Do Not Resuscitate: How We Spend Trillions to Enrich Intermediaries Instead of Making Ourselves Healthier

Poisoning Ourselves with Food and Air (SPL #373 Dec 20 2024)

This one's about how we allow chemical and food (including quasi-food) producers to make us sick while we worry about how to pay for getting well. In  “Do Not Resuscitate," I review articles that outline this process and ask, Why not prevent this epidemic of disease at a fraction of the cost? We could even take advantage of the RFK Jr nomination to amplify his critique of our disastrous food supply and captured regulatory apparatus.
Here are links to all the articles mentioned: 
Pamela Ferdinand, “Long-term air pollution exposure may worsen the risk of dangerous blood clots in deep veins,” U.S. Right To Know, Dec 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gAiIce and “Exposure to particulate air pollution, even at low levels, can reduce children’s cognitive abilities,” U.S. Right To Know, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/41CglkM
Original study: Blood Journal, American Society of Hematology  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39652776/
Sharon Lerner & Al Shaw, “Formaldehyde causes more cancer than any other toxic air pollutant. Little is being done to curb the risk,” ProPublica, Dec 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ByKxmo
Hannah Norman, “Toxic ‘forever chemicals’ taint rural California drinking water, far from known sources,” KFF Health News/San Francisco Chronicle, Dec 11, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZFBjg9
Pamela Ferdinand, “Prenatal PFAS exposure may be linked to childhood obesity,” U.S. Right To Know, Oct 7, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZFX3Zb
Tom Perkins, “WHO to scrap weak PFAS drinking water guidelines after alleged corruption,” The Guardian [U.K.], Aug 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/49XuYlb
Natalie Huet, “Research into falling sperm counts finds ‘alarming’ levels of chemicals in male urine samples,” Euronews, Oct 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/3VFGrzE
Marthe de Ferrer, “Penises are shrinking because of pollution, warns environmental scientist,” Euronews, Mar 11, 2021 https://bit.ly/3ZEwpjt
Jingna Cui et al., “Organophosphate insecticide malathion induces Alzheimer’s disease-like cognitive impairment in mice,” ACS Publications [American Chemical Society], Nov 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gj3hFz
Anjana Ahuja, “Rising rates of cancer in young people prompts hunt for environmental culprit,” Financial Times, Aug 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gDnlSL
Karen A Evans-Reeves, et al., “Intimidation against advocates and researchers in the tobacco, alcohol and ultra-processed food spaces: a review,” Health Promotion International, Dec 2024 https://bit.ly/3VH5EKf
“Poison PR,” Lighthouse Reports, Sep 27, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BmK5rt
Evy Lewis, “Syngenta spent decades attempting to quiet health concerns about its profitable herbicide,” Investigate Midwest, Oct 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gB2pMi
Sharon Lerner, “EPA scientists say they were pressured to downplay health harms from chemicals,” ProPublica, Sep 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/4glGg54
Nils Adler, “‘Death sentence’: Asbestos released by Israel’s bombs will kill for decades,” Al Jazeera, Oct 8, 2024 https://bit.ly/49FpJ9m
Mansoor Malik, Ravi Chandra & Gary S. Belkin, “The willful and dangerous silence of the U.S. medical establishment on Gaza,” Mondoweiss, Dec 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gCBP5A
Nicola Guess, “Why ultraprocessed foods aren’t always bad,” New York Times, Dec. 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/49KUdGX
 
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The entire back archive is housed at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news

