Ruth Reader
@ruthreader.bsky.social
Covering the impact of technology on health care and public health for @politico.com
Reposted by Ruth Reader
The Trump admin offered states a deal: Want more $ for rural health care? Pass pro-MAHA laws.
“They’re holding our rural health as a hostage, essentially, for these broader policy goals," one Arizona lawmaker told me.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12... with the great @ruthreader.bsky.social
“They’re holding our rural health as a hostage, essentially, for these broader policy goals," one Arizona lawmaker told me.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12... with the great @ruthreader.bsky.social
‘Sort of blackmail’: Billions in rural health funding hinge on states passing Trump-backed policies
Democrats and health advocates described the strategy as highly unusual, and some fear it could be wielded to favor political allies.
www.politico.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:36 PM
The Trump admin offered states a deal: Want more $ for rural health care? Pass pro-MAHA laws.
“They’re holding our rural health as a hostage, essentially, for these broader policy goals," one Arizona lawmaker told me.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12... with the great @ruthreader.bsky.social
“They’re holding our rural health as a hostage, essentially, for these broader policy goals," one Arizona lawmaker told me.
www.politico.com/news/2025/12... with the great @ruthreader.bsky.social
In DFD today: Some parents are concerned that schools have become over digitized t.co/Au4BFrOvvU
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/digital-future-daily
t.co
November 24, 2025 at 11:07 PM
In DFD today: Some parents are concerned that schools have become over digitized t.co/Au4BFrOvvU
Reposted by Ruth Reader
ICE is telling Dem lawmakers they can’t visit detention centers during the shutdown — citing no money or staff to support visits, says our @kyledcheney.bsky.social.
Read the exclusive story on how the Trump administration is using the shutdown to limit oversight: ow.ly/fL0b50XjLWv
Read the exclusive story on how the Trump administration is using the shutdown to limit oversight: ow.ly/fL0b50XjLWv
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
ICE is telling Dem lawmakers they can’t visit detention centers during the shutdown — citing no money or staff to support visits, says our @kyledcheney.bsky.social.
Read the exclusive story on how the Trump administration is using the shutdown to limit oversight: ow.ly/fL0b50XjLWv
Read the exclusive story on how the Trump administration is using the shutdown to limit oversight: ow.ly/fL0b50XjLWv
Reposted by Ruth Reader
Our analysis shows the U.S. generally performs worse in long-term health outcomes (like life expectancy), certain treatment outcomes (like maternal mortality), some patient safety measures, and health system capacity: https://on.kff.org/42I5t4R
October 28, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Our analysis shows the U.S. generally performs worse in long-term health outcomes (like life expectancy), certain treatment outcomes (like maternal mortality), some patient safety measures, and health system capacity: https://on.kff.org/42I5t4R
Reposted by Ruth Reader
NEW: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said earlier this month that ChatGPT now has 800 million weekly active users. The company’s estimates therefore suggest that every seven days, around 560,000 people may be exchanging messages with ChatGPT that indicate they are experiencing mania or psychosis.
Here's How Many People May Use ChatGPT During a Mental Health Crisis Each Week
OpenAI released initial estimates about the share of users who may be experiencing symptoms like delusional thinking, mania, or suicidal ideation, and says it has tweaked GPT-5 to respond more effecti...
www.wired.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:05 PM
NEW: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said earlier this month that ChatGPT now has 800 million weekly active users. The company’s estimates therefore suggest that every seven days, around 560,000 people may be exchanging messages with ChatGPT that indicate they are experiencing mania or psychosis.
Reposted by Ruth Reader
NEW with @ruthreader.bsky.social: Nearly as many migrants have died in custody so far this year than over the 4 yrs of the Biden admin. ICE is hiring dozens more medical workers, but former insiders are skeptical the deaths will stop w/o more fundamental reforms. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
ICE is hiring dozens of health workers as lawsuits, deaths in custody mount
Nearly as many migrants have died in detention so far this year than over the four years of the Biden administration.
