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Rick

@rickv43.bsky.social
348 followers 520 following 781 posts

Good public policy enthusiast | Healthcare advocate

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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 30m
Yes, very compelling analysis of the dynamics driving some of the national dysfunction and why polarization is really not the best way to think about it. Dr. Mason also sat down last week to discuss this with the NPR On The Media folks, albeit somewhat paraphrased vs the article, but same thesis.
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STAT @statnews.com · 10/10/2026
U.S. health spending is on pace to cost almost $16,500 per person this year. And the biggest portion of an employer's health spending — even for the largest corporations in the country — has remained the same since the 1980s: bit.ly/4edjsFi
Bar chart illustrating the increase in average per-person healthcare spending from 2021 to 2026. Categories include hospital outpatient, physician care, prescription drugs, hospital inpatient, and other. The total rises from $6,107 in 2021 to $8,460 in 2026. Chart by J. Emory Parker/STAT, source Milliman.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
arbiter of facts and more apolitical. It actually might engender a bit more trust from some quarters of society in honest news.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
just inviting Democrats then you should just consider a Sunday news show that differentiates itself from the nightly news by going into more depth or covering more stories or bringing on guests that have expertise to inform the topics that you are covering and try to make the shows a more trusted
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
The format of these shows does not work anymore. They have always been about access journalism where they interview elected officials on topical subjects but when they just lie and won't engage in good faith, I agree, time to just stop inviting them and if you are worried about appearing biased by
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Medicare Advantage plans allowed private insurers into a lucrative market but brought with them most the problems of private insurance into the Medicare space.
nytimes.com
Private Medicare Plans Are Raising Costs And Forcing Millions To Find New Insurance (Gift Article)
As enrollment for Medicare Advantage begins this month, older Americans are confronting fewer options because insurers are discontinuing coverage in many areas.
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Substantial Increase In Cancer Survival Rate, But Research Disruptions Pose Risks www.forbes.com/sites/joshua...
forbes.com
Gains In Battle Against Cancer, But Research Disruptions Pose Risks
Continued progress against cancer will require collaboration among all key stakeholders. To this end, more stable and sustained federal investment is essential.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
wapo.st
Medicare-for-all support is rising, KFF poll finds
The survey also found that the public’s views of a national health plan are highly malleable.
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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Look at those fever charts of, well, fever-causing childhood infections. Look at the preciptious drop in each one. I wonder what happened to make infections drop so suddenly?
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Alice Miranda Ollstein @alicemiranda.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Dems worried last year that this delayed implementation of the deep Medicaid cuts in the 'One Big Beautiful Bill' would defang their attacks on the campaign trail, leaving voters unmoved by the message that a health care apocalypse was just around the corner. But for many, it has already arrived.
politico.com
Republicans tried to punt health care cuts until after the midterms. It didn’t work.
While most GOP-enacted cuts to Medicaid and other safety net programs won’t happen until 2027, Democrats are speaking to the voters already feeling the squeeze.
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Jenna Norton @jenna-m-norton.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Disruption of global research at NIH is endangering people in the United States and around the world. 27unihted.substack.com/p/disruption... Foreign collaborations have been interrupted and discouraged and foreign scientists in the United States are working in an increasingly hostile environment.
27unihted.substack.com
Disruption of global research is endangering people in the United States and around the world
Concern 8 of the Bethesda Declaration: One Year Later
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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Don't enroll yourself or your parents in Medicare Advantage and this is why
At least one million US seniors will be forced to switch health plans next year as the largest Medicare Advantage providers cut benefits and discontinue some offerings in the wake of rising medical costs and heightened government scrutiny. About 390,000 people are part of UnitedHealth plans that are shutting down, a company spokesperson said. Humana has said that it will cut plans covering about 600,000 people. CVS Health’s Aetna and Centene are also shrinking their Medicare Advantage options.