Luigi the Avenger: We Actually Do Hate our Health Insurance-SPL #372 Dec 13 2024

Let’s face it: a lot of people cheered the assassination of a health insurance executive. But people love their commercial health insurance, right? That’s why Medicare for All could never get anywhere in America—or so we were constantly told. 
Maybe the paradox has an explanation: people are generally healthy and don’t use their coverage most of the time. But then something serious happens, and that’s when the corporate suits come down on them like, well, like Luigi with a silencer. Mystery solved—health insurance works really well as long as you don’t cost them big money. When you’re in a coma, the punishment begins.   
P.S. Brian Thompson was NOT a “healthcare professional.” He was an accountant who installed financial management maneuvers that “increased shareholder value.”
Here are links to all the articles mentioned this week: 
Glenn Greenwald’s horror story of how UH canceled his comatose husband’s coverage after one month of a nine-month hospitalization. https://bit.ly/3OQHWXR  
Branko Marcetic, “Americans hate their private health insurance,” Jacobin, Dec 7, 2024 https://bit.ly/3OTYu1s
Bruce Gil, “A leaked video of UnitedHealth CEO defending denial practices sparks more online backlash,” Quartz, Dec 9, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f9mHLK
“Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put a time limit on anesthesia,” Associated Press, Dec 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/49FjzGs
David Millward, “Inside the shady world of health insurers—and the 1.2 seconds it takes them to deny claims,” The Telegraph, Dec 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ORF65e
Jeffrey St. Clair, “Delay and deny, deny, deny,” CounterPunch, Dec 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gaUhlY
Rob Urie, “Politics by other means, insurance industry edition: Ready, aim, deny,” Journal of Belligerent Provocation, Dec 9, 2024 https://roburie.substack.com/p/politics-by-other-means-insurance
Lauren Irwin, “Majority of Americans say health care is government responsibility: Gallup,” The Hill, Dec 9, 2024 https://bit.ly/3VXbZ4r
Usha Lee McFarling, “Spending less, living longer: What the U.S. can learn from Portugal’s innovative health system,” STAT, Dec 10, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gb4n68
Todd Shryock, “Business group sounds the alarm on historic surge in health care costs for 2025,” Medical Economics, Dec 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/4ixzScg
Natalie Dunlap, Ben Kieffer & Danielle Gehr, “Iowa’s troubling physician shortage is expected to get worse. Doctors are advocating for solutions,” Iowa Public Radio, Dec 5, 2024 https://bit.ly/4iz2i5U
Madeline Ashley, “Feds seize phones of former Steward CEO, top exec,” Becker’s Hospital Review, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BqmwOe
Brett Kelman, “Six years into an Appalachia hospital monopoly, patients are fearful and furious,” KFF Health News/States Newsroom, Dec 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/49xd2NO
Kelsey Denham, “My son has a brain malformation. We shouldn’t need to be insurance experts for his care,” USA Today, Nov 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/3DeZtqs
Elliott S. Fisher, “Insurance companies like United Healthcare are not the only ones to blame for a broken system,” STAT, Dec 5, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BeXlhL
Matt Stoller, “Trump lays out his antitrust agenda,” BIG, Dec 8, 2024 https://bit.ly/49AaRco
Joyce Frieden, “FDA panned at Senate hearing for failure to address diabetes, obesity epidemics,” MedPage Today, Dec 5, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fb2Pb3
Karen Kaplan, “How the FDA allows companies to add secret ingredients to our food,” Los Angeles Times, Dec 4, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZxLTFP
Pamela Ferdinand, “Carrageenan may damage gut lining, promote inflammation and type 2 diabetes risk,” U.S. Right To Know, Dec 9, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZosaIM
Katelyn Fossett, “Michael Pollan is not endorsing RFK Jr.,” Politico, Nov 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/4flJXq8
Ed Silverman, “U.S. Patent Office pulls controversial rule to curb pharma patent abuse,” STAT, Dec. 4, 2024 https://bit.ly/3OROzt9
“Study reveals lasting effects of common herbicide on brain health,” Eureka Alert/Arizona State University, Dec 4, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZPfBHK
To get my full written digest direct to your inbox, write me at tfrasca@yahoo.com 
The archive of all back issues is housed at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news

Trump's picks--crackpots or Bernie bedfellows? Do Not Resuscitate #371 Dec 6 2024

