Medicare Advantage plans are attracting consumers, while the insurance companies turn over huge profits.  Do these plans really help us, the consumers, as they claim, or is their real purpose to deceive? If a person gets ill, often times Medicare Advantage plans do not protect enrollees from high fees or worse, from not being covered for a procedure. 

Because of the high cost of prescription drugs, many Americans are forced into declaring bankruptcy so they can get out of debt.  No one should ever have to choose between paying their bills or taking necessary medication. Profits over people should not be acceptable in this country.

Due to rising healthcare costs, fewer adults are seeking medical attention for their routine care such as an injury, flu symptoms, etc.  A recent report in the Annals of Internal Medicine provides several reasons and in-depth data as to why people are choosing not to visit their primary physicians.

As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Rise, Insured Adults Are Seeking Less Primary Care  by Elena Renken, NPR

Declining Use of Primary Care Among Commercially Insured Adults in the United States, 2008–2016 Annals of Internal Medicine, Abstract

As Dylan Scott traveled around the world,  he talked with people about their healthcare system.  He heard their stories, compared both the positives and negatives of each system including costs, and made several comparisons. He concluded that there really is not one perfect system, yet each country has made it work for their citizens.  The United States needs to do the same.

9 Things Americans Need to Learn From the Rest of the World’s Health Care Systems  by Dylan Scott, healthcare policy reporter, VOX    What are your thoughts? Please write your comments below. 

The healthcare industry is heavily involved with lobbying and has spent over $2 billion dollars in the past four years spreading an abundance of propaganda about healthcare, insurance and Medicare for All.

Caitlin Kelly takes an in-depth look at Canada's health care system; why it is successful, what are some of its challenges, how it is funded and public opinion on whether or not this could work in the United States.

President of National Nurses United and a nurse for 40 years in Minnesota, Jean Ross testified before Congress, describing the U.S. complex, unaffordable private health insurance model based on corporate profiteering. She related the only way to achieve cost-sustainable universal health care access is the Medicare-for-All insurance model.

Beth Mole from ARS Technica reports on the price gauging hikes by Big Pharma, which are well above the actual rate of inflation.

Can you imagine having to choose between feeding your children or paying money owed to a hospital? Going into bankruptcy or buying food?  Wendi C. Thomas investigated the debt collecting practices of Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare in Memphis and discovered the hospital was targeting low income patients who were struggling to pay their bills. Because of this highly publicized investigation, Methodist Hospital had a change of heart, stopped its harsh practices and started to erase all debts owed. 

ProPublica conducted a study based on the following question: Were the drug company payments linked to doctors’ drug choices?  According to deputy managing editor Charles Ornstein, the results are in and the answer is yes!