Nurse Talk

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What are the major differences between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage? How do the two programs compare when it comes to accessing care?

To get the facts, join host Brenda Gazzar and Ed Weisbart, MD, a retired family physician, former chief medical officer of Express Scripts and a national board member of Physicians for a National Health Program.

From narrow provider networks to pre-authorizations and claims denials, Dr. Weisbart shares the nitty-gritty on Medicare Advantage. What is the Medicare Advantage business model? Why are so many Medicare Advantage insurers being accused of fraud?

Need surgery but your $7,000 deductible is in the way? How about major dental care that your insurance doesn't even begin to adequately cover? The skyrocketing cost of treatment and rising insurance premiums are driving some Americans to seek affordable health care abroad. While the COVID pandemic slowed international travel, in 2019 nearly 2 million Americans sought health care abroad, a number that is projected to grow.

Many medical tourists get high quality, affordable health care abroad. However, some have problems. It's essential to thoroughly research the risks and benefits before pursuing medical care in another country.

That being said, how much could you save? And what's the experience like? To find out, we spoke to Michael Djavahery, a Los Angeles-based life coach, trainer, speaker, author, and master hypnotist. In this episode Michael shares his experiences, including how much money he saved, traveling to the Philippines and Malaysia, to be treated by highly-qualified, internationally accredited doctors and dentists. If the U.S. had Improved Medicare for All, would that have influenced Michael's decisions?

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, and 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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

New from Code WACK, 'Out in the Cold:' America's Deadly Un-Insurance Problem by Nurse Talk

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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.

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. So 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 on this issue?