Is Trump about to destroy public health? Or are his nominees crusaders against corporate corruption and greed? On “Do Not Resuscitate” color us skeptical but open-minded. We spend trillions of dollars making intermediaries rich, and those guys play golf with Trump. OTOH, his base is up in arms. Sounds like showtime! I started the week with a nasty bout of Covid, so this week’s podcast is hoarsely voiced, but I couldn’t resist. 
As always, here are the links to each article mentioned: 
Stephanie Armour, “Make America Health Again: An unconventional movement that may have found its moment,” KFF Health News, Nov 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f44Vtn
Vishal Khetpal, “RFK Jr. and MAHA should champion a Marshall Plan for obesity,” STAT, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/3D3nbpu
Eric Boodman & Isabella Cueto, “In the MAHA-verse, ex-Bernie die-hards and conservative moms find a political home,” STAT, Nov 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fYwVjr
Yves Smith, “RFK, Jr plans attack on AMA’s big meal ticket, licensing fees for medical billing codes,” Naked Capitalism, Nov 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/3DchTYA
Heather Landi, “How Republican ‘red wave’ in Washington could shake up healthcare, pharma policy,” Fierce Healthcare, Dec 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/3OFkGMu
Lee Fang, “Inside the junk food lobby’s plans to derail RFK’s agenda,” Real Clear Investigations, Nov 20, 2024 https://bit.ly/4is7hVV
Heather Lanthorn, Kenneth H. Rabin & Scott C. Ratzan, “What ‘Make America Great Again’ gets right about communication,” MedPage Today, Nov 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4g5s5kw
Rebecca Falconer, “Kraft Heinz pulls Lunchables from school meals program,” Axios, Nov 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/3CZoWnz
Emily Anthes & Emily Baumgaertner, “Trump’s choices for health agencies suggest a shake-up is coming,” New York Times, Nov 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BiAaDe
Joanne Haner, “Biden COVID response coordinator: Trump picks for FDA, NIH ‘pretty reasonable,’” The Hill, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BdtG8A
Lauren Gardner & David Lim, “Trump to nominate Marty Makary to lead FDA,” Politico, Nov 22, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZnSPpd
Kristina Fiore, “Trump’s FDA pick is MedPage Today’s former top editor,” MedPage Today, Nov 22, 2024 https://bit.ly/4ijlrs9
Rachel Cohrs Zhang, “Seven criticisms of FDA Covid policies offer hints about Makary’s priorities,” STAT, Nov 24, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZmxVqf
Megan Messerly, “Trump picks former Florida Rep. Weldon to lead CDC,” Politico, Nov 22, 2024 https://bit.ly/3DcjSfu
Kierra Frazier and Daniel Payne, “Trump chooses Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat for surgeon general,” Politico, Nov 22, 2024 https://bit.ly/3B66sBl
Andrea Park, “A possible ban on DTC pharma ads poses ‘biggest threat’ of RFK Jr.’s HHS appointment,” Fierce Healthcare, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/49mGmGE
Daniel Gilbert, “Vivek Ramaswamy’s push for FDA changes could boost his wealth,” Washington Post, Nov 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/4g1DUb4
 
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The complete set of my commentaries going back 7 years is archived at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news 

Is RFK Jr. Satan? Do Not Resuscitate #370 Nov 22 2024

On "Do Not Resuscitate" this week, I review the brouhaha over Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the prospects for his appointment as HHS Secretary, which is putting a twist in many knickers. Justified or hysterical? Let's review: the guy has been lackadaisical with facts, full of bluster, and allergic to acknowledging error. That said, he claims that there are crises of unhealthy corporate food, over-medicalization of children, Pharma domination of our lives and airwaves, and regulatory capture by industry. Is he wrong? In a way, Kennedy is a replica of Trump: erratic, brash, shooting from the hip, fond of threats, promising the magic wand radical makeover. They both also have powerful winds behind them, so we’d better deal with it. We can look beyond individuals to examine systems and policies as they evolve. I ditch the “dangerous crackpot” liturgy in favor of looking closely at actions taken and their consequences, which I will review weekly right here.
You can get my full written digest by writing to my email below. Here are the links to all the articles mentioned in this podcast and another link to the back archive going back 6 years. 
Arthur Allen, “Scientists fear what’s next for public health if RFK Jr. is allowed to ‘go wild,’” KFF Health News/Scientific American, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/40YzaP8
Daniel Payne, Chelsea Cirruzzo, Marcia Brown, Brittany Gibson & Annie Snider, “How RFK Jr. could cause an earthquake for American public health,” Politico, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eErHrq
Katherine Fung, “Is RFK Jr. anti-vaccine? Everything the HHS secretary nominee has said,” Newsweek, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fZWkc5
Nina Agrawal, “Three-quarters of U.S. adults are now overweight or obese,” New York Times, Nov 14, 2024 https://nyti.ms/4i1zUZR
Kevin D. Hall, “From dearth to excess: the rise of obesity in an ultra-processed food system,” Philosophical Transactions, May 23, 2023 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2022.0214
Joyce Frieden, “Physician groups quiet on RFK Jr. nomination for HHS secretary,” MedPage Today, Nov 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fUncKv
Robert M. Califf, Haider J. Warraich & Jim Jones, “FDA commissioner: We need action and higher-quality research on ultra-processed foods,” STAT, Nov 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3CD1qfY
Patrick Maguire, “Dr. Deborah Birx says she is ‘excited’ for data-driven discussions in RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearings,” CBS News, Nov 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eGGO3R
Elizabeth Williams & Jennifer Kates, “Childhood vaccination rates continue to decline as Trump heads for a second term,” KFF Health News, Nov 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/3OmI9li
Meg Tirrell, “Doctors say RFK Jr.’s anti-Ozempic stance perpetuates stigma and misrepresents evidence,” CNN, Nov 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/3CAXxYS
Céline Gounder, “What to know about RFK Jr.’s stances on key health issues and what he could do at HHS,” KFF Health News/CBS News, Nov 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3AUidul
Berkeley Lovelace Jr., “FDA employees consider how to handle RFK Jr., including leaving,” NBC News, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/3CEGWU7
Frank Thorp V, Kate Santaliz & Megan Lebowitz, “From ‘brilliant’ to ‘dangerous’: Mixed reactions roll in after Trump picks RFK Jr. for top health post,” NBC News, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fZahai
Zeynep Tufekci, “How Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could destroy one of civilization’s best achievements,” New York Times, Nov 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fz3Fj2
Emma Beavins, “‘All in’ on value-based care,” Fierce Healthcare, Nov 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZdRwu1
Pete Dolack, “The cost of corporate profit in U.S. health care reaches $2 trillion,” Counterpunch, Nov 10, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Oinwqv
For the archive go to www.nypan.org/single-payer-news
For my written digest, write to tfrasca@yahoo.com

