Medicare's Latest Pay Cut Will Harm Seniors (Connecting the Dots: The American Medical Association, Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance, FDA, Obamacare, The Center for American Progress & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Medicare's Latest Pay Cut Will Harm Seniors (Connecting the Dots: The American Medical Association, Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance, FDA, Obamacare, The Center for American Progress & Soros Funding, All Networking)

Newsmax.com

By Sally PipesMonday, 11 November 2024 01:26 PM EST

(Dreamstime)

https://www.newsmax.com/sallypipes/medicare-doctors-healthcare/2024/11/11/id/1187542/

Doctors are getting a pay cut in 2025. That's the upshot of a rule issued by Medicare earlier this month.

Patients will be the ones who pay the price for Medicare's parsimony. Seniors and younger people alike will find it harder to secure access to doctors and care.

Physician practices' finances have been under stress for years. Next year's looming 2.9% reduction in reimbursement is the fifth pay cut Medicare has proposed since 2021. After accounting for inflation, Medicare payments to doctors fell nearly 30% between 2001 and 2024, according to the American Medical Association.

The costs associated with operating a practice — like rent, utilities, medical equipment, time spent battling insurance companies over things like prior authorization, and wages for staff — haven't fallen. They're up more than 50% since 2001. Even as Medicare proposes to cut physician payments next year, it admits that doctors' expenses are set to increase 3.5% in 2025.

"To put it bluntly," AMA President Dr. Bruce A. Scott recently said, "Medicare plans to pay us less while costs go up. You don't have to be an economist to know that is an unsustainable trend."

Medicare currently covers nearly 48 million American patients. This makes it the second-largest provider of health coverage in the nation, next to Medicaid. And the Medicare population is growing. The country is aging, and more Baby Boomers are retiring.

Asking doctors to see more beneficiaries for less money is unsustainable indeed.

Some practices will close or sell to hospitals or corporate entities rather than try to make the math work with lower Medicare reimbursements.

That's already been happening in recent years. Between 2019 and 2024, hospitals and corporate entities acquired more than 44,000 practices.

Others will respond to lower payments by reducing the number of Medicare beneficiaries they see. As a result, the supply of care available to them will go down.

So seniors may have to wait longer for care. They may lose access to their doctor. Or they may not find one who will take them as a patient.

Lower Medicare reimbursements and higher operating costs will likely cause providers to demand higher payments from commercial insurers. Private insurers paid an average of 129% of what Medicare paid for physicians' services between 2010 and 2020, according to one recent analysis by the Congressional Budget Office.

That number will almost certainly go up, as a matter of financial necessity. Consolidating providers will also enjoy more negotiating leverage.

The result will be higher premiums for the privately insured. Narrower provider networks might come about, too, as insurers search for ways to limit costs.

There is, of course, still time for lawmakers to prevent next year's cuts in Medicare physician reimbursement from taking effect. A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House introduced legislation in late October that would stop Medicare's looming reimbursement cut and provide doctors with a slight pay increase for 2025 tied to inflation.

Congress needs to take action before the end of this year. Otherwise, patients could find doctors a lot harder to come by.

Connecting the Dots:

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was lobby firm for American Medical Association.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank).

Mark B. McClellan was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Harold H. Koh was a trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank), the State Department legal adviser for the Barack Obama administration and is Howard K. Koh’s brother.

Howard K. Koh is Harold H. Koh’s brother and is the assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Barack Obama administration.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Kathleen Sebelius is the secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the Barack Obama administration and her counselor at HHS was Dora Hughes.

Dora Hughes was Kathleen Sebelius’s counselor at HHS and is a senior policy adviser at Sidley Austin LLP.

Michelle Obama was a lawyer at Sidley Austin LLP.

Barack Obama was an intern at Sidley Austin LLP.

James David Vance worked at Sidley Austin LLP and is the Vice President for the Donald Trump Administration.

Cameron F. Kerry is a senior counsel at Sidley Austin LLP, John F. Kerry’s brother and a fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank). 

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and the Center for American Progress.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress.

