Tag Archives: Healthcare

Taking a one day break from the more technical stuff. I ran across this story a couple(?) maybe more days ago. The first thing which came to mind was the Tuskegee Syphilis Study as conducted by the PHS’ Center for Disease Control in Atlanta (AP). Some will say this is not as serious, they were prisons. they agreed to take the drugs, etc. The point here is we used our power to administer what they thought would be of help to them the same as...

More on the practices of Medicare Advantage plains and also ACA, Medicaid and Medicare. The practice being delayed prior authorizations, the amount of time it takes, and the resulting tragedies. CMS proposes prior authorization rule changes for health plans, BenefitsPRO, Lauren Sausser Starting in 2026, a proposed CMS rule would require plans to respond to a standard request within seven days. This is instead of the current 14 days, and within...

Kip Sullivan has been writing about the issues with Medicare Advantage. I have joined with Kip in bringing the issues of Medicare Advantage to the forefront. Angry Bear has featured Kip and I have added to the dialogue. This next commentary details how Healthcare Insurance, mostly Medicare Advantage has been using artificial intelligence in the form of an algorithm to limit treatment or deny coverage. STAT Investigation has been providing the detail...

An early attempt as to explaining the drug market. It is a start and I have to program myself to understand what is said. Brief and down to earth with pictures too! Much of this is a C&P with some editing. Much credit to the authors for giving us this opportunity to understand. Welcoming a New Year with new drug prices, 46brooklyn Research This year has proven to be little different from past years. In keeping with tradition (for as long...

This article is easy reading exploring some the differences and why people may choose one plan over the other plan. Attached is also a Commonwealth Fund article with more detail. Medicare Plan Commissions May Steer Beneficiaries to Wrong Coverage, MedPage Today, Cheryl Clark. Agents and brokers selling Medicare plan coverage often steer their clients to a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan because it earns them a higher commission compared with a...

A different viewpoint by the Physicians for a National Health Program. Mainly speaking as advocates for a universal national health program which would be as cost-effective as possible. They are proposing the plan could be constructed as an improved form of Traditional Medicare. They do too find similar issues as what Gilfillan and Berwick extensively discussed in the commentary Medicare ‘Money Machine, Part One and Part Two. Comments on CY 2024...

Quick two weeks went by and have been pretty busy. Starting to warm-up in Arizona. Been spending more time outside while I can and before it gets hot. Environment, Consumerism, Technology Micro-Apartment Makeover Includes Mini-Loft and Space-Saving Furniture, treehugger.com, Kimberley Mok. The comfort and livability of a 300-square-foot apartment are beautifully improved in this smart renovation. What changes after the Norfolk Southern...

The NYT addresses the increasing use of child labor in the US (the link allows access to the article whether you have a subscription or not): Arriving in record numbers, they’re ending up in dangerous jobs that violate child labor laws — including in factories that make products for well-known brands like Cheetos and Fruit of the Loom. “It was almost midnight in Grand Rapids, Mich., but inside the factory everything was bright. A conveyor...

Part Two explores where Medicare should be going forward as determined by doctors Richard Gilfillan and Donald M. Berwick. It is an endorsement of the ACO model with changes to it creating greater efficiency. I am not so sure Kip Sullivan would endorse this approach as opposed to Single Payer. Ultimately Single Payer is less costly when we consider the elimination of much of the administration effort. There is another post I will be putting up when I...

February jobs report: the decelerating trend resumes   – by New Deal democrat As I’ve written several times this week, my focus on this report was on whether manufacturing and residential construction jobs turned negative or not, whether temporary jobs continued on their downward trajectory, and whether the deceleration apparent in job growth would reappear after the blockbuster January report. Deceleration absolutely reasserted itself:...