What will Trump II bring? Do Not Resuscitate #369 Nov 15 2024

On “Do Not Resuscitate” I look at the mainstream and specialty healthcare news media about how we spend trillions of dollars making intermediaries rich instead of making ourselves healthier. This week, I review some of the early and somewhat contradictory speculation about where Trump II will take us in the health realm, including the buzz about RFK’s supposed role.
Below are all the links to the articles mentioned, and I also include a link to the back archive of these digests and an email if you would to receive the full written digest to your inbox. 
Noah Tong, “Insurers prep for Trump admin friendly to Medicare Advantage and mergers, hostile to Medicaid and ACA,” Fierce Healthcare, Nov 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/40LB6tY
David Wainer, “Trump will create new winners and losers in healthcare,” Wall Street Journal, Nov 6, 2024 https://on.wsj.com/3UIkHm7
Stephanie Armour, “Trump’s White House return poised to tangle health care safety net,” KFF Health News, Nov 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/3CBEVYw
Shannon Firth, “What happens to Medicare price negotiations under Trump?” MedPage Today, Nov 7, 2024 https://bit.ly/3O531NX
Mary Kekatos, “What a 2nd Trump term may look like for health care issues including ACA, abortion,” ABC News, Nov 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/3O2EWHL
Jeremy Faust, “Election redux: Public health just got a lot more difficult,” Inside Medicine, Nov 6, 2024 https://insidemedicine.substack.com/p/public-health-just-got-a-lot-more
Owais Durrani, “RFK Jr. threatens the very fabric of healthcare,” MedPage Today, Nov 4, 2024 https://bit.ly/48KUI3u
Robin Abcarian, “Trump would allow RFK Jr. to infect the body politic with crackpot theories,” Los Angeles Times, Nov 5, 2024 https://lat.ms/4hNjwvA
Daniel Payne, “The Trump agenda: Here’s what to expect from his second term,” Politico, Nov 6, 2024 https://politi.co/4fJaxtB
Juliann Ventura, “RFK Jr. says ‘entire departments’ at FDA ‘have to go,’” The Hill, Nov 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YLMIe3
Jake Johnson, “Trump’s chief of staff pick worked as a tobacco lobbyist while running 2024 campaign,” Common Dreams, Nov 08, 2024 https://bit.ly/3O5mDBz
Donald Shaw, “Trump selects corporate lobbyist Susie Wiles as chief of staff,” Sludge, Nov 7, 2024 https://bit.ly/3OcFQBf
Marcia Brown, Grace Yarrow & Brittany Gibson, “A world without seed oils and pesticides? The food industry braces for RFK Jr. era,” Politico, Oct 31, 2024 https://politi.co/3Z3L2he
Sharon Lerner, “EPA scientists said they were pressured to downplay harms from chemicals. A watchdog found they were retaliated against, ProPublica, Sep 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/48Kcu71
See the full archive at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news-archive
 
