We can do more to fight poverty

March 2nd, 20220 American policymakers have a very full plate. They’ve got to grapple with health care, education, the environment, economic growth and more. The list goes on and on. Along with these priorities, I have argued for some time that the policy community needs to do more to address poverty. How much time and resources should we devote to...

First patient set to receive controversial Biogen Alzheimer’s drug

June 16th, 20210 On Wednesday, a U.S. hospital  will give the first infusion of an expensive, controversial new Alzheimer’s drug from Biogen Inc. before Medicare had even said what it will pay for — and with some doctors upset by its approval last week. The first administration of the drug, Aduhelm, outside of a clinical trial is scheduled to take...

Hang up on Medicare card scams

September 23rd, 20180 Scammers follow the news — and the money. A few months ago, the Federal Trade Commission shared the news that Medicare is sending new cards to everyone who gets Medicare benefits, replacing your Social Security number with another number. As expected, scammers have been trying to cash in on this change. These scammers typically...

Local pharmacists and doctor charged with insurance fraud

April 13th, 20180 DETROIT – Four pharmacists, a doctor and a patient recruiter have been charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in connection with a scheme to bill insurance companies for medicine that was not given to patients. Pharmacists Samir Berri of West Bloomfield, Anthony Cole of Wyandotte, Shamimur Rahman of Clinton Township, Ghassan Hamka...

Trump budget seeks cuts to domestic programs, Medicare, favors military and wall

February 16th, 20180 WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Trump proposed a budget on Monday that calls for cuts in domestic spending and social programs such as Medicare and seeks a sharp increase in military spending and funding for a wall on the Mexican border. While running for president in 2016, Trump pledged to leave popular benefit programs such as...

Gallup: Uninsured Americans rises most in near decade

February 2nd, 20180 WASHINGTON — The number of Americans without healthcare insurance rose by 3.2 million people between 2016 and 2017, or 1.3 percentage points to 12.2 percent, according to a Gallup poll released on Tuesday, the biggest jump in the uninsured rate in nearly a decade. Several factors likely contributed to the jump, Gallup said,...

Nearly 1.5 million people signed up for Obamacare plans so far

November 15th, 20170 WASHINGTON — More than 800,000 people signed up for Obamacare individual health insurance plans in the second week of open enrollment, U.S. government health officials said on Wednesday, bringing the total number of sign-ups to nearly 1.5 million so far. There is particular scrutiny of how Affordable Care Act programs are faring...