Donald M. Berwick is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and was an administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress and was a nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration.

Center for American Progress was a funder for America's Health Insurance Plans.

Scott Armstrong is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans, a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission and the president & CEO for the Group Health Cooperative.

Richard A. Barasch is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & president & CEO for the Universal American Corporation.

Mark T. Bertolini is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & president & CEO for Aetna Inc.

Bruce G. Bodaken is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and was the chairman & president & CEO for the Blue Shield of California.

Gail K. Boudreaux is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the EVP for the UnitedHealth Group Inc.

Mary K. Brainerd is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for HealthPartners Inc.

Angela F. Braly is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and was the president & CEO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Missouri.

William M. Cameron is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & CEO for American Fidelity Assurance.

James G. Carlson is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and was the chairman & president & CEO for the Amerigroup Corporation.

David M. Cordani is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the CIGNA Corporation.

Michael W. Cropp is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for Independent Health.

Michael M. Dudley is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president for Sentara Health Plans Inc.

Mark B. Ganz is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for Cambia Health Solutions, Inc.

Jay M. Gellert is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for Health Net, Inc.

Vicky B. Gregg is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Patricia A. Hemingway Hall is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the Health Care Service Corporation.

George C. Halvorson is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman for Kaiser Permanente.

Daniel J. Hilferty III is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for Independence Blue Cross.

Daniel J. Houston is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and was a director at Catalyst Health Solutions.

Michael B. McCallister is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman for Humana Inc.

Kevin P. McCarthy is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the EVP for the Unum Group.

Unum in the US

http://www.unumgroup.com/About/UUS.aspx

For more than 37 years, Unum has been the leading provider of group disability benefits in the U.S.1

J. Mario Molina is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & president & CEO for the Molina Healthcare Inc.

Daniel P. Neary is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & CEO for Mutual of Omaha.

Robert A. Reed is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the Physicians Mutual Insurance Company.

James Roosevelt Jr. is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the Tufts Health Plan.

Eric H. Schultz is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the president & CEO for the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

Charles D. Baker Jr. was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the president & CEO for the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

Anthony L. Watson is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & CEO for the HIP Health Plan of New York.

Debbie J. Ahl was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the president & CEO for the Sterling Life Insurance Company.

K. Rone Baldwin was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the EVP & COO for the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.

Christy W. Bell was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the EVP for the Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

Frank J. Branchini was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans, is the president & COO for Emblem Health and the CEO for Group Health Inc.

Benjamin M. Cutler was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the chairman & CEO for USHEALTH Group Inc.

Joseph A. Frick was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the vice chairman for Independence Blue Cross.

H. Edward Hanway was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman & CEO & president for the CIGNA Corporation.

Robert I. Lufrano was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the CEO for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida.

Frederick J. Manning was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the chairman & CEO for the Celtic Insurance Company.

David M. McDonough was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the president & CEO for the Trustmark Insurance Company.

Adrienne Morrell was a lobbyist at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is a lobbyist for Health Net, Inc.

Ronald A. Williams was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and the chairman for the Emergency Medical Services Corp.

Jeannine M. Rivet was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the EVP for the UnitedHealth Group Inc.

Lewis G. Sandy was a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and is the SVP for the UnitedHealth Group Inc.

Tom Daschle was an adviser for the UnitedHealth Group Inc., the nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration and a director at the Center for American Progress (think tank).

Center for American Progress (think tank) was a funder for America's Health Insurance Plans.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress (think tank).

Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP was the lobby firm for the Center for American Progress (think tank), the America's Health Insurance Plans and the American Medical Association.

Vernon E. Jordan Jr. is a senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld,

an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and married to Ann Dibble Jordan.

Mark B. McClellan was a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a commissioner for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings Institution (think tank) and Center for American Progress.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress (think tank).

Center for American Progress was a funder for the America's Health Insurance Plans.

Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress, was a nominee for health and human services secretary for the Barack Obama administration and a special policy adviser at Alston & Bird. 