Contact me to get the written digest direct to your inbox at tfrasca@yahoo.com

How can I scam thee? Let me count the ways. Do Not Resuscitate #368 Nov 8 2024

On “Do Not Resuscitate” I look at news of all the ways we spend trillions of healthcare  enriching intermediaries. This week, I return to the Medicare Advantage trainwreck now hitting the wall of hospital and provider revenues. This is shaping up to be a new episode of Godzilla versus King Kong. And there are several new rent-extracting scams in the health insurance world. The full written digest is available from me (email below) and the archive is housed at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news-archive
Here are links to all the articles mentioned in this episode: 
“Medicare Advantage: Questionable use of health risk assessments continues to drive up payment to plans by billions,” HHS Office of the Inspector General, Oct 2024 https://bit.ly/3NV9LxZKristina Fiore, “UVA health surgeons sound alarm on upcoding,” MedPage Today, Oct 24, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fAMuxbAdriel Bettelheim, “Hospitals’ Medicare Advantage peril grows,” Axios, Aug 20, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YBl4AiNoah Tong, “How the feds should handle rampant insurer upcoding,” Fierce Healthcare, Jul 30, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YDuJ9rT. Christian Miller, Patrick Rucker & David Armstrong, “Inside the company helping America’s biggest health insurers deny coverage for treatments,” ProPublica/Capitol Forum, Oct 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/4hCB7XlJoyce Frieden, “Stop the Medicare payment cut and pass a permanent fix, House members urge leaders,” MedPage Today, Oct 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Av9te1Sachin H. Jain, “Trick or treat: The fuss over Medicare Advantage Star Ratings,” Forbes, Oct 24, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fxBHUeHeather Landi, “Community Health Systems logs $391M loss in Q3, dragged down by payer denials, higher expenses,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fg4DjNDave Muoio, “Medicare Advantage’s growth a bad omen for hospitals, S&P Global warns,” Fierce Healthcare, Aug 20, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YRbQ4eTara Bannow, Bob Herman, Casey Ross & Lizzy Lawrence, “Inside UnitedHealth’s strategy to pressure physicians: $10,000 bonuses and a doctor leaderboard,” STAT, Oct 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/3AvZ3LaCassandra Stephenson, “Federal court: TennCare illegally terminated health coverage for thousands,” Tennessee Lookout, Aug 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/3UGFhmWArek, Sarkissian, “Florida Medicaid spending on undocumented immigrants plummets after new law,” Politico, Jun 23, 2024 https://politi.co/48FfbH1Phil Galewitz, “Amid Medicaid ‘unwinding,’ many states wind up expanding,” KFF Health News/NPR, Aug 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YFGewWMeredith Bruckner, “Ann Arbor teachers sound alarm over new health care rate hikes,” CBS News, Oct 29, 2024 https://cbsn.ws/4ejiBA4Aria Bendix, “They’re middle class and insured. Childbirth still left them with crippling debt,” NBC News, Oct 30, 2024 https://nbcnews.to/48HGJeS
 
Contact me: tfrasca@yahoo.com

Ground shifting under health economists' tootsies ("Do Not Resuscitate" #367 Oct 25 2024)

Long-standing skeptics about a single-payer system like Medicare for All are having second thoughts, according to a landmark essay that I lead with in my weekly review of our Rube Goldberg health financing non-system. Even though Bernie's 2016 and 2020 campaigns to put M4A on the national agenda, our presidential debates barely touch upon the money worries we all face with unpayable deductibles, ever-poorer deals from our jobs, high copays, the Medicare Advantage scam, and the permanent fear of medical bankruptcy. 
Here are links to all the articles discussed in this week's "Do Not Resuscitate":
Adam Gaffney, David U. Himmelstein & Steffie Woolhandler, “The only way to fix US health care,” New York Review of Books, Nov 7, 2024 https://bit.ly/4hjW9JQ
Luke Chafer, “How go private for that vital operation and get the NHS to pay for it: Everything you need to know about a little-known scheme,” Daily Mail [U.K.], 19 Oct 2024 https://bit.ly/3AbF8kq
Anna Claire Vollers, “1 million+ patients lose coverage as insurers, hospitals drop Medicare Advantage,” Stateline, Oct 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BTUWZI
Joyce Frieden, “Use of prior authorization up in MA plans, Senate report finds,” MedPage Today, Oct 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YgIzhU
Noam N. Levey, “Voters fret high medical bills are being ignored by presidential rivals,” KFF Health News/CBS News, Oct 24, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BVN0XU
Heather Landi, “Walgreens focused on growing specialty pharmacy, data analytics within healthcare business,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3A8y0Wa
Nathaniel Meyersohn, “Why your drug store is closing,” CNN Business, Oct 16, 2024 https://cnn.it/4hl7AB6
Annika Kim Constantino & Jacob Pramuk, “CVS replaces CEO as profits, share price suffer,” CNBC, Oct 18, 2024 https://cnb.cx/3YgXmt2
Tristan Manalac, “Unions, public interest groups call on FTC to challenge Novo Holdings-Catalent acquisition,” Biospace, Oct 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eMT3wt
Jed Graham, “Cigna restarts talks to buy fallen star Humana,” Investor’s Business Daily, Oct 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/4hg8gI1
Noah Tong, “Humana joins chorus of lawsuits over sinking star ratings,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/48i0GZs
MedAxiom, “2024 cardiovascular provider compensation and production survey report launches,” Oct 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/4fdaztB
Kate Gibson, “Walmart plans to deliver prescriptions nationwide in as little as 30 minutes,” CBS News, Oct 22, 2024 https://cbsn.ws/4eZ1GUM
Kathryn Kranhold, “Former FDA lawyers join tobacco industry in ‘epic’ fight against the agency,” The Examination/STAT, Oct 21, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YnoPZQ
You can get my written digest by emailing. me at tfrasca@yahoo.com
The entire archive is housed at www.nypan.org/single-payer-links-archive

