Category: Public Health & Policy

When it comes to bias, doctors need to do their homework

I used to be a big fan of The Bachelor, particularly when I was single.  What an efficient way to meet potential suitors! (If you can get past every relationship being public.) Chris Harrison seems like a nice guy, and I never noticed any obvious signs…

Health literacy: the missing piece to caregiver support and empowerment

Caregiving in the United States has reached a crisis due to an aging population, a lack of investment in a professional caregiving infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors pushed millions of Americans out of the workforce and into a car…

Health literacy: the missing piece to caregiver support and empowerment

Caregiving in the United States has reached a crisis due to an aging population, a lack of investment in a professional caregiving infrastructure, and the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors pushed millions of Americans out of the workforce and into a car…

Bezos and Branson: a cautionary tale for space exploration

A rocket launch. The tall vessel, akin to a solitary skyscraper, stands alone on the launchpad. The thunderous roar of thrusters travels across miles of empty concrete. The ground shakes. The audible roar in your ear and the palpable vibration underfoo…

Why it’s important for physicians to change the system [PODCAST]

“What if I had access to real solutions? What if I had resources to provide to a person to help them overcome their problem? As a primary care provider with over 20 years of experience, I know viscerally that I will never “fix” anyone. I can teac…

Federal legalization of cannabis: What does it mean for patients?

I just opened my email inbox to see the following headline: “Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) will finally release a draft of their long-awaited federal cannabis…

Marshall Allen on how to contest hospital bills and avoid treatment you don’t need [PODCAST]

“It’s rare for anyone to try and tally the precise cost of unnecessary care. But when they do, the estimates are staggering. The Washington Health Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to making care safe and affordable, analyzed insurance claims from …

Prior authorization reform for health care coverage takes center stage

One of the leading reasons for provider frustration is prior authorizations. The insurance companies initially created prior authorization (prior auth) to keep down the cost of care when a service fee was the primary payment method for payers. However,…

Heal the system: Medicine must be anti-racist

My maternal grandmother, Susana, was one of the most important women in my life. I was named after her. At least, that is what I thought for many years. I had gone by my grandmother’s name until I transferred high schools in the suburbs of Chicag…

Doctors and the 5 stages of grief

Thanks to the marvels of medicine, newly vaccinated Americans are returning to life as normal and partying like it’s 2019. Doctors, who are emerging from the pandemic as national heroes, would like to turn back the clock even further—to the halcyon day…