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The Dirty Trick Health Insurers Are Playing That You Don’t Know About

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 1199 implied HN points • 03 Sep 24
🏥 Health Politics Insurance Regulation Consumer Rights Healthcare Costs Health Reform
  1. Health insurers use a measurement called the medical loss ratio (MLR) to determine how much of your premiums go to actual medical care versus overhead costs. They should spend at least 80-85% on care, but many find sneaky ways to get around this.
  2. Big insurance companies manipulate what counts as 'quality improvement' to make it look like they're spending more on healthcare than they actually are. They might include things like software upgrades or marketing instead of just patient care.
  3. By buying up doctors' offices and clinics, insurers can steer patients to their own services without MLR rules applying. This way, they keep more money for themselves instead of lowering premiums or improving coverage for you.

Republican Calculation: Don't Support Obama's Affordable Care Act

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 499 implied HN points • 21 Aug 24
🏥 Health Politics Health Reform Public Policy Misinformation Insurance Industry Bipartisanship
  1. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to help many people, especially those with preexisting conditions, get health insurance. However, there was a lot of confusion and misinformation surrounding it from the start.
  2. Many Republicans initially rejected working with Democrats on the ACA, believing it would help them in future elections by framing it as a 'government takeover of health care.' This strategy worked, as Democrats faced significant losses in the following elections.
  3. Despite the ACA being based on ideas that once had bipartisan support, misinformation continued to spread, making it harder for people to understand its actual impact and benefits over the years.

Marshall Allen, Fearless Advocate for Health Care Reform and Journalist, dies at 52

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 599 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🏥 Health Politics Health Reform Journalism Advocacy Patient rights Obituaries
  1. Marshall Allen was a passionate journalist and advocate for health care reform. He worked hard to help people navigate the unfair aspects of the health care system.
  2. He wrote a book called 'Never Pay the First Bill' to share tips on fighting against unexpected medical bills. His goal was to empower patients to stand up for their rights.
  3. Marshall was known for his compassion and integrity. Many friends and colleagues are committed to continuing his work and honoring his legacy.

What a Trump presidency can mean for health care

Vinay Prasad's Observations and Thoughts • 342 implied HN points • 06 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Health Reform Public Health Policy advocacy Nutrition Regulation
  1. We need to eliminate conflicts of interest in healthcare. This means doctors shouldn’t take money from companies that could influence their decisions.
  2. The CDC and NIH are failing in their roles and need restructuring. They should focus better on data and improve how they operate.
  3. Children's nutrition is important. Schools should serve healthier food, and we need to cut down on processed foods to promote better eating habits.

Some Candid and Scathing Opinions from a Former NIH Insider

The Good Science Project • 48 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Government Policy Biomedical Research Health Reform
  1. NIH has many institutes, but their setup often comes from political pressure, not careful planning. This can create issues when trying to reorganize for better efficiency.
  2. The Scientific Management Review Board (SMRB) was meant to help with changes at NIH, but it lost effectiveness under pressure from leadership, showing the challenges of making serious reforms.
  3. Collins, as the NIH director, was seen as domineering and sometimes pushed decisions without considering others’ views. This behavior can lead to problematic decisions and lack of support within the organization.
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The American Health Care System is on the Brink of Collapse: How the Center for Health & Democracy Will Help Us Fix It

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 319 implied HN points • 31 Jan 23
🏥 Health Politics Health care Insurance Health Reform Medical Debt Legislation
  1. The American healthcare system is failing, with many people struggling to get the care they need while insurance companies make huge profits.
  2. The Center for Health & Democracy aims to expose issues in the insurance industry and work for meaningful reforms to help improve healthcare access and affordability.
  3. Many Americans are dealing with high medical costs and debt, and there is a growing need for significant changes to ensure everyone gets proper healthcare without financial burden.