Podcasts about Commonwealth Fund

We examine the Commonwealth Fund report's findings and what they reveal about health care access, affordability and outcomes across Texas.

Hosted by Michael Tetreault | Editor-in-Chief, Concierge Medicine Today Episode Overview In one of the most comprehensive episodes in DocPreneur Leadership Podcast history, host Michael Tetreault takes an honest, evidence-based, and encouraging look at the cash-pay and subscription-based primary care landscape — who it serves, how it works, where it's heading, and what every physician and advanced practice clinician needs to understand before making a career-defining decision. This episode doesn't take sides. It takes a clear-eyed look at the full picture — including the parts that don't always make it into the conference keynote. What's Covered in This Episode The Foundation Not all subscription-based primary care models are the same. Two models operating in this space share surface-level similarities but are structurally distinct businesses with different economic logic, different patient populations, and different long-term trajectories. Understanding which one you're considering — and why — changes everything about how you plan. A Lesson From Healthcare History Before committing to any practice model, it helps to understand what happened to the movements that came before it. This episode traces three instructive parallels: the micropractice and ideal medical practice movement of the early 2000s; the decades-long fight for healthcare price transparency and what happened when physicians finally got it; and the rise and reality check of retail health — what scaled, what didn't, and why. The common thread in every model that has achieved durable scale in American healthcare is the same: structural fit with the economic environment, not ideological purity. Two Pathways, One Brand Name The episode walks through both economic models in the cash-pay primary care space — the purist, cash-only, no-insurance model and the employer-integrated model — explaining how each works, who each serves, and what the financial picture actually looks like for physicians considering either path. The revenue math is done out loud. The sustainability data from peer-reviewed research is cited. The patient demographic fit for each model is examined honestly and specifically. Who Each Model Serves — and Where Other Models Fit Better A detailed breakdown of the patient populations each model genuinely serves well — and an honest, evidence-based look at the patient populations where other models may be a better structural fit. Including Medicare-eligible patients, patients with complex chronic disease, lower-income households, and employees of small and mid-sized businesses. The Overlooked Opportunity — NPs, PAs, and Advanced Practice Clinicians One of the most significant and underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery today is the direct-care model as a pathway for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other advanced practice clinicians. The evidence on NP and PA-led primary care outcomes is strong and peer-reviewed. The physician shortage projections make the need urgent. And the organizational infrastructure for advanced practice clinician-led direct-care practices is largely unbuilt — which means the opportunity belongs to whoever moves first. The Organizational Landscape An honest look at what the multiplicity of organizations, coalitions, and alliances in the cash-pay primary care space tells us — and what research on professional association dynamics says about the long-term implications of organizational fragmentation for legislative effectiveness and individual practice planning. One Brand, Two Directions Drawing on four documented historical parallels from the history of American medicine — the AMA and managed care, osteopathic medicine's identity divide, family medicine's emergence as a separate specialty, and the micropractice movement — the episode makes the case that two communities with genuinely different economic interests and regulatory priorities currently sharing a brand name may, consistent with historical precedent, find their own distinct professional homes over time. This is presented as pattern recognition grounded in verified historical evidence — and as practical planning context for physicians building practices today. The Tax and Structuring Update A clear, practical summary of the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act changes — effective January 2026 — and what they mean for HSA eligibility of cash-pay membership fees. What qualifies, what doesn't, and why legal counsel is essential before making any representations to patients about tax-advantaged payment options. Eight Questions Before You Commit A practical pre-decision checklist — eight specific questions every physician or advanced practice clinician should be able to answer clearly before committing to any cash-pay practice pathway. Key Takeaways Cash-pay primary care and concierge medicine are not the same model, do not serve the same patient populations, and should not be evaluated as interchangeable alternatives. The purist cash-pay model has grown from approximately 100 practices in 2009 to over 2,100 by 2023 — real and meaningful growth. The financial sustainability data, however, reflects consistent challenges that peer-reviewed research has documented specifically in lower-income markets and solo practice settings. The employer-integrated pathway has stronger structural sustainability — multiple revenue streams, embedded benefit relationships, and documented employer cost reductions of 12 to 20 percent over three to five years. A December 2025 Johns Hopkins study found concierge and cash-pay primary care practices combined grew 83.1 percent between 2018 and 2023. The employer-integrated model is the primary driver of that growth trajectory. Concierge medicine — particularly the PCM model — is not retreating. The global concierge medicine market is projected to surpass $34 billion by 2032 and is growing at a compound annual rate that outpaces most healthcare market segments. The National Academy of Medicine's 2021 Future of Nursing report, AAMC physician shortage projections, and peer-reviewed NP/PA outcomes research collectively point to advanced practice clinician-led direct-care models as one of the most significant underexplored opportunities in subscription-based healthcare delivery. Pattern recognition from healthcare history — price transparency, retail health, the micropractice movement — consistently shows that the distance between a compelling healthcare idea and durable scaled impact is longer and more complicated than early advocacy suggests. Models that have achieved durable scale in American primary care share one characteristic: structural fit with the economic environment, not independence from it. Sources and Citations All claims in this episode are supported by published, verifiable sources. Full citations below. Micropractice and Practice Model History Moore, G. (2002). "Accountability and Improvement in Physician Practice." Family Medicine. Moore, G. & Showstack, J. (2003). "Primary Care Medicine in Crisis." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org AAFP TransforMED Initiative. (2006). aafp.org Nutting, P.A. et al. (2010). "Initial Lessons From the First National Demonstration Project on Practice Transformation to a Patient-Centered Medical Home." Annals of Family Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. et al. (2009). "Primary Care and Accountable Care." New England Journal of Medicine. Rittenhouse, D.R. & Shortell, S.M. (2009). "The Patient-Centered Medical Home." JAMA. Price Transparency Research Pathak, Y. & Muhlestein, D. (2024). "Public Awareness and Use of Price Transparency: Report From a National Survey." West Health Institute / Gallup. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Parente, S.T. (2023). "Estimating the Impact of New Health Price Transparency Policies." Inquiry.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ScienceDirect. (2025). "Outcomes of Price Transparency Policies for Healthcare Services in the United States: A Systematic Review." sciencedirect.com Retail Health Fein, A.J. (2017). "Retail Clinic Check Up: CVS Retrenches, Walgreens Outsources, Kroger Expands." Drug Channels. drugchannels.net CNBC. (2024). "Why Walmart, Walgreens, CVS Retail Health Clinic Experiment Is Struggling." cnbc.com Healthcare Finance News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Seeing Utilization Soar, Popularity Grow." healthcarefinancenews.com MedCity News. (2023). "Retail Clinics Are Gaining Momentum." medcitynews.com Cash-Pay and Subscription Primary Care Market Data MedCity News. (March 2026). "DPC Is Scaling — The Financing Architecture Isn't Ready." medcitynews.com Johns Hopkins. (December 2025). Study on concierge and cash-pay practice growth 2018–2023. As cited in MedCity News, March 2026. Liaw, W. et al. (2024). "Direct Primary Care: Financial Analysis and Potential to Reshape the U.S. Healthcare Landscape." Journal of General Internal Medicine. springer.com Lujan, D.Y. (2025). "Why Direct Primary Care Models Fail." KevinMD. kevinmd.com Doan, L. et al. (2019). "Physician Perspectives on Direct Primary Care." Family Medicine. Eskew, P.M. & Klink, K. (2015). "Direct Primary Care: Practice Distribution and Cost Across the Nation." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Tseng, P. et al. (2018). "Administrative Costs Associated With Physician Billing and Insurance-Related Activities." JAMA Internal Medicine. Medscape Physician Compensation Report. (2023). medscape.com Employer-Integrated Model Spann, S.J. et al. (2020). "Employer-Sponsored Direct Primary Care." Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. (2021). purchaseralliance.org Kaiser Family Foundation. (2023). Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey. kff.org National Business Group on Health. (2022). businessgrouphealth.org Employers Health Coalition. (2022). employershealthcoalition.org Patient Demographics and Population Health Anderson, G.F. (2010). "Chronic Conditions: Making the Case for Ongoing Care." Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Tikkanen, R. & Abrams, M.K. (2020). "U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective." Commonwealth Fund.commonwealthfund.org Collins, S.R. et al. (2022). "Paying for It: How Health Insurance and Healthcare Costs Are Shaping the Lives of American Adults." Commonwealth Fund. commonwealthfund.org Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). "Contingent and Alternative Employment Arrangements." bls.gov Petterson, S. et al. (2012). "Unequal Distribution of the U.S. Primary Care Workforce." Annals of Family Medicine. Advanced Practice Clinicians and Nursing Laurant, M. et al. (2019). "Revision of Professional Roles and Quality Improvement in Primary Care." New England Journal of Medicine. Naylor, M.D. & Kurtzman, E.T. (2010). "The Role of Nurse Practitioners in Reinventing Primary Care." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org National Academy of Medicine. (2021). "The Future of Nursing 2020–2030." nationalacademies.org AAMC. (2021). "The Complexities of Physician Supply and Demand: Projections from 2019–2034." aamc.org Legal, Tax, and Compliance Eischen, J. (2025). Legal Commentary on Cash Practice Structuring. eischenlawoffice.com DLA Piper. (2025). "Paying for Direct Primary Care Arrangements With HSAs." dlapiper.com IRS Notice 26-05. irs.gov CMS. "Opt-Out Affidavits and Private Contracts." cms.gov Organizational and Professional Identity Research Hoff, T.J. (2010). Practice Under Pressure: Primary Care Physicians and Their Medicine in the Twenty-First Century. Rutgers University Press. Scott, W.R. (2008). Institutions and Organizations: Ideas and Interests. SAGE Publications. Freidson, E. (2001). Professionalism: The Third Logic. University of Chicago Press. Wolinsky, H. & Brune, T. (1994). The Serpent on the Staff: The Unhealthy Politics of the American Medical Association. Putnam. Gevitz, N. (2004). The DOs: Osteopathic Medicine in America. Johns Hopkins University Press. Stephens, G.G. (1989). "Family Medicine as Counterculture." Journal of Family Practice. Colwill, J.M. (1992). "Where Have All the Primary Care Applicants Gone?" New England Journal of Medicine. Meltzer, D.O. & Chung, J.W. (2014). "The Population-Based Physician Workforce." Health Affairs.healthaffairs.org Bodenheimer, T. & Pham, H.H. (2010). "Primary Care: Current Problems and Proposed Solutions." Health Affairs. healthaffairs.org Grumbach, K. & Grundy, P. (2010). "Outcomes of Implementing Patient Centered Medical Home Interventions." JAMA. Concierge Medicine Market Data Grand View Research. (2022). Concierge Medicine Market Size & Growth Report. grandviewresearch.com Precedence Research. (2023). U.S. Concierge Medicine Market Size and Forecast. globenewswire.com MDVIP. (2020). Personalized Primary Care Reduces ER Visits, Hospitalizations, and Outpatient Expenditures.mdvip.com AAPP / Software Advice. (2023). "Concierge Medicine Salary and Definition." softwareadvice.com Disclaimer The DocPreneur Leadership Podcast is produced by Concierge Medicine Today, LLC, an independent healthcare leadership publication. This episode and its accompanying summary are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this episode or summary constitutes medical, legal, financial, or accounting advice. The information presented reflects publicly available research, published data, and editorial observation, and is not intended to replace the guidance of qualified medical, legal, financial, or business professionals. All factual claims are supported by named, verifiable third-party sources, which are cited in full above. Concierge Medicine Today makes no guarantee regarding the completeness or currency of external sources cited and encourages listeners to verify information independently. References to specific organizations, publications, legal decisions, or market data are provided for educational context only. Mention of any organization, publication, or individual does not constitute endorsement, and no commercial relationship exists between Concierge Medicine Today and any source cited in this episode unless otherwise disclosed. Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other clinicians considering any practice model change are strongly encouraged to seek qualified legal counsel with specific experience in healthcare compliance, tax structuring, and the applicable regulatory environment in their state before making any practice or business decisions. © 2007–2026 Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction or distribution of this content without written permission is prohibited.

