Sign in

Adam Beckman, MD

@adambeckman.bsky.social
149 followers 121 following 45 posts

Helping strengthen primary care & public health. Physician, previously special advisor to the 21st U.S. Surgeon General, views mine

PostsRepliesMedia
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
So aren’t we the lucky ones, we residents who celebrated together when we helped her get better; who hugged in the stairwell when he died alone; who now know, for the rest of our lives, hard things don’t require despair; we can just keep calling on each other. /end
000
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
They’re right. Learning to care for people who come to us because they are suffering is hard. But, as pediatric oncologist and writer Chris Adrian reminds us, hospital and clinic walls are no barrier; suffering is everywhere as we step out into the world. /3
110
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The other day a medical student asked me, ‘Residency seems hard. Now that you know, would you do it again?’ /2
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
It’s funny how our conversations about this @brighamandwomens.bsky.social residency experience evolved ‘I’m excited to try this’ ‘I’m not sure I can do this’ ‘I loved this’ ‘I’m tired of this’ ‘Oh wow, I’m going to miss this’ /1
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Free JAMA link: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... Tell us what you think, and please reach out if you want to join us!
jamanetwork.com
From Breakthrough to Follow-Through—A Public Health Agenda for AI
This Viewpoint discusses the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in ensuring that patients eligible for highly effective interventions are identified and receive them.
010
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Realizing this vision requires the union of government leadership, technology, cross-sector partnerships, and capital. And the outstanding B2F team is actually doing it...starting with the new $100m initiative Common Health Coalition just launched to double hepatitis C tx /4
120
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Of course, bold claims abound regarding AI in health. The techno-utopian vision of doubling life span with AI seems a stretch. But should we not find the status quo, in which the average US citizen celebrates only a single healthy birthday after age 65, just as unbelievable? /3
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Bridging the stubborn gap between what we know and what we do in health has typically required campaigns and small armies for identification, engagement, and treatment. Could AI help with radically compressing the time frame? /2
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Dr. Dave Chokshi and I wrote about a 'public agenda' for AI and health in @jama.com, starting with translating breakthroughs (like cervical cancer screening or curative antivirals for hepatitis C) into follow-through that actually reaches patients. /1
152
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
If this mission resonates, reach out to join us! The village building the program is exceptional. Website: lnkd.in/gyG9efpz Press release: lnkd.in/ghdepagE @annezinkmd.bsky.social @kkjetelina.bsky.social @agawande.bsky.social @meganranney.bsky.social
000
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Led by the Common Health Coalition with funding from the OpenAI Foundation, the initial cohort of partner state governments include Illinois, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Louisiana, with four more to follow.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
B2F aims to close the discovery-to-delivery gap by combining public health approaches with clinical AI, starting with the bold goal of doubling hepatitis C cure rates within two years.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Which treatments reach fewer than half of patients who could benefit? Cures for hepatitis C, PrEP for HIV, blood pressure control for hypertension--each is a breakthrough undermined by a failure to follow-through.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Today, we are thrilled to launch Breakthroughs to Follow-Through, a new $100m initiative to ensure that existing medical breakthroughs actually reach the people who need them.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
@brighamandwomens.bsky.social
000
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
He is terrified of needles; at visits, she still sits with him and tries something new to work through the fear. How lucky we are to call her our colleague and friend at Brookside. And it is no surprise she received one of The Kraft Center for Community Health Champions Awards this year!
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
One patient has severe, uncontrolled diabetes. When his insurance lapsed, she spent hours on the phone sorting it out. She called the pharmacy every month to ensure his medications were ready for him. When he could not get there, she drove there herself to pick them up.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Solanlly Montero makes patients at Brookside Community Health Center feel loved. As their Community Health Worker, patients sometimes tell me they book their primary care visits with me mainly so they can see her.
100
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
If this is the kind of place you want to lead, I hope you will apply or pass this along to someone who should: massgeneralbrigham.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/MGBExt...
