- Ear mark hogs in the GOP: “the top 62 ear markers in the House were Republicans. Eight of the 10 ear markers in the Senate were Republicans.”
- California is getting rich off Medicaid.
- Since 2013, the number of Americans living in poverty has fallen by 10 million, while Medicaid’s monthly enrollment has leaped from 54 million to 79 million.
- GAO: “We estimated that the federal government could lose between $233 billion and $521 billion annually to fraud.”
- How to do well at work: “Higher conscientiousness and emotional stability and lower agreeableness levels enhance earnings and job stability.”
Category: Single-Payer/Medicare-for-All
Saturday Links
- AAF fun fact of the day: Canada has 432 MRI machines, while the United States has roughly 13,000. Adjusting for population, the United States has roughly four times the number of MRI machines per capita.
- Krugman: Why Republicans can’t afford to cut Medicaid benefits.
- The incidence of the flu is approaching recon levels. Vaccination rates are down.
- Argument: one-third of Medicare spending is waste.
- Prices insurers pay for common medical procedures are all over the map.
WSJ: Insurers Deny 850 Million Claims Annually, 1% are Appealed with 75% Success
The Wall Street Journal reports that health insurers deny 850 million claims a year. The small number of people who appeal often win.