Of 266 metro areas studied by the Health Care Cost Institute, using 1.3 billion medical claims, only seven have hospital markets that qualify as genuinely competitive. New York. Los Angeles. Chicago. Riverside. Philadelphia. Miami. Washington, D.C. Everywhere else, patients in most service lines are not shopping. They are arriving. And healthcare built a decade of digital strategy on the premise that they were choosing. That doesn't mean the premise was entirely wrong, and it doesn't mean the work was wasted. It means the consumerism frame that the industry borrowed from retail was always a partial fit, and the digital investments that had the most impact were often working for reasons the frame didn't quite describe. Insurance constrains patient options before anyone opens a browser. Crisis eliminates preference entirely. Specialist and complex care decisions follow referral patterns, not consumer shopping behavior. The "competitive market" that consumerism theory assumes exists reliably in about seven cities. The friction-reduction work, though, was real and its effects are measurable. In June 2019, 10% of Americans had ever had a telehealth visit. Today 54% have, and 89% report satisfaction with their most recent virtual care experience. A 2025 access-to-care study found that 23.3% of patients who experienced appointment scheduling friction said it led to worsened health, and more than half switched providers. That work didn't succeed by winning a competitive fight. It succeeded by removing barriers that had always been there. Chris Boyer and Reed Smith examine what the last decade of digital investment was actually accomplishing, where the consumerism frame helped and where it pointed the work in the wrong direction: Why healthcare "choice" was always constrained by insurance networks, referral patterns and market structure, before anyone built a digital front door What the friction-reduction work was actually doing, and why it had value the consumerism frame didn't fully explain Price transparency as the case study for what happens when the wrong frame drives the deliverable Why telehealth succeeded by removing access barriers rather than winning a consumer preference battle What complexity management looks like as a forward frame, and why it applies to patients, staff and referring physicians equally Price transparency is the sharpest example of the frame producing the wrong result. The CMS Hospital Price Transparency Rule was built on a consumerism premise: give patients price data, they will shop, prices will fall. As of November 2024, only 21% of hospitals were fully compliant with all requirements. The GAO found the published data so difficult to use that most stakeholders relied on third-party vendors just to make it parseable. The rule produced compliance behavior aimed at regulators. It did not produce a consumer tool. The frame predicted the wrong outcome. If the work was never really about out-competing a rival health system, the question worth asking now is whether the experience built in most markets actually makes the complexity easier for the person who has no choice but to navigate it. Mentions from the Show: HCCI Health Cost Landscape, April 2026: https://healthcostinstitute.org/all-hcci-reports/what-is-the-health-cost-landscape/ AJMC / HCCI Healthy Marketplace Index: https://www.ajmc.com/view/nearly-75-of-us-hospital-markets-highly-concentrated-hcci-report-shows Axios Future of Health Care Newsletter, April 2026: https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-future-of-health-care-ee174520-3387-11f1-8096-e7d285bf9bf6.html Patient Rights Advocate, Seventh Semi-Annual Hospital Price Transparency Report, November 2024: https://www.paubox.com/blog/hospital-price-transparency-requirements-and-compliance-challenges GAO-25-106995, Health Care Transparency, October 2024: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-25-106995 Perficient Access to Care Research, 2025: https://blogs.perficient.com/2025/07/09/rethinking-access-to-care-maslow-and-transtheoretical-model-inform-smarter-digital-investments/ hims & hers National Survey / State of Telehealth 2025: https://www.dimins.com/blog/2025/04/03/the-state-of-telehealth-in-2025/ Press Ganey, Evolving Consumer Expectations in Healthcare, 2024: https://www.pressganey.com/hx-insights/the-evolving-expectations-of-todays-healthcare-consumer/ Commonwealth Fund, Consumer Choice in U.S. Health Care, 2021: https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/fund-reports/2021/nov/consumer-choice-us-health-care-using-insights-from-past Reed Smith on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reedtsmith/ Chris Boyer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisboyer/ Chris Boyer website: http://www.christopherboyer.com/ Chris Boyer on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/chrisboyer.bsky.social Reed Smith on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/reedsmith.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This podcast episode features an interview with Russell Phillips, Amie Pollack, and Dru Ricci from the Center for Primary Care at Harvard Medical School and authors of the Primary Care Investment Guide, with special guest, Todd Sorensen from the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. The Primary Care Investment Guide advocates for the integration of clinical pharmacists into primary care teams. The authors explain that their research used a mixed-methods approach, interviewing healthcare leaders from five states and conducting literature reviews, to identify sustainable strategies in primary care settings that enhance patient outcomes and reduce costs. Their findings highlight that clinical pharmacists provide a significant return on investment by managing chronic diseases, optimizing medications, improving medication access, and decreasing hospitalizations. The discussion emphasizes that successful integration can be facilitated by payment reform, moving away from fee-for-service models toward capitated payments and other alternative payment models that support optimal care delivery by primary care teams. Ultimately, the Guide provides a strategic framework for healthcare leaders and policymakers to justify and implement the provision of high-value services in primary care settings.  Funding for the Primary Care Investment Guide was provided by The Commonwealth Fund and the California Health Care Foundation.  You can download the Primary Care Investment Guide here:  https://thepcc.org/reports/2025-primary-care-investment-guide/  

In this episode, Dr Elle Wadsworth talks to Dr Emmert Roberts, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the National Addiction Centre, King's College London and a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The interview covers Emmert's short report examining the characteristics of drug-related deaths among individuals identified as LGBTQ+ in the United Kingdom, 1997–2024.LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and others. The importance of examining drug-related deaths among those in the LGBTQ+ community [01:31]The use of the National Program on Substance Use Mortality database [04:00]The main findings of the study [05:05] The types of drugs used in sexualised and non-sexualised drug use [08:31]The limitations of the reporting of sexual orientation or trans status in coroner data [10:18]Improving the reporting of sexual orientation and trans status in coroner data [13:02]The implications of the findings for policy and practice [16:04]A sneak preview of findings from Emmert's other paper in Addiction on methamphetamine-related deaths [17:07]The findings that were surprising to Emmert [18:59]About Elle Wadsworth: Elle is an academic fellow with the Society for the Study of Addiction. She is based at the University of Bath with the Addiction and Mental Health Group and her research interests include drug policy, cannabis legalisation, and public health. About Emmert Roberts: Emmert is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the National Addiction Centre, King's College London and a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist at the South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. He is a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Advanced Fellow, a Senior Harkness Fellow at the Commonwealth Fund and the Clinical Lead of the National Program on Substance Use Mortality (NPSUM).Authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.Original article: Characteristics of drug-related deaths among individuals identified as LGBTQ+ in the United Kingdom, 1997–2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/add.70198 The opinions expressed in this podcast reflect the views of the host and interviewees and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official positions of the SSA or Addiction journal.The SSA does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information in external sources or links and accepts no responsibility or liability for any consequences arising from the use of such information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: American Hospital Association, “AHA, other file suit to block unlawful 340B changes threatening patient care,” December 1, 2025, https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2025-12-01-aha-others-file-suit-block-unlawful-340b-changes-threatening-patient-care. Bridget Early, “Home health providers hit with Medicare pay cut,” December 1, 2025, https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-regulation/mh-medicare-home-health-pay-2026-cms/#, Modern Healthcare. Celli Horstman, Arnav Shah, “The State of Rural Primary Care in the United States,” November 17, 2025, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/nov/state-rural-primary-care-united-states?mkt_tok=NzEwLVpMTC02NTEAAAGeOB9y6SbuBxye3wQ7igjy1BVe5GMJxaV9fCloFJmQfS-T6mbVfjH7QWw88rhSoHiy3G1b3YS0OFamdkSiphiBb7XyLWJP3BOoGozzQcWDe1J4qOk, The Commonwealth Fund. Erica Cerutti, “The state of rural primary care: 4 notes,” November 19, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/quality/hospital-physician-relationships/the-state-of-rural-primary-care-4-notes/, Becker's Clinical Leadership. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com.

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Rayna Wallace et al., “8 Things to Watch for the 2026 ACA Open Enrollment Period,” October 28, 2025, https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/8-things-to-watch-for-the-2026-aca-open-enrollment-period/, KFF Health News.  Sudiksha Kochi, “Here are 6 ways the government shutdowns could get worse for Americans,” October 29, 2025, https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5579889-government-shutdown-americans-pain/, The Hill. Forvis Mazars, “Federal Government Shutdown: Impact on Healthcare Organizations,” October 1, 2025, https://www.forvismazars.us/forsights/2025/10/federal-government-shutdown-impact-on-healthcare-organizations. Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work, “Positive Outliers: How Some Rural Communities Maintain Access to Labor and Delivery Services,” October 24, 2025, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/2025/oct/positive-outliers-how-rural-communities-maintain-access-labor-delivery, The Commonwealth Fund.  Grace Sparks et al., “KFF Health Tracking Poll: Public Weighs Political Consequences of Health Policy Legislation,” October 3, 2025, https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/kff-health-tracking-poll-public-weighs-political-consequences-of-health-policy-legislation/, KFF Health News. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com.

