Cancer Study Begins & Drug Prices Too High
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A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
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New COVID-19 Variant
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that a new COVID variant, the KP.3 variant, is rising to dominance across the United States. For the two-week period starting on May 26 and ending on June 8, the government agency data shows that KP.3 accounts for 25% of COVID cases in the U.S. and is now the dominant variant. This knocks down previous frontrunner, the JN.1 variant, which spread globally last winter, and now makes up 22.5% of cases. (USA Today)
Slow Down Alzheimer’s
A healthy diet and consistent exercise may slow decline in some early-stage Alzheimer’s disease patients, according to research published Friday. The study, published in the journal Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy, found that patients in a group who implemented “intensive” lifestyle changes — like eating whole foods, exercising moderately and performing stress management techniques — saw their dementia symptoms stabilize. (The Hill)
Cancer Study of Black Women Begins :)
The American Cancer Society has launched the VOICES of Black Women® study, the largest behavioral and environmental focused population study of cancer risk and outcomes in Black women in the United States. Designed to better understand the multi-level drivers of cancer incidence, mortality and resilience within this demographic, the long-term study will gather valuable data from Black women between the ages of 25 and 55 from diverse backgrounds and income levels who have not been diagnosed with cancer. The organization aims to enroll over 100,000 Black women across 20 states and D.C. where, according to the U.S. Census, more than 90 percent of Black women in the U.S. reside.
Price of Drugs - Too High in the US
We have written over and over again about how the tortured supply chain for pharmaceuticals is rife with bribery and corruption and designed to squeeze out every buck it can from us.
New York is making a rare move in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ footsteps. State legislators are pressing forward with creating a program to import drugs in bulk from Canada, emboldened by federal approval of a similar plan in Florida earlier this year. The bill directs New York health and education officials to develop a list of medications that are “expected to generate substantial savings for consumers in the state” if acquired from Canadian suppliers.
Florida received its approval to import drugs from Canada in January of this year.
It is a sad state that we are obtaining drugs at lower cost from a country that has universal healthcare and knows how to control cost instead of doing it ourselves at home. Let’s remind Congress and the President that they can fix this.
ACTION
On your cellphone just text SIGN POHTPX to send this message to your member of Congress, Senators and the President.
“I am your constituent and I just learned that New York State is the latest to begin the process of importing prescription drugs from Canada. Canada has universal healthcare and so is able to negotiate fair prices for drugs. Here we have Pharmacy Benefit Managers who cheat pharmacists. They also force drug companies to jack up prices to cover the cost of a bribe to place their drug on an insurance formulary. The copays and deductibles consumers pay are often out of line to make sure that all the palms are greased along the way.
Look, if we had a national health insurance trust, we could negotiate fair prices for all drugs, not just the 10 we have now for seniors. How about stepping up to the plate and protecting your constituents from a system designed to cheat them? I want you to actively support a national single payer universal health care plan, like HR 3421, and start protecting all of us. After all, as President Lincoln said, "The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves- in their separate, and individual capacities". Do that and implement a national universal healthcare trust.
Resources
Find My Elected Officials
Contact State and Federal Representatives - phone and email
Healthcare Advocacy (Us) Website
Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare - Healthcare Advocacy Reading List
Important Healthcare Resources
League of Women Voters Healthcare Reform Toolkit
Organizations to Contact
National Nurses United Medicare4All
Physicians for a National Health Program
One Payer States
Healthcare Now
Reproductive Health
NARAL - Pro Choice America
Charley. chatbot abortion resource - make sure to use a secure incognito browser if you live in a state that has banned abortion
Planned Parenthood
Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline has references about where to procure abortion medications. They also assist women in the process of self managed abortion or miscarriage by phone or text and will respond in an hour. Details and hours of operation at their website.
United State of Women Reproductive health page (bottom of the page) has important resources such as medical support, access to Telehealth, prescriptions by mail, and legal support references.
Practice careful communications - The Digital Defense Fund has a number of tips to keep texts, calls, and internet use private. Here is their site.
If you need financial help with an abortion try abortionfunds.org
Claims Denials and Appeals & What to Do
Appeal a Healthcare Decision
Appeal/Negotiate a Hospital Bill
Disinformation Management
Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency
Save Democracy
Chop Wood, Carry Water by Jessica Cravens
RESISTBOT
Link to the RESISTBOT site to learn more
Link to Chop Wood, Carry Water RESISTBOT write up
Learn About Healthcare Policy
The Kaiser Family Foundation has put together an online course about healthcare policy. It is called Health Policy 101. It is free and here is the link to their course page. I will keep this note here for a few days.
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