Medical schools don’t spend much time teaching students how to recognize and respond to patients suffering from addiction — and that shortcoming is becoming more glaring in light of the opioid crisis.
The big picture: Only about 15 medical schools in the U.S. cover addiction in a comprehensive way that goes beyond opioid-specific education, and there are only 52 fellowships in addiction medicine, according to a New York Times feature on Boston University’s more thorough, integrated program.
A new, informal coalition of health care CEOs has been meeting to discuss ways to make the health care system more affordable and sustainable. And that includes coming up with some kind of answer to the venture started by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase.
The big picture: This coalition is a sign that the industry realizes people are upset with the expensive U.S. health care system. But it's still in the brainstorming phase, according to Providence St. Joseph Health's Rod Hochman, one of the CEOs who's involved.
Democrats running for governor in states that haven't expanded Medicaid are making the expansion a central part of their campaigns.
Why it matters: Democrats up and down the ballot are focused on health care. But while congressional races are largely debates about the Trump administration's Affordable Care Act agenda or "Medicare for All," Medicaid expansion is an issue that gubernatorial candidates would actually have a lot of power to influence.
