CHANGE HEALTH TODAY

This was a post by Julie Rovner on 1/22/2016 in collaboration with Kaiser Health News. http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/22/463976098/debate-sharpens-over-single-payer-health-care-but-what-is-it-exactly This short article should be required reading for every American because it clarifies the different types of healthcare paradigms we're currently using. "A single-payer system is not the same thing as socialized medicine. In a truly socialized medicine system, t

"Can I get a copy of my disability report?" This was from a veteran. My response: no, you can't. At some point – maybe after the public shaming by folks like Jon Stewart – the government decided to allow veterans who were underserved by the Veterans Administration (VA) to see providers in their local areas. The setup goes something like this: The VA gives a wad of cash to a private business that sets up a streamlined process to get records to private medical providers. The pr

In devising the P.S.Y.C.H. plan, I've run into quite a few folks who say, "Oh my god, Americans would never go for this." And I agree wholeheartedly. Trying something drastically different that affects Americans' pocketbooks that they can't immediately digest would take a miracle (and I'm no Steve Jobs). We are a people that need to "test the waters" first. And while typically our children are not test subjects, I think they'd be the perfect way to pilot a universal health de

Everyone agrees that our health care delivery system is terrible. Every single person. Yet health care itself is actually pretty good. So, how can we get health care to the people who need it in a financially feasible way that promotes efficiency and career satisfaction? I started this project because I firmly believe that most people, given the chance to take a step back and look at a situation, will generally make reasonable choices. Sure, there are times when people do rea