It seems unlikely that Paramount Studios released Gladiator Part 2 immediately after the presidential election to diffuse political rancor. They didn’t intend to provide a cathartic release for the nation’s pent-up frustrations. The goal wa…
Category: Public Health & Policy
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces confirmation, a look at his vaccine stance
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services raises concerns about the potential impact on public health policy. As hearings on his candidacy take place, it is important for senators to consider how his views and pu…
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces confirmation, a look at his vaccine stance
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services raises concerns about the potential impact on public health policy. As hearings on his candidacy take place, it is important for senators to consider how his views and pu…
As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faces confirmation, a look at his vaccine stance
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of Health and Human Services raises concerns about the potential impact on public health policy. As hearings on his candidacy take place, it is important for senators to consider how his views and pu…
The emotional toll of a broken health care system
As a physician and health care leader, I initially declined to comment on the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. I felt that speculating about the shooter’s intent would only sensationalize a terrible act. Regardless of the circumsta…
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…
Murder of an insurance titan: the case for health care reform
Agatha Christie was onto something when she stated, “The truth, however ugly in itself, is always curious and beautiful to seekers after it.” Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of the United Health Care insurance company, was shot and kill…
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…
