Category: Policy

Systemic racism and Indigenous deaths in health care

Ni cta ni akohikon: That hurts me. Carol pe ntamici: Carol, come see me. Ni taci sa micta mackikikatakoiin: They are overdosing me on drugs. Wipatc tca: Do it quickly. Those were the chilling words of Joyce Echaquan, broadcasting live from Facebook on …

Expanding health care access and equity through telehealth

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has been an amplifier and catalyst for numerous issues. The pandemic has impacted health care delivery significantly, and inequities for the Black community are more apparent. Federal and state rules for teleh…

This doctor will be running for the legislature in the future

You don’t know who I am yet, but you will in the future. I haven’t decided yet if I will run for the House, Senate, or the U.S. Congress. If you are a health care professional, whether it be a doctor able to change medicine, nurses, respira…

Democrats’ Drug Pricing Reforms Aren’t What They Seem

What Democrats are proposing is a sweeping system of price controls. Evidence from abroad demonstrates that such schemes are certain to restrict access to new medicines, particularly for those who are older, living with disabilities, or fighting seriou…

Medical debt is the enemy of everyone

An excerpt from End Medical Debt: Curing America’s $1 Trillion Unpayable Healthcare Debt. Medical debt is the mortal enemy of the patient, the physician, the hospital, the community, the state, and the nation. When we think of others’ debts, we tend to…

To “fix” health care delivery, turn to a value-based health care system

With over two-thirds of the public believing that health care should be a top policy priority, there is no debating the importance of “fixing” our health care delivery system. On one extreme of the aisle, there is a growing chorus in support for “Medic…

HIV/AIDS vaccine underscores need for better health access

“HIV has been a blessing in my life.” Lola was a 48-year-old woman living in Denver when I interviewed her in 2002 about her HIV-positive diagnosis. She said the diagnosis improved her life in important ways; she had received income and hou…

United Nations: China Denies Allegations Of Organ Harvesting

In September 2021, the United Nations published an official response it received from the Chinese Government concerning the issue of organ harvesting.

The needs of Afghan refugee children must be prioritized in evacuation and resettlement plans 

I smiled as the Afghan family of six approached my triage station in the Philadelphia airport. The three young boys were laughing, playful, and full of energy despite the long journey. The oldest, who looked about 10 years old, sat on a chair and immed…

Is it time for a true federal COVID vaccine mandate?

President Biden recently unveiled a series of regulations aimed to increase COVID vaccination rates. Impacting up to 100 million people, the president will require government employees, businesses with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors to …