Thomas A. Scully is a senior counsel at Alston & Bird, the president & CEO for the Federation of American Hospitals and an administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Timothy P. Trysla is a partner at Alston & Bird and was a senior policy adviser to the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Marilyn B. Tavenner is the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and was the group president of outpatient services for the Hospital Corporation of America.

Donald M. Berwick was an administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress and the and the Committee for Economic Development.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for the Center for American Progress (think tank).

Trevor Fetter was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and a director at the Federation of American Hospitals.

 Jack O. Bovender Jr. was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and the chairman & CEO for HCA Holdings Inc.

Nancy-Ann DeParle is a director at HCA Holdings Inc., was the White House health czar & deputy chief of staff for the Barack Obama administration and an administrator for the Health Care Financing Administration.

Health Care Financing Administration was the predecessor for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Hospital Corporation of America was the predecessor for HCA Holdings Inc.    

Donna S. Morea was a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development and the EVP for the CGI Group Inc.

CGI Group Inc. was the Obamacare contractor that developed Healthcare.gov web site.

Obamacare is Barack Obama’s signature policy initiative.

Kenneth M. Duberstein was the VP for the Committee for Economic Development and is the chairman & CEO for the Duberstein Group, Inc.

Duberstein Group, Inc. is the lobby firm for the America's Health Insurance Plans.

Scott Armstrong is a director at the America's Health Insurance Plans and a member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.

Dan L. Crippen was the SVP for the Duberstein Group, Inc. and a director at the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

CBO Confirms: Biden-Harris Election Year Medicare Cost-Shifting Policy Will Cost Taxpayers Billions in 2025

October 03,2024

https://www.finance.senate.gov/ranking-members-news/cbo-confirms-biden-harris-election-year-medicare-cost-shifting-policy-will-cost-taxpayers-billions-in-2025

Washington, D.C.--The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released its analysis of a newly announced Biden-Harris program intended to paper over the flaws of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  Based on CBO estimates, this election-year stunt to artificially lower the cost of seniors’ Part D premiums will cost taxpayers at least $7 billion in 2025, including $2 billion in additional interest on our already ballooning debt.  CBO also notes the underlying partisan policy changes to seniors’ prescription drug coverage could cost up to $20 billion more in 2025 than previously assumed.

This analysis is in response to a request from U.S. Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), U.S. Senate Budget Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), U.S. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington) and U.S. House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-Missouri).

Ranking Member Crapo Statement:

“The Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the Biden-Harris Administration’s latest 2024 gimmick will spend billions in taxpayer dollars to blanket over the consequences of the rushed, partisan so-called Inflation Reduction Act.  This type of executive overreach treats the Treasury as a piggy-bank, exacerbating inflation and sidestepping Congress to advance conveniently timed political aims.”

Ranking Member Grassley Statement:

“When Democrats unilaterally enacted major changes to Medicare two years ago, they set seniors up for new expenses and fewer options.  This nonpartisan CBO analysis confirms CMS’s cost-shifting plan is a dishonest election-year gimmick to cover up those consequences. Rather than coming to the table and legitimately addressing its partisan mistakes, the Biden-Harris administration threw taxpayer dollars at the problems it created, putting Americans on the hook for tens-of-billions more dollars.”

Chair Arrington Statement:

“As predicted, the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act not only quelled investment for new cures, but caused Medicare prescription drug plan premiums to skyrocket, and Democrats are scrambling to cover it up before the election.

“In July, the Biden-Harris CMS scrambled to create a new federal program that will send billions of tax dollars to large health insurance companies to cover up a massive flaw in their so-called Inflation Reduction Act.

“Now, CBO confirmed that the Administration’s election year Hail Mary will cost taxpayers an astounding $7 billion next year alone, and $21 billion over the planned 3-year demo, adding to the more than $2 trillion in Biden-Harris executive spending.”