Francesca Provenzano, Public Health Section Chief of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, discusses themes and insights from her term as Chair of ASTHO's Director of Public Health Preparedness Peer Network; Dr. Sara Collins, Senior Scholar for Expanding Coverage and Access and Tracking Health System Performance at The Commonwealth Fund, walks through some of the trends found in the 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance; ASTHO President Dr. Scott Harris, State Health Officer for the Alabama Department of Public Health, was recently quoted in a story for CNN about the record-breaking number of measles cases across the country; and on Wednesday, October 22nd, ASTHO will host session four of the Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab series with a focus on leveraging partnerships.   ASTHO Web Page: Peer Networks The Commonwealth Fund: 2025 Scorecard on State Health System Performance CNN: Measles outbreaks across the US continue to add to record case count ASTHO Webinar: Public Health Nursing Workforce Learning Lab - A Series  

Medical experts in Mississippi are continuing to push back on the President's remarks that blame rising cases of autism on Tylenol. Then, how does Mississippi rank on the Commonwealth Fund's scorecard on Climate, Health and Healthcare? Plus, We'll share the story of two sisters who fought through the grief of suddenly losing their mother by creating a podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. News sources for this episode: Naomi Diaz, “Senators warn Medicaid cuts could worsen cyber risks at rural hospitals,” July 22, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/cybersecurity/senators-warn-medicaid-cuts-could-worsen-cyber-risks-at-rural-hospitals/, Becker's Hospital Review. Allen R. Killworth, “HISAA: New Legislation Would Bring Cybersecurity Requirements for HIPAA Covered Entities and Business Associates,” November 11, 2024, https://www.healthlawadvisor.com/hisaa-new-federal-legislation-introduced-that-would-create-significant-new-cybersecurity-requirements-for-hipaa-covered-entities-and-business-associates, Epstein Becker Green's Health Law Advisor. United States Senate Committee on Finance, “Wyden and Warner Introduce Bill to Set Strong Cybersecurity Standards for American Health Care System,” September 26, 2024, https://www.finance.senate.gov/chairmans-news/wyden-and-warner-introduce-bill-to-set-strong-cybersecurity-standards-for-american-health-care-system. Congressional Budget Office, “Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to CBO's January 2025 Baseline,” https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61570. Madeline Ashley, “'One Big Beautiful Bill' to add $3.4 trillion in dept: CBO,” July 21, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/one-big-beautiful-bill-to-add-3-4t-in-debt-cbo/, Becker's Hospital Review. Alan Condon, “CMS plans hiring spree ahead of new payment models,” July 22, 2025, https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/cms-plans-hiring-spree-after-mass-layoffs/, Becker's Hospital Review. Hayley DeSilva, “Layoffs, closures tracker: Children's National cuts 70 employees,” July 22, 2025, https://www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/staffing/mh-layoffs-closures-healthcare-live-updates/, Modern Healthcare. Leighton Ku et. al, “How Medicaid and SNAP Cutbacks in the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill' Would Trigger Big and Bigger Job Losses Across States,” June 23, 2025, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/jun/how-medicaid-snap-cutbacks-one-big-beautiful-bill-trigger-job-losses-states, The Commonwealth Fund. Jocelyn Routt, “Kaine introduces Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act,” July 22, 2024, https://rocktownnow.com/news/218812-kaine-introduces-improving-care-in-rural-america-reauthorization-act/, Rocktown Now. Congress.gov “Text - H.R.2493 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025,” https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2493/text. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com. Follow Rural Health Today on social media! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/RuralHealthPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ruralhealthtoday7665⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Follow Hillsdale Hospital on social media! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/hillsdalehospital/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/hillsdalehosp/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/hillsdale-community-health-center/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/hillsdalehospital/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Dr. Betancourt, president of the influential The Commonwealth Fund, is committed to “Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.” Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter interviewed him at Aspen Ideas: Health at the Aspen Institute. Here are some of the Fund's top concerns right now: Dr. Betancourt, the first Latino to lead the Fund, is also proud of health equity as he defines it: “My lived experience informs a lot of my ideas around how our foundation can go forward…it's about... Read More Read More The post Pretend You Have Millions to Fix Health Care: What Would You Do? A Doctor Gives His Answer appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

Dr. Betancourt, president of the influential The Commonwealth Fund, is committed to “Affordable, quality health care. For everyone.” Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter interviewed him at Aspen Ideas: Health at the Aspen Institute. Here are some of the Fund's top concerns right now: Dr. Betancourt, the first Latino to lead the Fund, is also […] The post Pretend You Have Millions to Fix Health Care: What Would You Do? A Doctor Gives His Answer appeared first on Healthy Communities Online.

  A new report from researchers at the national Commonwealth Fund finds that North Carolina has made enormous strides in assuring that people receive the right health care at the right time and are able to avoid hospital stays and emergency room visits by receiving timely care. The percentage of North Carolina adults who reported […]

Congressman Seth Moulton joins us to discuss Trump's weekend bombing campaign in Iran. Then we open the phone lines to get listener reactions to escalating violence in the Middle East.Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discusses the latest with the Celtics' sale, and takes a look at the Commonwealth Fund, which was established in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. Heidi Riccio, superintendent of Essex North Shore Technical & Agricultural School, Michael Jonas of the CommonWealth Beacon and Chris Huffaker of the Boston Globe join for a discussion on vocational technical school admissions.Princeton's Khalil Gibran Muhammad discusses the Trump administration's latest efforts to strangle higher education, and what the president's so-called “historic” deal with Harvard University could actually entail.

Over half of Americans now live with at least one chronic condition, yet our healthcare system still revolves around episodic, reactionary care instead of continuous, coordinated support.We talk with Dr. Jaewon Ryu—former CEO of Geisinger and now CEO of Risant Health—about how integrated delivery systems are reshaping the way care is paid for and delivered. With decades of experience spanning medicine, law, government, and leadership at some of the most respected healthcare institutions, Dr. Ryu offers a rare inside look at what it takes to scale value-based care in a fragmented system.We cover:

This episode was taped live on Friday, May 30, at the annual conference of the Association of Health Care Journalists in Los Angeles. Host Julie Rovner moderated a panel featuring Rachel Nuzum, senior vice president for policy at The Commonwealth Fund; Berenice Núñez Constant, senior vice president of government relations and civic engagement at AltaMed Health Services; and Anish Mahajan, chief deputy director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The panelists discussed the national, state, and local implications of funding cuts made over the first 100 days of the second Trump administration and the potential fallout of reductions that have been proposed but not yet implemented. The panelists also took questions from health reporters in the audience.Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 26, 2025: Amy Oliver, VP of Marketing at Panda Health, joins Sarah for the news. What does World Health Day 2025's focus on maternal health reveal about global disparities, and how can digital solutions bridge these gaps? The conversation delves into alarming statistics showing the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, with 80% of these deaths being preventable. How are states addressing social determinants of health for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries, and what role does technology play in connecting clinical care with social services? Sarah and Amy examine the Commonwealth Fund's 2024 State Scorecard, highlighting dramatic geographic disparities in women's health outcomes across America, discussing how health systems can tailor strategies to address regional challenges and implement digital tools that track improvement metrics. Key Points: 01:49 World Health Day 2025 07:29 Social Determinants  10:23 Technology and Maternal Health 16:55 Innovation and Women's Health News Articles: World Health Day 2025 Spotlights Maternal and Newborn Health Addressing Social Determinants for Pregnant and Postpartum Medicaid Beneficiaries X: This Week Health LinkedIn: This Week Health Donate: Alex's Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Rural Health News is a weekly segment of Rural Health Today, a podcast by Hillsdale Hospital. Watch Jill & James' story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuK94jLJxNk  News sources for this episode: Leighton Ku, et. al, “How Potential Federal Cuts to Medicaid and SNAP Could Trigger the Loss of a Million-Plus Jobs, Reduced Economic Activity, and Less State Revenue,” March 25, 2025, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2025/mar/how-cuts-medicaid-snap-could-trigger-job-loss-state-revenue; The Commonwealth Fund.  American Hospital Association, “The Growing Impact of Medicare Advantage on Rural Hospitals Across America,” April 17, 2025, https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2025/02/growing-impact-of-medicare-advantage-on-rural-hospitals.pdf. Arielle Zionts, “Some Rural Hospitals Ditch Medicare Advantage,” April 11, 2025, https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/the-week-in-brief-rural-medicare-advantage-pushback/  Alexa McKinley Abel, “The top 5 policies to transform rural health,” January 23, 2025, https://www.ruralhealth.us/blogs/2025/01/top-5-policies-to-transform-rural-health, National Rural Health Association. Rural Health Today is a production of Hillsdale Hospital in Hillsdale, Michigan and a member of the Health Podcast Network. Our host is JJ Hodshire, our producer is Kyrsten Newlon, and our audio engineer is Kenji Ulmer. Special thanks to our special guests for sharing their expertise on the show, and also to the Hillsdale Hospital marketing team. If you want to submit a question for us to answer on the podcast or learn more about Rural Health Today, visit ruralhealthtoday.com

In a special podcast episode, Health Affairs Scholar Associate Editor Loren Adler interviews Elizabeth Popp-Berman about the Health and Political Economy series of papers recently published in Health Affairs Scholar. The series asks how might the U.S. build a more just and inclusive political economy for health rather than take the status quo for granted. This paper collection was developed in partnership with the The New School's Health and Political Economy Project (HPEP), a field catalyst initiative advancing a just and inclusive economy for health, and supported by the Commonwealth Fund.Read the Collection:Health and political economy: building a new common sense in the United StatesAdvancing a political economy approach to health using lessons from US antitrust and climate policyReviving public provisioning in US health careThe fundamental importance of social insurance for health equityCentering marginalized care: Home care cooperatives and system change

In a special podcast episode, Health Affairs Scholar Associate Editor Loren Adler interviews Elizabeth Popp-Berman about the Health and Political Economy series of papers recently published in Health Affairs Scholar. The series asks how might the U.S. build a more just and inclusive political economy for health rather than take the status quo for granted. This paper collection was developed in partnership with the The New School's Health and Political Economy Project (HPEP), a field catalyst initiative advancing a just and inclusive economy for health, and supported by the Commonwealth Fund.Read the Collection:Health and political economy: building a new common sense in the United StatesAdvancing a political economy approach to health using lessons from US antitrust and climate policyReviving public provisioning in US health careThe fundamental importance of social insurance for health equityCentering marginalized care: Home care cooperatives and system change

