It may be hard for the Gen Z crowd to accept, but there was a time when Republicans in Congress believed in fiscal responsibility — restraining government spending and working to limit federal debt. Sadly, all most Gen Zers have ever known is big-spending Republicans.
Tuesday Links – 1 September 2026
Across five cancers, Medicaid beneficiaries were between 11% and 42% more likely than privately insured patients to wait more than a month for treatment. Medicare patients fared somewhat better but were still between 4% and 12% more likely to wait a month or more than individuals with private coverage.
Medicaid and Medicare patients are more likely than patients with private coverage to face extended emergency-room waits before being admitted to a hospital.
- The low down on Roy Cohn. (The Atlantic)
- No more GLP-1?
A handful of major corporations have recently said they are ending coverage of GLP-1s specifically for obesity, including PepsiCo, Starbucks, PwC, and HCA Healthcare. Large health insurers, state Medicaid plans, and public-sector employers have been cutting GLP-1 coverage for weight loss since 2024. (Statnews)
Monday Links – 31 August 2026
- Benefits Cliffs: In Illinois, a family earning an additional $1,000, at a certain threshold, loses more than $25,000 in net resources…. [A] hypothetical single parent in the District of Columbia gains nothing financially as earnings rise from $11,000 to $65,000.
- 250 California state employees were paid more than $600,000 last year.
- Where you can see puffins.
- “Black Americans continue to experience higher colorectal cancer mortality rates, and rural and medically underserved communities face persistent barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment.”
Does Your Doctor Need a Boss?
Over the years my doctors have been good at helping me save money when they realize I’m price sensitive. Physicians who work for large organizations have less leeway when their practice of medicine is controlled by a hospital system and they are graded on referrals. Nowadays about 75% of physicians are employees rather than independent practice.