Posts All of our commentary in one spot. You can also browse by topics or search. 410 posts in this category Posts pagination Newer 1 … 21 22 23 24 25 … 41 Older Freedom in Health Care July 4, 2022 Summary: Independence Day is about celebrating freedom. Let’s contemplate the freedoms we can achieve with universal health insurance. Comment by: Jim Kahn On this day in 1776 we declared independence from Great Britain. We asserted, and soon realized, our desire to be free of overseas control and exploitation – political, religious, and financial. Thus was […] Medical Debt – Inadequacy of Mainstream Policy Options from Our Best Policy Think Tanks (Or: Public Policy Think Tanks are Not Thinking) July 2, 2022 Summary: Today’s post by a visiting blogger reflects on recent policy think tank reports on medical debt, and bemoans the lack of attention to a much-needed major financing makeover. Comment by: Ana Malinow It always goes like this: excellent reporting and analysis from the best health policy think tanks detailing how the US health care […] Geographic Predictors of Medical Debt July 1, 2022 Summary: Recently we reported on a national survey of medical debt. A new report uses credit bureau data to describe which local factors predict high levels of medical debt in collections. They are: being in the South, % of population with 4 or more chronic medical conditions, % low birth weight, % uninsured, % Black, […] Radio Break June 29, 2022 Summary: Reflection seems the order of the day. US politics are in turmoil. Health insurance problems and the need for single payer are clearer than ever. How do we put it all together? Talk World Radio: James G. Kahn on 300,000 U.S. COVID Deaths from Lack of Universal Healthcare (and other issues)28 minutes Comment by: Jim […] The Demise of Roe v. Wade, Threats to Democracy, & Single Payer June 25, 2022 Summary: Yesterday the Supreme Court reversed 50 years of abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade. This attack on reproductive rights and health is an integral part of a broader half-century undermining of our democratic system. The fights to save democracy and provide universal healthcare are linked. Letters from an American, June 24, 2022By Heather […] REACH ACO Rules & Plunder of Public Funds June 23, 2022 Summary: CMS promised that the Medicare REACH ACO program, which supplants Direct Contracting Entities as a capitated replacement of fee-for-service Medicare, would prevent using diagnostic upcoding to drive up payment rates as seen with Medicare Advantage. However, scrutiny of recent guidance to contractors, combined with past CMS regulatory failures, suggest extreme skepticism. CMS REACH ACO […] Time to End Health Savings Accounts: Regressive & Ineffective June 21, 2022 Summary: Health savings accounts (HSAs) paired with deductibles are regressive: they yield financial gains mostly for healthy individuals with high income. They are justified as reducing health care costs, but these benefits are minimal. Now that large deductibles are widespread, any pretense of HSA cost-control is gone. When will we end this tax break for […] A Framework to Understand Systemic Racism in Health June 19, 2022 Summary: Juneteenth commemorates an 1865 US army order to end slavery in Texas. Emancipation was the first essential step to offer Black Americans the opportunity to live a free and healthy life. But even today, 157 years later, the well-being of people of color is compromised by numerous post-emancipation policies that disadvantage them. We offer […] Medical Debt in the US: Pervasive, Harmful, Unnecessary June 17, 2022 Summary: A new survey on health care debt quantifies its very high prevalence (41%) and the dire consequences for individuals and families: financial insecurity, reduced access to health care, and being unable to “provide a good life”. Health Care Debt In The U.S.: The Broad Consequences Of Medical And Dental BillsKFF (Kaiser Family Foundation)June 16, […] COVID + 41 M uninsured = 339,000 Excess Deaths June 14, 2022 Summary: Stellar health system modeling and empirical analysis together quantify what many of us suspected all along – the huge uninsured problem in the U.S. increased the COVID death toll by reducing access to care. Fully one quarter of all COVID deaths are due to the absence of universal insurance. Universal healthcare as pandemic preparedness: […] Posts pagination Newer 1 … 21 22 23 24 25 … 41 Older
