US Way Overspends on Healthcare
A free public service for a better community
Good Day Advocates
Your comments, suggestions, and research topics are greatly appreciated via the comment button below. The cat has nothing to do with today’s newsletter - I just liked the cat.
Cost of US Healthcare
The U.S. government spent more on healthcare in 2022 than Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Austria, and France spent combined to provide universal healthcare coverage for all 335 million people in their countries. Moreover there are about 28 million of us with no health insurance at all. The 2020 Congressional Budget Report on Universal Healthcare showed we could cover all 330 million of us for $600 billion less than we spend.
Extra Credit
Let’s let our Congressional Representatives & Senators know how much we are wasting on healthcare and not covering everyone. Their contact info is in the Resources section below.
Here is a RESISTBOT email you can send to them by texting SIGN PIJSZT to 504090.
“I am your constituent and I want you to know that a report out today in STAT documents that the US spends $4.5 trillion/year on healthcare. That’s more than Germany, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Austria, and France spent combined to provide universal healthcare coverage for all 335 million people in their countries. And we have about 28 million with no insurance. Moreover the 2020 Congressional Budget Office determined that we could save $600 billion each and every year with Universal Healthcare due to reduced overhead and prescription savings. I know you want to be a good steward of our resources so I very strongly urge you to support Universal Healthcare like, HR 3421, the improved Medicare for All Act. Thank you.”
Tylenol News
A federal judge barred expert witnesses from testifying that acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) if mothers take it during pregnancy, citing a lack of scientific support for the claims. This according to Reuters.
I included this story because I like to see judges who understand that scientific data is how we make decisions. (What a low bar!!!)
Healthcare Cyber Attack
The FBI offered a decryption tool to help healthcare facilities and other victims of the BlackCat ransomware group restore their systems. Over the past 18 months, ALPHV/Blackcat has emerged as the second most prolific ransomware-as-a-service variant in the world based on the hundreds of millions of dollars in ransoms paid by victims around the world. Due to the global scale of these crimes, multiple foreign law enforcement agencies are conducting parallel investigations.
Victims have included hospitals, data storage company Western Digital and drug manufacturer Sun Pharmaceuticals.
To date, the FBI has worked with dozens of victims in the United States and internationally to implement this solution, saving multiple victims from ransom demands totaling approximately $68 million. Contact your local FBI office to access the tool if you have been hit.
If you work in healthcare - let the IT department know help is available.
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
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: democracy.io
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
Thanks for reading Healthcare Advocacy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts
Thanks for mentioning the Congressional Budget Office's report on universal healthcare. Drawing on economists from across the political spectrum, the CBO published its 200-page analysis of single-payer / simple-payer universal care in Dec 2020. A year earlier I gave a name to the trillions-per-decade net cost savings the CBO subsequently identified: America's #HealthDividend. I framed it in a whitepaper, available from ira (at) fairnow (dot) org.
The CBO followed up with a second report, this one about 50 pages, summarizing specific ways universal care could benefit people and businesses, and boost American prosperity: https://medium.com/@idember/pigs-fly-cbo-admits-medicare-for-all-will-aid-people-businesses-economy-e32d72ce59a2 .
Happy holidays!