Screwing With Medicare & Medicaid Saves Little and Costs Lives
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A Good Day To Advocate for Better Healthcare
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High Blood Pressure Update
Thank you to nursing professor KB who reminded us that the negative effects of taking blood pressure medications can be mitigated by taking the medicine before bed. Good idea.
Changes to Medicare, Medicaid Coverage Could Cause Thousands of Deaths
This according to an article published May 17th, 2024 in JAMA online. Some policymakers have suggested increasing the eligibility age for Medicare and implementing work requirements for Medicaid coverage to reduce US health care costs. However, a recent analysis involving data projections from the Census Bureau suggests that the proposed changes would cost thousands of lives without saving the government as much money as expected.
Raising Medicare eligibility from 65 years to 67 years old was linked with more than 17 000 additional estimated deaths among people in that age group between 2023 and 2028. The researchers also found that the federal government would save about $890 000 per life lost—less than the $12.5 million value of a statistical life used for policy decisions, they noted. It is $22.25 billion over 6 years
In addition, ending continuous enrollment for Medicaid and requiring people to meet work requirements to be eligible for coverage was tied to more than 8000 total additional lives lost among people younger than 65 years who would probably become uninsured.
Part of the problem, as you may recall, is that detection of serious illnesses, like cancer occur at 65. The reason is that at that age so many seniors are finally eligible for medical coverage that they actually go to the doctor and get checked out. Delaying that will kill many of those who delay. If you enjoy specifics, Cancer detection increases at age 65, with a 72 per 100,000 population increase for women and a 33 per 100,000 population increase for men. According to a 2021 Stanford study, there is a larger increase in cancer diagnoses at age 65 than at other age transitions. For example, lung cancer rates increase by 3–4% each year for people aged 61–64, but that percentage doubles at age 65.
I would like to point out that single payer universal healthcare like HR 3421 offers a minimum of $400 billion of savings EVERY YEAR starting in year 1 according to the same Congressional Budget Office - just by cutting down the overhead in the health insurance system with a single insurance trust. AND EVERYONE GETS COVERED. Far better than the $22.25 bullion over 6 years that killing 25,000 people would cost.
We haven’t discussed Medicaid yet but you may recall an article I wrote a while ago that referenced a study related to work requirements and Medicaid. It actually discovered that the additional people who go to work is minimal, mostly because pretty much most people who can work are working. The study also uncovered an interesting bit of data that when people have healthcare, their health improves and they go to work. This addresses not the Medicaid issue but those who have no insurance and are out of work. Overall, our population benefits when everyone can go to the doctor.
The answer is so clear - these mean spirited tropes of denying medical care to the elderly and poor will only result in misery and death. Single Payer Universal Health care costs less, covers everyone, can put care in medical deserts with global budgets.
Let’s remind people who can do something about it.
ACTION
Let’s contact the President, out Member of Congress and Senators and let them know that recent CBO analyses of delaying Medicare to 67 and forcing work requirements on Medicaid recipients will increase premature deaths by 25,000 and offer pretty meager savings. Real savings of lives and money come from single payer universal healthcare like HR 3421. You can reach all of these representatives at this link.
You can also use RESISTBOT to send this email to them by texting SIGN PVOLLO to 50409.
“I am your constituent and I just saw an analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2819076?resultClick=1) that said if we raise the Medicare eligibility age to 67 in 6 years we could save $22.25 billion dollars over 6 years and the cost would be about 25,000 lives. Data from the Census Bureau and the CBO were used. Please look also at the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analysis of the data here (https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2321494121).
Here is something that would save lives and $400 billion each and every year, according to the 2020 CBO report - It is single payer Universal Healthcare - Like HR 3421. If you really want to save money and lives enact that. We can’t do this on our own - we need government to do this and we are relying on you.”
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
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The Shock Doctrine.
Funneling money away from safety nets and social programs to line the pockets of the Libertarian fascists. Their aim is to wipe out the middle class, not to have responsible governance. CONservatism is always cloaked in excuses and lies about “saving money.” Preventative measures always save money— and lives—but it doesn’t serve the ultimate goals of Libertarian fascism.