC now recommends that adults aged 50–59 with chronic medical conditions and other risk factors for severe RSV disease receive a single dose of the vaccine - CDC clinical considerations are forthcoming. This is in addition to current recommendations for high-risk adults 60-74 and all adults 75+. 

Colleague Corner

In a recent JAMA Network Open commentary, Dr. Alejandro Comellas calls for more agile clinical trial infrastructure to respond to future public health emergencies.

“Establishing international frameworks that facilitate collaboration across borders, harmonize legal and ethical standards, and enable efficient data sharing will contribute to a more responsive RCT system.”

– Dr. Alejandro Comellas, Pulmonologist, University of Iowa

Datawatch

As of July 6, U.S. Measles cases hit a historic high of 1,281 cases reported across 39 states and D.C. Although the Southwest outbreak has currently slowed, smaller, localized outbreaks are now driving the continued rise in cases nationwide. For more on the situation, check out the Yale School of Public Health's latest brief. 

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