010
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Some health centers just get it right. Brookside Community Health Center in Jamaica Plain is one of them. *And we are recruiting a Medical Director.* Team-based care for immigrant communities. An extraordinary culture. Mission-driven and full of joy. Link to apply below!
111
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
I have learned more from Dave than I can easily put into words. A mentor and a model for so many of us. Happy Dr. Dave Chokshi Day to all who celebrate! @nychealthy.bsky.social @cuny.edu
000
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 15/02/2026
New research finds immigration literally saves American lives When more immigrants move into a community, older Americans are less likely to die. 25% increase in immigration = 5,000 fewer American deaths nber.org/papers/w34791 To make America healthier, welcome immigrants
nber.org
Is Immigration Good for Health? The Effect of Immigration on Older Adult Mortality in the United States
Founded in 1920, the NBER is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to conducting economic research and to disseminating research findings among academics, public policy makers, an...
010
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
A year ago, a city official reflected on how Brookside Community Health Center shaped his childhood. “I felt like we weren’t just going there for an appointment,” he said. “It felt more like community.” This version of primary care is what I hope we can protect and grow in 2026.
030
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Megan Ranney MD MPH @meganranney.bsky.social · 10/07/2025
Trump Seeks to Cut Basic Scientific Research by Roughly One-Third, Report Shows www.nytimes.com/2025/07/10/s...
33116
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Medicare Advantage plans target veterans and claim offering dental and vision benefits justify high reimbursements. But we find veterans in MA used these services with the same frequency as veterans in traditional Medicare. @joefigs.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
jamanetwork.com
Dental and Vision Services in Medicare Advantage vs Medicare for Veterans
This cross-sectional study compares medical spending on vision and dental care among veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage vs veterans enrolled in traditional Medicare.
050
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Jose Figueroa, MD, MPH @joefigs.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Taken together, the comprehensive CMS payments MA plans get to care for vets (especially those who get little to no medical care paid by MA) are simply not justified by the “extra” MA supplemental benefits. Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
021
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Jose Figueroa, MD, MPH @joefigs.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Using national survey data, we find: 1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM. 2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.
111
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Jose Figueroa, MD, MPH @joefigs.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
Many veterans enrolling in Medicare Advantage get zero care paid by plans. MA insurers argue that vets get extra benefits (vision + dental). But in new @jama.com study, we find that this claim is NOT actually the truth. @adambeckman.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
131
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
JAMA @jama.com · 15/05/2025
Veterans in Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare used dental and vision services at similar rates, with no significant difference in total spending. #SGIM25 ja.ma/3ZficKj
Table 1. Characteristics of Veterans With Medicare Advantage
vs Traditional Medicare, 2018-2021
097
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Edwin Park @edwincpark.bsky.social · 17/03/2025
Medicaid cuts would threaten rural hospitals, nursing homes in Colorado www.denverpost.com/2025/03/16/m...
denverpost.com
Medicaid cuts would threaten rural hospitals, nursing homes in Colorado
Colorado lawmakers have said they don’t want to cut Medicaid, but the program accounts for about one-third of the general fund budget, and the state faces a $1 billion shortfall in the coming fisca…
48724
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
Francis Collins, the NIH Director for 12 years, led the Human Genome Project and other NIH efforts for 32 years, resigned today. Key words from his resignation letter www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...
6131231380
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Isabella Cueto @isabellacueto.bsky.social · 28/02/2025
Breaking: RFK Jr. moves to quietly eliminate public comment from HHS's decision making: www.statnews.com/2025/02/28/r...
statnews.com
RFK Jr. moves to eliminate public comment in HHS decisions
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. moved to rescind the longtime practice of giving the public a chance to comment on the health agency’s plans.
17624621418
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
"The budget committee document listed several possible options, such as...eliminating the tax exemption for nonprofit hospitals" nytimes.com/interactive/... by @sangerkatz.bsky.social @aliciaparlap.bsky.social h/t Naomi Stark
NYTimes excerpt
020
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/u...
nytimes.com
Slashing Medicaid to Pay for Trump’s Tax Cuts Could Lead to Vast State Shortfalls
Republicans have proposed lowering the federal share of costs for Medicaid expansions, which could reshape the program by gutting one of the Affordable Care Act’s major provisions.
