Ochsner LSU Health’s Post

Diversity in healthcare leadership results in a more well-rounded experience for patients and providers. Check out this list from Becker's Healthcare that details Black health care leaders to know in 2024: https://ow.ly/8jBJ50RPgCK

For Black History Month 2024, we are highlighting the recent achievements of six Black American leaders in the healthcare field. Learn about these experts' contributions to health equity, public health information, and more: https://lnkd.in/evbJDJAm

Very excited and honored to attend tomorrow. Some facts: More than 100 million Americans are in medical debt, which is the leading cause of personal bankruptcy in the United States. More than 90% of Americans support healthcare price transparency, yet only 36% of hospitals comply with rules requiring them to disclose prices. When hospitals and insurers hide their prices, they can charge whatever they want. A recent report showed that prices vary prices varied by an average of 10 times for the same care within the same hospitals across different health plans and by an average of more than 30 times for the care at different hospitals within the same state. Read more… #wefixyourhealthcare

I have previously expressed my appreciation for the new national anthem. However, I have some questions: 1. What policies are in place to review decisions like this? 2. Why was it so easy to change the anthem without public input? 3. Why was the bill passed so quickly and smoothly? 4. Could a future president change it again at their discretion? 5. What procedures exist to evaluate and implement changes like this? 6. How are these policies enforced? I would appreciate your responses and contributions to these questions. You can read my previous posts here: https://lnkd.in/dvhYRtA6 https://lnkd.in/dVfPCwFB.

On Juneteenth, we commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans throughout the United States. We also acknowledge that progress has not yet yielded parity Health care equity remains an issue across America due to many factors. Race is one of them. About 3.3 million more Black Americans would be alive if there was parity in life expectancy. How long would it take for Black Americans across the nation to achieve racial parity with their White neighbors across in terms of overall quality of life ? Based on the rate of change between 2012 and 2021 it could take more than three centuries. Find out more about this research from The McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility. The first article discusses overall quality of life, the second focuses on healthcare. Robin Shapiro Chloe DeChant Chris Price, M.D. Beth Droppert Mengxin(Ivy) Sun Scott Beeber https://lnkd.in/guzYWVEJ https://lnkd.in/guzYWVEJ

In my previous post [1], I was too quick to arrive at a conclusion saying that Kaiser's membership dropped - its flagship contract dropped; that's a fact. To be clear, Kaiser's total membership grew. So, I was investigating what was going on. It turned out Kaiser now has a new D-SNP contract, H8794. After looking at all contract numbers side by side, the most logical conclusion I can draw is Kaiser moved its members to a new D-SNP plan. The question now is, would this re-routing of members have happened with/without the drop of the Star Rating... [1] https://lnkd.in/errgVqh5

Healthcare Middlemen- 1. Insurance companies!!! - ding ding ding 💰 🤑 💳 2.Hospital/health system administrators 🏥 3. PBM- Pharmacy Benefit Managers 💊 4. Brokers -find the good ones! In the last 20 years, there has been an exponential growth of people who work in healthcare and profit from healthcare but have NO DIRECT PATIENT CARE. Insurance companies- intended to prevent healthcare calamity and NOW the INSURANCE IS the healthcare calamity (thanks Chad Savage M.D.) Healthcare administrators- do we have too many- YES, do they continue to take a bigger piece of the healthcare pie every year- YES, do they improve patient care- NO (show me evidence to the contrary) PBMs- kickbacks, vouchers, artificially increase the costs of medications and in some cases making certain medications out of reach to patients who need them Brokers- Find the brokers who are looking for the best interest of their clients. If not they will profit off maintaining the status quo (which we all know is unsustainable) The growth of these Middlemen has led to unsustainable healthcare costs with diminishing healthcare quality and access. It is estimated that 30-50% of all healthcare spending in the US is "waste". DIRECT PRIMARY CARE helps to eliminate the middlemen who are not actively looking to lower healthcare spending. Listen to my latest episode of Full Scope with Dr Nicole Hemkes where I talk about Healthcare Middlemen. #directprimarycare #familyphysician #freemarkethealthcare #healthcaretransparency #affordablehealthcare https://lnkd.in/g6tggHfN

“A ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are made for." - John A. Shedd My first boss in the Medicare sector often recited this quote, deeming it her favorite (thanks Tracy Tellefson !) Its profoundness intrigued me in my early days, but as I advanced and matured as an executive in Medicare, the depth and resonance of its message became clear. Our journey in the Medicare landscape seems akin to navigating vast seas. Central to this voyage are our seniors. While the harbor, symbolic of traditional Medicare practices, has provided some safety, it's evident that these approaches aren’t nearly enough. There's a pressing need—and tremendous opportunity—for change. Our seniors, the seasoned voyagers of life, have faced numerous challenges and enriched us with their wisdom and resilience. Their journeys underline the urgency of venturing beyond the familiarity of the harbor. They deserve a Medicare system that's not just protective but dynamic, proactive, and compassionate. The harbor’s safety, although comforting, cannot be our sole anchor. The vast ocean of possibilities beckons. It's in these uncharted waters where the future of senior healthcare awaits, bursting with promise, innovation, and care that truly honors their legacy. I'm immensely proud to be joined by colleagues and industry mentors who recognize this call to action, sharing the vision and forging a transformative path forward. #SeniorCare #MedicareInnovation #MedicareEvolution