This time on Code WACK!

Medicare Advantage is overcharging the federal government – and you won't believe by how much! How's this affecting taxpayers like you and me and what can be done about it?

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, the national board secretary for Physicians for a National Health Program and president of the Consumers Council of Missouri.

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!

We're taking a closer look at what the millions of people being kicked off Medicaid can do about it.

What's being done to help them?

And what else could we do to make sure people don't get stranded without health insurance coverage?

To find out, we spoke to Loretta Alexander, who recently retired as the health policy director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

Ms. Alexander has over 40 years of experience in health care.

This is the second episode in a two-part series with Loretta.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!

Now that COVID protections have ended, what does that mean for the millions of people getting booted off Medicaid in the country? Where does that leave our nation's most vulnerable, including children and people with chronic diseases or mental health issues?

To find out, we spoke to Loretta Alexander, health policy director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families. Ms. Alexander has over 40 years of experience in health care. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Loretta.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!

What's being done to help elder Native Americans receive culturally competent long term care? Would it surprise you to learn that relying on the Indian Health Service may not be enough to meet their needs? Why are some members of this highly vulnerable population buying health insurance too?

To find out, we spoke to Elder Billie Tohee, acting executive director of the Albuquerque-based National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) and former chair of the board.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!

In honor of Indigenous People's Day, we're examining healthcare inequities in Native communities. What challenges do they face when it comes to accessing quality health care in America? What problems could they encounter when they get their care through the Indian Health Service, the principal federal health care provider to American Indians and Alaska Natives?

To find out, we spoke with Elder Billie Tohee, acting executive director of the National Indian Council on Aging and former chair of the board. She's an enrolled member of the Otoe-Missouria tribe and a descendant of the Iowa Nation of Oklahoma.

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK!

How did UnitedHealth Group, America's largest health insurer by revenue, make billions in profit in the second quarter of 2023? How do UnitedHealth Group, CVS and Cigna control 80 percent of the drug supply market -- and why should we be concerned?

To find out, we spoke with Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Center for Health and Democracy. He is the author of the Substack newsletter HEALTH CARE un-covered which covers out-of-control profiteering in U.S. health care, its impact on everyday Americans, and potential policy solutions.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK!

What policy solutions are needed to help people with disabilities get and keep quality health care - and which policies may do more harm than good? What would a Medicare for All system mean to this community?

To find out, we spoke to Angela Gardner, a disability rights advocate who lives in the Los Angeles area. Angela is also a board member of Healthy California Now representing Hand in Hand, which fights for access to home care and disability justice, among other things.

This is the second of two episodes with Angela.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK!

What challenges do people living with disabilities face when it comes to accessing quality health care?

And are they being included in decisions about health policies that affect them?

To find out, we spoke with Angela Gardner, a disability rights advocate who lives in the Los Angeles area. Her work focuses on helping people with disabilities in the areas of employment, education, healthcare, services and support to live independently in the community.

This is the first of two episodes with Angela.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on CodeWACK!

What's the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike about and what's at stake for actors? Plus, what could the ongoing strike mean for their health care?

To find out, we spoke to Pat Finn, a Los Angeles-based actor who has worked in Hollywood for more than 25 years. He's appeared in such shows as Seinfeld, Friends, Drew Carey, and Murphy Brown and in movies such as It's Complicated opposite Meryl Streep.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK!

In honor of Labor Day, we're looking at the trade-offs some workers face in order to have health care. What choices are families forced to make when they can't afford to insure everyone?

To find out, we spoke to Rose Roach, chair of Healthcare for All Minnesota and national coordinator for the Labor Campaign for Single Payer. She recently retired as the executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!