Code WACK!

Abundance, joy & dignity. Healing the Black birth experience

  This time on Code WACK!   Why are Black people so vulnerable to maternal and infant mortality  - and what’s being done about it? What will the closing of a maternity ward in South Los Angeles County – a trend happening around the country – mean for local residents there?   To find out, we spoke to Melissa Franklin, EdD, MBA, the first Black director of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health for LA County’s Department of Public Health. Dr. Franklin is a systems transformation leader with over 25 years of experience in organizational development, community engagement and communications strategy. This is the first in a two-part series with Dr. Melissa Franklin.   Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

Money, money, money! The politics of funding single payer

This time on Code WACK!   What are the main obstacles in implementing a new law paving the way to Medicare for All in California? Where does the biggest opposition lie – and what’s at stake if the law doesn’t fulfill its mission? How is the 2024 election key to our healthcare future? To find out, we spoke to Irene Kao,  executive director of Courage California, a progressive grassroots advocacy organization.  She’s also a board member of the single payer advocacy coalition Healthy California Now.    Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  

Fed up with profit-driven health care? New law puts patients first.

This time on Code WACK!   What kind of a healthcare system could actually promote equity? How does a new bill recently signed by Governor Gavin Newsom get California closer to universal, single-payer health care? And how is it different from previous Medicare-for-All bills?    To find out, we spoke to Irene Kao, executive director of Courage California, a progressive grassroots advocacy organization for which she’s the first woman of color to lead.  She’s also a board member of the Healthy California Now, a single-payer advocacy coalition. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Irene Kao.    Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

Fighting the Medicare Advantage scourge

This time on Code WACK!   What can be done in light of Medicare Advantage overcharging taxpayers to the tune of around $140 billion a year? What’s the Medigap Trap and why should you worry about it?  Why should we work to improve traditional Medicare while pursuing Medicare for All? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, the national board secretary for Physicians for a National Health Program and president of the Consumers Council of Missouri. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

Four Ways Medicare Advantage is ripping you off

This time on Code WACK!   Medicare Advantage is overcharging the federal government – and you won’t believe by how much! How’s this affecting taxpayers like you and me and what can be done about it?   To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, the national board secretary for Physicians for a National Health Program and president of the Consumers Council of Missouri.