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biologist077.bsky.social @biologist077.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
A Phase 1 CRISPR trial in 15 patients cut "bad" cholesterol (LDL) by 52.5% and triglycerides by 47.8% for a year after one dose. For families like mine, who've seen how hard it is to manage these conditions, how might this change the future of heart health?
sciencedaily.com
One CRISPR treatment cut “bad” cholesterol in half for a full year
A groundbreaking Phase 1 clinical trial conducted by Cleveland Clinic has revealed that a single infusion of a CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing therapy significantly reduced levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL)
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Miranda Yaver @mirandayaver.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
As I wrote this week in @msnowreports.bsky.social this betrays a misunderstanding of the fact that insurance protects against risk and the system depends on there being these low utilizers. Plus, the admin has pushed folks to virtually unusable high-deductible plans. www.ms.now/opinion/vanc...
ms.now
Opinion | You should be skeptical of JD Vance’s claims about Obamacare fraud
The vice president's anti-fraud task force may strip health coverage from people who did nothing wrong.
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Patrick Chovanec @prchovanec.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
A couple quick observations here, which should be obvious. 1) insurance “risk pools” work by requiring younger/healthier people who make few or no claims to sign up and pay premiums alongside older/less healthy people who do, essentially covering their costs.
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Amy Maxmen, PhD @amymaxmen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
RFK Jr's HHS is essentially withholding Covid vaccines from children from poorer backgrounds, amid a Covid wave. Important story from @melodyschreiber.com www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
Delays in Covid shots for kids is latest bid by Trump officials to restrict vaccines
Administration is holding back Covid vaccines for all children in at least 11 states and one US territory
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
It will be interesting to understand the selection criteria here and how much of this could be characterized as fraud or not or something else altogether.
nytimes.com
Trump Officials Eject 750,000 From Obamacare Markets, Claiming Fraud (Gift Article)
Vice President JD Vance said the measure would save the government $2.2 billion.
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biologist077.bsky.social @biologist077.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
I wish more people knew about this: The FDA approved the first mRNA flu vaccine for ages 50+. In trials, it cut flu risk by ~27% & severe illness needing hospitalization by ~48% compared to regular flu shots. A big step for better flu protection!
news-medical.net
FDA Approves First mRNA Flu Vaccine for Adults 50 and Older
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved mFLUSIVA, the first influenza vaccine in the U.S. to utilize mRNA technology, specifically for adults aged 50 and older. This new vaccine aims
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
necessarily a model for good government. Nor is effective government a model for businesses. The American people are not shareholders and profit is not the deliverable or measure of success.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
So true. I don't know how many times we have heard that we just need to elect a smart businessman so he / she can run the government like an efficient business but they are completely different animals with different missions, goals, responsibilities and commitments. A successful business is not
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Dr. Mar @boldnewme.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The fundamental change suggested, as they draft this executive order, would be from: Scientists evaluate → NIH awards grants To something like: Scientists evaluate → political officials/committee can override the scientific decision. This government is continuing its quest for total control.
The New York Times ®
@nytimes
Breaking News: Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would help cement President Trump's ability to control billions of dollars in scientific grants funded by the National Institutes of Health.
Dr. Abdul El-Sayed • @AbdulElSayed
This is about one thing and one thing alone.
Steering our research dollars for cancer, heart disease, and new infectious diseases to Trump's political allies and friends.
Not only is it corrupt, but it's going to interfere with life-saving scientific research-delaying possible cures for diseases that affect millions of Americans every single year.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Efforts continue to insert Executive Branch into research funding decisions.
politico.com
Trump asked budget chief to draft order bringing health research funding under his control
The move came after the NIH director refused Trump’s request to cut Harvard grants in an Oval Office meeting.
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Liz Szabo @lizszabo.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
The current vaccine schedule has been optimized for safety and effectiveness based on decades of research.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
I think there was some talk during his confirmation that he was one of Trump's cabinet picks that was, at least, somewhat competent / qualified but really he was just a mediocre hedge fund manager. Hardly stellar credentials for Treasury Secretary, and that is becoming more and more evident.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Exactly! Do better Reuters.
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
The biggest accomplishment of Congress is the passage of the so-called One Big Beautiful Act, H.R.1 It cut Medicaid by $1 trillion; to provide a tax cut for the rich, and raised the deficit Yet hardly any GOP incumbent is campaigning on this. Why? It's very unpopular www.kff.org/medicaid/kff...
kff.org
KFF Health Tracking Poll: Views of the One Big Beautiful Bill | KFF
This poll finds two-thirds of the public view the "One Big Beautiful Bill" legislation unfavorably, and its favorability erodes further when people hear about its potential health impacts. As Congress...
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Timothy McBride @mcbridetd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
How Did a Heart Drug With So Much Promise Fall So Flat? www.nytimes.com/2026/09/11/s...
nytimes.com
How Did a Heart Drug With So Much Promise Fall So Flat?
Cardiologists are struggling to figure out why a drug that should have prevented heart attacks didn’t work at all.
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Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH @mtosterholm.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
This respiratory virus season, we have the evidence. We have vaccine recommendations from medical societies. We need to listen, encourage vaccination supported by evidence & have answers about the diseases we're trying to prevent & the vaccines that help prevent them bit.ly/4ywBees @medpagetoday.com
bit.ly
Opinion | The Vaccine Recommendations Are Out. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Clinician conversations with patients will matter more than ever
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Chise @sailorrooscout.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
GOOD NEWS! Phase I clinical trial results out of Johns Hopkins show a first-of-its-kind vaccine designed to target common KRAS mutations was safe AND stimulated KRAS-specific T-cell responses in 90% of study participants who were at HIGH risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
insideprecisionmedicine.com
Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Triggers Immune Response Before Tumors Develop
Phase I results show early promise for a vaccine designed to prevent pancreatic cancer in people at high risk of developing the disease.
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Arielle Zionts @ajzionts.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
The $50B Rural Health Transformation Program lacks transparency, which could make it difficult to protect against fraud, identify successful projects+ensure the program delivers on its promise to transform the system. Groups are calling for CMS to post more info. kffhealthnews.org/rural-health...
kffhealthnews.org
$50B Rural Health Transformation Program Needs More Transparency, Groups Say - KFF Health News
States must submit Rural Health Transformation Program progress reports to the federal government, but they aren’t required to proactively post those reports, or related information, publicly.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Food safety really is becoming a salient issue!
nytimes.com
Opinion | Why Did Trump Order Up 660 Million Pounds of Mystery Meat? (Gift Article)
On second thought, I’m not that hungry.
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Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Vote Blue in November. The future of your health depends on it. Eventhough the cuts aren’t supposed to go into effect until next year, half of the provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill already have taken effect. 🧪 www.commondreams.org/news/healthc...
commondreams.org
Analysis Finds Up to 10 Million People Have Lost Healthcare Coverage During Trump's Second Term | Common Dreams
Healthcare analyst Charles Gaba reports up to 10 million Americans lost coverage under Trump's second term. Medicaid, CHIP, ACA enrollment down.
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Jen Taub @jentaub.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
“A single-payer universal health care system could cover every American, save more than 100,000 lives a year, and still cost $1 trillion less than the system it would replace, according to a new preprint study led by researchers at the Yale School of Public Health.” ysph.yale.edu/news-article...
ysph.yale.edu
Universal Health Coverage Could Save $1 Trillion and 114,000 Lives Every Year, Yale Study Projects
A single-payer universal health care system could cover every American, save more than 100,000 lives a year, and still cost $1 trillion less than the system it
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Dr. Mar @boldnewme.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
RFK Jr. has cancelled hundreds of millions in mRNA vaccine funding - the same technology that holds enormous promise for future cancer vaccines. Who on earth looks at a technology that could help prevent or treat cancer and says, “Let’s stop investing in it”?
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Greg Folkers @gregfolkers.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Annenberg: Public confidence in one’s own healthcare provider remains high Confidence in CDC, FDA, and NIH significantly lower than during the Biden administration bit.ly/4gLR9ys @appc.upenn.edu
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The question is golden goose for who?
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biologist077.bsky.social @biologist077.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Flu in kids used to feel like a "wait and see" game for parents. But a study of 1,492 children shows antivirals within 48 hrs of symptoms lowered hospitalization risk by 81%. That's a major difference for vulnerable little ones.
vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com
Early Antivirals for Children with Flu Linked to 81% Lower Hospitalization Risk
A new study has revealed that administering antiviral drugs to children within the first two days of flu symptom onset dramatically reduces their need for hospital care. This significant protective ef
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
about this but worry, at least for me. Dem politicians do need to signal to their base that they are willing to entertain various court reforms and the current court know they are persona non grata if the dems take back power so I guess they will rule how they rule regardless of the rhetoric.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Hopefully, SCOTUS won't get spooked by all of this talk of packing and court reform and decide to go completely off the reservation to protect themselves by enabling all of Trump's illegal election influencing schemes to entrench themselves and the republicans in power. Not sure there is much to do
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
On balance you have to say he was a good, or at least, very significant president. The Vietnam War was, indeed negative, but he was not the only president to have been involved in that, although, he escalated, but the VRA, Civil Rights, Medicaid and Medicare were transformative for the country.
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Princess Vimentin PhD | Cancer Biologist @princess-vimentin.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Dolly Parton's $1M seed $ via the Dolly Parton research fund spurned 37 research papers on the mRNA Covid vaccine. This is one of them. That $1M provided the pivotal support for developing the vaccine & assessing the antibody response. My kind of philanthropy. 🧪 www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
nejm.org
An mRNA Vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 — Preliminary Report | NEJM
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in late 2019 and spread globally, prompting an international effort to accelerate development of a vaccine. The candidate va...
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biologist077.bsky.social @biologist077.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Preventing dementia often meant focusing on complex factors. Now, hopeful new data: shingles vaccine linked to 24% lower dementia risk in older adults. For every 17 vaccinated, 1 dementia case prevented. Simple steps, big potential.
vertexaisearch.cloud.google.com
Shingles vaccine linked to 24% lower dementia risk
A new study found that older adults who received the Shingrix shingles vaccine were 24% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia over a four-year period. This research, drawing on data from over 500,
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Ellie Wolfe @elliew0lfe.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
The University of Maryland, College Park may lose 30% of its newly admitted graduate students this fall. That’s according to a declaration submitted by the state’s flagship in support of a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s visa restrictions. www.thebanner.com/education/hi...
thebanner.com
University of Maryland predicts 30% decline in new grad students due to Trump visa restrictions
The University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, painted a bleak picture of the consequences in federal lawsuit filings.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
extreme chaos before the Midterms. That battle is not over, with other suits still pending, but the ruling is an ominous indication that this SCOTUS may well abandon the concept of free and fair elections in an effort to grab / consolidate power.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Clearly, the Democrats are going to have some real electoral success in the Midterms if there is a fair election. It is really just the degree. The House looks very likely and the Senate is becoming more and more in play. Unfortunately, SCOTUS just ruled today to undermine mail in ballots and sow
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
show administration it does add an extra dimension of worry that they will inflict us with a serious and long term financial crisis. All you can really do is reduce exposure to equities but bonds are not a great option either with our debt. Best strategy vote for serious competent leadership.
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
If you are 20 years out I would sit tight. That is what I did through the 90s recession, the dot-com bubble and the great recession and I recovered from all but I did make sure I had something like a 60/40 50/50 stock and bond allocation by the time I was 20 years out. Of course, with this clown
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Rick @rickv43.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
mRNA continues to show great promise despite HHS Secretary undermining research and making unfounded claims about the technoligy
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Ian Kremer @wolverinebear.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Universal Health Coverage Could Save $1 Trillion and 114,000 Lives Every Year, Yale Study Projects ysph.yale.edu/news-article... #MedicareForAll #UniversalCoverage #insurance #health #elections #Blues
m.yale.edu
Universal Health Coverage Could Save $1 Trillion and 114,000 Lives Every Year, Yale Study Projects
A single-payer universal health care system could cover every American, save more than 100,000 lives a year, and still cost $1 trillion less than the system it
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