🎧 This week on Code WACK!, Rachel Madley of the Center for Health and Democracy shares practical resources for finding care without insurance, and explains why even short gaps in coverage can be dangerous. https://heal-ca.org/too-poor-for-insurance-too-sick-to-wait-americas-healthcare-trap/

🚨 Millions may lose health insurance in 2026. What happens when you need care but can’t afford it? 🎧 Hear policy expert Rachel Madley @cforhd.bsky.social share real options for surviving our broken system. 💬 Ever faced a gap in coverage? Tell us. https://loom.ly/O7gSZSk

Fewer choices. Higher costs. Longer waits. This episode explores why healthcare feels harder to navigate, and who benefits from that. 🎧 Listen now. https://loom.ly/1PEn7W8

“Having an insurer owning a medical provider allows them to disguise some profits as medical costs.” 🎙️ Rachel Madley on Code WACK! https://loom.ly/1PEn7W8

From rising employer healthcare costs to Medicaid audits, our weekly Medicare for All news round-up covers what’s shaping care across the country. Read + subscribe to stay informed - https://loom.ly/MhlerlE

Healthcare should be based on need, not ability to pay. That’s what HEAL California is fighting for. 🎧 Learn more: heal-ca.org

1 in 10 U.S. physicians are connected to UnitedHealth Group. This week’s Code WACK! episode explains why that matters, and how consolidation is reshaping healthcare. 🎧 Listen now - https://loom.ly/1PEn7W8

New Code WACK! episode 🎧 What if high costs, long waits, and fewer choices aren’t random? Rachel Madley breaks down how UnitedHealth’s massive expansion is reshaping U.S. healthcare. 2,700+ subsidiaries. 1 in 10 doctors. 🎧 Listen + tell us: have you felt this shift? https://loom.ly/1PEn7W8

Did you know? A denial from your insurance company isn’t final, many can be appealed, but the process can take weeks or even months. This week on Code WACK!, we break down what that process really looks like. 💬 Have you ever gone through an appeal? https://loom.ly/YhLzWpc

Some patients in immigration custody have been hospitalized without their families knowing where they are. California lawmakers are pushing protections to ensure access to loved ones and legal help. 👇 What should patient rights look like in these situations? https://loom.ly/-O3rpmM

Beating cancer doesn’t mean the bills stop. One survivor is still paying years later — and delaying care because of cost. Nearly half of survivors report medical debt. 👇 What needs to change so survival doesn’t come with lifelong financial stress? https://loom.ly/D6RhE14

This week in healthcare: • Birth control policy shifts • Medicare AI delays • Opioid settlement cuts • Medicaid audits A lot is changing — and it all impacts real people. 👇 Which story matters most to you? https://heal-ca.org/weekly-news-roundup-for-apr-27-2026/

“The problem in American healthcare isn’t medicine. It’s the incentives shaping the system.” That’s the reality Bob Coleman lays out in this week’s Code WACK!. When the system rewards cost over care, patients feel it. 💬 Do you agree? What needs to change? https://loom.ly/YhLzWpc

Insurance denials aren’t rare. They’re built into the system. When care is delayed or denied, patients are forced to wait, appeal or pay out of pocket. This week on Code WACK!, we break down why. Have you experienced this? 👇 https://loom.ly/YhLzWpc

Same drug. Same country. Very different price. This week on Code WACK!, Brenda Gazzar talks with retired VA healthcare professional Bob Coleman about drug pricing, political incentives, and why single payer could change the rules. Listen: https://loom.ly/YhLzWpc

“No transparency beforehand… no simple explanation afterward.” Even a 40+ year healthcare professional couldn’t make sense of his bill. This week on Code WACK!, we break down why. Does this sound familiar? https://loom.ly/KJ4xrOo

$31,000 bill. No explanation. 4-week delay. This isn’t rare. This week on Code WACK!, we break down how insurance denials actually work. Have you ever had a bill that didn’t make sense? https://loom.ly/KJ4xrOo

Check out this week’s #MedicareForAll news round-up, featuring a Healthcare Dive report showing up to 50% of denied claims are overturned on appeal. Read and subscribe: https://loom.ly/gRa07uk#MedicareForAll

What is an insurance denial… really? It’s not always about medical need. It’s often about cost. And many denials are overturned on appeal. This week on Code WACK!, we break down why. Have you experienced this? https://loom.ly/KJ4xrOo

A $31,000 bill. A 4-week delay. This week on Code WACK!, host Brenda Gazzar talks with Bob Coleman about how insurance denials really work and why they’re increasing. Have you experienced this? https://loom.ly/KJ4xrOo

Healthcare costs keep rising… but here’s why: • Employers don’t see the full picture • Higher costs can mean higher profits • No transparency = no control This week on Code WACK!, we break down what’s happening behind the scenes. Which one surprised you most? https://loom.ly/z6zXIWA

We expect employers to run their business AND understand healthcare? That’s a lot. This week on Code WACK!, we explore why that expectation doesn’t match reality — and how it impacts costs. Should employers even be responsible for healthcare? https://loom.ly/z6zXIWA

A new CMS rule could cost taxpayers $18 billion while boosting insurer payments. What does that mean for patients? It’s all in this week’s Medicare For All news round-up. Stay informed and subscribe. https://loom.ly/1X05oS8

Healthcare costs keep rising… but many employers don’t even see the full picture. Hidden pricing = decisions made in the dark. This week on Code WACK!, we unpack why employers are “flying blind.” Do your healthcare costs make sense to you? https://loom.ly/z6zXIWA

Most employers don’t even know what they’re paying for healthcare. This week on Code WACK!, we break down why companies are “flying blind” and how hidden costs drive higher premiums. 🎧 Listen + tell us: do YOU understand your healthcare costs? https://loom.ly/z6zXIWA

