steve poizner

In this Fight Back Library release, Dr. Ted Mazer joins us to discuss how you can fit your medical expenses into your budget. We discuss the importance of shopping for medical procedures, ways to avoid surprise billing, understanding how in and out-of-network physicians and procedures affect your final bill, how to negotiate hospital bills, and more.

Dr. Mazer is a former President of the California Medical Association. In 2015, San Diego County Medical Society named him one of the county’s “Top Doctors” in their annual “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” survey published by San Diego Magazine.

Please see the companion episode, “Negotiating Medical Bills,” one of our most popular.

In this Fight Back Minicast, Dr. Ted Mazer discusses various ear, nose, and throat conditions and disorders. We get to hear about general care for your ears, learn some basic information about sleep apnea, and the questions you need to ask your specialist.

Dr. Mazer specializes in treating ear, nose, head, throat, and neck disorders. He was named one of the “Top Doctors” in the 2015 San Diego Magazine “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” and is a former President of the California Medical Association.

On this Library Release of Fight Back, we talk with special guest Dr. Alan Sanders, a specialist in infectious diseases. Dr. Sanders previously served as Chief of Medicine at St Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY, and currently is the Chief Medical Officer of St Peter’s Health Partners. He will soon be assuming the role of Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Among many other responsibilities, he will spearhead establishing a telemedicine program to deliver clinical care—including diagnosing and treating infectious diseases—to underserved areas.

Dr. Sanders gives us a behind-the-scenes look at telemedicine, from the implementation and use of the technology to what consumers should do to educate themselves on how telemedicine can work for them. Listen in now!

In this Fight Back minicast, we jump into the complex world of long-term care insurance and what that really means. Our special guest is Bonnie Burns, who has more than 40 years of experience in long-term care insurance and works to improve consumer protections in state and federal legislation and regulations. She has served as a consumer representative to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners since 1992. She is a consultant to California Health Advocates providing training, educational materials, and technical assistance on long-term care insurance. Let's find out if consumers really need long-term care insurance.

In this Fight Back library release, we meet Linda Garvin, a Health Advocate. Linda graduated from the University of Massachusetts, earning her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and Adult Nurse Practitioner training with honors. She has a Public Health Certificate in California. She has spent the last 20 years as a health advocate in California and nationwide.

Health Advocates support and advocate on behalf of patients and their families when a third party’s expertise and knowledge can improve treatments and navigate a complicated health situation. Could a health advocate help you or your loved one? What specific kind of services do health advocates provide? Join us as Linda answers these and other questions.

In this Fight Back minicast, we welcomes our special guest, Dr. Jeff Poizner. Dr. Poizner is a Staff Psychologist at VA San Diego Healthcare System and specializes in providing evidence-based treatments via Telemental Health platforms to veterans with PTSD and other conditions. 

Dr. Poizner joins us to discuss a very complicated and challenging issue: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, more commonly known as PTSD. While most are familiar with PTSD as it relates to Armed Forces Services members, Dr. Poizner reminds us that there are many forms of PTSD, and anyone who has suffered a traumatic event can suffer from PTSD. Join us today as we learn more about this very complicated diagnosis.

In this Fight Back Library Release, our special guest, Dr. Ted Mazer discusses various ear, nose, and throat conditions and disorders. From ringing in the ears, the causes and treatment for hearing loss, to the loss of smell, we will cover it and get real-world answers for you.

Dr. Mazer specializes in treating ear, nose, head, throat, and neck disorders. He was named one of the “Top Doctors” in the 2015 San Diego Magazine “Physicians of Exceptional Excellence” and is a former President of the California Medical Association.

In this FightBack! minicast, we discuss alternative health systems: different ways to deliver healthcare to patients, and how states, nonprofit organizations, and even companies—like Whole Foods—have implemented unique concepts to enable better and cheaper healthcare options for consumers.

Our guest is Sean Flynn, Assistant Professor of Economics at Scripps College. He is the author of Economics for Dummies, which has now been translated into seven foreign languages, as well as the coauthor of the world's best-selling college textbook, Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. Sean's in-depth knowledge of our healthcare system makes for a great discussion.

In this FightBack Library Release, Adriana Contreras joins us to discuss the health and safety of student-athletes in high school and collegiate sports. Adriana is a voluntary Assistant Coach on the swim team at the University of Nevada, Reno, a former Assistant Coach at UC Davis, a former Senior Group Coach for the DART swimming team, a former Assistant Swimming Coach at the University of the Pacific, Head Swimming Coach at St. Francis High School, and a certified professional and collegiate Division I soccer referee.

Adriana talks about how parents should communicate with their children’s coaches and doctors to create a healthy sporting experience, the mental health challenges brought on by high-pressure athletics—including the lessons learned from Simone Biles’ Olympic experiences—what student-athletes should know about the rules and regulations around performance-enhancing drugs, and much more.

Healthcare consumers often do not know the actual cost of health services. Whether it is a bed in a hospital, a prescription drug, or a procedure like an MRI, the price is usually buried beneath government regulations, insurance forms, and confusing terminology. In this FightBack Library release, we first hear from John about how a brief hospital visit to deal with kidney stones turned into a $20,000 surprise. Fortunately, his insurance paid most of the bill, but he might have made different decisions if he had known the true cost. David Balat, a former hospital CEO and now a policy healthcare advocate focusing on healthcare costs, explains that consumers have the right to proper billing, how to understand the actual cost of healthcare, and what resources are available for shopping for healthcare.

