Podcasts

Too Poor for Insurance, Too Sick to Wait: America’s Healthcare Trap

        THIS TIME ON CODE WACK! As of spring 2026, enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies have not been extended. Without congressional action, millions of Americans could face significantly higher premiums—or lose coverage altogether. Around 22 million people receive ACA premium subsidies, […]

UnitedHealth’s Dangerous Takeover of U.S. Health Care

          THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   As of spring 2026, enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies have not been extended. Without congressional action, millions of Americans could face significantly higher premiums, or lose coverage altogether. Around 22 million people receive […]

Why the Same Drug Costs 3x More (And Who Decides)

        THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   Imagine two patients … same diagnosis, same medication, same country.  Each one needs the same prescription. One gets their care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the other gets it through Medicare. The price of […]

Designed to Fail: How Insurance Denials Really Work

          THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   Today, we’re talking about insurance denials, hidden incentives… and why getting care can feel like navigating a system designed to stop you. Our guest is Bob Coleman, a retired healthcare professional who spent more […]

Why Employers Are ‘Flying Blind’ on Healthcare Costs

        THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   Most employers don’t actually know what they’re paying for healthcare – and employees are paying the price. In this episode of Code WACK!, discover why companies are “flying blind” on healthcare costs, how opaque pricing […]

States Push Back Against Medicaid Managed Care

            THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   Today, most people on Medicaid get their care through private insurers called Managed Care Organizations, or MCOs – like Aetna and UnitedHealthcare. Critics say these companies add layers of bureaucracy that make it […]

The Middlemen Making Money Off Medicaid

            THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   Why are there middlemen in Medicaid – and what are they doing to our most vulnerable patients and physicians? How and why are private insurance intermediaries permitted to put profits ahead of patients? […]

The Hidden Cost of Private Equity Hospital Buyouts

          THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!   We’re taking a closer look at what happens when private equity buys hospitals. Our guest is Dr. Renee Hsia (pronounced “Shaw”). An emergency physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Hsia explains how […]