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
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.
Geographic Predictors of Medical Debt
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
Radio Break
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.
The Demise of Roe v. Wade, Threats to Democracy & Single Payer
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
REACH ACO Rules & Plunder of Public Funds
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
Time to End Health Savings Accounts: Regressive & Ineffective
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
A Framework to Understand Systemic Racism in Health
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
Medical Debt in the US: Pervasive, Harmful, Unnecessary
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
COVID + 41 M uninsured = 339,000 Excess Deaths
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
House of Representatives Public Hearings Done Right
Summary: This week the US Congress televised an extremely compelling hearing on the January 2021 Capitol riot and coup attempt. It may nudge our country toward
Private Equity Targets Gastroenterology & Lots More in Medicine
Summary: Private equity inroads to clinical practices are both targeted (to especially lucrative activities) and far-reaching (with so many profitable deals to make). However, ethical standards
Repeat: Medicare Advantage & Other Private Investment Hurt Medicare
Summary: A September 2021 Health Affairs blog revealed how Medicare Advantage insurers use aggressive and fraudulent diagnostic coding practices to artificially boost revenues, with similar risks
