Summary: The year 2022 saw democracy protected from tyrants in the US and abroad through the determined action of visionary leaders. That struggle continues. The struggle
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 Continued Abysmal Performance of US Health Insurance
Summary: Yet again, cogent review of the failings of absurdly complex US health insurance, reducing medical access for vulnerable populations and indeed, almost all of us.
CMS Smothers Us with Inconsequential Regulations for Medicare Advantage
Summary: The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released 957 pages of proposed regulations for Medicare Advantage (MA). Despite the massive verbiage, and purported
Medicare (Dis)Advantage: A Detriment to Cancer Patients
Summary: A study of cancer surgery finds higher mortality in Medicare Advantage than in Traditional Medicare. The apparent reason? Less use of prestigious and highly experienced
Donald Berwick Condemns U.S. Healthcare Profit Focus, Endorses Single Payer
Summary: Donald Berwick, a visionary leader in the pursuit of quality medical care, said at a forum that our health system’s focus on profits is damaging,
Medicare Advantage vs Traditional Medicare for Acute MI
Summary: A national study of 2.2 million Medicare hospital admissions for heart attacks finds no clinical differences between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare by 2018. At
Thomas Piketty’s Vision for Modern Socialism
Summary: Economist Thomas Piketty alerted us to accelerating economic inequality over the last 40 years. Now he proposes the solution: a revived socialism that embraces public-spirited
COVID Settling Provokes Harm from Insurance Gaps
Summary: As the COVID crisis subsides from pandemic to endemic, special funding to support its care is disappearing. This leaves many uninsured without access to COVID
Voters to Politicians: We Demand Health Reform
Summary: An important story mostly overlooked in the 2022 midterms is strong voter support for health reforms in the face of politician inaction. Ballot measures that
US Hospital Money Machine
Summary: US hospitals use aggressive business models (mergers, high prices, & marketing of lucrative services) to drive up revenues. For-profit hospitals benefit investors, but even not-for-profits
Corporations Are Thankful for US Health Care
Summary: UnitedHealth proposes a $13 billion acquisition of other insurers’ billing data, which they swear they won’t use for business purposes. Hospitals farm out unpaid patient
Private Equity Termites
Summary: Private equity is consuming US health care from the inside out, weakening its structure and strength, enriching investors at the expense of patient care and