“Most companies spend more on healthcare benefits than supplies and materials.” Healthcare isn’t just expensive for patients — it’s a major employer cost too. New Code WACK! episode explores why. Should healthcare be tied to jobs? https://loom.ly/tQ3-WiU

“There’s really no consistency and no single regulator that sees the full picture.” That’s how fragmented the healthcare system is. New Code WACK! episode with Chuck Melendi breaks it down. Do we need stronger oversight? https://loom.ly/tQ3-WiU

Here’s something more people are starting to realize: Healthcare isn’t just expensive for patients. It’s one of the biggest expenses for employers too. And yet, many companies still can’t fully see what they’re paying for. https://loom.ly/tQ3-WiU

Medical debt isn’t rare. It’s happening to millions — even people with insurance. When costs rise and pricing stays hidden, people delay care, skip meds, or take on debt. New Code WACK! episode explores why. What’s been your experience? https://loom.ly/tQ3-WiU

Check out this week’s #MedicareForAll news round-up, featuring @nbcnews.com on rising hospital costs that are pushing Americans into debt - even those with coverage. Stay informed and subscribe for weekly updates. https://loom.ly/UksxdgI

Why are healthcare costs rising for employers… and employees? This episode breaks down the “black box” behind premiums, PBMs, and hidden pricing. 🎧 Listen + tell us what surprised you most https://loom.ly/tQ3-WiU

Did you know? Medicaid “middlemen” may be delaying care, limiting access to doctors, and pushing providers out. Some states are pushing back. 🎧 New Code WACK! episode 👇 What surprised you most? https://loom.ly/qHukDys

“Managed Care Organizations do utilize prior authorizations to really delay and deny care.” That’s what’s happening inside Medicaid. 🎧 New Code WACK! episode 👇 Have you experienced this? https://loom.ly/qHukDys

Check out this powerful article from @kffhealthnews.org about a woman who lost her health coverage over a 5-cent bill. Yes, really. Read what happened—and why it matters. Subscribe to stay informed on healthcare news. https://loom.ly/eYvlGMo

Check out this week’s #MedicareForAll news round-up, featuring @propublica.org on the growing risk of a measles surge if vaccination rates continue to drop. Stay informed on what’s at stake 👇 Read & subscribe for weekly updates. https://loom.ly/etApUB4

Most Medicaid patients are routed through private insurers. Critics say it’s creating delays, narrow networks, and less access to care. Some states are pushing back. 🎧 New Code WACK! episode dives in. What’s your experience with Medicaid? https://loom.ly/qHukDys

“It prioritizes profit… not helping people get the care they need.” — Dr. Alankrita Olson 🎧 This week on Code WACK! https://loom.ly/9CicyaU 👇 Do you agree?

Families are being hit with $10,000+ medical bills, even for doctor-recommended care, due to insurance denials and prior authorization delays. This story highlights the real cost of our broken system. Read more in this week’s Medicare for All news round-up and subscribe. https://loom.ly/gkCgDVg

Care delayed isn’t just an inconvenience — it can have real consequences. When doctors are forced to spend hours navigating insurance approvals, that’s time taken away from patients who need care now 🎧 Listen now: https://loom.ly/9CicyaU

Across the country, momentum for health care reform is growing. From Chicago lawmakers calling for Medicare for All to frontline doctors speaking out about patient risks, this week’s news round-up captures the urgency of the moment. https://loom.ly/GazCJZo

Health care costs continue to rise, and families are feeling it. A new report shows many Americans are cutting back on essentials like food and clothing just to afford coverage. https://loom.ly/9CicyaU

Nearly 70% of Medicaid beneficiaries are enrolled in private insurance plans. At the same time, when one state removed these middlemen, physician participation increased by 33%. So what does that tell us about how this system is working? 🎧 Listen now: https://loom.ly/9CicyaU

Let’s ask the real questions: Who wins when Medicaid is privatized? Why are doctors fighting for care approval? What would healthcare look like without middlemen? 🎧 New Code WACK! episode: https://loom.ly/9CicyaU

Why are private insurers making money off Medicaid? This week on Code WACK!, Dr. Alankrita Olson breaks down how middlemen delay care, deny treatment, and put profits first. heal-ca.org/the-middleme...

What happens when private equity firms buy hospitals? Dr. Renee Hsia explains how buyouts can lead to staffing cuts, longer ER waits, and changes in patient care. Swipe to learn 3 things you should know about private equity hospital buyouts. https://loom.ly/ECermkM

Did you know? Emergency department deaths increased about 13% after private equity hospital acquisitions, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Dr. Renee Hsia explains why in the latest Code WACK! episode. https://loom.ly/ECermkM

What happens when private equity firms buy hospitals? Dr. Renee Hsia joins Code WACK! to explain how staffing cuts, ER crowding, and financial incentives can affect patient care. 🎧 Listen now. https://loom.ly/ECermkM

Research published in Annals of Internal Medicine found emergency department deaths increased about 13% after private equity hospital acquisitions. Dr. Renee Hsia explains why this may happen in the latest Code WACK! episode. Have you noticed changes at your local hospital? https://loom.ly/ECermkM

When private equity firms buy hospitals, what changes for patients? Dr. Renee Hsia joins Code WACK! to explain how staffing cuts, longer ER waits, and financial incentives can affect care. 🎧 Listen and tell us your thoughts. Have you seen changes at your local hospital? https://loom.ly/ECermkM

Did you know? Hospitals bought by private equity firms were linked to 7 more deaths per 10,000 ER visits. Hear emergency physician Dr. Renee Hsia explain the research on this week’s Code WACK! podcast. 🎧 Listen now - https://loom.ly/bolijV0