The United States is entering a period many are calling a new Dark Age for public health, as sweeping changes at the CDC and federal health agencies create unprecedented anxiety and disruption. While some argued the CDC needed reform, the recent shakeups, marked by mass firings, controversial new leadership, and abrupt data blackouts, represent the wrong approachContinueContinue reading “Public Health Dark Age”
Tag Archives: healthcare
Healthcare or Profitcare?
Why the U.S. Healthcare System is a Mess The U.S. healthcare system consistently underperforms compared to other high-income countries. According to a Commonwealth Fund Report and article in Harvard Business Review, even the best U.S. states fall short when measured against nations like France, Germany, the UK, and Australia. Key Points Performance Gap: The U.S.ContinueContinue reading “Healthcare or Profitcare?”
Nurse Practitioner Training Issues
The training of nurse practitioners (NPs) varies widely, and that variation is one of the most important points in any discussion about their role in healthcare. 1. Entry Pathways RN-to-NP: Some NPs start as registered nurses (RNs) with years of bedside experience before pursuing graduate NP training. Direct-entry: Others enter NP programs without prior RN work, moving straight fromContinueContinue reading “Nurse Practitioner Training Issues”
Mind Reading 1.0
Scientists have achieved a breakthrough in decoding the “inner voice”, the words people imagine saying, using brain-computer interfaces, offering new hope for patients with paralysis or severe speech impairments. The technology can now translate imagined speech into text, raising both exciting possibilities and important ethical questions about mental privacy. How the Technology Works Microelectrode arraysContinueContinue reading “Mind Reading 1.0”
Interesting Development, Long Overdue
Some doctors won’t be happy 🧐 But will they now just make everyone underpaid? For decades, the prices Medicare pays doctors for different medical services have been largely decided not by Medicare itself, but by a powerful industry group, the American Medical Association. An A.M.A. committee meets in secret to determine the difficulty and timeContinueContinue reading “Interesting Development, Long Overdue”
Summary & Analysis of Proposed AMA Resolution on ACIP — A-25 (2025):
Core Issue: This resolution is a strong, urgent response by the American Medical Association (AMA) and several major specialty organizations to recent actions taken by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. involving changes to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—a critical scientific advisory group within the CDC that helps set U.S. vaccine policy. KeyContinueContinue reading “Summary & Analysis of Proposed AMA Resolution on ACIP — A-25 (2025):”
Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” – A Ticking Time Bomb for American Families
Donald Trump has proudly labeled it his “big, beautiful bill.” But behind the bluster and branding lies sprawling legislation that could devastate millions of Americans. 1. Health Insurance for 13.7 Million – Gone This bill would strip at least 13.7 million people of their health insurance coverage. That’s not just a statistic—it’s cancer treatments postponed,ContinueContinue reading “Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” – A Ticking Time Bomb for American Families”
Think Twice before you get that CAT Scan
CT scans, a widely used medical imaging technology to diagnose diseases, may be more harmful than previously thought, and account for about 5% of new cancer cases annually in the U.S. population, according to new research led by UCSF scientists. That puts CT (computed tomography) scans — which expose patients to ionizing radiation, a known carcinogen —ContinueContinue reading “Think Twice before you get that CAT Scan”
Medical Aid in Dying Hearing
HB140’s public hearing in the Senate Executive Committee has been officially scheduled for Wednesday, April 9th at 2:00PM EST. To testify in person: Email me directly letting me know you want to participate. If you have already contacted me about testifying, no further action is needed. Arrive at the Capitol (411 Legislative Ave., Dover DE 19901) by 1:30PM on 4/9/25 andContinueContinue reading “Medical Aid in Dying Hearing”
Draft Podcast Transcript & References
Understanding Patient Autonomy in Medical Aid in Dying AI-generated Audio Version Thank you Dr Biasotto for allowing me to speak today about Medical Aid in Dying. I’m going to shift the conversation more towards patient autonomy and choice and provide an overview of medical aid in dying. In my neurology practice, I see patients everyContinueContinue reading “Draft Podcast Transcript & References”
Dr Bob, Brain Mechanic 