Send us a textWe sit down today with Dr. Torian Easterling to talk about the challenges of working in health equity and care delivery for the most vulnerable in these uncertain times, the importance of checking in, being steady and steadfast in our goals, understanding that while it is important to promote justice and preserve the progress, the status quo wasn't completely working for those that are the most vulnerable and that it is important to rebuild our programs with true equity at the forefront and not performative DEI by building relationships and collaborations with non science or non health entities (law, community organizations, laundromats!) to get everyone to live the lives that we all deserve to live. We cannot go back and NYC is leading the way through the work of NYC Commission on Racial Equity.Dr. Easterling is a distinguished physician and public health leader, currently serving as the Senior Vice President for Population and Community Health and Chief Strategic and Innovation Officer for One Brooklyn Health (Brookdale, Interfaith and Kingsbrook- Jewish). In this senior leadership role, Dr. Easterling spearheads the Office of Community Health and Health Equity- with a mission to strengthen the system's capacity to address health inequities and improve the health and well-being of the communities served.Prior to his tenure at One Brooklyn Health, Dr. Easterling held the positions of First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). In these roles, he led New York City's equity response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured equitable distribution of vaccines to vulnerable populations and communities.Dr. Easterling is a member of several boards and commissions, including the NYC Commission on Racial Equity (NYC CORE). He continues to drive local policy and planning efforts to improve community health. Dr. Easterling is the Co-Founder and Director of Education for the Young Doctors Project, intergenerational mentoring program for high school boys of color.Book Recommendation:We Are The Leaders We Have Been Looking For By: Eddie S. Glaude Jr.Health Insurance 101Medicare And Commercial Health Insurance: The Fundamental Difference", Health Affairs Blog, February 15, 2012Cindy Mann and Adam Striar, “How Differences in Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial Health Insurance Payment Rates Impact Access, Health Equity, and Cost,” To the Point (blog), Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 17, 2022NYC Racial Equity Legislation and InfrastructureNYC City Charter Section on Racial EquityMayor's Office of Racial EquityNYC CORENY 1. Commission calls on city to release Racial Equity Plan by March 21Link to Charter Preamblehttps://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCcharter/0-0-0-4Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!Email your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Medicaid is a program jointly funded by the federal and state governments. It provides health care coverage to nearly 80 million people, primarily those with low incomes, people who are living with disabilities or are in long-term care. On this episode we discussed the nuts and bolts of how Medicaid is financed and how states are handling some new challenges in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic affected both who Medicaid covered and the share paid by the federal and state governments.  In the first segment, NCSL's Kathryn Costanza was joined by Akeiisa Coleman from the Commonwealth Fund to break down the details of how the program is funded, including how the federal-state share is determined for each state. They also discussed the key drivers of cost in the Medicaid system. On the second segment, guests Neda Jasemi from the National Association of Medicaid Directors, and Robin Rudowitz from KFF talk about what they are hearing from Medicaid officials around the country. They discussed how the post-COVID unwinding of patients who had remained on the rolls during the pandemic had significant effects on the program. They also discussed steps states are taking to try to ensure access for Medicaid patients and how states are preparing for any changes in the program at the federal level. ResourcesCommonwealth Fund/MedicaidHealth Costs, Coverage and Delivery State Legislation Database, NCSLHow We Pay for MedicaidKFF/Medicaid“Medicaid Financing 101,” NCSL“Medicaid Toolkit,” NCSLNational Association of Medicaid Directors“Results from an Annual Medicaid Budget Survey for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025,” KFF“State Legislatures Address Medicaid Coverage and Payments in the 2024 Legislative Session,” NCSL“State Tax Actions: 2024,” NCSL“Top five Medicaid budget pressures for fiscal year 2025,” NAMD

  The Friday Five for March 14, 2025: Design Overhaul Coming to Apple OS? Google, Chrome & uBlock Origin Content Marketing Gamification Ritter Roadshows are Back for 2025! CMS 2025 Marketplace Integrity & Affordability Proposed Rule   Design Overhaul Coming to Apple OS? Clark, Adam. “Apple Plans Major Software Overhaul, Says Report. Why the iPhone Maker Needs a Change.” Barrons.Com, Barron's, 11 Mar. 2025, www.barrons.com/articles/apple-price-stock-iphone-ios-update-10249921. Mehta, Ivan. “Apple's next Major OS Updates Will Bring the Biggest Design Overhaul in Years.” Techcrunch.Com, TechCrunch, 11 Mar. 2025, techcrunch.com/2025/03/11/apples-next-major-os-updates-will-bring-the-biggest-design-overhaul-in-years/. Jackson, Fiona. “iPhone 17 Leaks Show Off Groundbreaking Designs.” Techrepublic.Com, TechRepublic, 10 Mar. 2025, www.techrepublic.com/article/apple-iphone-17-leaks/. Barr, Kyle. “Your iPhone Home Screen Could Look Entirely Different Very Soon.” Gizmodo.Com, Gizmodo, 11 Mar. 2025, gizmodo.com/your-iphone-home-screen-could-look-entirely-different-really-soon-2000574330.   Google, Chrome & uBlock Origin: Weatherbed, Jess. “Google's Chrome Extension Cull Hits More uBlock Origin Users.” Theverge.Com, The Verge, 3 Mar. 2025, www.theverge.com/news/622953/google-chrome-extensions-ublock-origin-disabled-manifest-v3. Maxwell, Thomas. “Google Is Hobbling Popular Ad Blocker uBlock Origin on Chrome.” Gizmodo.Com, Gizmodo, 4 Mar. 2025, gizmodo.com/google-is-hobbling-popular-ad-blocker-ublock-origin-on-chrome-2000570878. Wallen, Jack. “Once uBlock Origin Stops Working on Chrome, You Have 2 Options.” Zdnet.Com, ZDNET, 4 Mar. 2025, www.zdnet.com/article/once-ublock-origin-stops-working-on-chrome-you-have-2-options/. Yee, Alaina. “Ublock Origin Is Officially Dead for Chrome, but Ad Blockers Live On.” Pcworld.Com, PCWorld, 25 Feb. 2025, www.pcworld.com/article/2595287/ublock-origin-is-officially-dead-for-chrome-but-ad-blockers-live-on.html.   Content Marketing Gamification: Sadick, Barbara. “6 Most Expensive Medical Procedures, Ranked.” Health.Usnews.Com, U.S. News & World Report, 3 Mar. 2025, health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/most-expensive-medical-procedures-ranked.   Ritter Roadshows are Back for 2025: Learn More About the 2025 Season of Ritter Roadshows: https://ritterim.com/roadshows/   CMS 2025 Marketplace Integrity & Affordability Proposed Rule: “2025 Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 10 Mar. 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2025-marketplace-integrity-and-affordability-proposed-rule. “CMS Takes Aim to Reduce Improper Enrollments and Promote More Affordable Health Insurance Marketplaces for Millions of Consumers.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 10 Mar. 2025, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-takes-aim-reduce-improper-enrollments-and-promote-more-affordable-health-insurance-marketplaces. “Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for ACA Health Plans: Who They Help, and Who Gets Hurt If They're Not Extended.” Commonwealthfund.Org, Commonwealth Fund, 18 Feb. 2025, www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/explainer/2025/feb/enhanced-premium-tax-credits-aca-health-plans. “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Marketplace Integrity and Affordability .” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 10 Mar. 2025, www.cms.gov/files/document/MarketplacePIRule2025.pdf.   Resources: Clarification on HHS Proposed Rule Comment Periods: https://lnk.to/asgf20250307 CMS Finalizes Improvements to Marketplace Plan Selection with 2026 Final Rule: https://lnk.to/asg652 Diversify Your Insurance Portfolio & Reap Real Rewards: https://lnk.to/asg651 On the Road with Damon Logan: https://lnk.to/FCJ7Mg On the Road with Jason Meyers: https://lnk.to/j6QzBq   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.

  The Friday Five for March 7, 2025: Starbucks and Dunkin' Spring 2025 Menus Amazon Announces Alexa+ Changes to MA and Part D Disaster/Emergency SEP Effects of ACA Subsidy Expiration by Demographic Clarification on HHS Proposed Rule Comment Periods   Starbucks and Dunkin' Spring 2025 Menus: Beams, Sophia. “Dunkin' Brings Back Two Fan-Favorite Drinks Just in Time for Spring.” Bhg.Com, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Mar. 2025, www.bhg.com/dunkin-spring-menu-2025-11690288. Tyko, Kelly. “Dunkin' Spring Menu Launches, Nondairy Surcharge Removed.” Axios.Com, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025, www.axios.com/2025/03/05/dunkin-spring-menu-2025-dunkalatte-pistachio-coffee. “New Iced Cherry Chai Joins Lavender Drinks on Starbucks Spring Menu.” About.Starbucks.Com, Starbucks, 3 Mar. 2025, about.starbucks.com/stories/2025/new-iced-cherry-chai-joins-lavender-drinks-on-starbucks-spring-menu/. Palan, Michael. “We Tried Starbucks' New Spring Menu Items, and These 2 Drinks Stole the Show.” Tastingtable.Com, Tasting Table, 3 Mar. 2025, www.tastingtable.com/1801587/starbucks-reserve-new-spring-menu-2025-drinks-food/.   Amazon Announces Alexa+: “50 Things to Try with Alexa+.” Aboutamazon.Comt, Amazon, 26 Feb. 2025, www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-top-features. Haselton, Todd, et al. “Amazon Alexa Event Live Blog: All the News from the Keynote.” Theverge.Com, The Verge, 26 Feb. 2025, www.theverge.com/news/618261/amazon-alexa-event-live-blog-2025. Panay, Panos. “Introducing Alexa+, the next Generation of Alexa.” Aboutamazon.Com, Amazon, 26 Feb. 2025, www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/new-alexa-generative-artificial-intelligence. Diaz, Maria. “Not All Echo Devices Will Get Alexa+ Initially - See If Yours Made the List.” Zdnet.Com, ZDNET, 28 Feb. 2025, www.zdnet.com/article/alexa-plus-will-run-on-select-echo-devices-see-if-yours-is-on-the-list/. Ellis, Cat. “Want to Try Alexa+? Here Are the Echo Devices It'll Work On.” Techradar.Com, TechRadar, 27 Feb. 2025, www.techradar.com/home/smart-speakers/want-to-try-alexa-plus-here-are-the-echo-devices-itll-work-on. Aten, Jason. “With Its AI-Powered Alexa+, Amazon Just Put Apple on Notice.” Inc.Com, Inc, 26 Feb. 2025, www.inc.com/jason-aten/with-its-ai-powered-alexa-plus-amazon-just-put-apple-on-notice/91153371. Stanley, Alyse. “You Can Get Alexa+ Early — Here's How to Sign up.” Tomsguide.Com, Tom's Guide, 1 Mar. 2025, www.tomsguide.com/ai/you-can-get-alexa-early-heres-how-to-sign-up.   Changes to MA and Part D Disaster/Emergency SEP: Crowe, Edward. “New Medicare FEMA SEP Rules.” Pfsinsurance.Com, Pinnacle Financial Services, 29 Jan. 2025, pfsinsurance.com/blog/new-medicare-fema-sep-rules-crowe-associates. “Change to Beneficiary Use of the SEP for Individuals Affected by a Government Entity-Declared Disaster or Other Emergency.” Cms.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 3 Dec. 2024, 20178637.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20178637/42%20ea%20-%20Product%20Profile.pdf.   Effects of ACA Subsidy Expiration by Demographic: Lambrew, Jeanne. “Enhanced ACA Marketplace Tax Credits Worked—And Shouldn't Be Eliminated.” Tcf.Org, The Century Foundation, 7 Aug. 2024, tcf.org/content/commentary/enhanced-aca-marketplace-tax-credits-worked-and-shouldnt-be-eliminated/. Richards, Carson, and Sara  R. Collins. “Enhanced Premium Tax Credits for ACA Health Plans: Who They Help, and Who Gets Hurt If They're Not Extended.” Commonwealthfund.Org, Commonwealth Fund, 18 Feb. 2025, www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/explainer/2025/feb/enhanced-premium-tax-credits-aca-health-plans. Sullivan, Jennifer. “Enhanced Tax Credits Keep ACA Marketplace Coverage Affordable for 2025.” Cbpp.Org, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 18 Nov. 2024, www.cbpp.org/blog/enhanced-tax-credits-keep-aca-marketplace-coverage-affordable-for-2025. “How Much More Would People Pay in Premiums If the ACA's Enhanced Subsidies Expired?” Kff.Org, KFF, 18 Dec. 2024, https://www.kff.org/interactive/how-much-more-would-people-pay-in-premiums-if-the-acas-enhanced-subsidies-expired/ Ortaliza, Jared, et al. “Inflation Reduction Act Health Insurance Subsidies: What Is Their Impact and What Would Happen If They Expire?” Kff.Org, KFF, 26 July 2024, www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/issue-brief/inflation-reduction-act-health-insurance-subsidies-what-is-their-impact-and-what-would-happen-if-they-expire/. Banthin, Jessica, et al. “Who Benefits from Enhanced Premium Tax Credits in the Marketplace?” Urban.Org, Urban Institute, June 2024, www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2024-06/Who_Benefits_from_Enhanced_Premium_Tax_Credits_in_the_Marketplace.pdf. Lo, Justin, and Cynthia Cox. “Who Might Lose Eligibility for Affordable Care Act Marketplace Subsidies If Enhanced Tax Credits Are Not Extended?” Kff.Com, KFF, 28 Feb. 2025, www.kff.org/policy-watch/who-might-lose-eligibility-for-affordable-care-act-marketplace-subsidies-if-enhanced-tax-credits-are-not-extended/.   Clarification on HHS Proposed Rule Comment Periods: “Compilation of the Social Security Laws.” Ssa.Gov, Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/ssact/title18/1871.htm. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025. “HHS Rescinds Policy Regarding Notice-and-Comment Rulemaking – Implications for Health Care Industry.” Www.Hoganlovells.Com, Hogan Lovells, 3 Mar. 2025, www.hoganlovells.com/en/publications/hhs-rescinds-policy-regarding-noticeandcomment-rulemaking-implications-for-health-care-industry. “Policy on Adhering to the Text of the Administrative Procedure Act.” Federalregister.Gov, Federal Register, 3 Mar. 2025, www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/03/03/2025-03300/policy-on-adhering-to-the-text-of-the-administrative-procedure-act. Goldman, Maya. “RFK Jr. Move to Kill Public Comment Roils Providers.” Axios.Com, Axios, 3 Mar. 2025, www.axios.com/2025/03/03/rfk-transparency-rule-elimination-fallout. Cueto, Isabella. “RFK Jr. Moves to Eliminate Public Comment on HHS Decisions.” Statnews.Com, STAT, 28 Feb. 2025, www.statnews.com/2025/02/28/rfk-jr-eliminating-public-comment-hhs-decisions-richardson-waiver/. Muoio, Dave. “RFK Jr. Orders HHS to End ‘extra-Statutory' Notice, Public Comment Process in Rulemaking.” Fiercehealthcare.Com, Fierce Healthcare, 3 Mar. 2025, www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/rfk-jr-orders-hhs-end-notice-public-comment-process-rulemaking. Howe, Amy. “Supreme Court Strikes down Chevron, Curtailing Power of Federal Agencies.” Scotusblog.Com, SCOTUSblog, 26 July 2024, www.scotusblog.com/2024/06/supreme-court-strikes-down-chevron-curtailing-power-of-federal-agencies/.   Resources: Diversify Your Insurance Portfolio & Reap Real Rewards: https://lnk.to/asg651 FAQs About Registering with Ritter Insurance Marketing: https://ritterim.com/blog/faqs-about-registering-with-ritter-insurance-marketing/   How To Better Market Yourself: https://ritterim.com/blog/how-to-better-market-yourself/   Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Do's and Don'ts: https://lnk.to/oRft1p SNP Summit Registration is Live: https://lnk.to/asgf20250228   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X, https://x.com/RitterIM and Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance     Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/   Not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency. Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.

