Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

mRNA flu vaccine FTW

As a molecular biologist, I’m a huge fan of mRNA vaccines. I enrolled in the phase III Moderna clinical trial for the COVID mRNA vaccines. Since August 2020, I’ve had eight jabs. Yes, I did get a COVID infection along the way, but I didn’t end up in the ED or the morgue. It’s easy […]

Rural Hospitals

I have worked on this on and off in an attempt to make it more interesting. I can not. It is dull but a much needed report as it is a serious issue for thousands of people living outside of cities. Rural areas do not have the care many people need. The Feds and states […]

Ultraprocessed foods are not poison

As any pharmacologist or toxicologist will tell you, the dose makes the poison. Most rice contains arsenic. Baked goods contain acrylamide. Seafood contains methylmercury. Natural groundwater contains fluoride. But in moderation, none of those things are toxic. Thanks to RFK Jr, there’s been a lot of silly nattering about the alleged dangers of ultraprocessed foods. […]

New Medicaid Work Rules by Repubs

“Strict Medicaid work rules could harm people with serious illnesses, advocates say,” NPR Advocates for people with serious illnesses, like cancer and HIV, say the strict Medicaid work rules that the Trump administration released this week are likely to put ongoing treatments in jeopardy. States must put the work requirements into effect by January 1. […]

Hospital Pricing Rising Faster for Private Insurance?

Private healthcare insurance polices and pricing is more varied than Medicare. No surprise there. The only thing you may deal with in having Medicare is Supplemental. The ACA should be similar to Medicare pricing. ACA Marketplace plans and Medicare differ significantly in costs and pricing (Supplemental). Too much freedom or leeway was given to the […]

“What will the politicians do to hold healthcare corporations accountable for high costs?”

Commentary by Andrew Sprung at his site: xpostfactoid. Besides the other factors, I will point out, Hospital Prices Have Risen Much Faster for Private Insurance Than Medicare Since 2019 per a KFF report in May of this year. The increases “represent approximately one third of total health care spending and accounted for 40% of spending growth from 2022 to […]

Whatever we’re paying him, it’s too much

The NYT published an article reporting that RFK Jr has abandoned most of his responsibilities: “Mr. Kennedy has shown little interest in managing the details of work in his department, according to multiple colleagues,” Sheryl Gay Stolberg wrote in the article. “Instead, they say, he is single-mindedly focused on his top priorities, including food recommendations […]

Cancer teleology

It astonishes me what passes for reasoning among “conservatives.” “Steve Gruber, host of the conservative network’s morning program Day Break, made the announcement Wednesday alongside his guest and wife, Ivey Ramos Gruber, who agreed sunglasses might also be unnecessary. The segment fits neatly into the MAHA movement’s growing anti-sunscreen wing — and straight into a […]