Summary: The man who as a federal policy official drove the privatization of Medicare then jumped to the private sector and profited massively from the changes.
The McCanne Health Justice Monitor is produced by a team of health policy experts and single-payer champions. For more information, and a complete archive of entries, visit the HJM website. For an archive of Quote of the Day entries from Dr. Don McCanne, click here.
The Avaricious Ascent of UnitedHealth Group
Summary: This summer The American Prospect ran 8 terrific health policy articles, which HJM covers starting today. First up: a blow-by-blow account of the rise of the enormous,
Missing Teeth – The Odd Isolation of Dental Insurance
Summary: Our favorite absurdity-revealing ophthalmologist comedian again sinks his teeth into our health insurance morass.
Glaucomflecken Explains: What’s So Special About Teeth?, video, 2 minutes, by Dr.
Older Adults Struggle with Medical Costs … while Private Insurers Profit
Summary: Reports from two leading foundations find that older adults – those insured privately and those in Medicare – face huge financial challenges to getting health
Extorting 5% for Electronic Payments to Providers
Summary: When CMS tried to enforce a 15-year-old rule that insurers cannot charge providers for electronic payments, a former CMS staffer working for a payment intermediary
Universal Free Insurance? Yes! Stripped Down? No!
Summary: The new book “We’ve Got You Covered” offers a laudable prescription for the US: universal free insurance for primary, specialty, and hospital care. However, its
Functioning Democracy: A Prerequisite for Single Payer
Comment:
By Jim Kahn, M.D., M.P.H.
On Tuesday, a Washington DC grand jury handed down four indictments of former President Donald J. Trump for his efforts to
Round-up, Pause for Reflection, & Makeover
Greetings HJM readers – I’m using a different format today.
#1 – Round-up. Plenty of recent news items exemplify the usual rocky functioning of US health care.
NY Times Tantalizingly Close On Health Care Financing Issues
Summary: This week, a profile of challenges facing the UK NHS and an op-ed proposing universal coverage in the US got so many issues right. But
Fee-for-Time Payment for Physicians
Summary: Current physician payment rules are complex, time-consuming, and unfair to primary care providers. Success of universal coverage with single payer will require a simpler and
The Hazards of Private Equity
Summary: Dr. Glaucomflecken efficiently & amusingly skewers private equity. Plus a technical report …
How to Ace Your Private Equity Interview, 2-minute YouTube video, by Dr. Glaucomflecken
“Rapid
Federal Actions Leave in Place a Flawed Health Insurance System
Summary: The White House announced several actions to improve health care financial protections for consumers. Left in place is a fragmented and dysfunctional health insurance system