Physicians for a National Health Program - PNHP

12/19/2025

Healthcare is unaffordable, and insurers are to blame

12/18/2025

12/17/2025

12/16/2025

Health is a human right, not a job perk

12/12/2025

Thank you, Senator Van Hollen for standing with your constituents.

12/10/2025

12/08/2025

1/ Our latest in-depth report reveals that the popular alternative to traditional Medicare—Medicare Advantage (MA)—often fails Black, Hispanic, Asian, and other racial/ethnic minority communities. Keep reading to uncover our key findings:
2/ While Medicare Advantage (MA) sells itself as “affordable + convenient” the reality is far harsher. Many MA enrollees, especially in marginalized communities, face major barriers to getting the care they need — restricted networks, prior authorization hurdles & limited access to high-quality care
3/ Numbers don’t lie — communities of color get lower-quality plans

Among 2,400+ MA plans analyzed, 23.7% disproportionately serve Black, Hispanic, and Asian beneficiaries — and those plans tend to underperform.

4/ On average:
• MA plans with mostly White enrollees scored 4.30 / 5 stars ⭐
• Plans heavily concentrated with Black, Hispanic, or Asian enrollees scored BELOW 4.0 — averaging 3.86, 3.75, and 3.70 respectively. That means they often fall below the threshold for quality bonuses.
5/ It gets worse:
New data reveals that MA enrollees from marginalized racial/ethnic groups experience HIGHER hospital readmission rates, POORER chronic disease management, and LESS ACCESS to needed care. This is when compared to more privileged enrollees

6/ For example: in a study of post-surgical readmissions under MA Black patients were 64% more likely to be readmitted within 30 days than White patients . On Traditional Medicare plans, there is only a 33% disparity.
7/ The ugly truth: Patients are stuck.
Traditional Medicare (TM) typically requires costly add-ons (like Medigap & separate drug plans) to protect against high out-of-pocket bills. THis often makes TM unaffordable for lower-income seniors and pushes them towards MA plans that have lower up-front costs
8/ Despite rhetoric from insurers about MA closing racial and economic healthcare gaps, the data tells a different story. MA has not reduced — and in many cases has deepened — longstanding health disparities. And whats worse - MA costs the federal government BILLIONS !! more than TM.
9/ Bottom line: For many seniors of color, “affordable and easy” MA ends up being a trade-off: lower monthly costs in exchange for restricted access, subpar care, and a higher chance of poor outcomes. That’s not equity — it’s another form of systematic neglect. Our patients deserve better.
10/ Read our full report on how Medicare Advantage is failing Seniors of Color: https://pnhp.org/no-real-choices/

12/08/2025

Fund the ACA subsidies now, pass Medicare for All

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12/07/2025

Stuck with a surprise $10,000 medical bill? Agonizing over higher premiums for next year? Actively choosing between filling a prescription and paying the light bill?

Dr. Oz has a brilliant suggestion: Go for a fun run!