Jill Burcum
@jburcum.bsky.social
Minnesota Star Tribune opinion writer on health care. Applying Minnesota mom sensibilities to coverage: don't fib, don't be mean & you better have done your homework. StarTribune.com
Consumers might be tempted by less traditional insurance plans amid soaring premiums and expiring enhanced subsidies. But beware. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/beware-healt...
Burcum: Watch out for risky health plans as sticker shock sets in
When your monthly premium goes from $500 to $1,000, even the savviest consumers may be willing to consider riskier alternatives to save money — including plans that might be scams, Jill Burcum writes.
www.startribune.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Consumers might be tempted by less traditional insurance plans amid soaring premiums and expiring enhanced subsidies. But beware. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/beware-healt...
How do massive cuts to veterans health care make America great again? Shameful. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
VA plans to abruptly eliminate tens of thousands of health care jobs
Strains on the Veterans Affairs system could grow with the elimination of as many as 35,000 mostly unfilled health care positions, including doctors and nurses.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:07 PM
How do massive cuts to veterans health care make America great again? Shameful. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Get a backbone, Washington press corps.
White House reporters can no longer stay silent or supine when Trump attacks a colleague as “piggy,” “nasty” or “obnoxious.”
And they can do it by asking, as many times as it takes, another version of the question that triggered him in the first place.
My latest via CJR www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
And they can do it by asking, as many times as it takes, another version of the question that triggered him in the first place.
My latest via CJR www.cjr.org/laurels-and-...
Laurels and Darts: A devastating photo; Trump's war of words with women journalists; sticking with the story in South Texas.
A devastating photograph. Plus: Trump’s war of words with women journalists; sticking with the story in South Texas.
www.cjr.org
December 12, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Get a backbone, Washington press corps.
Better late than never
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump sued by preservationists seeking architecture review and congressional approval over White House ballroom project.
December 12, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Better late than never
Reposted by Jill Burcum
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump sued by preservationists seeking architecture review and congressional approval over White House ballroom project.
December 12, 2025 at 4:55 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump sued by preservationists seeking architecture review and congressional approval over White House ballroom project.
RFK Jr’s dangerous conspiracy theories have real-world consequences: who13.com/news/iowa-ne...
Southeast Iowa school district cancels classes due to whooping cough
BLOOMFIELD, Iowa — All classes and activities have been cancelled at Davis County Community Schools due to a confirmed case of whooping cough. On Thursday afternoon the district announced the…
who13.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:54 PM
RFK Jr’s dangerous conspiracy theories have real-world consequences: who13.com/news/iowa-ne...
This is wild story from southern MN is a Friday morning must read. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/twin-lakes-m...
Fed up with controversy, residents want to get rid of this Minnesota town entirely
Petitioners say things are so bad that they can’t wait until the next election and have filed to dissolve the city government of Twin Lakes.
www.startribune.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:35 PM
This is wild story from southern MN is a Friday morning must read. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/twin-lakes-m...
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Trump just signed his dangerous, and most likely illegal, executive order to stop states from protecting you from the downsides of AI. Here's why I am fighting back:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/o...
Opinion | Amy Klobuchar: State A.I. Laws Keep Us Safe. Trump’s Next Move Could Upend That.
www.nytimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Trump just signed his dangerous, and most likely illegal, executive order to stop states from protecting you from the downsides of AI. Here's why I am fighting back:
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/o...
Reposted by Jill Burcum
As officer Daniel Hodges sat at the witness table of a recent Senate subcommittee hearing, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) asked the witnesses to raise their hands if they supported the pardons of Jan 6 rioters, including those who beat officer Hodges
You can see Hodges looking at the responses
You can see Hodges looking at the responses
December 10, 2025 at 5:38 PM
As officer Daniel Hodges sat at the witness table of a recent Senate subcommittee hearing, Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) asked the witnesses to raise their hands if they supported the pardons of Jan 6 rioters, including those who beat officer Hodges
You can see Hodges looking at the responses
You can see Hodges looking at the responses
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Approaching 2,000 measles cases in 2025 alone and the CDC still has air travel as its lead narrative graphic. The problem is that in 2025, nearly 90% of US measles cases were outbreak-associated, i.e., spreading not via importation but via community spread right here.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
Measles Cases and Outbreaks
Find the latest numbers of confirmed U.S. measles cases. CDC updates this page weekly.
www.cdc.gov
December 10, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Approaching 2,000 measles cases in 2025 alone and the CDC still has air travel as its lead narrative graphic. The problem is that in 2025, nearly 90% of US measles cases were outbreak-associated, i.e., spreading not via importation but via community spread right here.
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
www.cdc.gov/measles/data...
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🚨 Today, I formally introduced articles of impeachment against Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
RFK Jr. has turned his back on science and the safety of the American people. Michiganders cannot take another day of his chaos.
RFK Jr. has turned his back on science and the safety of the American people. Michiganders cannot take another day of his chaos.
December 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM
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ACA passed in 2010. And it could have been called RomneyCare or DurenbergerCare (MN Senator) because it was foundationally based on previous Republican reforms and proposals.
Status update on House Republicans and a health care plan, after this morning’s conference meeting:
“The consensus is we need to come up with something,” Rep. Ralph Norman says.
“The consensus is we need to come up with something,” Rep. Ralph Norman says.
December 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
ACA passed in 2010. And it could have been called RomneyCare or DurenbergerCare (MN Senator) because it was foundationally based on previous Republican reforms and proposals.