010
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
In clinic, I just saw the social safety net at work yet again: a patient newly enrolled in Medicaid having her first primary care visit at a community health center. She said plainly it saved her life. Patriotism means strengthening the safety net for people who rely on it, not ripping it apart.
New York Times headline about cuts to Medicaid
110
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 24/02/2025
RIP to one of the bona fide greats
575360363599
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Oni Blackstock, MD MHS @oniblackstock.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
“The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is still blocking most ongoing scientific funding over concerns about "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), according to NIH sources and internal NIH correspondence.” popular.info/p/update-nih...
popular.info
UPDATE: NIH reimposes "DEI" funding freeze despite court order
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is still blocking most ongoing scientific funding over concerns about "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), according to NIH sources and internal NIH corresp...
15125
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Update on the Measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/u... There likely hundreds of cases, so many not being diagnosed. And many more to come. All preventable.
nytimes.com
Measles Outbreak in Texas and New Mexico Sickens Nearly 100 People
Texas reported 90 cases this week, while New Mexico reported nine. A majority of the cases have been in a Texas county where vaccination rates have lagged behind the rest of the state.
17423155
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
Researchers working on the Career Firefighter Health Study received notice last week of the CDC contract’s termination.
politico.com
DOGE cancels federal contract for 9/11 research
Researchers working on the Career Firefighter Health Study received notice last week of the CDC contract’s termination.
25328
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Noah Lanard @nlanard.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
DOGE in practice: Disabled Army veteran who has 4 kids and did 3 tours overseas is fired from his job at Bronx VA hospital
42598593773
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Citizen Cohn / Jonathan Cohn @citizencohn.bsky.social · 18/02/2025
A Montana House committee has advanced a bill to ban mRNA vaccines. Not just the COVID vaccine, mind you -- this is any mRNA vaccine. And not just withhold recommendation -- this is an outright prohibition dailyinterlake.com/news/2025/fe...
dailyinterlake.com
Bill to ban mRNA vaccines passes out of House committee
A bill that would ban the use of mRNA vaccines, including for Covid-19, is on its way to the House floor after passing out of committee in a party-line vote Wednesday.
219165
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Missed this yesterday: Ohio reports a suspected human case of #H5N1 #birdflu in a farmworker exposed to infected poultry. Needs confirmation by #CDC. odh.ohio.gov/media-center...
odh.ohio.gov
Ohio Reports First Human Case of Bird Flu
The overall risk to Ohioans is low, but those in close contact with sick or dead poultry or wild birds should take precautions
715945
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
2/ And we know from other medications, including naloxone to reduce opioid overdose deaths, that statewide pharmacy standing orders work to help people get the medicine they need. jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
jamanetwork.com
Pharmacy Naloxone Standing Order and Community Opioid Fatality Rates Over Time
This cross-sectional study examines whether implementation of pharmacy naloxone standing order dispensing was associated with lower community-level opioid fatality rates in Massachusetts.
010
Adam Beckman, MD @adambeckman.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
Some good news–Medicaid in Massachusetts just made it easier for members to access needed prenatal vitamins and oral contraceptives. New standing order from MassHealth across pharmacies: www.mass.gov/doc/pharmacy...
Image of standing order from MassHealth
110
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Charles Ornstein @charlesornstein.bsky.social · 09/02/2025
Don't look away!
54719
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Louise Norris @louisenorris.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
People aren't always aware that if they have Medicare Advantage & later want to switch to Original Medicare after more than 1 year, they likely won't have guaranteed access to Medigap. Only a few states have laws to ensure this. This year, IL & WA are considering legislation to ensure that access.
185
Reposted by Adam Beckman, MD
Brian Tyler Cohen @briantylercohen.bsky.social · 05/02/2025
Community health centers are now starting to shut down across the country because of Trump’s executive orders. These centers serve 1-in-5 rural patients in America.
vpm.org
Virginia community health centers close over federal funding access
Despite pause on federal funding freeze, centers unable to access grants
41450472083