Research fraud, privatization scams, general bloodymindedness (Do Not Resuscitate #366)

On “Do Not Resuscitate we look at all the ways we enrich intermediaries instead of spending that money on healthcare. This week, there's a huge scandal on scientific fraud and plenty of appalling corporate behavior, including some juicy legal settlements for those who get caught. I added a new category, general bloody-mindedness.
You can get my weekly digest straight to your inbox by writing me tfrasca@yahoo.com
Here are all the links to the articles mentioned: 
Megan Brooks, “Prominent NIH neuroscientist fired over alleged research misconduct,” Medscape, Sep 30, 2024 https://wb.md/48bcdJZ
Daniel Garcia, “Picture imperfect: Scores of papers by Eliezer Masliah, prominent neuroscientist and top NIH official, fall under suspicion,” Science, Sep 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/40q5MRB
Tristan Manalac, “Teva to pay $450m in settlement with DoJ over kickback and price-fixing allegations, Biospace, Oct 11, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Y8oCKa
Mike Scarcella, “Blue Cross Blue Shield settles US health provider class action for $2.8 billion,” Reuters, Oct 14, 2024 https://reut.rs/3BM5av3 and Wendell Potter, “Blue Cross Blue Shield to pay largest settlement in U.S. antitrust health care history: $2.8 billion,” Healthcare Un-covered, Oct 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/3NuSj2Y
Emily Olsen, “Epic hit with antitrust lawsuit by data startup Particle Health,” Healthcare Dive, Sep 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/48aZerJ and JT Cestkowski, “FTC won’t rule out action in Epic Systems antitrust lawsuit,” WKOW [Madison WI], Oct 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/400UiDM
Noah Tong, “Medicare Advantage star ratings 2025—Who are the winners and losers?” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 11, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eOwBmO
Alan Condon, “Hospitals sick of fighting for Medicare Advantage dollars,” Becker’s Hospital Review, Oct 10, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Y7WM0n
Cheryl Clark, “MedPAC commissioners pan some Medicare Advantage plans’ ‘extra benefits,’” MedPage Today, Oct 11, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YE43Xz
Fred Schulte & Holly K. Hacker, “The Medicare Advantage influence machine,” KFF Health News/Fortune, Sep 30, 2024 https://bit.ly/3NueIgL
Edward P. Hoffer, “Private equity and medicine: A marriage made in hell,” American Journal of Medicine, Jan 2024 https://bit.ly/3Ys1I1r
Victoria Bailey, “Half of private equity-owned physician practices are resold within 3 years,” Xtelligent, Apr 19, 2024 https://bit.ly/3A2g7YY
Troutman Pepper, “Private equity consolidation of physician practices steady despite economic conditions,” Jul 8, 2024 https://bit.ly/3NsyR73
Max Jordan Nguemeni, “Encampment sweeps threaten homeless people’s health,” STAT, Oct 11, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f9isA3
Mary Steurer, “Republican attorneys general seek to block rule providing health insurance for DACA recipients,” North Dakota Monitor, Oct 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/3UcYVqK
Rebecca Grapevine, “Georgia facing numerous crises, but Board of Public Health hasn't met since May,” Healthbeat Atlanta, Oct 4, 2024 https://bit.ly/403R8Pt
Michael DePeau-Wilson, “Billing for patient messages may have negative consequences, analysis suggests,” MedPage Today, Oct 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Yph7Q5
Arthur Allen, “Employers haven’t a clue how their drug benefits are managed,” KFF Health News, Oct 9, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YrL1Ua
Rebecca Pifer, “Blue Shield of California sidesteps PBMs with new Humira biosimilar deal,” Healthcare Dive, Oct 2, 2024 https://bit.ly/3BQVbow
Dave Muoio, “32 bipartisan state attorneys general ask Supreme Court to take up Oklahoma PBM case,” Fierce Healthcare, Jun 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f4x4AS
Tom Murphy, “Expect employers to get more picky about who you see for care,” Associated Press, Oct 14, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dPqmgU
 
