Online Education & Discussion
Death vs. Dollars –
Is Our Health an Individual or a Collective Responsibility?
October 10 from 12 to 1 pm PT
Sponsored by SF Bay Area League of Women Voters
Featuring Dr. Sarah Rudman and Kimi Watkins-Tartt
Click to register
Libby Medicare and the Public Health Emergency in East Palestine
October 11 at 5PM PT / 8PM ET
Sponsored by National Single Payer
Featuring Activist Jessica Conrad
Click to register
Open Season: Corporate Health Insurers Targeting Seniors!
Monday, October 16 at 1 pm PT / 4 PM ET
Sponsored by Physicians for a National Health Program
Click to register
Online Discussion of Documentary: Sick Around the World
October 22 from 4 to 6 pm
Sponsored by Community Documentary Night
& Physicians for a National Health Program
Featuring T R Reid
Click to register for discussion
Click to watch the documentary on Youtube (free)
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Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
Snippets of news & commentary with a special focus on
health policy, Medicare for All & California
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Like Weekly News Roundup? Then you’ll love our popular podcast Code WACK! where we shine a light on the outrageous hassles patients face when dealing with America’s callous healthcare system. Subscribe below!
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“Medicare Advantage is just another example of the endless greed of the insurance industry poisoning American health care, siphoning money from vulnerable patients while delaying and denying necessary and often life-saving treatment.”
Our Payments Their Profits: Quantifying Overpayments in the Medicare Advantage Program
Physicians for a National Health Program | October 2023
“Shot seekers also say they have been surprised by requests for upfront payments of $150 to $200 now that the U.S. government has handed off to private companies including vaccine makers, pharmacies, and insurance plans to handle distribution, administration and payment coverage.”
New COVID Shots Still Hard to Find for Some Americans
Reuters | Michael Erman, Ahmed Aboulenein | October 8, 2023
“The legislation advances tangible steps toward securing universal health coverage in California.”
Newsom Signs Bill Advancing Universal Health Care, Vetoes Insulin Price Cap
CBS News | CBS Bay City News Service | October 7, 2023
“Just the overcharges … are costing Americans over $140 billion a year: more than the entire budget for the Medicare Part B or Part D programs….”
The Medicare Advantage Ripoff that Every American Should Know About
The Hartmann Report | Tom Hartmann | October 6, 2023
“…the Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez … said that CVS Health’s (CVS.N) Caremark, Cigna Group’s (CI.N) Express Scripts and UnitedHealth Group’s (UNH.N) OptumRx violated state laws against unfair competition and deceptive business practices….”
Hawaii Accuses Top Pharmacy Benefit Managers of Illegally Driving Up Prices
Reuters | Brendan Pierson | October 5, 2023
“All nine manufacturers of the 10 selected treatments signed on to participate in the program by Monday’s deadline — even while seven of the drugmakers simultaneously sue the government over it.”
Tensions High as Medicare Drug Negotiations Advance
Roll Call | Lauren Clason | October 5, 2023
“I think you’re a failure as a CEO if you’re trying to boost your company’s profits by double-charging chronically and terminally ill people….”
Health Insurers Find New Way to Drain the Bank Accounts of Americans with Chronic Conditions
HEALTH CARE un-covered | Wendell Potter | October 4, 2023
“…seniors could save over $1,800 in annual fees taken from their Social Security checks if the government redirected what it spends subsidizing Medicare Advantage plans to instead reduce premium costs.”
Medicare Advantage Is a $140 Billion Scam
Jacobin | Matthew Cunningham-Cook, Lucy Dean Stockton | October 4, 2023
“The lengthy negotiation process won’t end until August 2024, with reduced prices going into effect in January 2026.”
Drugmakers Opt In to Medicare Drug Price Negotiations – Here’s What Happens Next
CNBC | Annika Kim Constantino | October 3, 2023
“Here’s what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should be saying about your Medicare options instead of misleading the public.”
Misleading Medicare Marketing: Insurance Industry Appears to Be Pulling Strings at Medicare
Just Care | Diane Archer | October 2, 2023
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Shining a light on ongoing inequities in health care
and the impact they have on vulnerable individuals and communities.
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