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“One of the patients, she had a certain managed Medicaid plan. And when she was seen in the emergency room, they chose not to do the definitive treatment of her fracture, likely because of her insurance. It’s hard to think of any other reason.” —Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart
Profit, Prejudice &
the Price of Care
Featuring
Erica Rowe Urquhart, MD
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Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
“…it does not include an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. Allowing the funds to lapse would raise insurance premiums for millions of Americans….”
Senators Advance Tentative Deal to End the Government Shutdown
NBC News | Frank Thorp V, Sahil Kapur and Brennan Leach | November 10, 2025
“…expanding Medicare for all, even with the additional taxes that would be incurred, would still be a better and less expensive strategy for not only controlling healthcare costs but providing access to everyone.”
I’m as Capitalist as They Get But Medicare for All Is the Best Hope for US Healthcare
The Guardian | Gene Marks | November 9, 2025
“Critics worry it will fail to reach the small-town patients they say need it most, especially as states face nearly a trillion dollars in Medicaid spending reductions over the next decade.”
Concerns Over Fairness, Access Rise as States Compete for Slice of $50 Billion Rural Health Fund
CBS News | Sarah Jane Tribble, Arielle Zionts | November 7, 2025
“On Oct. 16, they informed Medicare patients to schedule any new visits in person.”
The Shutdown Leaves Telehealth for Medicare Patients in Limbo
NPR | Yuki Noguchi | November 6, 2025
“…about three-quarters or 74% of U.S. adults are in favor of extending the tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year…. These subsidies, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, have helped people afford their health insurance through marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act….”
Most Americans Back Extending Obamacare Tax Credits Amid Government Shutdown, KFF Poll Finds
Reuters | November 6, 2025
“…up until the day of the operation last month, their insurance provider, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, had repeatedly refused to approve coverage for the procedure with the surgeon the Olsons wanted to use.”
Their Daughter Needed Reconstructive Surgery. They Got an Insurance Fight.
NBC News | Camila Bernal, David Douglas | November 5, 2025
“Close to 2 million Californians … earn too much to qualify for Medi-Cal enrollment but often can’t get affordable coverage through an employer. Many are self-employed or work for small businesses that don’t offer health benefits.”
How Much Will Covered California Premiums Cost in 2026?
California Health Care Foundation | Anne Sunderland, Katherine Wilson | November 5, 2025
“By cutting and freezing public health funds, in particular, the Trump administration has already begun to undercut efforts to provide medical care, outbreak response, housing assistance and research across the U.S., according to health officials, nonprofit directors and federal agency staffers….”
Red Tape and Budget Constraints: How the White House is Undercutting Public Health
ABC News | Amy Maxmen | November 5, 2025
“The roughly 22 million people who currently rely on the premium tax credits could see their ACA plan costs more than double in 2026, KFF estimates…. ‘At this rate, I have one to three more years before I can no longer afford a plan….’”
Some Americans Are Getting Sticker Shock as They Shop for Affordable Care Act Insurance
CBS News | Aimee Picchi | November 3, 2025
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