and check out the full archive at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news-archive
 

Pharma scams far and wide (Do Not Resuscitate #365 Oct 11 2024)

Drug prices are a major contributor to runaway health costs. On “Do Not Resuscitate we look at the mainstream and specialty news media about how we make intermediaries rich instead of making ourselves healthier. This week I focus on pharmaceuticals, including Pharma revenues and pricing, Medicare drug negotiations, the FTC lawsuit against PBMs, and the steady march of concentration all over the healthcare universe (PBMs being the worst example). Additional notes on the noises from Harris & Co. on whether she’ll back up/reappoint Lina Khan at the FTC (probably not—although agitation from us might affect that).
This podcast is a version my written digest, which you can get direct for free by writing me at tfrasca@yahoo.com
Below are all the links to the articles mentioned. You can also view the entire archive going back 6 years at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news-archive
Matt Stoller, “Inside the mafia of Pharma pricing,” BIG, Jul 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dCbse4
Julia Rock, “How Big Pharma actually spends its massive profits,” The Lever, Jan 6, 2023 https://bit.ly/4fjcAVl
Megan Henney, “Prescription drug prices have surged almost 40% over the past decade,” FOX Business, Jul 2, 2024 https://fxn.ws/3SszUXz
Reed Abelson & Rebecca Robbins, “FTC slams middlemen for high drug prices, reversing hands-off approach,” New York Times, Jul 9, 2024 https://nyti.ms/4d378oK
Juliana Kim & Sydney Lupkin, “FTC sues insulin middlemen, saying they pocket billions while patients face high costs,” NPR, Sep 22, 2024 https://n.pr/4eWfLC0
Rebecca Robbins & Reed Abelson, “The opaque industry secretly inflating prices for prescription drugs,” New York Times, Jun 21, 2024 https://nyti.ms/3ylmaak
Lecia Bushak, “City of Baltimore sues Biogen over allegedly paying PBMs to stave off Tecfidera generic competition,” Medical Marketing & Media, Sep 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/3NGAqyx
Noah Tong, “Texas sues PBMs, manufacturers over insulin ‘conspiracy,’” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 3, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eGurpg
Stephen Kent, “Harris promised to be ‘pragmatic’—that means dropping Lina Khan at the FTC,” The Hill, Oct 6, 2024 https://bit.ly/485JtSN
Matt Stoller, “Monopoly round-up: The 2024 CNBC shadow campaign to fire Lina Khan,” BIG, Aug 12, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f0JHg7
Ken Alltucker, “Senate panel questions Novo Nordisk CEO over decision to discontinue this popular insulin,” USA Today, Sep 25, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Bz3WTO
Robert King, David Lim & Lauren Gardner, “In a first, Medicare has set prices for 10 drugs, saving billions,” Politico, Aug 15, 2024 https://politi.co/3BEMKMV
Nathaniel Weixel & Joseph Choi, “5 takeaways from first Medicare drug price negotiations,” The Hill, Aug 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YlnkNf
Deena Beasley, “US will still pay at least twice as much after negotiating drug prices,” Reuters, Sep 3, 2024 https://reut.rs/3YhFXl0
Mark Siedner & Rochelle Walensky, “Tested in Africa, used in America: How can we end the practice of HIV wonder drug experimentation in Africa?” STAT, Sep 18, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gZI4kU
Shalina Chatlani, “To lower prescription drug costs, states head to the courthouse,” Stateline, Aug 15, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dJQMAX
Anna Claire Volleres, “Angry patients spur new state watchdogs to bring down drug prices,” Stateline, Jul 16, 2024 https://bit.ly/3YohFWU
Grace Hills, “Kansas AG Kris Kobach accuses Pfizer of misleading vaccine marketing in lawsuit,” Kansas Reflector, Jun 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/4dIwKGM
Jakob Emerson, “27 health systems dropping Medicare Advantage plans,” Becker’s Hospital CFO Report, Oct 1, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eWgenK
Heather Landi, “AHA calls on feds to boost supply of IV solutions as some hospitals cancel elective procedures to conserve stock,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 8, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Yi70Nh
Melissa Barber, Joseph S. Ross, and Reshma Ramachandran, “One way to pay for weight loss drugs: CMS could buy Novo Nordisk,” STAT, Jul 23, 2024 https://bit.ly/3yafFHk
Oliver Whang, “In states that won’t pay for obesity drugs, ‘They may as well have never been created,’” New York Times, Jun 25, 2024 https://nyti.ms/46uA5Hq
Charles Piller, “All the Alzheimer’s research we didn’t do,” New York Times, Jul 7, 2024 https://nyti.ms/3YjFGhY
Juliet Ferguson, Eurydice Bersi & Maxence Peigné, “How Big Pharma preys on poor countries—and patients pay the price,” Open Democracy, Jul 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/4f1pG9i
 

