Healthcare News - Computerized Denials, Life Expectancy, Government Shutdown

A free public service for a better community

Alan Unell Ph.D.

Nov 14, 2023

Why We Are Advocates

Because we all deserve to live in a country where we can make the country, and healthcare work for all of us.

Comments, suggestions, and research topics are greatly appreciated via comment button.

United Healthcare Insurance Denials

Earlier this year we reported on United Healthcare’s purchase of NaviHealth. NaviHealth has an software model that can be used to estimate duration of care. It isn’t perfect, it is an estimate. Now, according to employees, it seems that United Healthcare, the nation’s largest health insurance company, pressured its staff to cut off payments for seriously ill patients in lockstep with a computer algorithm’s calculations, denying rehabilitation care for older and disabled Americans as profits soared, a STAT investigation (behind paywall - apologies) has found.

When they stand between you and your providers, you suffer. Another good reason for Universal Healthcare.

Life Expectancy for Men Plummets

The life expectancy of men in the U.S. is nearly six years shorter than that of women, according to new research published on Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine. At least partially as a consequence of over 1 million Covid-19 deaths, life expectancy in the U.S. has declined significantly over the past few years, falling from 78.8 years in 2019 to 77 in 2020 and 76.1 in 2022 — undoing over two decades of progress. This puts the country far behind its wealthy peers: Countries such as Japan, Korea, Portugal, the U.K., and Italy all enjoy a life expectancy of 80 years or more. Countries such as Turkey (78.6) and China (78.2) also fare better. Link to reference story.

Medicaid Unwinding Bright Spot - Small but Good

At the height of the pandemic there were 94 million of us on Medicaid, the Federal/State partnership to provide health insurance to low income income Americans. Yearly reenrollment was not required during the pandemic. Since the pandemic is over, you must reapply this year. Unwinding is that process of removing those no longer eligible. Sadly, there have been about 10 million who have lost their Medicaid health insurance so far. At least 5 million have lost it because of procedural errors, incomplete forms, inability to respond to verifications, typos, etc. and 1.8 million of those are children.

Pennsylvania is in the process of restoring Medicaid coverage for 105,000 residents who lost their government-funded health insurance benefits this year because they did not return a form on time or for some other procedural reasons. The coverage terminations happened as Pennsylvania and other states in April resumed checking the eligibility of Medicaid beneficiaries, who qualify based on income level or disability status. The Medicaid review process had been suspended nationwide for three years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Link to story.

Action If You’re in Ohio

Despite voters showing their strong support for the reproductive rights ballot initiative, a group of Ohio legislators is trying to subvert the process by stripping the courts’ ability to implement the measure. This should not be surprising, considering that the Republican Ohio Secretary of State disenfranchised 26,000 voters from the rolls days before the election, giving them no time to re-register, but it is still infuriating. It’s clear that the GOP has no respect for voters’ rights (unless the votes go their way).

If we live in Ohio, let’s call our state legislators, at that hyperlink, and tell them we expect to have our votes respected and we want reproductive rights enshrined in the constitution. And if we don’t live in Ohio, let’s reach out to our friends who do and ask them to raise their voices once again. (Thanks to Rogan’s List)

Government Shutdown Looms

Another potential government shutdown on the horizon this weekend. More politics over people.

Action

Let’s let our representatives know - no cuts to WIC, SNAP (food stamps), childcare, like Head Start, Public School funding, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Links to their email and phone are in the Resources section below.

Use RESISTBOT by texting to 50409 SIGN PMCBSF.

I am your constituent and I am writing to urge you, as my Representative and Senators, to vote to keep needed services operating and reject a government shutdown. A shutdown would harm our nation's overall economy and our community's access to the help they need. You must not make it harder for people to put food on the table, a roof over their heads, and stay safe and healthy. Instead I am counting on my Representative and Senators to do their job and reject the push by some extremists for harsh cuts. I urge Congress to pass a bill with adequate funds for services including WIC, SNAP (food stamps), childcare, like Head Start, Public School funding, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. Thank you.

RESOURCES

Healthcare Advocacy (Us)

Website

Our Newsletter resources including reproductive healthcare

Healthcare Advocacy Reading List

Find My Elected Officials

Contact the White House https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Contact State and Federal Representatives

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.