Chair McMorris Rodgers Statement:

“The CBO confirms the $7 billion cost for just one year of the Biden-Harris administration’s politically motivated scheme to buy off big insurance companies just weeks before an election.  The American people should not be fooled by this illegal, last-ditch attempt to cover up Democrats’ disastrous policies that significantly raised Medicare Part D premiums.  President Biden and Vice President Harris should abandon this ill-fated plan and work on bipartisan solutions to lowering the cost of care, like the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act."

Chair Smith Statement:

“The so-called Inflation Reduction Act – which is law as a result of Vice President Harris’ tie-breaking vote in the Senate – has led to a predictable spike in the cost of prescription drug coverage for America’s seniors.  Rather than change course, the Biden-Harris Administration is cutting taxpayer-funded blank checks to large health insurers to sweep the mess under the rug.  It is a shameful attempt to delay the inevitable fallout of a failed policy that leaves taxpayers footing the bill today and seniors paying the price tomorrow.”

Background:

Congressional Democrats included policies in the IRA that significantly redesigned the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit at an initial estimated cost of nearly $30 billion over ten years.

These policy changes restructured the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit and take effect in 2025.  As a result, Medicare prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors responded by significantly increasing their plan bids and base beneficiary premiums for 2025, as well as reducing the number of plans offered to seniors next year.

In response, on July 29, 2024, the Biden-Harris Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new Medicare Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration program, which will send Federal dollars to large health insurance companies to artificially lower the cost of seniors’ Part D premiums.

The bottom line:

The Premium Stabilization Demonstration program will shift financial liability onto American taxpayers by applying a uniform reduction of $15 to the base beneficiary premium, establishing a year-over-year limit of $35 on how much a plan’s total Part D premium can increase, and adjusting risk corridors to shift financial liability from large insurance companies to taxpayers.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, average Medicare Part D premiums increased by over 11 percent from 2021 to 2024, costing seniors an average of $52 more per year for their prescription drug coverage.  On the contrary, under the Trump Administration, average Part D premiums decreased by over 5.5 percent, saving seniors an average of $27 a year.

As a result, before the announcement of the Biden-Harris Administration’s election-year bailout of health insurance companies, seniors’ premiums had increased under this Administration at more than twice the rate that they decreased under the Trump Administration.

While the Trump Administration lowered costs by increasing free-market competition, the Biden-Harris Administration has subjected seniors to soaring prescription drug costs with sloppy partisan policymaking and one-size-fits-all “Washington knows best” mandates. 

Because of Democrats’ rushed, partisan policymaking in the IRA, America’s seniors were faced with sharp increases in their prescription drug premiums as well as fewer choices for coverage.

To cover up rising premiums ahead of November, the Biden-Harris Administration announced a demonstration program, which will buy down premium increases by sending billions of taxpayer dollars directly to large insurance companies.  A recent editorial from The Wall Street Journal called the plan “a Medicare election bribe for seniors.”

Resources: Past Research

Shock Report: Federal Government Will Bill Peoples' Estates After Death To Pay For Medicaid Expenses (Past Research on Medicare & Medicaid)

Monday, December 16, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/shock-report-federal-government-will.html

A Gun to the Head: Obamacare Medicaid Expansion and the Federal Takeover of State Governments (Past Research on Medicare & Medicaid)

Saturday, November 22, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/11/a-gun-to-head-obamacare-medicaid.html

THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION GOES INSANE (Past Research on the American Medical Association)

Friday, May 21, 2021

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2021/05/the-american-medical-association-goes.html

J. D. Vance (Connecting the Dots: J.D. Vance, Sidley Austin LLP, Obama, CNN, Kimberly Cheatle, U.S. Secret Service, PepsiCo, U.S. Secret Service, Pence, FBI, Merrick Garland, Alejandro Mayorkas, O'Melveny & Myers LLP & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Sidley Austin LLP & J.D. Vance)

Monday, July 15, 2024

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2024/07/j-d-vance-connecting-dots-jd-vance.html

Who is Involved in Your Healthcare? (Connecting the Dots: America's Health Insurance Plans, the Center for American Progress (Think Tank), Vaccine Manufacturer’s & the Soros Funded Think Tanks All Networking) (Past Research on the America's Health Insurance Plans)