www.politico.com
October 20, 2025 at 2:04 PM
NEW with @ruthreader.bsky.social: Nearly as many migrants have died in custody so far this year than over the 4 yrs of the Biden admin. ICE is hiring dozens more medical workers, but former insiders are skeptical the deaths will stop w/o more fundamental reforms. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Ruth Reader
Politico Future Pulse: Inside the NIH whistleblower complaints Erin Schumaker spoke with Debra Katz, legal counsel for Drs. Marrazzo and Neuzil
politi.co/3JUSWEw
@erinlschumaker.bsky.social
@ruthreader.bsky.social
politi.co/3JUSWEw
@erinlschumaker.bsky.social
@ruthreader.bsky.social
Inside the NIH whistleblower complaints
politi.co
September 8, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Politico Future Pulse: Inside the NIH whistleblower complaints Erin Schumaker spoke with Debra Katz, legal counsel for Drs. Marrazzo and Neuzil
politi.co/3JUSWEw
@erinlschumaker.bsky.social
@ruthreader.bsky.social
politi.co/3JUSWEw
@erinlschumaker.bsky.social
@ruthreader.bsky.social
Reposted by Ruth Reader
TODAY: PEN Guild heads to arbitration over POLITICO’s contract-breaking use of AI. This fight could set the standard for how AI is used in newsrooms across the country.
✍️ Sign our petition and help us go into arbitration with full support: bit.ly/PENGuild
✍️ Sign our petition and help us go into arbitration with full support: bit.ly/PENGuild
July 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM
TODAY: PEN Guild heads to arbitration over POLITICO’s contract-breaking use of AI. This fight could set the standard for how AI is used in newsrooms across the country.
✍️ Sign our petition and help us go into arbitration with full support: bit.ly/PENGuild
✍️ Sign our petition and help us go into arbitration with full support: bit.ly/PENGuild
The speed with which I clicked on this headline 🏃🏃🏃 www.politico.com/news/magazin...
The Plastic Surgery Procedure Booming Among Washington Men
Chiseled jawlines are in everywhere, but in Washington, D.C., people have even more reasons to go under the knife (or at least the needle).
www.politico.com
June 6, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The speed with which I clicked on this headline 🏃🏃🏃 www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Thomas Keane is the new assistant secretary for technology policy subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
POLITICO Pro: Trump picks former HHS tech adviser to lead health IT agency
subscriber.politicopro.com
June 3, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Thomas Keane is the new assistant secretary for technology policy subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
Reposted by Ruth Reader
We're proud our AI agreement has safeguards for journalists jobs-and company ethics, to allow AI use in a way that works for us, not against us. @politico.com already agreed that AI-generated content should be subject to the same standards as human-written articles. It needs to follow the contract
Politico’s Newsroom Is Starting a Legal Battle With Management Over AI
Politico has rules about AI in the newsroom. Staffers say those rules have been violated—and they’re gearing up for a fight.
www.wired.com
May 22, 2025 at 3:58 PM
We're proud our AI agreement has safeguards for journalists jobs-and company ethics, to allow AI use in a way that works for us, not against us. @politico.com already agreed that AI-generated content should be subject to the same standards as human-written articles. It needs to follow the contract
Popping in from vacation for a scoop: Less than four years out of high school, Peter Bowman-Davis is the acting chief AI officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Yale undergrad was recently a fellow at Andreessen Horowitz
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
The Yale undergrad was recently a fellow at Andreessen Horowitz
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
POLITICO Pro: HHS puts Yale undergrad in charge of artificial intelligence
Peter Bowman-Davis has worked at Andreessen Horowitz, the Silicon Valley venture capital firm whose founders endorsed Trump.
subscriber.politicopro.com
May 1, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Popping in from vacation for a scoop: Less than four years out of high school, Peter Bowman-Davis is the acting chief AI officer at the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Yale undergrad was recently a fellow at Andreessen Horowitz
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
The Yale undergrad was recently a fellow at Andreessen Horowitz
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
If you subscribed to POLITICO you would have gotten this news yesterday
SCOOP: Mayo Clinic taps former Biden administration official to oversee its use of AI www.statnews.com/2025/04/10/m... via @statnews.com
Mayo Clinic taps former Biden administration official to oversee its use of AI
Exclusive: Micky Tripathi, former top HHS official, to join Mayo Clinic as a senior executive overseeing implementation of AI.
www.statnews.com
April 10, 2025 at 6:50 PM
If you subscribed to POLITICO you would have gotten this news yesterday
Reposted by Ruth Reader
Rumors, group chats, clandestine spreadsheets: how health agency workers are struggling to take stock of this week's mass purge by RFK Jr. amid an information blackout www.politico.com/news/2025/04... with @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @ruthreader.bsky.social
Confusion and despair as health agency workers tally their losses
Employees who survived mass firings this week say management hasn't provided an accounting.
www.politico.com
April 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Rumors, group chats, clandestine spreadsheets: how health agency workers are struggling to take stock of this week's mass purge by RFK Jr. amid an information blackout www.politico.com/news/2025/04... with @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @ruthreader.bsky.social
Reposted by Ruth Reader
NEW w/ @ruthreader.bsky.social : HHS is eliminating offices that work on minority health, HIV and STIs.
