Transgender health care protections under fire
October 22, 2018
Policy Watch
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HHS to roll back transgender protections. Health officials in the Trump administration are expected to announce a rule change Monday that would erase protections for transgender people in the Affordable Care Act. HHS had issued rules under the Obama administration assuring trans individuals were protected from gender discrimination for the purposes of health care and insurance. HHS Administration officials had considered such a rule change before, but some legal experts expressed concern that the shift would leave the government vulnerable to legal challenge, if the definitions of gender varied from one agency, such as the Department of Education, to the next. [WSJ]
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White House hosting event to attract tech talent. The Trump administration is hosting an event Monday convening tech giants like Amazon and Facebook, with the hope of streamlining the path for top technologists to serve in government. The federal government has always struggled to attract tech talent, due to the extensive background checks, slow hiring process and below market wages, but the administration argues that a chance at true public service offers benefits beyond compensation. Building on Obama administration efforts to leverage technology in government, 18F and the US Digital Service, the Trump administration has created the Office of American Innovation, the organization hosting Monday’s event. [Washington Post]
Economic Indicators and News
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National Activity Index falling. The Chicago Fed National Activity Index declined for the month of September by 0.17, falling from August’s upwardly revised 0.27 reading. The index gauges economic activity and its impact on inflationary pressure, with positive readings corresponding to growth above trend. [Market Watch]