Thursday, October 13, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/10/who-is-involved-in-your-healthcare.html

‘Forever Chemicals’ in US Drinking Water: A Growing Problem (Connecting the Dots: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Natural Resources Defense Council, Waterkeeper Alliance, Robert Redford, Mikhail Gorbachev, The Green Cross International & Soros Funding, All Networking)

‘Forever Chemicals’ in US Drinking Water: A Growing Problem (Connecting the Dots: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Natural Resources Defense Council, Waterkeeper Alliance, Robert Redford, Mikhail Gorbachev, The Green Cross International & Soros Funding, All Networking)

With more than 7,200 public water systems affected, water and waste professionals say tackling America’s contaminated water is no easy task.

EPOCHTIMES.COM

By Autumn Spredemann November 10, 2024 Updated: November 10, 2024

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

https://www.theepochtimes.com/article/forever-chemicals-in-us-drinking-water-a-growing-problem-5749777?ea_src=frontpage&ea_cnt=a&ea_med=top-news-3-special-report-top-news-top-news-3-special-report-0-title-0

Formally identified as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of manmade chemicals known as PFAS are found in everything from soil and food to common household items and water. An overabundance of these compounds has been detected in U.S. drinking water and that of other industrialized nations, sparking discussion on control and mitigation among experts.

Exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious chronic health issues such as increased risk of certain cancers, fertility problems, and immune system challenges.

Unlike some industrial chemicals, PFAS don’t break down and are difficult to destroy, thus earning the moniker “forever chemicals.”

Since the 1940s, PFAS compounds have been used in everyday items such as nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothes, stain-resistant fabrics, cosmetics, and firefighting foams, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

Able to resist water, grease, oil, and heat, PFAS compounds quickly became popular. More than half a century later, these forever chemicals have become a growing health and environmental concern.

This year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it has observed forever chemicals in America’s groundwater at alarming levels, prompting the first-ever national, enforceable standard for drinking water, meant to protect communities from dangerous amounts of PFAS exposure.

“I believe this is a serious public health concern. From what I’ve seen in my work, chemical exposure—even at low levels—can affect communities long-term. And PFAS isn’t something that just disappears,” Previn Pillay, CEO of Pyromin Consulting, told The Epoch Times by email.

Pillay has dealt with complex water contamination issues including waste treatment and government compliance. He said forever chemicals can build up in people and the environment over time, causing a domino effect of negative consequences.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency building in Washington on Aug. 21, 2024. Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images

“Studies suggest that PFAS exposure can increase the risk of metabolic diseases, which is already becoming a growing issue in affected areas. I’ve seen how industrial contaminants, when not controlled, can cause health problems down the line. It’s something we just can’t ignore,” Pillay said.

Probable links between consumption of forever chemicals and negative health outcomes have been studied for years and the results paint a grim picture.

“First, the structure of PFAS means they resist breakdown in the environment and in our bodies. Second, they move relatively quickly through the environment, making their contamination hard to contain. Third, for some PFAS, even extremely low levels of exposure can negatively impact our health,” the senior strategic director of health and food for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Erik D. Olson, said in April.

On its website, the EPA states its new regulations are meant to “reduce PFAS exposure for approximately 100 million people, prevent thousands of deaths, and reduce tens of thousands of serious illnesses. EPA concurrently announced a further $1 billion to help states and territories implement PFAS testing and treatment at public water systems and to help owners of private wells address PFAS contamination.”

EPA data show it has detected PFAS in 7,237 U.S. public water systems.

Among the contaminants observed is lithium, a subclass of the forever chemicals group that’s a growing concern, according to the Pratt School of Engineering.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Science states that nearly 15,000 synthetic substances fall into the forever chemicals category.

This year, at hundreds of drinking water sites across the country, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group reported PFAS levels higher than the EPA’s proposed limits of 4 and 10 parts per trillion. Coastal states have the highest concentrations of above-regulation forever chemical contamination.

In October, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said PFAS may be America’s “biggest water problem since lead.”

Equipment used to test for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, in drinking water at Trident Laboratories in Holland, Mich., on June 18, 2018. Cory Morse/The Grand Rapids Press via AP

Life Cycle Consideration

“As someone deeply embedded in the water filtration business for decades, I can affirm that the presence of PFAS in drinking water is a pressing public health concern,” Brian McCowin told The Epoch Times.

McCowin is the service manager at McCowin Water, the business his father started.

“To manage PFAS better, collaboration between private sectors like ours and regulatory bodies is key,”  McCowin said.

“We’ve successfully steered complex water issues by prioritizing ethical practices and transparency with clients. This approach could inspire improved standards and accountability across the board.”

Pillay also thinks cooperation is the fastest way to mitigate PFAS in American water.

“I think partnerships between private companies and government bodies can speed up solutions. Public-private partnerships would bring together the resources and expertise needed to drive faster water treatment innovations,” he said.

“If we’re going to manage this PFAS contamination better, we need both sectors working together, sharing knowledge, and accelerating the development of advanced filtration systems.”

Although filtration has always been the go-to solution for removing PFAS in water, some researchers believe the scope of the contamination requires a new approach.

An environmental engineering team at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) published a study in July that discovered a special bacteria that can destroy certain types of forever chemicals. The microbes are already prevalent in wastewater.

In their observations, researchers noted the bacteria attack the previously impenetrable carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS compounds. This is a critical step towards removing the “forever” part of the chemicals.

 

A water district spokesman explains the ultraviolet light treatment process, the last stage of a three-part water purification system involving microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet light treatment to transform waste water into potable water, at West Basin Municipal Water District water recycling facility in El Segundo, Calif., on Sept. 14, 2015. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

“This is the first discovery of a bacterium that can do reductive defluorination of PFAS structures,” study author Yujie Men said.

This isn’t the only breakthrough to come out of UCR this year. Another team led by chemical and environmental engineering professor Haizhou Liu developed a process that takes advantage of the high salt levels at water treatment plants and uses them to break the carbon-fluorine bond. This is significant since the same waste salts normally hinder the cleanup process for other chemical pollutants.

The discovery builds on Liu’s 2022 work that shows PFAS can be destroyed by treating contaminated water with short-wavelength ultraviolet light without creating toxic byproducts.

“We were looking at PFAS with different carbon chains, short chains, and we also looked at salty wastewater that has a high concentration of chloride and sulfate,” Liu stated. “The results show that the salinity in wastewater acts as a catalyst when receiving the UV light to make this process even more effective and much faster.”

These new treatment methods show promise, but experts say it’s important to proceed with caution to avoid swapping one environmental problem for another.

“Remediation strategies are chosen that can decrease PFAS levels in water to applicable health-based criteria and thereby limit exposure of local populations to PFAS through ingestion of drinking water,” a March study published in the journal Remediation noted.

“However, this approach does not consider the potential for human exposure throughout the life cycle of the remediation technology, in which spent media may need to be disposed of, regenerated, or destroyed over the many years the technology is likely to be in place.”

Methods researchers identified as needing evaluation to prevent environmental release and safe disposal of contaminants include filtration techniques such as activated charcoal and chemical treatments.

Pillay and McCowin agree that a careful approach is needed when removing PFAS from water, especially when using newer ideas such as microbes.

“While this could revolutionize how we handle contamination, scaling this to treat municipal supplies will require significant research to ensure no adverse ecological impacts arise,” McCowin said. “My experience with new technologies in water filtration highlights the need for rigorous testing before widespread deployment.”

 

A water researcher pours a water sample into a glass bottle as part of drinking water and PFAS research at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency Response in Cincinnati on Feb. 16, 2023. Joshua A. Bickel/AP Photo

Pillay concurred and said using bacteria to tackle PFAS in water is interesting. He said he has seen “microbial solutions” work in other types of clean-up scenarios but scaling it up for public use presents a whole different challenge.

