Is racism in health care still a problem in 2026? Absolutely.
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This time on Code WACK! This time on Code WACK! In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re rebroadcasting this episode examining how desegregation shaped the experiences of Black patients in America – and what still hasn’t changed. What does racism in medicine look like today? To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system....
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Revisiting America's racist - and deadly - legacy
Code WACK!
This time on Code WACK! In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we’re rebroadcasting our on one of the most overlooked civil rights battles in American history: the desegregation of hospitals. The episode features Dr. Barbara Berney, a distinguished public health scholar and the creator of the award-winning documentary Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution. Together, we explore how federal Medicare dollars were used as a powerful tool to force hospitals to integrate in the 1960s. We’re uplifting this groundbreaking story to educate a new generation about the...
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Inside California’s Push for Guaranteed Healthcare
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This time on Code WACK! As healthcare costs skyrocket and Americans face new coverage threats, California advocates are pushing for something bigger than simple fixes around the edges. We’re joined by longtime healthcare organizer Michael Lighty, who breaks down the fight for single payer, what’s at stake in 2026, and why unity may be the key to winning guaranteed healthcare for all. Michael is the president of Healthy California Now and has organized, advocated and developed policy for single payer Medicare for All nationally and in California for more than 30 years. This is the second...
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Why More Americans Want Medicare for All
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This time on Code WACK! Today we’re talking about rising healthcare costs and the renewed momentum behind Medicare for All. Recent polling shows majority support for the idea across Democrats, independents, and even a notable share of Republicans, even when voters are told it would replace most private insurance and require higher taxes. As premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs continue to climb, healthcare affordability is once again front and center in the political debate. To help us unpack what’s driving this support-and whether it represents a real political...
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Aging in place is hard. Could neighbors be an answer?
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This time on Code WACK! America is facing a looming crisis in caregiving with an aging population and scarce in-home care resources. Could neighborhood-based care networks offer answers? What becomes possible when they’re in place? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon, a scientist-turned-storyteller, caregiver and founder of a business helping neighbors build caring communities and local economies through community villages. She spent more than two years caring for her father, who lived with dementia, and is currently the unreimbursed caregiver for her elderly mother in...
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The Caregiving Crisis Is Here - and America Isn’t Ready
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This time on Code WACK! Suddenly, with little notice, you may find yourself having to step into a caregiving role for a friend or family member. Maybe you already have. It could be an aging parent, an ailing partner or an injured child. What does it really cost—emotionally, physically, and financially—to care for someone you love? To find out, we recently spoke with Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon, a scientist turned storyteller and caregiver whose life changed in an instant. What she thought would be a brief visit to her father ultimately became a years’ long caregiving journey that...
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The hidden forces behind skyrocketing health insurance costs
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This time on Code WACK! Join us on a deep dive into the hidden forces behind soaring out-of-pocket costs, from rising medical costs to pandemic aftershocks and corporate profit pressures. Our guest, health insurance agent Sherry Davis Johnson, shares eye-opening stories from the front lines. We’ll also explore how the Affordable Care Act has saved lives, what protections still matter most, and what it really takes to navigate today’s healthcare maze. This is the second episode in a two part-series. Sherry Davis Johnson — a former nurse turned long–time insurance agent in...
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‘Widespread Panic:’ Rising Premiums and Shrinking Subsidies Explained
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This time on Code WACK! We’re digging into big questions: Are reduced health insurance subsidies leaving Americans with a bad case of sticker shock? If you’re shopping on the ACA marketplace, what should you watch out for before picking a plan? And what happens if you're pre-authorized for treatment in 2025, but can't afford to renew with the same plan in 2026? (It's not pretty). For these answers and more, we talked to Sherry Davis Johnson — a former nurse turned long–time insurance agent in Southern California. Sherry has seen our challenging healthcare system from every angle, as a...
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Love your Medicare Advantage plan? It does NOT love you back
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This time on Code WACK! Will Humana and UnitedHealth Group be found by the courts to have prematurely denied or cut off physician-ordered post-acute care for Medicare Advantage members using And could these same AI tools, which allege systematically deny patients necessary care, be used in Traditional Medicare as well? To learn more, we spoke with Jeremy White, author of , published recently by White Lines Press. Jeremy and his wife, Edie, founded the award-winning satirical publication Red Shtick Magazine and its online version, . They live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This is the...
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BS, Gaslighting & AI: Demystifying the health insurance denial process
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This time on Code WACK! Imagine watching your mom suffer a stroke and two seizures that left her unable to use her right side… and then having her Medicare Advantage health insurer deny coverage for the nursing home care she desperately needs. Now imagine learning that the decision to deny her coverage may have been based on artificial intelligence (AI) instead of clinical observation by a qualified medical professional! Here to share this shocking personal story is Jeremy White, author of , published by White Lines Press. Jeremy and his wife, Edie, founded the award-winning satirical...
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Today we’re talking about rising healthcare costs and the renewed momentum behind Medicare for All. Recent polling shows majority support for the idea across Democrats, independents, and even a notable share of Republicans, even when voters are told it would replace most private insurance and require higher taxes.
As premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs continue to climb, healthcare affordability is once again front and center in the political debate. To help us unpack what’s driving this support-and whether it represents a real political opportunity-we’re joined by longtime healthcare advocate and policy strategist Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now and former healthcare constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. This is the first of two episodes with Michael Lighty.
Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!
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