Two-thirds of respondents in a new survey believe the federal government should be willing to spend more tax dollars to help lower health care costs for Americans, and supporters of “Medicare-for-All” now outnumber opponents by a 2-to-1 margin. That’s according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll that found 43% of people would like to see everyone have access to Medicare, even if it replaces private insurance, with 24% opposed and 32% saying they’re not sure.
Respondents said they’d be more likely to support congressional candidates this year if those candidates favored expanding government subsidies of health care costs, reinstating enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits that expired at the beginning of this year and expanding prescription drug discount platforms. … “Health care is one of the significant ways that people experience economic pressure every day,” said Mallory Newall, Ipsos senior vice president for U.S. public affairs.
The Callais plaintiffs aren’t finished
The Louisiana litigants at the center of this year’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned a key plank of the Voting Rights Act are now pushing to eliminate the state’s one remaining majority-Black congressional district. As Mark Ballard of The Times-Picayune | Baton Rouge Advocate reports, the plaintiffs allege the court’s Callais ruling, which says political districts can be drawn for partisan purposes but not on the basis of race, means the Black-majority 2nd Congressional District seat held by Rep. Troy Carter might also run afoul of the constitution. State Attorney General Liz Murrill is expected to push for an end to the proceedings when the two sides meet in a federal court in Shreveport later this month.
The case, should it be allowed to move forward, won’t impact the Nov. 3 midterm elections. But it could have significant implications for Louisiana’s congressional delegation, and underscores how the Callais ruling continues to reverberate through state and national politics. It has already drawn a sharp rebuke from Carter. “They will never stop in their quest for a return of Jim Crow,” said Carter, the Algiers Democrat whose district stretches through predominantly African American communities near the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge.
Medicaid cuts hurt refugees and immigrants
Hundreds of thousands of people who immigrated legally to the United States, many of whom work and pay taxes, are expected to lose access to Medicaid coverage this month thanks to President Trump’s harmful budget and tax megabill. The Associated Press reports that the changes affect refugees, victims of human trafficking and other legal immigrants, and became effective Oct. 1. They are part of the administration’s efforts to curb immigration and cut Medicaid costs as it seeks to offset the cost of tax cuts that primarily benefit the wealthy.
Advocates say that without Medicaid, people will not be able to afford private insurance and will either delay care or end up in emergency rooms, adding pressure to a strained health system. For immigrants, the cuts could be felt more acutely, compounding the effects of other administration efforts to restrict their access to public assistance as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
Here in Louisiana, the Illuminator reports that an estimated 70,000 Medicaid recipients who get coverage through Louisiana Healthcare Connections could soon lose access to Ochsner Health System as of Dec. 1 as the two sides have failed to agree to a new contract.
Denver’s solution for homelessness
Colorado’s capital has made dramatic strides in reducing its unhoused population in recent years. Homelessness in Denver has dropped by 64% since 2023, and the mayor has set a goal of reducing street homelessness to zero. It’s being done by fairly conventional means – having police break up encampments, combined with a strong social service safety net that connects people with housing and other supports. The New York Times’ German Lopez reports:
Politically, none of this is easy. On the policing side, progressives remain skeptical of using law enforcement to deal with what they see as largely an economic issue. On the housing side, the constraint is money. Building housing and shelters requires public and private funds that cities often don’t have and aren’t willing to prioritize over other spending and tax cuts.
Number of the Day
+4% – Change in median real income for the bottom 20% of earners from 2021-24. Income for the middle 20% of earners grew 7% over the same period, while incomes for the richest 10% fell by 6% (Source: Axios via Federal Reserve)