“Roses are red, candy is sweet, health policy discussions don’t fit on a Tweet.”
That’s the challenge for health policy nerds everywhere this week - get all of your feelings about rising premium costs, dwindling research funds and other complex health developments onto the Internet in 280 characters or less.
The Twitter call-out comes from The Health Society, a D.C.-based networking group for young policy professionals. They’re offering a Starbucks gift card to whoever produces the “nerdiest” Tweets with the hashtag #healthpolicyvalentines.
The thread has been hopping since Monday, with dozens of lawmakers, top health care officials, scholars and patients posting haikus and limericks each hour.
Most of them are silly:
Valentine, I don't need an EKG to prove my heart goes pitter-patter for you!
— Cathy Senderling (@csend) February 13, 2018
(But if I did, I know my Obamacare plan would cover it as medically necessary.)#healthpolicyvalentines
Want more than a friend with essential benefits? I’ll never go out of network. Personal ad/ #healthpolicyvalentine
— Harold Pollack (@haroldpollack) February 13, 2018
Hey baby, can I stabilize your individual market? #healthpolicyvalentines
— julie rovner (@jrovner) February 13, 2018
Many touch on current events. Like this one about changes to the 340B drug pricing program that could block hospitals from drug discounts for Medi-Cal patients.
Roses are red
— Walid Gellad (@walidgellad) February 13, 2018
Hospitals are blue
Ever since they changed our 340b payment
I’ve missed taking care of you.
ASP plus 6 percent
Becomes ASP minus two two
I’m having trouble getting over this,
I’m not seeing the same revenue.#healthpolicyvalentines
Or this one about the Children’s Health Insurance Program that almost disappeared last year:
Republicans are red
— Rebecca Cooper (@rebscooper) February 12, 2018
Democrats are blue
It took 114 days to pass CHIP
But it won’t take me as long to say “I love you”
#healthpolicyvalentines
And don’t forget the commentary on California’s push for an alternative health care system:
Unlike a state-based #SinglePayer system, our love requires no federal approvals. #healthpolicyvalentines
— Scott Graves (@SHGraves29) February 13, 2018
Some come with pictures:
hey bene. do you have Medicaid? 'Cause I'll never cap my love for you. #healthpolicyvalentines @dchealthpolicy pic.twitter.com/rgCRAvjjYw
— Ms. Ess (@ms_ess) February 13, 2018
I’ll always have heart eyes for #Obamacare. 😍#healthpolicyvalentines pic.twitter.com/oXILywD4P3
— Tam Ma 👩🏻💼 (@tam4consumers) February 12, 2018
Others come with warnings:
Roses are red, violets are blue
— Lindsey Leininger (@lindsleininger) February 12, 2018
Flu season...YIKES
Get vaccinated, it's still coming for you#healthpolicyvalentines
So if you want to get up to speed about goings-on in health care, take a scroll through the thread. You might even get inspired to pen your own passion poem.
Here’s ours:
My turn to try a #healthpolicyvalentines :
— CapRadioHealth (@CapRadioHealth) February 13, 2018
The health care system
Has its haters and lovers
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