How would most families and individuals fare financially with a single-payer Medicare for All system? What about you? Would you pay more - or less - for health care than you’re paying now? If saving money (and lives) weren't enough, what else could we gain if we had Medicare for All? Could Medicare for All help unite our divided nation?

To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he’s an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

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What do Medicare beneficiaries need to know about open enrollment and their drug plans? How can they get free and unbiased help navigating their Medicare options? Most importantly, how can they save money on their medicines?

To find out, we spoke to Steve Maas, a freelance writer and a retired Boston Globe editor. The Maryland resident is currently a volunteer for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (or SHIP program), a federal-state partnership that offers counseling on Medicare and Medicaid. In this interview about prescription drug pricing and Medicare, Steve spoke to us on his own behalf and not on behalf of SHIP. This is the second of two episodes with Steve. 

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What's up with America's prescription drug market? Why do some of us pay a lot more for our prescriptions than others? How can people on Medicare get the best prices for the medicines they need?

To find out, we spoke to Steve Maas, a freelance writer and a retired Boston Globe editor. The Maryland resident is currently a volunteer for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (or SHIP program), a federal-state partnership that offers counseling on Medicare and Medicaid. In this interview about prescription drug pricing and Medicare Part D, Steve spoke to us on his own behalf and not on behalf of SHIP. This is the first of two episodes with Steve. 

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

What are the primary drivers of poverty in America?  How has the commodification of medicine affected health care? What's behind immigrants' fear of accessing programs established to provide them lawful services? 

For these answers and more, we spoke with Maribel Nuñez, executive director of Inland Equity Partnership, an economic justice coalition working to reduce poverty for the most vulnerable in Southern California’s Inland Empire. From the front lines of this struggle, Maribel is here to break it all down for us! This is the second of two episodes.  

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State by state, advocates of guaranteed health care for immigrants are slowly making gains - what's their formula for success?  Which California immigrants will get access to full Medicaid coverage in 2024, for the first time? How did this happen in an America that sometimes holds complicated feelings about people who are undocumented?  

For these answers and more, we spoke with Maribel Nuñez, executive director of Inland Equity Partnership,  an economic justice coalition working to reduce poverty for the most vulnerable in Southern California’s Inland Empire. From the front lines of this struggle, Maribel is here to break it all down for us! This is the first of two episodes.  

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

How do we know that nearly 340,000 Americans died during the pandemic because they did not have health insurance?  How does this compare to American deaths related to uninsurance during a non-COVID year? How could the U.S. have saved $5 billion or more in healthcare costs during the pandemic? 

To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn, MD/MPH, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he's an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

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Why are nearly half of all U.S. residents burdened with medical debt? Does it simply result from people making poor personal choices, or is it a symptom of a deeper, systemic problem with our healthcare system? What are the scary implications of this and what can we do about it? To find out, we spoke to James G. Kahn,  MD/MPH, a professor emeritus of health policy, epidemiology, and global health at the University of California, San Francisco. An expert in health policy and economics, he's an advisor for Code WACK! as well as editor and primary blogger for Health Justice Monitor.

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This Labor Day Code WACK! is taking a fresh look at the different perspectives held by organized labor in the fight for Medicare for All.

Host Brenda Gazzar and Cindy Young, labor advocate and expert in health benefits negotiations, discuss how union members are harmed by America’s fragmented healthcare system.

Why are unions split on this issue? What happens when rank and file members disagree with union leadership on policy?  Is the fight to end healthcare inequity dividing organized labor or pushing it towards social justice? Could the tide be turning? 

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What happens when the cost of surviving an illness is so high, it's simply out of reach? How does Big Pharma enjoy such outsized profits from cancer and other treatments? And what about patients who are stuck between a pharmaceutical company and their health insurer? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. David Leibowitz, hematologist-oncologist and incoming chair of Physicians for a National Health Program - California, a non-partisan voluntary organization that supports equitable access to high quality health care as a right to all people. What's on his agenda for the California state chapter?

For more, check out the Show Notes & episode transcript!

How have government policies created inequitable access to abortion? What's the Hyde Amendment and what's been its impact over the past 45 years? What role are some states playing in the effort to assure abortion access? And what can we do now to support reproductive freedoms?

To find out, we spoke to Cat Duffy, policy analyst with the National Health Law Program, who works on reproductive and sexual healthcare access and services, including abortion coverage and access.

For more, check out the Show Notes & episode transcript!