You can’t really dust for vomit…

What's your all's favorite underrated Spinal Tap line? Mine might be "mime is money," which I say in my head all the time when something is slow

I find that how well someone knows Spinal Tap is a fairly decent litmus test of how much I'll get along with them.

Really can't wait for this to get mashed up with great replacement theory

Armed ICE agents trapped US citizens in a restaurant and demanded their papers. Federal agents walked into East African restaurants in Cedar-Riverside, MN. They closed and blocked the doors. Then they demanded to see everyone’s papers. Every person present was a US citizen.

When they’re hungry

I suppose they might view the forthcoming Medicaid coverage losses they voted for as victory over the middle man for millions of Americans.

For some reason I can only read “innovation” in Jack Donaghy voice.

OMG. I never met her, but her work was incredibly brilliant and important. What a huge loss.

I would love to see if GOP leaders commit to allowing CBO to complete its full analysis of this bill before starting debate.

@ddiamond.bsky.social is a class act and an excellent reporter.

I know it’s hard, but remember that it wasn’t just Cassidy that voted for this. It was every GOP senator but McConnell. And a lot of needless suffering will result.

I'll clear my schedule.

Donald Trump’s disgraceful attacks on Minnesota’s Somali community are injecting more of his poisonous racism into our beloved home state. Hearing him single out our people based solely on their race and country of origin is downright disgusting.

I'm not going to share Trump's hateful comments. I stand with my Somali neighbors who bring so much to our city. Mayor Frey, this is a big chance for you to step up and stand up for all Minneapolitans.

Good news: MEPS is back up. I hope that there was a benign explanation for this, and that it will be shared with everyone.

Looks like this has been archived by the Data Rescue Project portal.datarescueproject.org/datasets/med...

While we wait to see what is going on, please note that you can still get most of what is in MEPS microdata from IPUMS: meps.ipums.org/meps/

MEPS seems to be gone as of now. This is very bad. These are critical pieces of data about health care and they belong to the American public.

Important thread.

Pearl Jam (like x12) Prince The Bad Plus Semisonic Buddy Guy

🚨New Paper🚨 US doctors are paid very different amounts for treating different patients—even when providing identical services. How much less are physicians paid for treating non-White patients? In @jamahealthforum.com, we offer the 1st national estimates. (1/7) jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

My kids are going to be so excited about their Chanukah present this year!

Here it comes: the crisis wave of Americans making the tough choice to drop coverage — in the face or rising premiums. @reuters.com $XLV www.reuters.com/world/americ...

Looking forward to the next iteration of this work, “F- it, we’re doing four robustnesses.”

“Varied”

Some thoughts on optimizing prior authorization in Medicare Advantage, co-authored with some of my favorite scholars @hneprash.bsky.social, @michaelannica.bsky.social, and @egolberstein.bsky.social, and supported by @commonwealthfund.org www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2025/re...

So… who needs more cat pictures to help cope with everything?

I know it’s hard, but remember that it wasn’t just Cassidy that voted for this. It was every GOP senator but McConnell. And a lot of needless suffering will result.

CSWEP strongly condemns Larry Summers’ behavior as revealed in the email correspondence with the late Jeffrey Epstein. While abuse of power in the economics profession is not new, rarely has the intent behind such abuse been so clearly stated.

Wow, looks just like this guy

He has my dashing looks.

There's a lot to say about this, but I think most people understand at a gut level that insurance companies don't have much incentive to negotiate with an individual person. No individual will drive an insurer's margin, unless it's by being catastrophically expensive. Who even wants this?

Leaving aside the issue that people buying insurance would buy it from insurance companies. This sounds like an effort to let people bypass the ACA. Healthy people could buy cheaper insurance that doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, sending the ACA into a premium death spiral.

UCare, the largest HMO in MN, to cease operations in 2026 & transition remaining enrollees to Medica. According to MN Health Market Review 2025, UCare lost $480.7 million in 2024 and $125.4 million in first half of 2025. allanbaumgarten.com/minnesota/ For coverage of UCare's plans: bit.ly/4pjAi8T

Very excited to be guest-editing a special issue of @jhppl.bsky.social on the politics of private health insurance, alongside @mirandayaver.bsky.social Send us your papers! assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/f7ca9afb-82c...

If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.

Deportations actually _increase_ housing prices because they shrink the construction industry. The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand

UMN slogans. Out: “Driven to Discover” In: “Elevate Extraordinary” Next (presumably): “Fixated on Funding” After that: “Gophering for Greatness”

Was thinking about this...

If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.

👇

People famously like interacting with insurance companies. (I'm not even anti-insurer, I just can't imagine who actually wants this.)

Pleased to share that tonight my family graduates from the small jar of chili crisp to the large jar.

Timely.

If he thinks that bad, wait til he sees how few people file claims for auto, fire, and flood insurance.

With the mini-burst of proposals to replace enhanced PTCs with spending accounts like FSAs, keep in mind that this would *absolutely wallop* older people with middle incomes—say a 63-year-old earning $65K—who are among the most dependent on enhanced PTCs. 🧵1/

Also is incompatible with pushing to rely on private insurance to deliver Medicare via Medicare Advantage.

Yep. I’ve banged this drum before but if there were any sincerity or consistency, R’s would have implemented work requirements for spouses and adult dependents to be eligible for these huge subsidies for employer-sponsored insurance.

Yeah, this place has the au jus.