Health insurance is critical for individuals and families. In this Library Release of FightBack, we talk about when you suddenly lose your health insurance: how it can feel overwhelming and difficult to determine where to start and what to do. Fortunately, there are many options available. Jenn Moore, Health Net’s chief commercial officer, joins us to talk about how to navigate this complicated and challenging process. For nearly 20 years, Jenn has overseen Health Net’s insurance plans for corporations, small businesses, families, and individuals. She also led the insurer’s planning for complying with and implementing the Affordable Care Act.

In this special Fight Back Library release, we welcome our special guest, Erica Costa, to discuss how to quit smoking. Erica is the Director of Advocacy for tobacco control in California for the American Lung Association. In her work, she advocates for support programs and methods to help people quit tobacco use and kick their nicotine addiction.

Erica gives our listeners a wealth of information on the best ways to tackle smoking and nicotine addictions. From providing us with the dangers of smoking cigarettes and vaping to the immediate health benefits of quitting, Erica discusses how best to create a plan to stop that encompasses counseling, nicotine replacement therapy, medication, friend and family support networks, and more.

In this FightBack! Minicast, we discuss autism. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates autism’s prevalence as 1 in 59 children in the United States—1 in 37 boys and 1 in 151 girls. A lifelong condition, autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, impacts those with this disorder and their families in many ways.
 
 Our special guest is former Assemblywoman Suzette Martinez Valladares. Suzette is a Latina businesswoman and educator specializing in early childhood education and advocacy. As the former Executive Director of Southern California Autism Speaks, she served special needs children.
 
 Suzette will help us understand ASD, the critical importance of parent advocacy, and available resources to patients and families.

In this Fight Back Library Release, we discuss the important topic of health equity. Health equity means that everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Many factors impact a person’s health, including poverty, access to good jobs, education, and housing, to name a few. Race should not be one of them. Health equity advocates have emerged in response to challenges that people of color face while seeking medical care.

What does health equity look like? How do communities and health organizations collaborate to promote health equity? How does addressing health equity impact everyone’s health and safety? We’ll dig into these issues and more with our special guest Jahmal Miller, System Vice President of CommonSpirit Health, serving in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Jahmal is recognized as a national thought leader and a leading spokesperson on public policy, health equity, mental health, social justice, and innovation.

In this Fight Back Library Release, we talk about bringing healthcare into the digital age. Digital health is applying digital technologies to healthcare to improve wellness programs and make medicine more accessible, personalized, and precise. It aims to improve the quality of care and lower costs.

We welcome our special guest, Gary Cohen, Vice President of Government Affairs at Blue Shield of California.

Gary joins us to discuss what bringing healthcare into the digital age means. How are your healthcare records kept safe, secure, and yet accessible to your healthcare providers? How can the new technologies that help you monitor your health at home be integrated into your health records? Why are you still filling out a form with pen and paper when you visit a new doctor or specialist, or in the worst case, the emergency room? We dive into these questions and more.

The Healthcare Consumer Rights Foundation extends a happy and HEALTHY New Year to all and a hearty thank you to our listeners who helped make our Fight Back podcast one of the most listened to healthcare podcasts in America in 2022!
 
Our Fight Back 2022 year-in-review episode looks back at some of our most interesting and informative episodes. From discussing the importance of canine companions to analyzing long COVID, we will continue to interview expert guests about the important healthcare topics that matter most to you.

Listen to our Fight Back Year in Review episode today, and be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you won’t miss out on what we have in store for you in 2023!

In this Fight Back Library Release, we discuss the little-known yet potentially impactful Independent Medical Review system that gives healthcare consumers in every state of the country a powerful tool to fight back when insurance companies deny doctor-prescribed medical treatments.

Our special guest is Mary Watanabe, Director of the California Department of Managed Health Care, which oversees health plans that provide healthcare services to more than 27.7 million Californians. As Director, Mary is responsible for protecting consumers’ healthcare rights and ensuring a stable healthcare delivery system in accordance with federal and state rules.

We discuss the independent medical review process in California and the free resources and tools offered to consumers to help them make an appeal. Join us as we learn how to appeal a medical insurance coverage issue.

Everyone loves to go to the dentist, right? After listening to this surprisingly fascinating Fight Back minicast, you might not exactly love your dentist, but you will be more informed and even inclined to visit your dentist more often.

Our special guest, Dr. Joel Strom, discusses how oral hygiene impacts overall health and how preventive care almost always spares you from losing teeth and other problems. He also addresses a number of issues: Is flossing your teeth more important than brushing? How can oral health care impact your heart health, and how do you find the right dentist? Let's listen in and see if it's time to schedule your next dental exam.

In this minicast release from Fight Back, we learn about physical therapy. Physical therapists are highly educated, licensed healthcare professionals who examine, evaluate, and treat patients whose conditions limit their ability to move and function in daily life. From augmenting recovery after surgery or illness or proactively using physical therapy to improve general wellness to providing an alternative to pain-killing drugs, physical therapists play a critical role in a patient’s overall health and recovery from injuries and illnesses.

Our special guest is Dr. Rick Katz, who worked as a physical therapist in hospital and outpatient settings. He developed programs for cardiac, pulmonary, and stroke patients, a sports injury clinic, and a coaches clinic. 

Dr. Katz will give our listeners a quick look at when you might need a physical therapist, how to access care, and if your insurance plays a role in access to care. 

In this Fight Back minicast, join us as we welcome back Ken Barnes to explore the opportunities that persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities have in the workforce. Mr. Barnes is President and Chief Executive Officer of Options for All, an organization that serves, supports, and educates adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

Ken also discusses some of the impacts that COVID had on employment for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.