As we transition into a new administration, our hosts reflect on President Biden’s legacy in healthcare policy, focusing on three major areas that impacted patients: the COVID-19 response, the opioid crisis, and the Inflation Reduction Act. They discuss key achievements such as vaccine rollouts, reduced overdose deaths, and efforts to lower prescription drug costs, while also examining ongoing challenges and concerns. With the health policy landscape set to shift in 2025, this episode breaks down what patients need to know and how to stay engaged in advocacy for better care. Among the highlights in this episode: 00:40: Steven Newmark, Chief of Policy at GHLF, outlines three key areas where the Biden administration made a significant impact in health care: COVID-19 response, the opioid crisis, and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) 01:28: Steven highlights the Biden administration’s mass vaccination campaign, which saved an estimated 3.2 million American lives, according to the Commonwealth Fund 01:49: Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF, gives credit to Operation Warp Speed under Trump for fast-tracking vaccine development but emphasizes that the bulk of vaccinations happened under Biden 02:43: Zoe reflects on how the pandemic's threat level has changed, largely due to vaccines and continued booster developments 02:58: Steven shifts the discussion to the opioid crisis, explaining that overdose deaths were rising at 31% per year when Biden took office 03:35: Steven discusses how the administration's overdose prevention efforts led to a 14.5% decrease in overdose deaths — the largest reduction in U.S. history 04:17: Zoe explains how removing barriers to Naloxone access reduces response time during an overdose emergency 04:50: Steven discusses how Biden removed an outdated waiver requirement that expanded opioid treatment access by 15 times 06:11: Steven shifts focus to the IRA, explaining that it was one of Biden’s most significant health care policies 06:27: Zoe highlights a major win: capping Medicare Part D out-of-pocket prescription costs at $2,000 per year, down from $3,500 07:29: Steven explains why this is life-changing for seniors and people with disabilities, as many rely on multiple expensive medications 08:48: Zoe discusses the $35 monthly cap on insulin prices for Medicare patients, ensuring those with diabetes have affordable access to life-saving medication 09:11: Steven explains the potential downside of IRA’s Medicare drug price negotiations, which could reduce incentives for drug companies to develop new treatments 10:32: Zoe reminds listeners that with the upcoming presidential transition, health policies could change significantly, and GHLF will continue advocating for patient needs 11:01: Steven encourages listeners to join GHLF’s 50-State Network, stay informed, and share their stories to help shape health policies. Join GHLF’s 50 State Network, share your story, and get involved in advocacy to make a difference, email us at advocacy@ghlf.org Contact Our Hosts Steven Newmark, Chief of Policy at GHLF: snewmark@ghlf.org Zoe Rothblatt, Director of Community Outreach at GHLF: zrothblatt@ghlf.org A podcast episode produced by Ben Blanc, Associate Director, Digital Production and Engagement at GHLF. We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to podcasts@ghlf.org Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Le système de santé américain est pointé du doigt, au cœur d'un fait divers aux États-Unis. Le patron de United Healthcare, une compagnie privée d'assurance, a été abattu le 4 décembre en pleine rue. Cet assassinat met en lumière le mécontentement des Américains envers leur système de santé. Décryptage. Sur la scène de crime, des douilles portant les inscriptions « Delay, Deny, Depose », traduisez : retarder, refuser et poursuivre en justice. Ces éléments font sans doute référence aux tactiques et stratégies que les assureurs santé sont réputés appliquer pour ne pas rembourser. C'est un jeune homme de 26 ans qui fait office de principal suspect. Il ne conteste pas les faits qui lui sont reprochés. Il les revendique même. Lorsqu'il a été arrêté, il était en possession d'un document critiquant ce système qu'est l'assurance santé aux États-Unis. Car ce système est très critiqué, il est souvent accusé de privilégier les profits au détriment de la prise en charge de soins. Pas de couverture universelle Dans le pays, il existe une couverture de santé publique qui n'est pas universelle et qui contient notamment deux grands programmes. Le premier, Medicare, destiné aux personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus ainsi qu'à certaines personnes de moins de 65 ans présentant des incapacités ou un handicap. Il s'applique au niveau fédéral, qu'importe l'État, tous les bénéficiaires ont les mêmes droits. À lire aussiÉtats-Unis: vague de soutien pour Luigi Mangione, accusé d'avoir tué le patron d'une entreprise d'assuranceLe second, Medicaid, aide à couvrir les coûts médicaux pour les Américains aux revenus et ressources limités. En revanche, il est régi par les États. Chaque gouverneur est donc libre de mettre au point une règlementation spécifique. Cette couverture publique ne concerne pas toute la population américaine. C'est là qu'interviennent les structures privées. Les États-Unis en haut du classement D'après le bureau du recensement, les deux tiers des Américains ont souscrit à une assurance privée. Là est le cœur du sujet, puisqu'ils paient souvent des milliers de dollars par an pour être couverts en cas de souci médical. Mais ces entreprises mettent tout en œuvre pour ne pas rembourser ou rembourser le moins possible leurs assurés sur leurs frais de santé. Ces tactiques qui ont un coût pour les Américains, puisque les dépenses de santé représentent près de 18% du PIB. À titre de comparaison, en France, c'est 11%. Les États-Unis sont d'ailleurs en haut du podium mondial sur ce type de dépenses. Cela a une double conséquence. D'abord pour ces assureurs privés, conséquence naturellement positive puisqu'ils génèrent de gigantesques profits. L'an dernier, United Healthcare, pour ne citer que ce groupe, a versé 15 milliards de dollars à ses actionnaires. Conséquence aussi pour les Américains évidemment, négative cette fois. D'après une étude du Commonwealth Fund, un Américain sur cinq en âge de travailler renonce aux soins en raison de leur coût et de leur non prise en charge des assureurs. Et il y a une tendance qui s'amplifie d'années en années, c'est l'endettement médical des ménages, cela alors que l'espérance de vie chute aux États-Unis, et que Donald Trump, le futur président américain, entend bien réduire ces dépenses d'assurances publiques au profit du privé, qui révèle, on vient de le voir toutes ses limites ! 

In Episode 458 of Relentless Health Value, host Stacey Richter speaks with Dr. Komal Bajaj about innovative strategies for addressing staffing shortages in the healthcare sector. They explore the importance of cultural alignment within organizations, emphasizing trust and shared values to retain staff.  Dr. Bajaj shares surprising findings from surveys indicating that healthcare workers are motivated by the goal of providing high-quality, planet-friendly care. The discussion highlights the interconnectedness of environmental sustainability and healthcare quality, presenting tangible ways to engage and empower healthcare workers while addressing both local community health and broader environmental concerns. The episode underscores the strategic importance of aligning organizational goals with the aspirations of the workforce to foster trust and mitigate staffing shortages. Stacey's guest today is Dr. Komal Bajaj. Dr. Bajaj is an ob-gyn who serves as the chief quality officer for a couple of hospitals in the Bronx, New York, that are part of the municipal health system of New York. She also now serves as medical director of sustainability for the municipal health system NYC Health + Hospitals. === LINKS ===

What does the upcoming Trump presidency mean for the care economy and the over 105 million family caregivers in our country? In this post-election bonus episode, caregiving expert and policy advocate Ai-jen Poo returns to tell us what challenges lay ahead for families and care workers, and how we can keep fighting for a better system that allows us to truly show up for care.  This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation making grants to promote an equitable, high-performing health care system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 annual report from the Commonwealth Fund describes in detail that Americans face greater barriers to accessing and affording healthcare than those in peer nations. Now, nurses are overcoming those barriers to access through a new, growing medium: podcasting. In our Power of the Podcast series, we explore how nurses are taking their expertise to the airwaves to share evidence-based care solutions, offering patients and the public vital, practical, and trusted information while also providing healthcare colleagues tools to improve education and care delivery. Through podcasting, nurses are bridging gaps in education, care availability, and professional development, fostering better health outcomes and stronger communities.    In the third episode of our three-part series, geriatric nurse practitioner Melissa Batchelor PhD,RN, FNP, FGSA guides us in exploring aging, Alzheimer's, and moving towards an age-friendly world. By 2030 there will be more older adults than children on the planet for the first time in human history. Through her podcast This is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World, she is building a global community of caregivers and covering a wide range of age-related topics from navigating healthcare, understanding technology, and evaluating social services and policy to the very practical matters of caregiving and managing dementia. Through interviews with experts, professionals, and individuals with personal experiences, we gain insights into the current state of aging and explore potential solutions so that we can all age well.   Find this episode's resources at www.seeyounowpodcast.com and for information on the podcast bundles visit ANA's Innovation Website at www.nursingworld.org/innovation. Have questions for the SEE YOU NOW team? Feedback? Future episode ideas? Contact us at hello@seeyounowpodcast.com.