HIV experts called it a "decimation" that will cost the government much more over time than any short-term savings.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
HIV experts called it a "decimation" that will cost the government much more over time than any short-term savings.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
POLITICO Pro: HHS is killing offices devoted to improving minority health and tackling HIV
Some impacted offices are statutorily required.
subscriber.politicopro.com
March 28, 2025 at 8:07 PM
NEW w/ @ruthreader.bsky.social : HHS is eliminating offices that work on minority health, HIV and STIs.
HIV experts called it a "decimation" that will cost the government much more over time than any short-term savings.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
HIV experts called it a "decimation" that will cost the government much more over time than any short-term savings.
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
Yes! HHS seems to be moving to rehire probationary workers that were fired in February, complying with a court order issued last week. So far, staff at NIH, CMS, FDA, and ONC have received emails to this effect.
March 18, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Yes! HHS seems to be moving to rehire probationary workers that were fired in February, complying with a court order issued last week. So far, staff at NIH, CMS, FDA, and ONC have received emails to this effect.
Noting a couple of scoops here that have been published behind the paywall recently: Since Trump has taken office, his administration has quickly tried to unwind the Biden administration's work regulating AI in health care.
February 26, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Noting a couple of scoops here that have been published behind the paywall recently: Since Trump has taken office, his administration has quickly tried to unwind the Biden administration's work regulating AI in health care.
Reposted by Ruth Reader
Mass firings, abrupt policy shifts and simmering tensions: Inside RFK Jr’s health department hostile takeover, w @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @ruthreader.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
Inside RFK Jr.’s health department takeover
Kennedy’s first week at HHS included dismissing the workforce, vaccine advisers and some longtime health priorities.
www.politico.com
February 22, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Mass firings, abrupt policy shifts and simmering tensions: Inside RFK Jr’s health department hostile takeover, w @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social @ruthreader.bsky.social www.politico.com/news/2025/02...
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the Kids Off Social Media Act, which would ban kids under 13 from social platforms. Expect more online safety bills to come before this committee...
February 5, 2025 at 4:11 PM
The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the Kids Off Social Media Act, which would ban kids under 13 from social platforms. Expect more online safety bills to come before this committee...
There is a new lawsuit against Character.ai, alleging the platform caused two users under the age of 18 mental health harm and promoted self harm. This is the second lawsuit against Character.ai and part of a larger wave of social platform product liability lawsuits.
character.ai | Personalized AI for every moment of your day
Chat with millions of AI Characters anytime, anywhere. Super-intelligent chat bots that hear you, understand you, and remember you. Free to use with no ads.
Character.ai
December 10, 2024 at 3:22 PM
There is a new lawsuit against Character.ai, alleging the platform caused two users under the age of 18 mental health harm and promoted self harm. This is the second lawsuit against Character.ai and part of a larger wave of social platform product liability lawsuits.
Today advocates for a kids online safety bill will be on the hill, demonstrating, and meeting with members of Congress in a very late push to get their bill passed in an end of year spending package.
December 10, 2024 at 12:18 PM
Today advocates for a kids online safety bill will be on the hill, demonstrating, and meeting with members of Congress in a very late push to get their bill passed in an end of year spending package.
More support for KOSA from the Trump camp
December 8, 2024 at 1:58 PM
More support for KOSA from the Trump camp
In a new push to get the Kids Online Safety Act passed, Sen. Blackburn is putting forward an updated bill with input from X CEO Linda Yaccarino to address concerns the bill infringes on free speech. Elon Musk also appears to support the bill.
December 7, 2024 at 5:44 PM
In a new push to get the Kids Online Safety Act passed, Sen. Blackburn is putting forward an updated bill with input from X CEO Linda Yaccarino to address concerns the bill infringes on free speech. Elon Musk also appears to support the bill.