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Prasad & Hoeg are now going after adult Covid vaccines
Their anti-vaxx activism comes on the heels of this HUGE study (28.6 million adults), showing efficacy & safety
Vaxxed: 74% lower risk of dying from COVID-19 in hospital, & lower all-cause mortality over 4 yrs
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Their anti-vaxx activism comes on the heels of this HUGE study (28.6 million adults), showing efficacy & safety
Vaxxed: 74% lower risk of dying from COVID-19 in hospital, & lower all-cause mortality over 4 yrs
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination and 4-Year All-Cause Mortality Among Adults in France
This cohort study uses the data from all adults aged 18 to 59 years living in France on November 1, 2021, to evaluate whether there is an association of receipt of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine with long-t...
jamanetwork.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Prasad & Hoeg are now going after adult Covid vaccines
Their anti-vaxx activism comes on the heels of this HUGE study (28.6 million adults), showing efficacy & safety
Vaxxed: 74% lower risk of dying from COVID-19 in hospital, & lower all-cause mortality over 4 yrs
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Their anti-vaxx activism comes on the heels of this HUGE study (28.6 million adults), showing efficacy & safety
Vaxxed: 74% lower risk of dying from COVID-19 in hospital, & lower all-cause mortality over 4 yrs
jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Reposted by Jill Burcum
An extraordinary loss of institutional knowledge. 🧪
December 8, 2025 at 8:00 PM
An extraordinary loss of institutional knowledge. 🧪
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Vaccines aren’t the only near-miraculous medical intervention some Americans are turning their backs on. New research out today finds that more newborns are not receiving a safe supplement that protects them from serious bleeding.
More Parents Are Refusing Vitamin K for Their Newborns. Here's Why That's a Bad Idea
For around 60 years, doctors have routinely given infants a vitamin K shot to prevent uncontrolled bleeding.
gizmodo.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Vaccines aren’t the only near-miraculous medical intervention some Americans are turning their backs on. New research out today finds that more newborns are not receiving a safe supplement that protects them from serious bleeding.
RFK Jr hellbent on adding to his fringe policies’ body count.
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants reut.rs/48JXrL2
Exclusive: US FDA launches fresh safety scrutiny of approved RSV therapies for infants
U.S. health regulators informed senior executives at Merck, Sanofi and AstraZeneca last week that their approved protective RSV treatments for infants would be subject to fresh safety scrutiny following concerns raised by vaccine skeptics, multiple sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
reut.rs
December 9, 2025 at 5:32 PM
RFK Jr hellbent on adding to his fringe policies’ body count.
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Absurd. The bailout exists to ameliorate the negative impact of the tariffs.
Trump on his farm bailout: "This money would not be possible without tariffs ... because of tariffs, this is possible."
December 8, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Absurd. The bailout exists to ameliorate the negative impact of the tariffs.
Reposted by Jill Burcum
The best reading of this article: Trump is going to use FDA to restrict medication abortion, but he wants to wait until after the midterms so the Republicans don't experience blowback. But that just makes the midterms more important. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
FDA Slow Walking a Long-Awaited Abortion Pill Safety Study
The Food and Drug Administration has delayed a promised review of safety data for the abortion drug mifepristone at Commissioner Marty Makary’s request to put it off until after the midterm elections,...
www.bloomberg.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:20 PM
The best reading of this article: Trump is going to use FDA to restrict medication abortion, but he wants to wait until after the midterms so the Republicans don't experience blowback. But that just makes the midterms more important. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Where are all the nanny-state critics?
NEW: Dr. Oz is quite literally telling his federal employees to eat less.
“You don't have to try every cookie on the holiday table,” wrote Mehmet Oz in an email to all Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services employees.
“You don't have to try every cookie on the holiday table,” wrote Mehmet Oz in an email to all Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services employees.
Dr. Oz Tells His Federal Employees to Eat Less
“You don't have to try every cookie on the holiday table,” wrote Mehmet Oz in an email to all Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services staffers.
www.wired.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Where are all the nanny-state critics?
The holiday baking season has begun!
December 8, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The holiday baking season has begun!
Why did we need two bailouts if tariffs are so great? Actions speak louder than works.
December 8, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Why did we need two bailouts if tariffs are so great? Actions speak louder than works.
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My insurance premiums are nearly doubling so I had to pick the cheaper, less robust plan that might cost me more out of pocket. Greatest system in the world!
December 8, 2025 at 2:35 PM
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It’s unacceptable to expect women in labor to drive farther and farther to deliver. If MN’s nonprofit health systems can’t make maternity care math work without closures and consolidation, #MNleg should step in. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/burcum-a-cit...
Burcum: A city of 24,000 but nowhere to deliver a baby
As Faribault joins the list of cities without a birth center, it may be time for the Legislature to get involved, Jill Burcum writes.
www.startribune.com
December 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
It’s unacceptable to expect women in labor to drive farther and farther to deliver. If MN’s nonprofit health systems can’t make maternity care math work without closures and consolidation, #MNleg should step in. GIFT LINK: www.startribune.com/burcum-a-cit...
Bravo to Minnesota State Sen. Jim Abeler. This letter expresses sentiments that needed to be said by a MN Republican. Water needed to be thrown on the anti-Somali fire before someone gets hurt. We can fight fraud without condemning an entire community. #mnleg
December 6, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Bravo to Minnesota State Sen. Jim Abeler. This letter expresses sentiments that needed to be said by a MN Republican. Water needed to be thrown on the anti-Somali fire before someone gets hurt. We can fight fraud without condemning an entire community. #mnleg
Reposted by Jill Burcum
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
Thousands of Washington state Medicare users could soon have claims denied by AI
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
www.kuow.org
December 6, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Starting Jan. 1, traditional Medicare recipients in Washington state will face a new hurdle to get certain procedures covered — private AI companies that get paid based on how many claims they deny.
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...
www.kuow.org/stories/thou...