About this episode: Since the 2022 Dobbs decision, women's healthcare in the U.S.—which was already underperforming in everything from access to maternal mortality rates—has faced a new set of challenges. In today's episode: All about a Commonwealth Fund report that updates the status of women's health care and reproductive health across the nation and why even services not related to reproductive care—like cancer screenings and having a primary care provider—have been disrupted. Guests: Dr. Sara Collins is senior scholar and vice president for health care coverage and access and tracking health system performance at The Commonwealth Fund. Host: Dr. Josh Sharfstein is vice dean for public health practice and community engagement at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, a faculty member in health policy, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department. Show links and related content: 2024 State Scorecard on Women's Health and Reproductive Care—The Commonwealth Fund These are the states that rank highest and lowest for women's health in new report—CNN How Does Your State Rank on Women's Health and Reproductive Care?—Ms. Magazine OB-GYN Training and Practice in Dobbs' Shadow—Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health Contact us: Have a question about something you heard? Looking for a transcript? Want to suggest a topic or guest? Contact us via email or visit our website. Follow us: @‌PublicHealthPod on X @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Instagram @‌JohnsHopkinsSPH on Facebook @‌PublicHealthOnCall on YouTube Here's our RSS feed

The 2024 annual report from the Commonwealth Fund describes in detail that Americans face greater barriers to accessing and affording healthcare than those in peer nations. Now, nurses are overcoming those barriers to access through a new, growing medium: podcasting. In our Power of Podcast series, we explore how nurses are taking their expertise to the airwaves to share evidence-based care solutions, offering patients and the public vital, practical, and trusted information while also providing healthcare colleagues tools to improve education and care delivery.  Through podcasting, nurses are bridging gaps in education, care availability, and professional development, fostering better health outcomes and stronger communities.   In the second episode of our three-part series, critical care nurse practitioner Kali Dayton DNP, AGACNP shares how her podcast Walking Home from the ICU is mission-critical to improving ICU care and preventing the physical and cognitive impacts of long-term sedation and immobility by following the ABCDEF Bundle and keeping ICU patients awake, communicative, mobile, and autonomous and their families engaged and participating in care. Walking Home from the ICU dives into research from experts, experiences of survivors, and evidence-based practices of critical care teams to ensure that research is accessible, applicable, and practical for ICU clinicians so patients can indeed walk home from the ICU and return fully to their lives!   Find this episode's resources at www.seeyounowpodcast.com and information on the podcast bundles visit ANA's Innovation Website at www.nursingworld.org/innovation. Have questions for the SEE YOU NOW team? Feedback? Future episode ideas? Contact us at hello@seeyounowpodcast.com.

Looking to drive meaningful change in the health care ecosystem? Look to the Deloitte Health Equity Institute.Health Affairs' Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Avni Gupta of the Commonwealth Fund about her recent paper that explores cost-associated unmet dental, vision, and hearing needs among low-income Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries.Order the October 2024 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone.

  The Affordable Care Act Marketplace can be a lucrative market for agents in Medicare. Listen to find out 8 reasons why selling ACA plans will benefit your business and help your clients and their families.   Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 6 Reasons Insurance Agencies Selling Medicare Products Should Sell ACA: https://ritterim.com/blog/6-reasons-insurance-agencies-selling-medicare-products-should-sell-aca/ ACA 101: Selling Under-65 Health Insurance: https://ritterim.com/blog/aca-101-selling-under-65-health-insurance/ Medicare Isn't Just for Seniors: Selling to the Under-65 Market: https://ritterim.com/blog/medicare-isnt-just-for-seniors-selling-to-the-under-65-market/ Meet Your Sales Team: https://app.ritterim.com/public/registration/ Products & Carriers with Ritter Insurance Marketing: https://ritterim.com/products/by-carrier/ Register with Ritter: https://app.ritterim.com/public/registration/ State of the ACA Market in 2024: https://link.chtbl.com/ASG610 Steps to Get Ready for OEP: Federal Exchange States & State-Based Exchanges: https://link.chtbl.com/ASG6215   References: “CMS Extends Open Enrollment Period and Launches Initiatives to Expand Health Coverage Access Nationwide.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 17 Sept. 2021, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-extends-open-enrollment-period-and-launches-initiatives-expand-health-coverage-access-nationwide. McDermott, Daniel, and Cynthia Cox. “Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021.” KFF, KFF, 23 Feb. 2021, www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/insurer-participation-on-the-aca-marketplaces-2014-2021/. “New, Lower Costs on Marketplace Marketplace Coverage.” HealthCare.Gov, HealthCare.gov, www.healthcare.gov/more-savings/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024. Keith, Katie. “New Special Enrollment Period for Low-Income People Could Boost Coverage.” Commonwealth Fund, The Commonwealth Fund, 7 Sept. 2021, www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2021/new-special-enrollment-period-low-income-people-could-boost-coverage. “Registration and Training for Marketplace Agents and Brokers.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/marketplace/agents-brokers/registration-training. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X (fka) Twitter, https://twitter.com/RitterIM and Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance    Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/

    The Affordable Care Act Marketplace can be a lucrative market for agents in Medicare. Listen to find out 8 reasons why selling ACA plans will benefit your business and help your clients and their families.    Read the text version   Contact the Agent Survival Guide Podcast! Email us ASGPodcast@Ritterim.com or call 1-717-562-7211 and leave a voicemail.   Resources: 6 Reasons Insurance Agencies Selling Medicare Products Should Sell ACA: https://ritterim.com/blog/6-reasons-insurance-agencies-selling-medicare-products-should-sell-aca/ ACA 101: Selling Under-65 Health Insurance: https://ritterim.com/blog/aca-101-selling-under-65-health-insurance/ Medicare Isn't Just for Seniors: Selling to the Under-65 Market: https://ritterim.com/blog/medicare-isnt-just-for-seniors-selling-to-the-under-65-market/ Meet Your Sales Team: https://app.ritterim.com/public/registration/ Products & Carriers with Ritter Insurance Marketing: https://ritterim.com/products/by-carrier/ Register with Ritter: https://app.ritterim.com/public/registration/ State of the ACA Market in 2024: https://link.chtbl.com/ASG610 Steps to Get Ready for OEP: Federal Exchange States & State-Based Exchanges: https://link.chtbl.com/ASG6215   References: “CMS Extends Open Enrollment Period and Launches Initiatives to Expand Health Coverage Access Nationwide.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 17 Sept. 2021, www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-extends-open-enrollment-period-and-launches-initiatives-expand-health-coverage-access-nationwide. McDermott, Daniel, and Cynthia Cox. “Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021.” KFF, KFF, 23 Feb. 2021, www.kff.org/private-insurance/issue-brief/insurer-participation-on-the-aca-marketplaces-2014-2021/. “New, Lower Costs on Marketplace Marketplace Coverage.” HealthCare.Gov, HealthCare.gov, www.healthcare.gov/more-savings/. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024. Keith, Katie. “New Special Enrollment Period for Low-Income People Could Boost Coverage.” Commonwealth Fund, The Commonwealth Fund, 7 Sept. 2021, www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2021/new-special-enrollment-period-low-income-people-could-boost-coverage. “Registration and Training for Marketplace Agents and Brokers.” CMS.Gov, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, www.cms.gov/marketplace/agents-brokers/registration-training. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.   Follow Us on Social! Ritter on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/RitterIM Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ritter.insurance.marketing/ LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/company/ritter-insurance-marketing TikTok, https://www.tiktok.com/@ritterim X (fka) Twitter, https://twitter.com/RitterIM and Youtube, https://www.youtube.com/user/RitterInsurance    Sarah on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/sjrueppel/ Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thesarahjrueppel/ and Threads, https://www.threads.net/@thesarahjrueppel  Tina on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-lamoreux-6384b7199/

A new annual report from the Commonwealth Fund describes in detail that Americans face greater barriers to accessing and affording healthcare than those in peer nations. Now, nurses are addressing the ongoing disparities that result through a new, growing medium: podcasting. In a new series for SEE YOU NOW, we explore how nurses are taking their expertise to the airwaves to share evidence-based care solutions, offering patients and the public vital, practical, and trusted information while also providing healthcare colleagues tools to improve education and care delivery.  Through podcasting, nurses are bridging gaps in education, care availability, and professional development, fostering better health outcomes and stronger communities.    In this episode, we meet stroke nurse navigator and podcast creator and host Rosa Hart, BSN, RN, SCRN, who witnessed patients and families struggle to grasp complex post-stroke guidance as they were being discharged. In the Stronger After Stroke podcast, she brings together stroke survivors and medical specialists and dives into common questions, hard-to-discuss topics and everything in between. Tune in to learn how Stronger After Stroke reaches patients, people, and professionals far outside of her local community feel supported and informed on their recovery journey.   Find this episode's resources at www.seeyounowpodcast.com and more information on the podcast bundles visit ANA's Innovation Website at www.nursingworld.org/innovation. Have questions for the SEE YOU NOW team? Feedback? Future episode ideas? Contact us at hello@seeyounowpodcast.com.

Kay Tillow, Harriette Seiler, Hamza Jamal, Evan Hawthorn, and Paul Hoppe of Kentuckians for Single Payer Healthcare discuss the poor ranking of our healthcare in this country based on a Commonwealth Fund report comparing industrialized nations.

October 4, 2024: In this episode of Today in Health IT, Kate Gamble and Sarah Richardson discuss the findings from the Commonwealth Fund's 2024 study, which highlights the U.S. healthcare system's underperformance in cost, accessibility, and outcomes. They explore the urgent need for systemic reform and how healthcare leaders can drive change at the local level by advocating for improved access and outcomes. Sarah shares insights on how leveraging data, partnerships, and technology can help address disparities and improve patient care.01:12 Healthcare Reform and Access Disparities02:28 Challenges and Solutions in HealthcareSubscribe: This Week HealthTwitter: This Week HealthLinkedIn: Week HealthDonate: Alex's Lemonade Stand: Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Send us a textSurprise, surprise, the US healthcare system is still the most expensive and lowest performing. That's the message from the latest Commonwealth Fund report called Mirror, Mirror 2024: A Portrait of the Failing U.S. Health System.   In this episode of CareTalk, John and David dive into the report's findings to uncover why U.S. healthcare remains so broken—and explore what, if anything, can be done to fix it.This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/caretalk and get on your way to being your best self.As a BetterHelp affiliate, we may receive compensation from BetterHelp if you purchase products or services through the links provided.