“That’s where it gets tricky. When we’ve introduced new systems in mining, scaling up often comes with unforeseen challenges, and I’d expect the same here. You have to consider things like the bacteria’s effectiveness across different water conditions and the potential ecological impacts. If we’re not careful, we could end up causing more harm than good,” he said.

Taking Action

PFAS are still pouring out of taps in U.S. homes. At a household level, special filters are currently the most effective method for removing forever chemicals from drinking water.

“For homeowners, using reverse osmosis filtration systems is one effective method to tackle PFAS contamination. These systems have been proven to reduce ‘forever chemicals’ significantly,” McCowin said.

He also said maintaining and disposing of old filters responsibly is critical to avoid any secondary pollution.

Pillay also believes filtration is the best option for Americans who want to drink PFAS-free water at home, but recommends ones that use an activated carbon block.

“Here’s the thing: These filters need regular replacement to stay effective. I’ve seen it too many times where systems fail simply because upkeep wasn’t prioritized. For homeowners, staying on top of filter changes is crucial to reducing exposure. It’s not a complete solution, but it’s a good start,” he said.

When asked about the safe disposal of PFAS-saturated filters, Pillay said it’s a catch-22 situation. “This reminds me of something we face often in my industry, solving one problem sometimes creates another.”

A handyman explains a new water filter to homeowners in Shiloh Commons in Flint, Mich., on Jan. 21, 2016. A reverse osmosis filtration system is an effective method for homeowners to remove PFAS from drinking water, according to Brian McCowin. Sarah Rice/Getty Images

Just throwing the spent filters in regular landfills may result in PFAS getting into the soil or air. In April, the EPA released interim guidelines that covered options for safe disposal.  Ones that were considered “lower potential” for environmental release than others include underground injection wells, hazardous material landfills, and thermal treatment.

Pillay said burning the filters may create a different problem since PFAS are unique among hazardous waste. “I know from my experience with hazardous materials that incineration is often suggested, but with PFAS, burning it at high temperatures could lead to toxic byproducts in the air. So, we need to think carefully about how we handle the waste we’re creating.”

He added, “If we don’t, we could end up trading water contamination for air pollution. It’s a tough balance and one that requires a lot more thought before making any decisions.”

Connecting the Dots:

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Climate Reality Project.

James Gustave Speth is an honorary trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council and a director at the Climate Reality Project.

Orin S. Kramer is a director at the Climate Reality Project and was an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Lee M. Thomas was a director at the Climate Reality Project and an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Carol M. Browner was a director at the Climate Reality Project, the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration and an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

William A. Nitze was an assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the ClimateWorks Foundation.

William K. Reilly is the chair for the ClimateWorks Foundation and was an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

William D. Ruckelshaus was an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is a life trustee at the Urban Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Urban Institute (think tank), the Center for American Progress and the Climate Reality Project.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a supporter for the Center for American Progress and the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center for American Progress.

Carol M. Browner is a senior fellow, director at the Center for American Progress, was a director at the Climate Reality Project, the energy czar for the Barack Obama administration, and an administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

James Gustave Speth is a director at the Climate Reality Project and an honorary trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Climate Reality Project and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William A. Nitze was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), an assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank).

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank) and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

George M. Woodwell is a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council and was a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  was a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, the founder of the Waterkeeper Alliance and is a director at the Riverkeeper.

Laura Turner Seydel is a trustee at the Waterkeeper Alliance, a board member for the Environmental Working Group and Ted Turner’s daughter.

Ted Turner is Laura Turner Seydel’s father and a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank). 

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and a board member for the International Crisis Group. 

Ernesto Zedillo was a board member for the International Crisis Group and was the president of Mexico.

Ricardo Lagos is a board member for the International Crisis Group, a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund and was the president of Chile.

Thomas H. Kean is a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund and a member of the Bretton Woods Committee.

George Soros is a member of the Bretton Woods Committee, the founder of the Soros Fund Management and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Stanley F. Druckenmiller was a managing director at the Soros Fund Management and is a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Natural Resources Defense Council was a major opponent for the California Proposition 23.

Gavin Newsom was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception and is the lieutenant governor for the California state government.

