Posts All of our commentary in one spot. You can also browse by topics or search. 410 posts in this category The Flawed Corporate Health Care Model December 15, 2024 The CEO of UnitedHealth Group wants to fix our “flawed, patchwork” health system by partnering with others. But there’s a deep paradox here: how can the fundamental weakness of the system – for-profit corporate control – be at the center of a solution? Deaths due to Willful Systemic Failings are Violent, Too December 10, 2024 The shooting a few days ago of a UnitedHealthcare insurance CEO generated, predictably, horror at interpersonal violence. It also unleashed widespread rage at the pain and harm inflicted by private health insurer practices. More than just prior authorization denials, our corporate insurance approach constitutes systemic violence, annually killing tens of thousands. US Seniors Experience Worst Cost Barriers to Care December 4, 2024 The Commonwealth Fund just published a ten-nation survey of health care affordability for seniors. Guess who had the highest financial barriers to care? Yup, the US. Medicare helps (beats being young & uninsured or having massive deductibles), but needs lower cost-sharing. Choice Among Private Insurance Options Isn’t Real Choice November 27, 2024 The new Commonwealth survey of health insurance reveals persistent failings in coverage and access. The myth of “choice” in health insurance should be ended, in favor of real choice – of providers, enabled by excellent universal public insurance. New Government: Time to Revisit Single Payer? November 21, 2024 Our fragmented, predominantly private health insurance serves corporations and shareholders, at the expense of financial affordability for patients. This is nothing new, but it’s worsening. What’s new is the shake-up of politics. Let’s insist on shaking up our failed insurance. HJM with the US Political Shift November 13, 2024 HJM is refining its mission in light of political realignment in the U.S. The Single Solution for a Myriad of Health Care Challenges October 31, 2024 Esteemed medical academics are adept at documenting and debating the failings of our health care system. Yet they fail to focus on the technically superior insurance solution used around the world. Our job is to bring US public discussion and policy action to single payer. Half Measures Won’t Cure Health Insurance October 23, 2024 Two prominent health economists get the health insurance story half right: cost-sharing doesn’t control system costs and harms patients. But they miss the lesson that “very basic” coverage lacks a functional real-world version … what actually works (for equity, effectiveness, & efficiency) is universal comprehensive coverage. ACA Open Enrollment = Confusion + Scams October 15, 2024 It’s ACA enrollment season again! Another opportunity to contemplate / navigate complex insurance plan changes and choices, and try to avoid come-ons for non-ACA products that provide minimal coverage -- scams. Ah, if we just had universal coverage with identical comprehensive benefits, durable from year to year, indeed lifelong. Single payer. Medicare Advantage Plans Protect High Profit Scams October 10, 2024 Medicare Advantage is a cash cow for insurers, and they know how to milk the system: boost profits via overcharge schemes, block government regulation, and when push comes to shove, abandon costly insurance markets. Posts pagination 1 2 3 … 41 Older