In this episode of Medical Matters Podcast, Dr. Peter Brier and Nurse Practitioner Kelly McCormack remind listeners it is time to think about getting your flu shot and updating with the new COVID vaccine.The main focus of the podcast is the annual Commonwealth Fund report for 2024, which compared the US healthcare system to nine other highly developed nations to determine not only where we stand, but in an effort to find areas of improvement. The report is divided into nine sections that include overall performance, access to care, health outcomes and especially, what the US can do to improve. The full report can be read here.

The United States is unique among industrialized nations. Lucky for us, we can accumulate medical debt! Most industrialized and some developing nations have national healthcare programs that guarantee care to their residents. But we in the richest nation in the world have the freedom to get insurance through the free market, and go into debt when it doesn't cover the care we need! USA USA USA! According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), while over 90% of Americans have health insurance, we owe at least $220 billion in medical debt. Approximately 14 million people owe more than $1,000, and about 3 million owe more than $10,000. When the debt is cast more widely to those who have put medical bills on their credit cards or borrowed money to pay them, KFF found that 41% of adults have healthcare debt. According to the US Census Bureau in 2021, Black and Latinx households are disproportionately affected by medical debt.   Today we'll dive into the topic of medical debt: who has it, who profits off it, and what can we do about it?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZPd1kFbEuE Show Notes What causes medical debt? Believe it or not, our freewheeling use of the healthcare system is not to blame. In the US medical debt is caused by the high prices charged by hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and insurance companies. While most industrialized nations have some means of controlling prices, in the United States the healthcare industry sets prices more or less however they want. As a result, according to a nationwide poll in 2022, over a five year period more than half of US adults report going into debt because of medical bills.  Debt is preventing Americans from saving for retirement, paying for college, or buying a home.  The 2022 poll found that 1 in 7 people reported being denied care due to unpaid bills. Two-thirds of those polled reported putting off necessary care due to cost.  This is all despite the Affordable Care Act expanding insurance coverage to more Americans than ever before. Insurance companies increasingly shift costs onto patients, with higher deductibles and more claim denials. According to the 2022 KFF poll, 61% of insured Americans had medical debt in the previous five years.  What makes medical debt so dangerous? We know health systems are denying care to patients who have unpaid bills. And we know people put off care so they don't incur more debt. Those barriers to care make us sicker, and they disproportionately impact people with higher rates of chronic conditions. The Commonwealth Fund found that 54% of people with employer coverage who skipped or delayed care reported getting sicker; 61% in individual market plans and 63% with Medicare reported the same. A 2024 study published in the Journal of American Medical Association found that medical debt is associated with higher mortality and premature death. What happens when you can't pay your medical debt? When you think about all the real people on the end of those medical debts, that makes it all the harder to swallow a fact that gets relatively little attention in the broader conversation. Medical debt collection is a for-profit business. In many cases, non-profit hospitals sell debts to for-profit medical debt collections agencies. Some health systems even operate their own for-profit debt collection arms. Think of it: They set the prices for their services as high as they want, and on the other end of the equation, they're making money off debt collection.  Dr. Luke Messac of Brigham and Women's Hospital testified at a July hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that he learned that his and many other hospitals as well as collection agencies report sick, vulnerable patients to credit bureaus, garnish wages, seize bank accounts, and seek warrants for their arrest. And again, we have to highlight the evil practice of hospital systems that restrict patients from getting n...

Our CXO Podcast host Jasmaine McClain brings on special guest Dr. Joseph Betancourt, President of the Commonwealth Fund, to discuss health equity and the work being done to improve healthcare for diverse populations. Dr. Betancourt highlights the role of the Commonwealth Fund in advancing health equity and emphasizes the importance of addressing issues such as primary care, Medicaid payment and reimbursement, and the social drivers of health. Welcome to the Health System CXO Podcast, sponsored by The Health Management Academy, featuring content designed for Health System Nurse Executives, Health Equity Officers and Strategy Executives provided by our company SME's - Anne Herleth, Jasmaine McClain, Ph.D. and Jackie Kimmell. Subscribe today and receive the latest insights from the country's leading Health System CXO experts regularly, helping you remain current and guide your health system strategy with thought leadership and success.The Health System CXO Podcast activates health system leaders towards outcomes and scalable solutions you can implement now.About The Health Management Academy:Since 1998, The Health Management Academy has cultivated the premier community of healthcare's most influential changemakers from the top U.S. health systems and innovative industry partners. We power more than 2,000 health system senior executives and 200 industry organizations through exceptional peer groups, original market insights, world-class leadership development programs and novel member alliances. Our industry-leading programs and solutions enable members to facilitate meaningful relationships, navigate strategic transformation and address critical industry issues. To learn more, visit hmacademy.com and follow The Health Management Academy on ...

We've all heard the rhetoric. The US has the best health care in the world. That's true for some who can afford to pay for it. But on average, that's not true.  On today's show we are going to look at a report published by the Commonwealth Fund a little over a year ago. It was also reported in the American Journal of Managed Care earlier this year.  Now you might wonder why we would focus on this on a real estate podcast. Well, it's because anywhere there are problems, there is a solution waiting to be implemented. Often, any large scale solution has a real estate component to it.  According to the Commonwealth Fund report, United States experiences the worst health outcomes overall of any high-income nation. ------------- **Real Estate Espresso Podcast:** Spotify: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3GvtwRmTq4r3es8cbw8jW0?si=c75ea506a6694ef1)   iTunes: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-real-estate-espresso-podcast/id1340482613)   Website: [www.victorjm.com](http://www.victorjm.com)   LinkedIn: [Victor Menasce](http://www.linkedin.com/in/vmenasce)   YouTube: [The Real Estate Espresso Podcast](http://www.youtube.com/@victorjmenasce6734)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/realestateespresso](http://www.facebook.com/realestateespresso)   Email: [podcast@victorjm.com](mailto:podcast@victorjm.com)  **Y Street Capital:** Website: [www.ystreetcapital.com](http://www.ystreetcapital.com)   Facebook: [www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital](https://www.facebook.com/YStreetCapital)   Instagram: [@ystreetcapital](http://www.instagram.com/ystreetcapital)  

