Insured patients better off with co-pay
Harvard health policy researcher Dr. Ben Rome says people with insurance should stick to their co-pay rather than use Trump Rx.
Where this was said
Trump Rx: Drug Discount Site Launches With Limits
At 2:07 · chapter starts 1:22
NPR's Sydney Lupkin takes a close look at Trump Rx, the administration's new prescription drug discount website [1] — Sydney Lupkin "Trump Rx lists 92 brand-name drugs at a discount, but that's a fraction of the 800+ drugs participating companies actually sell. Harvard's …" 01:20 . The site lists 92 brand-name drugs at reduced prices for people who are not using insurance — but that number is a sliver of the more than 800 drugs that the 17 participating companies sell. Two holdouts, Gilead and Regeneron, have not yet added drugs but have each promised to list one. Harvard Medical School's Dr. Ben Rome offers a blunt assessment: most companies are doing this for a small number of products in a limited setting, with no indication of large-scale engagement. The practical upshot, Rome says, is that patients with health insurance will almost certainly find a better deal by staying with their insurance co-pay — leaving Trump Rx most useful for a niche group, such as those needing IVF-related drugs not covered by their plans.
92 drugs listed on Trump Rx
Trump Rx lists 92 brand-name drugs available at a discount for people not using insurance, a fraction of the 800+ drugs these companies market.
Israel Grants Ultra-Orthodox Military Exemption
Israel's parliament passed a temporary exemption shielding tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men from military service and prosecution until November. The military's chief of staff called the law 'inconceivable,' while Netanyahu needed the vote to keep his coalition intact.
Similar snapshots
500 self-help techniques → 12 levers
Spencer Greenberg and Jeremy Stevenson analyzed almost 500 self-improvement techniques and found they all reduce to just 12 underlying psychological drivers.
Cold exposure: weak long-term evidence
Cold exposure has good short-term alertness benefits but the evidence base for long-term health benefits is much weaker than popularly believed.
20 habit techniques tested; almost none worked
In a randomized study of 20 habit-formation techniques run on hundreds of people, almost none of the techniques produced statistically meaningful results.
Tiny habit users stick to the FULL habit more
People given a tiny-habit fallback option (e.g. 10 squats instead of gym) were actually MORE successful at completing the full habit, not less.
Habit reflection = standout technique
The most effective habit-formation technique was 'habit reflection' — recalling a past successful habit, writing down what helped, then applying those lessons to a new habit.
Behavioral activation rivals CBT for depression
A study found that simply scheduling enjoyable activities was as effective as standard cognitive behavioral therapy for depression, leading to its own therapy called behavioral activation.
Worry time: batch all worries to 5 PM
The 'worry time' technique — deferring all worries to a designated time of day — helps people realize they have more control over worry than they thought and reveals it is less useful than it feels.
Sleeping faster by trying to stay awake
A study found that participants told to try to stay awake while in bed fell asleep faster than participants told to try to sleep — illustrating the paradox of direct effort.
Social anxiety eliminated in ~6 months
Spencer Greenberg reduced his severe social anxiety dramatically in roughly 6 months through a structured exposure therapy hierarchy, culminating in asking strangers for hugs.