Do Not Resuscitate #364 Private equity loots healthcare & the Great Medicaid Kick 'em off

On “Do Not Resuscitate for the week ending Oct 4, 2024, there’s news about the ongoing monopolization of healthcare as well as some sorry tales on the great Medicaid Kick-Off, that is, how millions of people on Medicaid are getting kicked off. As for good news, the Feds supported a workers lawsuit against a healthcare Godzilla in Pennsylvania, and some Medicare Disadvantage purveyors got a shellacking from Wall Street since they aren’t churning out enough profits.
Here are links to all the articles mentioned: 
Dan Primack, “Newsom vetoes bill to let California ban private equity deals for health care,” Axios, Sep 30, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eCxmPg
Paige Minemyer,” Key investor pressing CVS’ leadership for strategic changes,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 1, 2024 https://bit.ly/3Y5VuEu
Dave Muoio, “Mercy, Alice Walton philanthropies unveil $700M specialty care affiliation,” Fierce Healthcare, Sep 24, 2024 https://bit.ly/3XGFcjO
Dave Muoio, “Anti-monopoly advocates urge FTC to block McKesson, Cardinal Health's big-ticket oncology acquisitions,” Fierce Healthcare, Sep 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZPcC2K and Jeff Lagasse, “McKesson to acquire controlling interest in cancer outfit for $2.5 billion,” Healthcare Finance, Aug 27, 2024 https://bit.ly/3N8KiAP and David Wainer, “Drug distributors go all in on cancer care,” Wall Street Journal, Sep 30, 2024 https://on.wsj.com/3ZIlJC9
Mike Scarcella, “US Justice Dept backs workers’ antitrust lawsuit against Pittsburgh medical center,” Reuters, Oct 1, 2024 https://reut.rs/4eLxZpK
Matt Wiederrecht, “How a Harris Administration would approach antitrust policy,” Capstone, Aug 9, 2024 https://bit.ly/3TQRVPW
Eleanor Klibanoff & Lomi Kriel, “Despite warnings, Texas rushed to remove millions from Medicaid. Eligible residents lost care,” Texas Tribune/ProPublica, Sep 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eyVRgz
Renuka Rayasam & Sam Whitehead, “The first year of Georgia’s Medicaid work requirement is mired in red tape,” KFF Health News/Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sep 13, 2024 https://bit.ly/3zE3uTP
Dave Muoio, “Nonprofit hospitals received $37.4B in federal, local tax benefits in 2021, study finds,” Fierce Healthcare, Sep 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4eKD1mp
Edward Carver, “Why we need Medicare for All: Boeing revokes health benefits for striking workers,” Common Dreams, Oct. 1, 2024 https://bit.ly/3NcqLzm
Dave Muoio, “What docs say is driving them away: 4 strategies to retain physicians,” Fierce Healthcare, Sep 17, 2024 https://bit.ly/3ZOf9Km
Ariel Cohen & Sandhya Raman, “On campaign trail, Vance lays out ‘concept of a plan’ for health care,” Roll Call, Sep 26, 2024 https://bit.ly/4gKsedN
Paige Minemyer, “Humana’s stock stumbles after it reveals 2025 star ratings drop,” Fierce Healthcare, Oct 2, 2024 https://bit.ly/4ewjfvk
You can get my full digest direct to your inbox by writing me at tfrasca@yahoo.com
The whole archive of my single-payer digests is housed at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news-archive