Nurse Talk

In honor of Pride month, we’re examining LGBTQ activism in health care. How did the HIV/AIDS crisis devastate the community and what pushed many members toward militant activism? What can the Medicare for All movement learn from AIDS activists? To find out, we spoke with Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now Coalition, and former constituency director for Bernie 2020.

Why do Black women have a 5-year mortality risk from endometrial cancer that’s 90 percent higher than White women? Is it about race or racism – and what can we do about it? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Diljeet Singh, a women’s health advocate and integrative gynecologic oncologist who has practiced for nearly 25 years. She’s also the vice president of Physicians for a National Health Program, which advocates for Medicare for All.

This time on Code WACK! Why is it that infant mortality rates in America differ by race? Why are some American babies more likely to be born premature or underweight than babies in other developed countries? And how could single-payer health care help? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Diljeet Singh, a women’s health advocate and integrative gynecologic oncologist who has practiced for nearly 25 years. She’s also the vice president of Physicians for a National Health Program, which advocates for Medicare for All.

his time on Code WACK! What would organized labor, and the workers they represent, gain under Medicare for All? Despite these gains, why are unions still divided on the issue? What would it take for labor to speak with a unified voice on this issue? To find out, we spoke to Ada Briceño, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, which represents more than 30,000 hotel workers in Southern California and in Arizona. She's also a Democratic National Committee member, chair of the Orange County Democratic Party and was named one of Orange County’s 100 Most Influential by the Orange County Register four times since 2014.

This time on Code WACK! Who’s the powerhouse behind the Orange County Democratic Party in California? Why is she raising her voice in support of Medicare for All as a union leader representing more than 30,000 hotel workers in Southern California and Arizona? To find out, we spoke with Ada Briceño, co-president of UNITE HERE Local 11, who has dedicated her career to uplifting marginalized voices and bridging communities. Besides years of union organizing and political work, she has led many civil rights, immigrant rights, women’s rights and environmental efforts. She is a Democratic National Committee member and was named one of Orange County’s 100 Most Influential by the Orange County Register four times since 2014.

This time on Code WACK! Are hospitals and health insurers incentivized to keep costs high? Are mergers and acquisitions in the healthcare sector helping - or hurting? How has the state of Maryland kept hospital costs in check – and how might other states do the same? To find out, we spoke with Richard Master, CEO of MCS Industries, founder of Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation and executive director of American Hospitals, the latest film in his documentary series. He’s joined by Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry communications executive, the New York Times best-selling author of Deadly Spin and president of Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation. This is the second episode in a two-part series about the film American Hospitals.

This time on Code WACK! What led a CEO to produce a series of films to change America's healthcare system? What role do hospitals play in health care’s astronomical pricing? And what options do we have to rein in costs and make hospital care affordable to everyone? To find out, we spoke with Richard Master, CEO of MCS Industries, founder of Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation and executive director of American Hospitals, the latest film in his documentary series. He’s joined by Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry communications executive, the New York Times best-selling author of Deadly Spin and president of Business Leaders for Health Care Transformation. This is the first episode in a two-part series about the film American Hospitals.

Winning Medicare for All in the U.S. may be at a standstill at the federal level, but it's a different story In the states. In 2021 alone, 18 single payer bills were introduced in states such as Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Oregon. Winning in California -- the most populous nation in the state -- could be a game changer. And, not one but two bills have been introduced in the California State Legislature this year. What's the latest single payer bill introduced in the California Senate and how is it different from previous bills? How will it work with CalCare, which was introduced in the California State Assembly this year for the second time? To find out, we spoke with Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now Coalition, and former constituency director for Bernie 2020. What's the thinking behind this new strategy?

This time on Code WACK! How does diversity in politics affect the policies that impact our everyday lives? What challenges do women face when running for office and once they get there, how do their life experiences influence their political work? To find out, we spoke to California Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, the only Democrat to unseat a Republican incumbent in the state assembly last November. This is the second episode in a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK! Longtime nurse advocate, single mother, and now California Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was the only Democrat to unseat a Republican incumbent in the California assembly last November. What inspired her to get into politics? What are her priorities when it comes to health care, homelessness, and housing? We're highlighting Schiavo’s impressive story today in honor of Women's History Month. Find out what she thinks would be a major game-changer in the fight against poverty. This is the first of a two-part series with the assemblywoman.

This time on Code WACK! What are the latest attempts to rein in Medicare Advantage insurers and their questionable practices? What hurdles do patients face with Medicare Advantage plans when it comes to their care? Is Medicare Advantage a better deal for patients, or for insurers? Is Medicare Advantage actually fixable? To find out, we spoke to Diane Archer, founder and president of Just Care USA, an independent digital media hub, covering health and financial issues facing boomers and their families. Miss Archer is the past chair of the Board of Consumer Reports, currently serves as a senior advisor at Social Security Works and as a member of the board of the Center for Health and Democracy. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! How does running a hospital like a business run counter to providing reliable and affordable healthcare? How would having Medicare for All change the way hospitals are financed and what would it mean for patients, doctors, and the hospitals themselves? To find out, we spoke to Dr. David Himmelstein, a distinguished professor of public health at CUNY's Hunter College and a lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as a staff physician at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and is the co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program. This is the second of a two-part series with Dr. Himmelstein.

This time on Code WACK! What's the story behind the EMTALA patient protection law of 1986, which requires hospitals to stabilize or treat patients who are in a health emergency regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay? What has this law done for patients and what does it mean for hospitals? How does the current way hospitals are paid incentivize them to pass the buck on uninsured patients? To find out, we spoke to Dr. David Himmelstein, a distinguished professor of public health at CUNY's Hunter College and a lecturer in medicine at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as a staff physician at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and is the co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program. This is the first of a two-part series with Dr. Himmelstein.

This time on Code WACK! What if you don't have health insurance but need medical care to save your life? If you're drowning in bills from the hospital, what can you do? To find out, we spoke to Venus Lockett, a financial services professional who lives near Atlanta. After an ambulance ride, one night in the hospital and multiple tests, she faced over $30,000 in medical bills while she was in-between jobs, uninsured and living in Georgia, one of 12 states that still has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Find out what Venus did to get out from under those crushing bills and save her credit rating. Learn how to protect yourself with the Consumer Guide for Medical Bills and Debt, published by the nonprofit consumer protection organization Georgia Watch.

How do people get into medical debt in the first place? Sometimes it can happen when a business reorganization turns employees with benefits into contractors with no benefits. Or maybe you live in one of the 12 states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act? To find out, we spoke to Venus Lockett, a financial services professional who lives near Atlanta. Learn what happened when Venus’s health took a bad turn while she was uninsured, and nearly $31,000 in medical bills came rolling in. Does it really make sense to have a healthcare system with no caps on patient costs? And can anyone honestly say that employer-sponsored coverage is “best” when the business sector is often in flux, whether from recession or pandemic?

This time on Code WACK! What’s the latest threat to original Medicare? What could happen if we link health outcomes to physician compensation? How is it that a whole new program affecting millions of Americans on original Medicare can be rolled out without congressional oversight? To find out, we spoke to the new president of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), Dr. Philip Verhoef, an adult and pediatric intensivist and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Learn more about the new program called ACO REACH, and the issues it raises around physician compensation. Could ACO REACH threaten the trust between patients and their doctors?

This time on Code WACK! What say should doctors have in reforming America’s healthcare system? Are their decades-long efforts to stop the commercialization of medicine having an impact? How can health professionals, and students in the health sciences, get involved in the movement for single-payer health care? To find out, we spoke to the new president of Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP), Dr. Philip Verhoef, an adult and pediatric intensivist and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Find out the main strategies, goals and challenges of PNHP, the only single-issue physician led organization advocating for Medicare for All in America. And learn about the growing influence of Students for a National Health Program (SNaHP) in the single-payer movement.

This time on Code WACK! At least 20 legislative bills targeting transgender medical care were pre-filed in at least nine states for 2023, according to The Hill. And last year, more than two dozen states sought to enact measures to ban or severely restrict access to gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youth. To learn more about the challenges transgender individuals face when seeking such treatments, we spoke to Jeffrey Rodriguez, the director of Community Health Programs at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. He’s worked there for over 12 years, mainly in sexual health and education.

This time on Code WACK! What would you do if you were faced with thousands of dollars of medical debt? Would you file for bankruptcy or let the debt go to collections? What help is out there for people facing such difficult dilemmas? Would Medicare for All protect patients from the hassles and financial burdens that face ill patients today? To find out, we spoke with Monique Davis, a nonprofit executive in Southern California, who, during midlife, faced an unexpected diagnosis with a rare and potentially deadly disease. This is the second of two episodes featuring Monique's harrowing story.

Can you count on your health insurance when you need it? What if you and your spouse are "double-covered?" What are your options when medical debt is dragging you down? And if you can't pay, what happens after you get well and start looking for a new job? To find out, we spoke with Monique Davis, a nonprofit executive in Southern California, who, during midlife, faced an unexpected diagnosis with a rare and potentially deadly disease. How did her HMO respond when claims for chemotherapy, medical equipment, multiple ambulance rides and a stem cell transplant came rolling in? Monique says her survival is a miracle and her treatments were arduous. . . Did dealing with the claims really have to be so hard?