Best of the Left Podcast

Tue, 4 September 2018

#1207 Bleeding us to death (Health Care Costs)

Air Date: 9/4/2018

Today we take a look at many of the underlying reasons that health care in America is so expensive and how those who benefit from the status quo work to keep it that way

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Exposing Massive Waste In Our For-Profit Medical System - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 10-30-17

Investigative journalist Marshall Allen discusses his latest piece on systematic waste in health care costs that companies are making a profit from.

Ch. 2: Matthias Müllenbeck: What if we paid doctors to keep people healthy? - @TEDTalks - Air Date 4-18-18

What if we incentivized doctors to keep us healthy instead of paying them only when we're sick? This shift from a sick care system to a health care system could save us from unnecessary costs and risky procedures -- and keep us healthier for longer.

Ch. 3: The Town That Loves Death - Planet Money - Air Date 10-5-16

We'll take you to a place where dying has become acceptable dinner conversation for teenagers and senior citizens alike. It's a place that also happens to have the lowest Medicare spending of any region in the country.

Ch. 4: Explaining the Koch-funded study that shows Single Payer would save us money on health care - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 8-3-18

Far too many news outlets chose to only report on the costs of universal coverage while neglecting to mention any of the savings which would result in lower net health care expenditures.

Ch. 5: How Corporate Healthcare Interests are Trying to Scare You Out of Universal Healthcare - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 8-13-18

The morbidly rich are wasting no time countering the momentum progressives are making towards universal health care, and now corporate healthcare interests scared of losing their obscene profits are trying to scare you into giving up single payer.

Ch. 6: Stephanie Kelton using Modern Monetary Theory to explain the affordability of universal health care - Citations Needed (@CitationsPod) - Air Date 9-27-18

We examine the primary talking points against Single Payer and other big government programs and how to combat them with guest Stephanie Kelton.

Ch. 8: Final comments on the movement of the Overton window right before our eyes

REMINDER: SUPPORT PROGRESSIVE PRIMARY CANDIDATES!

(For future primary & general election spotlights, listen for future segments of "The Midterms Minute.")

SEPT 6th - Delaware (Reg. Deadlines: Primaries - August 11th / General - October 13th)

Senate: Kerri Evelyn Harris (Further reading)

SEPT 11th - New Hampshire (Reg. Deadlines: Primary & General: Same day registration & voting (*see details); NO online registration)

NH Voter Info from Rock the Vote

List of NH Election Offices

1st district: Mindi Messemer

Governor: Molly Kelly vs. Steve Marchand (Further Reading: NHPR | Concord Monitor)