Category: Policy

Curbing health care costs: 3 reforms for a more efficient system

The United States health care system is plagued by inefficiencies that drive up costs and limit access to care. The Department of Government Efficiency has a crucial role to play in addressing this challenge. As a physician, I often strive to practice …

Are you protecting your career? 5 essential questions about your NP liability insurance

A nurse practitioner (NP) in urgent care saw a patient with a severe headache following a fall. Initial testing and symptoms suggested a concussion, leading to discharge. However, when the patient’s worsening condition later revealed an elevated …

To boost primary care physician pay, Congress should change funding requirements for Medicaid state-directed payments

Introduction It is no secret that the U.S. medical system fails to treat all patients equally. Those with Medicaid often lack access to the same primary care and subspecialty clinics as those with Medicare or private insurance and face longer wait time…

Murder, vitriol, and hidden costs: inside the health insurance industry’s biggest battles

With the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, many have expressed vitriol towards the insurance industry. Having worked in non-profit health care all my life, I decided in 2018 to switch to the “dark side,” or the insurance industry, out of …

My totally wrong expert predictions for health care in 2025

January In a blistering commentary, the American Medical Association’s flagship journal, JAMA, condemns the corrosive effect on patient care of the profit-seeking practices of health insurers. Separately, the organization announces that it’…

10 transformative ideas to redesign a broken health care system: a doctor’s perspective for a more efficient, cost-effective and patient-focused system

The U.S. health care system is an inefficient maze of bureaucracy, redundancies, and waste. As a practicing physician, I see firsthand how these inefficiencies frustrate both providers and patients, inflate costs, and undermine the quality of care. If …

Humanity’s crossroads: peace or nuclear war?

“We are here to make a choice between the quick and the dead …” With these solemn words, Bernard Baruch, a trusted advisor to U.S. presidents, addressed the United Nations (UN) Atomic Energy Commission in June 1946. Less than a year had pas…

The HEARTS Act: Empowering schools to save lives

Every year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) claims the lives of thousands of students and student-athletes in the United States, making it one of the leading causes of death. The condition is particularly insidious as it often strikes without warning, leav…

Why health systems must renegotiate contracts to survive

Providers must stop subsidizing payors’ profit margins. Consider United Health Care, which boasts a 6 percent margin on revenue (equivalent to $22 billion), while hospitals manage a slim 3 percent margin, and physician practices often struggle to…

States have the power to influence health care

Individual states in the United States can significantly shape key health care areas through policy. In early 2024, a KKF analysis indicated that Americans collectively held around $220 billion in medical debt. North Carolina has one of the highest per…