For years, Kim Moy cared for her kids and husband, while helping to care for her parents – an experience she describes as being in a “pressure cooker.” Being a caregiver to any loved one can be emotionally draining, but caring for a spouse can be a whole new level of lonely. In our final conversation of the season, Kim talks about the tradeoffs of being a spousal caregiver, grieving the loss of someone who's still there, and how she's learned to let go of the way things used to be.  Kim Moy's Caregiver Wisdom offers resources and workshops for those who take care of loved ones with chronic debilitating illnesses. Learn about the monthly support group, workshops, and one-on-one coaching here.  Dr. Pauline Boss coined the term ambiguous loss, which Kim talks about in the episode. Learn more about ambiguous loss and Dr. Boss at ambiguousloss.com.  This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation making grants to promote an equitable, high-performing health care system. Help others find our show by leaving us a rating and writing a review. Follow SuChin Pak on Instagram @SuchinPak and Lemonada at @lemonadamedia across all social platforms. Want to become a Lemonada superfan? Join us at joinsubtext.com/lemonadasuperfan.   Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was talking to one health plan sponsor, and she told me if she sees any charges for value-based care anything on any one of the contracts that get handed to her, she crosses them off so fast it's like her superpower. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter to be a member of the Relentless Tribe. What, you may wonder? Shouldn't employers and plan sponsors be all over value-based care–type things to do things preventatively because we all know that fee-for-service rewards, downstream consequences–type medical care, no money in upstream. Let's prevent those things from happening. Listen to the show with Tom Lee, MD (EP445); Scott Conard, MD (EP391); Brian Klepper, PhD (EP437). My goodness, we have done a raft of shows on this topic because it is such a thing. So, why wouldn't a plan sponsor be all over this value-based care opportunity? Now, I'm using the value-based care words and big old air quotes. Let's just keep that very much in mind for a couple of minutes here. I'm stressing right now that value-based care isn't a one-to-one overlap with care that is of value. So, let me ask you again, why wouldn't a plan sponsor be all over this air-quoted value-based care opportunity? Let me count the ways, and we'll start with this one. Katy Talento told me about this years ago. She said, it's not uncommon for dollars that a plan sponsor may pay to never make it to the entity that is actually providing the care to that plan sponsor's plan members. So, I'm a carrier and I say, I'm gonna charge you, plan sponsor, whatever as part of the PEPM (per employee per month) for value-based care or for a medical home, or pick something that sounds very appealing and value-like. Some of that money—not all of it, because the carrier's gonna keep some, you know, for administrative purposes—but whatever's left over could actually go to some clinical organization. Maybe it's the clinical organization that most of the plan's members are attributed to. Or maybe it's some clinical organization that the carrier is trying to make nicey nice with, which may or may not be the clinical organization that that plan sponsor's patients/members are actually going to. Like, the dollars go to some big, consolidated hospital when most of the plan's members are going to, say, indie PCPs in the community, as just one example. So, yeah, if I'm the plan sponsor in this mix, what am I paying for exactly and for how many of my members? I've seen the sharp type of plan sponsors whip up spreadsheets and do the math and report back that there ain't much value in that value-based care. It's a euphemism for, hey, here's an extra fee for something that sounds good, but … The end. Then I was talking to Marilyn Bartlett the other day and drilled down into some more angles about how this whole “hey, let's use the value-based care word to extract dollars from plan sponsors” goes down. Turns out, another modus operandi beyond the PEPM surcharge is for carriers to add “value-based fees” as a percentage increase or factor to the regular claims payments—something like, I don't know, 3.5% increase to claims. These fees are, in other words, hidden within billing codes. So, right, it's basically impossible to identify how much of this “value-based” piece of the action is actually costing. These fees are allowable, of course, because they're in the contract. The employer has agreed, whether they know it or not, to pay for value-based programs or alternative pay, even though the details are not at all, again, transparent. And that not at all transparent also includes stuff like, what if the health systems or clinical teams did not actually achieve the value-based program goals? What if they failed to deliver any value-based care at all for the value-based fees they have collected? How does anybody know if the prepaid fees were credited back to the plan sponsor, or if anything was actually accomplished there with those fees? Bottom line, fees are not being explicitly broken out or disclosed to the employers. Instead, they are getting buried within overall claims payments or coded in a way that obscures the value-based portion. So, yeah, charges for value-based care have become a solid plan to hide reimbursement dollars and make carrier administrative prices potentially look lower when selling to plan sponsors like self-insured employers. Justin Leader touches on this in episode 433 about the claims wire, by the way. Now, caveat, for sure, it's possible that patients can get services of value delivered because someone uses that extra money. And it's also possible that administrative costs go up and little if any value is accrued to patients, right? Like one or the other, some combination of both. It goes back to what Dr. Tom Lee talked about in episode 445. If there's an enlightened leader who gives a “shed,” then indeed, patients may win. But if not, if there's no enlightened leader in this mix, it's value based alright for carrier shareholders who take bad value all the way to the bank. Al Lewis quotes Paul Hinchey, MD, MBA, who is COO of Cleveland-based University Hospitals. And Dr. Hinchey wrote, “Value-based care has increasingly become a financial construct. What was once a philosophy centered on enhancing patient care has been reduced to a polarizing buzzword that exemplifies the lack of alignment between the financial and delivery elements of the healthcare system.” And then on the same topic, I saw William Bestermann, MD, he wrote, “The National Academy of Medicine mapped out a plan to value-based care 20 years ago in detail. We have never come close to value-based care because we have refused to follow the path. We could follow it, but we don't, and we never will as long as priorities are decided by businessmen representing stockholders. It is just that simple.” Okay, now. Let's reset. I'm gonna take a left turn, so fasten your seatbelts. Just because a bunch of for profit and not-for-profit, nothing for nothing, entities are jazz-handing their ways to wealth by co-opting terminology doesn't mean the intent of value-based care isn't still a worthy goal. And it also doesn't mean that some people aren't getting paid for and providing care that is of value and doing it well. There are, for sure, plenty of examples where an enlightened leader was able to operationalize and/or incentivize care that is of value. Occasionally, I also hear a story about a carrier doing interesting things to pay for care that is of value. Jodilyn Owen talked about one of these in episode 421. Justina Lehman also (EP414). We had Larry Bauer on the show (EP409) talking about three bright spots where frail elderly patients are getting really good care as opposed to the really bad care that you frequently hear about when you even say the words frail elderly patient. And all of these examples that he talked about were built on a capitated model or on a model that facilitated patients getting coordinated care and there being clinicians who were not worried about what code they were gonna put in the computer when they helped a patient's behavioral health or helped a patient figure out how they were gonna get transportation or help them access community services or whatnot. There are also employers direct contracting with health systems or PCPs and COEs (Centers of Excellence) and others, contracting directly with these entities to get the quality and safety and preventative attention that they are looking for. And there are health systems and PCPs and practices working really hard to figure out a business model that aligns with their own values. So, value-based care—the actual words, not the euphemism—value-based care can still be a worthy goal. And that, my friends, is what I'm talking about today with Elizabeth Mitchell, president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH). PBGH members are really focused on innovating and implementing change. We talk about some of this innovation and implementation on the show today, and it is very inspiring. Elizabeth argues for for-real alternative payment models that are transparent to the employer plan sponsors. She wants prospective payments or bundled payments, and she wants them with warranties that are measurable. She wants members to get integrated whole-person care in a measurable way, which most health plans (ie, middlemen) either cannot or will not administer. Elizabeth says to achieve actual care that is of value, cooperation between employers, employees, and primary care providers is crucial (ie, direct contracts). She also says that this whole effort is really, really urgently needed given the affordability crisis affecting many Americans. There's been just one article after another lately about how many billions and billions of dollars are getting siphoned off the top into the pockets of the middlemen and their shareholders. These are dollars partially paid for by employees and plan members. We have 48% of Americans with commercial insurance delaying or forgoing care due to cost. If you're a self-insured employer and you're hearing this, don't be thinking it doesn't impact you because your employees are highly compensated. As Deborah Williams wrote the other day, she wrote, “Co-pays have gotten high enough that even higher-income patients can't afford them.” And she was referencing a study to that end. So, yeah … with that, here is your Summer Short with Elizabeth Mitchell. Also mentioned in this episode are Purchaser Business Group on Health; Tom X. Lee, MD; Scott Conard, MD; Brian Klepper, PhD; Katy Talento; Marilyn Bartlett; Justin Leader; Laurence Bauer, MSW, MEd; Al Lewis; Paul Hinchey, MD, MBA; William Bestermann, MD; Jodilyn Owen; Justina Lehman; and Deborah Williams.   You can learn more at PBGH and by connecting with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.   Elizabeth Mitchell, president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH), supports the implementation of PBGH's mission of high-quality, affordable, and equitable healthcare. She leads PBGH in mobilizing healthcare purchasers, elevating the role and impact of primary care, and creating functional healthcare markets to support high-quality affordable care, achieving measurable impacts. Elizabeth leverages her extensive experience in working with healthcare purchasers, providers, policymakers, and payers to improve healthcare quality and cost. She previously served as senior vice president for healthcare and community health transformation at Blue Shield of California, during which time she designed Blue Shield's strategy for transforming practice, payment, and community health. Elizabeth also served as the president and CEO of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI), a network of regional quality improvement and measurement organizations. She also served as CEO of Maine's business coalition on health, worked within an integrated delivery system, and was elected to the Maine State Legislature, serving as a state representative and chair of the Health and Human Services Committee. Elizabeth served as vice chairperson of the US Department of Health and Human Services Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee, board and executive committee member of the National Quality Forum (NQF), member of the National Academy of Medicine's (NAM) “Vital Signs” Study Committee on core metrics and now on NAM's Commission on Investment Imperatives for a Healthy Nation, a Guiding Committee member for the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network. She now serves as an appointed board member of California's Office of Healthcare Affordability. Elizabeth also serves as an advisor and board member for healthcare companies. Elizabeth holds a degree in religion from Reed College, studied social policy at the London School of Economics, and completed the International Health Leadership Program at Cambridge University. Elizabeth was an Atlantic Fellow through the Commonwealth Fund's Harkness Fellowship program.   10:36 What are members and providers actually asking for in terms of value-based care? 10:56 Why won't most health plans administer alternative payment models? 12:17 “We do not have value in the US healthcare system.” 12:57 Why you can't do effective primary care on a fee-for-service model. 13:30 Why have we fragmented care out? 14:39 “No one makes money in a fee-for-service system if people are healthy.” 17:27 “If we think it is not at a crisis point, we are kidding ourselves.”   You can learn more at PBGH and by connecting with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.   @lizzymitch2 of @PBGHealth discusses #valuebasedcare on our #healthcarepodcast. #healthcare #podcast #digitalhealth #healthcareleadership #healthcaretransformation #healthcareinnovation #vbc   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Dr Will Shrank (Encore! EP413), Dr Amy Scanlan (Encore! EP402), Ashleigh Gunter, Dr Spencer Dorn, Dr Tom Lee, Paul Holmes (Encore! EP397), Ann Kempski, Marshall Allen (tribute), Andreas Mang, Abby Burns and Stacey Richter

Pennsylvanians are expected to find out today if Governor Josh Shapiro will be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate on the Democratic ticket. Shapiro is among the finalists. New study shows fewer teachers are getting certified in Pennsylvania, and more are leaving the profession entirely. Fewer than half of U.S. adults fight medical bills or an insurance denial for their health care. The biggest reason why is because they don't know they have a right to do so - that's according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund. A new study shows pollution risks from gas stoves are greater in small homes.  Beginning next year, drivers on the Turnpike drivers bound for Philadelphia from Lancaster County will be tolled at highway speeds. Members of a Pennsylvania National Guard unit is preparing to deploy to the Middle East. A report admonishes Justice Department officials for mishandling details from an investigation into an error that became fodder for fraud accusations.  Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A big chunk of family caregivers in this country are part of the “sandwich generation” – people caring for young children and aging parents at the same time. Robert Ingenito was one of them. After caring for his dad and raising his young daughter while working, Robert came to a breaking point. He decided to move his dad to an assisted living facility. It wasn't an easy decision, and it's one he still grapples with today. Learn more about respite care, including respite care opportunities in your area, at ARCH National Respite Network's website. The website provides a National Respite Locator Service, and information on how to pay for respite care. This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation making grants to promote an equitable, high-performing health care system. Help others find our show by leaving us a rating and writing a review. Follow SuChin Pak on Instagram @SuchinPak and Lemonada at @lemonadamedia across all social platforms. Want to become a Lemonada superfan? Join us at joinsubtext.com/lemonadasuperfan. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and all other Lemonada series: lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. To follow along with a transcript, go to lemonadamedia.com/show/ shortly after the air date.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Texas is the second to worst state in the country to be a woman with health issues, according to new findings from the Commonwealth Fund, a research foundation dedicated to improving health care; Dallas to combine departments, eliminate jobs to save more than $1 million; a multinational North Texas real estate developer has finalized plans for one of the largest mixed-use developments in the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some Mississippi lawmakers want to make it easier for families to choose private or charter schools for their children. But critics say these new measures could undermine public school funding.Then, Mississippi ranks at the bottom of the nation for access to reproductive health.Plus, a new book follows the earliest efforts to integrate the military and some manufacturing jobs in the Deep South during World War II.The Commonwealth Fund provides support for Gulf States Newsroom health equity coverage. News and business departments operate independently. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every person brings their own cultural background into their encounters with the healthcare system. But this doesn't mean that every healthcare provider needs to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of every culture in order to provide equitable, high-quality care to every patient. “The truth of the matter is: that could never be done. I'm Puerto Rican, Latino, and even among Puerto Ricans, there's a great difference in lived experience, exposure to health care and the like,” says Dr. Joseph Betancourt, president of the Commonwealth Fund. But there will be times when a person's cultural background affects their ability to access the health care they need. In those cases, Betancourt says it's important that providers be equipped with the right tools and resources to assess how those cultural factors may come into play. Health Disparities podcast host Dr. Mary O'Connor speaks with Betancourt about the importance of culturally competent care — what it is, and what it's not. They also discuss the need for ongoing training to address cultural differences and structural barriers, and share about recent developments in health policy and health care that give them hope. Never miss an episode – subscribe to The Health Disparities podcast from Movement Is Life on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Today's Headlines: President Biden made headlines with strong comments on two major fronts. In an interview with Time Magazine, he suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be extending the Gaza operation for political reasons, given Netanyahu's plummeting popularity and pending corruption charges. Biden also signed an executive order temporarily shutting down asylum requests at the southern border when crossings exceed 2500 per day, marking the most severe immigration policy enacted by a Democratic president in modern history. This move comes after House Republicans twice rejected a bipartisan border bill.The Senate is set to vote on the Right to Contraception Act, aiming to protect access to contraception, though it is not expected to pass in the House. Additionally, a new study by the Commonwealth Fund revealed that childbirth in the U.S. is deadlier than in any other high-income nation, with a particularly high maternal mortality rate among Black women. The study emphasizes that most pregnancy-related deaths are preventable with better access to care and paid parental leave. In legal news, Wisconsin's attorney general has filed felony charges against three of Trump's advisors for their roles in a fake electors scheme during the 2020 election. This case is part of broader efforts to address election interference, with similar charges filed in Arizona and Georgia. Finally, new ProPublica reporting revealed that several witnesses in criminal cases against Trump have received significant financial benefits, such as high-paying jobs and severance packages, potentially influencing their testimony. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: The Guardian: Biden: ‘every reason' to believe Netanyahu is prolonging Gaza war for political gain NBC News: Biden signs executive order drastically tightening border Axios: Schumer: Senate to vote on "Right to Contraception" Wednesday WA Post: Childbirth deadlier for Americans, especially Black women, study finds AP News: Wisconsin AG Josh Kaul files felony charges against attorneys, aide who worked for Trump  Pro Publica: Multiple Trump Witnesses Have Received Significant Financial Benefits From His Businesses, Campaign Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage alongside Bridget Schwartz and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices