Code WACK!

Can you count on your health insurance when you need it? What if you and your spouse are "double-covered?" What are your options when medical debt is dragging you down?  And if you can't pay, what happens after you get well and start looking for a new job?

To find out, we spoke with Monique Davis, a nonprofit executive in Southern California, who, during midlife, faced an unexpected diagnosis with a rare and potentially deadly disease. How did her HMO respond when claims for chemotherapy, medical equipment, multiple ambulance rides and a stem cell transplant came rolling in?  

Monique says her survival is a miracle and her treatments were arduous. . . Did dealing with the claims really have to be so hard?

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Why does America STILL have a healthcare system with so many cracks to fall through? A routine job change, a move, or a divorce can trigger a change in health insurance eligibility, premiums, out-of-pocket costs, provider networks, etc. What's the true cost of our fragmented, bureaucratic and for-profit healthcare system?

To find out, we spoke to Scott Desnoyers, an anguished New York father who says he lost his son over a $20 insurance premium. Listen as Scott bears witness to the terrible toll a change in Medicaid eligibility took when his son Danny got a new job. 

When it comes to health insurance, a misunderstanding can have severe consequences. What can we expect when federal rules that have protected Medicaid eligibility during the COVID pandemic change later this year for some 15 million people ?

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Was the Affordable Care Act a cure-all or a mixed bag for freelancers? Where can gig workers turn for expert insurance information and coverage? How would Medicare for All affect independent workers? 

To find out, we spoke to Rafael Espinal and Jonathan Gray of the New York-based Freelancers Union. Rafael, a former New York state assemblyman and former New York City councilman, is executive director and Jonathan is their member benefits manager. This is the second of two episodes with the Freelancers Union.

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for background info and more!

This time on Code WACK!  Why are so many Americans choosing to freelance these days? What are some of the benefits - and risks - of choosing to work for yourself? What challenges do gig workers face when it comes to getting the basics, like health insurance and quality health care?

To find out, we spoke to Rafael Espinal and Jonathan Gray of the New York-based Freelancers Union. Rafael, a former New York state assemblyman and former New York City councilman, is executive director and Jonathan is their member benefits manager. This is the first of two episodes with the Freelancers Union.

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for background info and more!

This time on Code WACK! What can be done to ensure that nonprofit hospitals are delivering fairly on their community benefits – and worthy of their huge tax breaks? How does corporate lobbying complicate efforts to improve the oversight of these facilities? Who benefits when hospitals reduce costs without lowering prices for patients?

To find out, we spoke to filmmaker Sandra Alvarez, director of the new documentary InHospitable, which tells the story of patients and advocates as they fight for their lives and take on a billion-dollar hospital system. This is the second of two episodes with Sandra about her film InHospitable. 

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for background info and more!

This time on Code WACK!  When it comes to our broken healthcare system, are nonprofit hospitals part of the solution ... or part of the problem? What are their priorities? How do their actions affect patient care? 

To find out, we spoke to filmmaker Sandra Alvarez, director of the new documentary InHospitable, which tells the story of patients and advocates as they fight for their lives and take on a billion dollar hospital system. This is the first of two episodes with Sandra about her film InHospitable. 

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for background info and more!

Medicare’s 2023 enrollment period is ending on Dec. 7 and Code WACK! is on the case! What are the true risks of choosing Medicare Advantage instead of original Medicare with a Medigap supplement? Are you risking your pocketbook, or your health? 

Both, suggests expert Dr. Ed Weisbart, a retired family physician, former chief medical officer of Express Scripts and a national board member of Physicians for a National Health Program. "Don't get tricked" by Medicare Advantage, he warns, because there's a lot at stake. Why don't our lawmakers protect us by leveling the playing field between the two Medicare programs? To find out, listen to the episode!

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This time on Code WACK!. How do the results of the midterm elections affect the prospect for state-based single payer healthcare systems? Will state governments continue to subsidize the private insurance system and defend the status quo as we lose money and lives? 

To find out, we asked Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now, a statewide coalition dedicated to winning single payer, Medicare for All in the Golden State. He was also the healthcare constituency director for Bernie Sanders 2020. This is the second of two pods about the election results with Mr. Lighty.

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This time on Code WACK!. What do the tight midterm elections mean for our nation's health care? Hanging in the balance are the fates of those who are dependent on pandemic emergency programs for their health care and millions of American seniors who anxiously face the privatization of traditional Medicare. 

To find out, we asked Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now, a statewide coalition dedicated to winning single payer, Medicare for All in the Golden State. He was also the healthcare constituency director for Bernie Sanders 2020. This is the first of two pods about the election results with Mr. Lighty.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! In 2022, nearly half of people eligible for Medicare are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. So what's the problem? Good question. 

To find out, we spoke to Diane Archer, founder and president of Just Care USA, an independent digital media hub covering health and financial issues facing boomers and their families. 

What pitfalls does Medicare Advantage pose? Is the Medicare Star Rating System a reliable guide to the best Advantage plans?  And what's the Medigap Trap?

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What are the major differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage? How do the two programs compare when it comes to accessing quality care?   

To get the facts, join host Brenda Gazzar and Ed Weisbart, MD, a retired family physician, former chief medical officer of Express Scripts and a national board member of Physicians for a National Health Program. 

From narrow provider networks to pre-authorizations and claims denials, Dr. Weisbart shares the nitty-gritty on Medicare Advantage. What is the Medicare Advantage business model? Why are so many Medicare Advantage insurers being accused of fraud?

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Need surgery but your $7,000 deductible is in the way?  How about major dental care that your insurance doesn't even begin to adequately cover?  The skyrocketing cost of treatment and rising insurance premiums are driving some Americans to seek affordable health care abroad. While the COVID pandemic slowed international travel, in 2019 nearly 2 million Americans sought health care abroad, a number that is projected to grow.

Many medical tourists get high quality, affordable health care abroad. However, some have problems. It's essential to thoroughly research the risks and benefits before pursuing medical care in another country. 

That being said, how much could you save? And what's the experience like? To find out, we spoke to Michael Djavahery, a Los Angeles-based life coach, trainer, speaker, author, and master hypnotist. In this episode Michael shares his experiences, including how much money he saved, traveling to the Philippines and Malaysia, to be treated by highly-qualified, internationally accredited doctors and dentists. If the U.S. had Improved Medicare for All, would that have influenced Michael's decisions?

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How would most families and individuals fare financially with a single-payer Medicare for All system? What about you? Would you pay more - or less - for health care than you’re paying now? If saving money (and lives) weren't enough, what else could we gain if we had Medicare for All? Could Medicare for All help unite our divided nation?

To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he’s an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

What do Medicare beneficiaries need to know about open enrollment and their drug plans? How can they get free and unbiased help navigating their Medicare options? Most importantly, how can they save money on their medicines?

To find out, we spoke to Steve Maas, a freelance writer and a retired Boston Globe editor. The Maryland resident is currently a volunteer for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (or SHIP program), a federal-state partnership that offers counseling on Medicare and Medicaid. In this interview about prescription drug pricing and Medicare, Steve spoke to us on his own behalf and not on behalf of SHIP. This is the second of two episodes with Steve. 

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

What's up with America's prescription drug market? Why do some of us pay a lot more for our prescriptions than others? How can people on Medicare get the best prices for the medicines they need?

To find out, we spoke to Steve Maas, a freelance writer and a retired Boston Globe editor. The Maryland resident is currently a volunteer for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (or SHIP program), a federal-state partnership that offers counseling on Medicare and Medicaid. In this interview about prescription drug pricing and Medicare Part D, Steve spoke to us on his own behalf and not on behalf of SHIP. This is the first of two episodes with Steve. 

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

What are the primary drivers of poverty in America?  How has the commodification of medicine affected health care? What's behind immigrants' fear of accessing programs established to provide them lawful services? 

For these answers and more, we spoke with Maribel Nuñez, executive director of Inland Equity Partnership, an economic justice coalition working to reduce poverty for the most vulnerable in Southern California’s Inland Empire. From the front lines of this struggle, Maribel is here to break it all down for us! This is the second of two episodes.  

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State by state, advocates of guaranteed health care for immigrants are slowly making gains - what's their formula for success?  Which California immigrants will get access to full Medicaid coverage in 2024, for the first time? How did this happen in an America that sometimes holds complicated feelings about people who are undocumented?  

For these answers and more, we spoke with Maribel Nuñez, executive director of Inland Equity Partnership,  an economic justice coalition working to reduce poverty for the most vulnerable in Southern California’s Inland Empire. From the front lines of this struggle, Maribel is here to break it all down for us! This is the first of two episodes.  

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

How do we know that nearly 340,000 Americans died during the pandemic because they did not have health insurance?  How does this compare to American deaths related to uninsurance during a non-COVID year? How could the U.S. have saved $5 billion or more in healthcare costs during the pandemic? 

To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn, MD/MPH, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he's an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

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Why are nearly half of all U.S. residents burdened with medical debt? Does it simply result from people making poor personal choices, or is it a symptom of a deeper, systemic problem with our healthcare system? What are the scary implications of this and what can we do about it? To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn,  MD/MPH, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he's an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

Click for Show Notes & episode transcript!

This Labor Day Code WACK! is taking a fresh look at the different perspectives held by organized labor in the fight for Medicare for All.

Host Brenda Gazzar and Cindy Young, labor advocate and expert in health benefits negotiations, discuss how union members are harmed by America’s fragmented healthcare system.

Why are unions split on this issue? What happens when rank and file members disagree with union leadership on policy?  Is the fight to end healthcare inequity dividing organized labor or pushing it towards social justice? Could the tide be turning? 

Click for Show Notes & episode transcript!