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“Politically, of course, there’s great value to having three states go to the ballot instead of just one, because a smaller state like Oregon, if they’re on their own out there, it’s pretty easy for the [health insurance] industry to throw a lot of money at it.” —Michael Lighty
Can a United West Coast
Win Single-Payer?
Featuring
Michael Lighty
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Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
“The president, who has framed mental health as a national crisis, paused rules to hold insurers accountable for unlawfully denying coverage. And Congress cut funding to the agency that enforces insurers’ equal treatment of mental and physical health.”
Trump’s Rollback of Rules for Mental Health Coverage Could Lead More Americans to Go Without Care
ProPublica | Maya Miller, Jeremy Kohler | August 18, 2025
“Patients in need of care are increasingly scared to seek it after Trump rescinded a Biden-era policy that barred immigration officials from conducting operations in ‘sensitive’ areas such as schools, hospitals, and churches.”
‘A Fear Pandemic’: Immigration Raids Push Patients Into Telehealth
MedPage Today | Christine Mai-Duc | August 17, 2025
“We’ve never been through a loss in affordability like the expiration of the enhanced tax credits….”
Covered California Health Insurance Will Cost More in 2026. Here’s What’s Behind the Double-Digit Increase
CalMatters | Kristen Hwang | August 15, 2025
“A report released on Friday confirmed what many Democratic lawmakers have long been warning about: Republicans’ massive budget law will trigger significant cuts to Medicare.”
CBO Confirms Trump Budget Law Will Trigger Over $500 Billion in Automatic Medicare Cuts
Common Dreams | Brad Reed | August 15, 2025
“Vaccination gaps in 16 counties leave some communities exposed as children return to school.”
Measles Is Making a Comeback — And California Isn’t Immune
Capital & Main | Mark Kreidler | August 15, 2025
“Nationwide, ACA premiums will be going up an average of 18%, according to Peterson-KFF’s Health System Tracker.… Out-of-pocket costs will be going up even more — as much as 75% for some — because of expiration of enhanced tax credits.”
Big Stuff: Healthcare Costs About to Explode
Insurance News Net | Matt Winters, The Astorian | August 14,2025
“A federal judge ordered the nation’s health department to stop giving deportation officials access to the personal information — including home addresses — of all 79 million Medicaid enrollees.”
Judge Orders RFK Jr.’s Health Department to Stop Sharing Medicaid Data with Deportation Officials
Associated Press | Amanda Seitz, Kimberly Kindy | August 14, 2025
“In Fresno County, about 52% of residents — more than half a million people — rely on Medi-Cal, the state’s Medicaid program.”
‘Very Devastating for Everyone.’ More Than Half of Fresno County Faces Looming Healthcare Cuts
Fresnoland | Gisselle Medina | August 14, 2025
“The use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage shows us that, in practice, [the Medicare demonstration] will likely limit beneficiaries’ access to care, increase burden on our already overburdened health care work force, and create perverse incentives to put profit over patients….”
HHS Pilot Program Raises Democratic Concerns Over Medicare Red Tape
The Hill | Nathaniel Weixel | August 11, 2025
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Shining a light on ongoing inequities in health care
and the impact they have on vulnerable individuals and communities.
Our podcast Code WACK! brings to life the failures of America’s healthcare system with stories, commentary and analysis.
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