Wendy Schmidt was a major opponent for the California Proposition 23, is a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council, married to Eric E. Schmidt and the president & co-founder for the Schmidt Family Foundation.

Schmidt Family Foundation was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Working Group.

L. John Doerr was a major opponent for the California Proposition 23, a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank) and married to Ann Doerr.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

William A. Nitze is a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank) and an assistant administrator for the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Ann Doerr is married to L. John Doerr, and a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund.  

Ricardo Lagos is a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund, a board member for the International Crisis Group and was the president of Chile.

George Soros is a board member for the International Crisis Group. 

Ernesto Zedillo was a board member for the International Crisis Group and was the president of Mexico.

Kofi A. Annan is a board member for the International Crisis Group and a trustee at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank).

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (think tank) was a funder for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank).

Ted Turner is a co-chairman for the Nuclear Threat Initiative (think tank) and Laura Turner Seydel’s father.

Laura Turner Seydel is Ted Turner’s daughter, a trustee at the Waterkeeper Alliance and a board member for the Environmental Working Group.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.  was the founder of the Waterkeeper Alliance, a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council and is a director at the Riverkeeper.

Natural Resources Defense Council was a major opponent for the California Proposition 23.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Robert Redford is a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council and an honorary board member for Green Cross International.

Mikhail Gorbachev is the founder of Green Cross International and was the general secretary for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 

Global Green USA is a US affiliate of Green Cross International.

Anna Getty was a board member for Global Green USA and is a board member for the Environmental Working Group.

Laura Turner Seydel is a board member for the Environmental Working Group,

Ted Turner’s daughter and a trustee at the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Schmidt Family Foundation was a funder for the Environmental Working Group, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the New America Foundation. 

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the New America Foundation. 

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Terry Tamminen was a senior fellow & climate policy director at the New America Foundation, the secretary for the California Environmental Protection Agency, a special assistant for energy and environmental technologies, cabinet secretary for the former California state government governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and is a board member for the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Katherine Kendrick was a trustee at the Waterkeeper Alliance and the general counsel for the DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.

Roger A. Enrico was the chairman for the DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. and a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Mellody L. Hobson was the chairman for the DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. and a trustee at the Sundance Institute.

Jeanne Donovan Fisher is a trustee at the Sundance Institute and was a trustee at the Environmental Defense Fund.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Sundance Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Robert Redford is a trustee at the Natural Resources Defense Council, the founder & president of the Sundance Institute and an honorary board member for Green Cross International.

Mikhail Gorbachev is the founder of Green Cross International and was the general secretary for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. 

Global Green USA is a US affiliate of Green Cross International.

Anna Getty was a board member for Global Green USA and is a board member for the Environmental Working Group.

Laura Turner Seydel is a board member for the Environmental Working Group,

Ted Turner’s daughter and a trustee at the Waterkeeper Alliance.

Resources: Past Research

Obama's New EPA Chief: Climate Change 'Most Significant Public Health Threat Of Our Time' (Past Research on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA))

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/11/obamas-new-epa-chief-climate-change.html

Player of the Week: Environmental Protection Agency (Past Research on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA))

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/12/player-of-week-environmental-protection.html

“Tear Down This Wall” (Connecting the Dots: Mikhail Gorbachev, The USSR, Green Cross International, Global Green USA & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the Natural Resources Defense Council)

Friday, February 10, 2023

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2023/02/tear-down-this-wall-connecting-dots.html

Ignoring Drought, U.S. to Divert Water to Mexico for Environmental Project (Past Research on the Waterkeeper Alliance)

Friday, November 21, 2014

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2014/11/ignoring-drought-us-to-divert-water-to.html

Ex-Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev Dead at 91 (Connecting the Dots: Mikhail Gorbachev, Communist Party, Green Cross International, Pre-Oscar Party, Soros Funded Think Tanks ALL Networking) (Past Research on Green Cross International)

Tuesday, August 30, 2022

https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/08/ex-soviet-leader-mikhail-gorbachev-dead.html