Medicare For All Explained

Dealing with HIV

This is episode 20, “Dealing with HIV.”

My guest, Kenyon Farrow,  was named a "Modern Black History Hero" by Black Entertainment Television.

He is an award-winning writer, activist, and strategist. He has worked on local and national campaigns on issues related to criminalization/mass imprisonment, homelessness, health justice and LGBT rights.

Mr. Farrow is currently the senior editor with TheBody.com,  a news and information site focused on HIV, LGBT health, and social justice, and serves on the board of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group (NYTAG).

Do not miss episode 20 as Mr. Farrow describes how our current health care system prevents people with HIV from getting necessary care and how Medicare for All would help them and would help reduce the transmission of HIV.

Please note that there was a connection problem during the interview that sometimes affected audio quality.

How Do We Meet the Needs of People Who Need Mental Health Services? Poorly!

This is episode 19, “How Do We Meet the Needs of People Who Need Mental Health Services? Poorly!”

My guest, Doctor Leslie Gise, MD, is a psychiatrist who has practiced in New York City for 30 years, and then practiced in Hawaii for 24 years. She loves psychiatry, but quit practicing because of the intrusions of managed care. In Hawaii, she has worked in the public sector for 20 years treating disadvantaged people with severe mental illness. Half of them had substance use disorders as well.

Doctor Gise has served as the Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the John A Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. She has been on the faculty of medical schools for 48 years

Doctor Gise is a Past-President of two national professional organizations. She has reviewed for many journals and has many publications. She has made presentations all over the world and has been quoted extensively in the media.

Do not miss episode 19 as Dr. Gise describes how our current health care system fails to meet the needs of people who require mental health services and how Medicare for All can help.

We Can’t Truly Help People in This For-Profit System

This is episode 18, “We Can’t Truly Help People in This For-Profit System.”

My guest, Kristy Fogle, founded the Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition. She is an Emergency Medicine Physician Assistant who works in the Baltimore, Maryland, area.

Ms. Fogle is a progressive healthcare activist working with Progressive Maryland and their National affiliate, People’s Action. She was one of several activists who were invited to sit in as official advocates in support of HR 1384 in the first ever Medicare for All Hearing by the House Rules Committee.

Do not miss episode 18 as Ms. Fogle describes the problems with our current health care system and why we need Medicare for All.

If you like more information about the  Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition, check out their Facebook page.

Every Shift I Would See Patients Struggling for Their Care

This is episode 17, “Every Shift I Would See Patients Struggling for Their Care.” 

My guest, Jonathan Michels, discusses how he came to support Medicare for All.

Jonathan Michels started working in a hospital transporting patients. He became a radiology technician and is currently taking premed courses for entry into medical school. Mr. Michels also works as a freelance journalist.

As a radiology technician, Mr. Michels discovered that people were often stressed about paying for medical care. This led him to become active in Students for a National Health Program and led him to co-organize a protest against the American Medical Association’s position against single-payer.

Do not miss episode 17 as Mr. Michels explains how his experiences caused him to become an activist for Medicare for All.

A Different Kind of Going Broke

This is episode 16, “A Different Kind of Going Broke.”

My guest, Professor Neil Buchanan, discusses how our current health care system is destroying the economy and how single-payer Medicare for All would fix that.

Neil Buchanan is an economist and a professor of law. He is an expert on the federal budget and the budgeting process. Professor Buchanan recently accepted an offer to move from The George Washington University to the University of Florida, where he will hold an eminent scholar chair in tax law. His research focuses on government finances, debt, deficits, and obligations between generations.

Do not miss episode 16 as Professor Buchanan provides insight about the problems with our current health care system and how Medicare for All can solve them.

Please note that there was a connection problem during the interview, which sometimes affected audio quality. 

A Revelation

This is episode 15, “A Revelation.” My guest, Stephanie Nakajima, discusses her personal experiences with health care systems in the United States, Japan, and Denmark.

Ms. Nakajima is the Director of Communications at Healthcare-NOW, which advocates for the United States to implement a single-payer health care system. She previously worked as writer, editor, and journalist in Tokyo and covered the Fukushima nuclear disaster and organized crime. She has also worked for the Danish Institute for Human Rights and the Danish Refugee Council in Copenhagen.

Do not miss episode 15 as Ms. Nakajima experiences as a health care consumer clearly illustrate the benefits of national health programs and why we need single-payer Medicare for All.  

Health Care In Rural America

This is episode 14, “Health Care in Rural America,”

My guest, Dina van der Zalm, discusses health care problems faced by rural Americans.

Ms. van der Zahm has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from New York University. After a brief stint with corporate America, she joined the Peace Corps. She worked in Lanzhou, China teaching English for two years on the edge of the Gobi Desert. When she completed her Peace Corps service, she moved to Missouri where sheattended the University of Missouri and received her MSW and Masters of Public Health in 2016.

She has been working as a Health Care Organizer at the Missouri Rural Crisis Center for three years.

Do not miss episode 14 as it discusses the unique and common problems that rural Americans have obtaining and affording health care.

We’ll Win by Building a Grassroots Movement

This is episode 13, “We’ll Win by Building a Grassroots Movement.”

My guest, Max Cotterill, is a community organizer with the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United. He works on their Medicare for All organizing campaign. Mr. Cotterill previously worked as the Deputy Field Director of the Real Justice PAC, helped to start an organization called Knock Every Door, and worked on the national organizing staff of the Bernie 2016 campaign.

Do not miss episode 13 as it explains the most effective methods to build support for Medicare for All.

If you want to help make Medicare for All a reality, here is the link that was mentioned in this episode, https://medicare4all.org.

When You’ve Got a For-Profit System, True Care Goes Out the Window

This is episode 12, “When You’ve Got a For-Profit System, True Care Goes Out the Window,” and it explains why nurses support Medicare for All.

My guest, Jean Ross, is a registered nurse and President of National Nurses United, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States.

Ms. Ross is a passionate advocate for social justice. She grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota and has worked at the same medical center, Fairview Southdale Hospital, for 35 years.

Ms. Ross was chief steward at her hospital for 20 years, and she played a key role in merging several unions to form National Nurses United in 2009. National Nurses United is a leader and passionate advocate for Medicare for All.

Do not miss episode 12 as it explains the problems with our current health care system, why we need Medicare for All, and the false arguments against it. 

If you want to help make Medicare for All a reality, here is the link that was mentioned in this episode, https://medicare4all.org. Any help will be appreciated.

Hearing Highlights

This is episode 11, “Hearing Highlights.” On April 30, 2019, in Washington, DC, the House Committee on Rules held a historic hearing. It was the first ever hearing in Congress on Medicare for All. This episode highlights some of the major arguments that I think are likely to occur during the debate on Medicare for All.

As the debate over Medicare for All heats up, this episode should not be missed.