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For the Love of Health Care and Health Policy

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Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Nothing melts our hearts like a health policy valentine. Readers made us swoon this season, writing poetic lines about prescription drug pricing, medical debt, primary care shortages, and more. 

Here are some of our favorites, starting with the grand prize winner and first runner-up, whose entries were each turned into a cartoon by staff illustrator Oona Tempest. 

1st Place

Darling, this Valentine’s Day,let’s grab our passportsand fly away to someplace,where the same drugs cost a fractionof what they do in the States.

— Jennifer Reck 

Runner-Up 

I saw the doctor for a check,I had a lump in my right breast.Two weeks for the answer.It wasn’t cancer.So instead of death, I’m in debt.— Sunshine Moore Anger

Other Newsroom Favorites 

I was lost in the sadness and shock of you leaving, Tore my eyes away from my Morning Briefing How could you leave us, Why would you stray? When you are loved so dearly by the ACA? But I realized too late, ’Twas not to be, My primary care no longer loved me 

– Zac Aulson 

Parental love is beautiful And guess what makes it stronger A paid parental leave policy To stay with baby longer 

– Andrea Ferguson 

The paperwork flirts with my affections, A dance of denials, full of rejections. My heart yearns for you, my sweet medication, but insurance insists on prior authorization. 

– Sally Nix 

My love for you, darling, is blinding Like a clinical trial pre-findings But I fear we shall part And I’ll lose my heart Because of Medicaid unwinding! 

– Kara Gavin 

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Title: For the Love of Health Care and Health Policy
Sourced From: kffhealthnews.org/news/article/health-policy-valentines-winner-announcement-illustrations/
Published Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

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Kaiser Health News

LGBTQ+ People Relive Old Traumas as They Age on Their Own

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kffhealthnews.org – Judith Graham – 2024-12-24 07:00:00

SUMMARY: Bill Hall, a 71-year-old HIV survivor, has endured numerous health challenges, including depression, heart disease, and cancer since contracting the virus in 1986. His struggles are compounded by trauma from childhood, where he faced bullying and abuse in a government boarding school. LGBTQ+ seniors like Hall often face isolation, with many living alone and lacking social support. By 2030, the number of LGBTQ+ seniors is projected to double, increasing their vulnerability to health issues and mental struggles. Many have experienced profound loss from the AIDS crisis, leading to ongoing emotional challenges. Support services remain critical for this aging population.

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Kaiser Health News

Caseworkers Coax Homeless People out of Las Vegas’ Tunnels for Treatment

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kffhealthnews.org – Angela Hart – 2024-12-23 07:00:00

SUMMARY: In Las Vegas, case manager Bryon Johnson searches the underground tunnels for homeless individuals like Jay Flanders, who suffers from health issues and substance abuse. Escaping rising housing costs and law enforcement, around 1,200 to 1,500 people live in these tunnels, which provide shelter from extreme weather but pose significant health risks, especially during monsoon season. Outreach workers emphasize the dangers of drug addiction and untreated health conditions, urging residents to seek medical care above ground. As housing costs soar, many homeless individuals, including tourists, end up in these perilous conditions, seeking cover from societal judgment and harsh weather.

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Kaiser Health News

In Settling Fraud Case, New York Medicare Advantage Insurer, CEO Will Pay up to $100M

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kffhealthnews.org – Fred Schulte, KFF Health News – 2024-12-20 16:31:00

SUMMARY: Independent Health Association of Buffalo and Betsy Gaffney, CEO of medical analytics firm DxID, have agreed to a settlement of up to $100 million to resolve Justice Department allegations of fraudulent Medicare billing for exaggerated or non-existent health conditions. Independent Health will pay up to $98 million, while Gaffney will contribute $2 million. Neither party admitted wrongdoing. The case was triggered by whistleblower Teresa Ross, highlighting issues of “upcoding” in Medicare Advantage plans. Ross, having faced repercussions for her allegations, will receive at least $8.2 million from the settlement. This case underscores the challenges of regulating billing practices in the Medicare system.

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