About half of people with mental illness aren’t able to access treatment – and it's not just because the U.S. is facing a provider shortage. Health insurance networks often create barriers to mental health care, rather than making it more accessible. Just ask Berkeley-based therapist Kendra F. Dunlap, who stopped taking insurance due to low reimbursements, coding errors, and endless paperwork. This week, we’re exploring how insurers make it so challenging for therapists like Kendra to stay in-network – and why patients often pay the price. This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation working toward a health care system where everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make – can get the health care they need. For access to sliding scale therapy, check out Open Path Collective. For Black women and nonbinary people, Loveland Foundation is another great resource offering therapy support. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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33:35
Rural Health Care is in Crisis
Rural healthcare is in crisis. Nearly 200 rural hospitals across the country have closed in the past two decades, and many more are on the brink. In this episode, we’re zeroing in on the state with the lowest-ranking health care system in the nation: Mississippi. With help from Dr. Kimberly Sanford, an OB/GYN, and Dr. Daniel Edney, Mississippi's State Health Officer, we’ll uncover what rural healthcare looks like today – and why it’s so important to support it. This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation working toward a health care system where everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make – can get the health care they need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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32:07
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32:07
Insurance Denials Feel Like a Death Sentence
Nearly one in five people report that they or a family member have been denied coverage for a service that their own doctor recommended. For cancer patients like Kay Hsu, those denials aren’t just about money – they’re about survival. When her insurance company denied a life-saving scan, Kay fought to get the care she needed and became an advocate along the way. In this episode, we’ll break down what it means to get a denial, and how – like Kay – you can fight back. This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation working toward a health care system where everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make – can get the health care they need. Check out Pro Publica’s Claim File Helper to request your claim file before submitting an appeal, and create appeal documents to send to your insurer using Fight Health Insurance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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32:25
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32:25
Medical Debt: Sinking Into The Abyss
Four in ten people in the United States have medical debt. It's something many of us deal with every day – by avoiding bills, paying with our credit cards, even crowdfunding to cover costs. Whether you have a chronic illness, need an expensive treatment, or are caring for a loved one, debt unfortunately seems to be unavoidable in our system. In this episode, we break all this down with KFF Health News Senior Correspondent Noam Levey. And we hear from radiation oncologist Dr. Fumiko Chino about what drowning in medical debt felt like when her husband, Andrew, was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. This season of Uncared For is presented by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation working toward a health care system where everyone – no matter who they are, where they live, or how much money they make – can get the health care they need. Read Noam Levey’s reporting at KFF Health News, including the reporting series he led, Diagnosis: Debt. Learn more about Fumiko Chino’s research on health care costs and affordability here. If you’re struggling with a big medical bill, check out the website dollarfor.org. It’s a great resource for navigating a hospital’s financial assistance program.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Uncared For Season 3 (Official Trailer)
When your loved one is sick, all you want is to make the pain go away. But for far too many Americans, finding – and paying – for healthcare is when the real pain begins. From medical debt to insurance denials to rural hospital closures, host SuChin Pak is taking a hard look at the many ways our system is failing us. Season 3 of Uncared For from Lemonada Media and The Commonwealth Fund. Coming August 6. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In a country that seems more divided than ever, there's one thing almost everyone agrees on: our healthcare system feels broken. From crushing medical debt, to rural hospital closures, deep cuts to medicaid, and the stress of insurance denials, so many Americans aren’t getting the care they need. In Season 3 of Uncared For, award-winning journalist SuChin Pak (Add to Cart, MTV News) talks to patients, physicians, advocates, and experts to explore the issues – and demand better. From Lemonada Media and The Commonwealth Fund.
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