Health & Health Care

Source: Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins / NPR

Source: Delphi COVIDCast / Carnegie Mellon University

This billboard outside the Des Moines Airport in Iowa points toward one of President Donald Trump's campaign rallies, which was scheduled to be held on October 14, 2020. The sign draws attention to the danger of holding such large rallies during this pandemic.

Source: Riley (2005) / Clio Infra (2015) / UN Population Division (2019) / CDC / NCIRD / World Bank / New York Times

- Daily deaths of patients diagnosed with coronavirus (7-day rolling average) Source: FT analysis of data from the ECDC, the Covid Tracking Project, the UK Dept. of Health and Social Care, Spanish Ministry of Health

New confirmed cases of COVID-19 in United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium and Netherlands (August 6, 2020) Source: Financial Times analysis of data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control / the Covid Tracking Project / the UK Dept of Health & Social Care and the Spanish Ministry of Health

3.4% of Americans diagnosed with COVID-19 die. Source: Johns Hopkins University

Source: European CDC

Sources: covidtracking.com / factba.se / WaPo / @TBPInvictus

In just 15 days the total number of #COVID19 cases in Georgia is up 49%, but you wouldn't know it from looking at the state's data visualization map of cases. The first map is July 2. The second is today. Do you see a 50% case increase? Can you spot how they're hiding it? ~ @andishehnouraee

Northern hemisphere approaching summer. Countries listed started to ease their measures weeks ago. Cases continue to drop as shown on the graph. Southern hemisphere approaching winter. Cases continue to rise as shown on graph. For example, Argentina introduced lockdown around the same time as Austria. The difference between those two countries in number of cases is clear, even though they enacted similar measures at the same time.

Source: Johns Hopkins University

Source: John Hopkins COVID19 dataset, as of May 12

Source: Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University / NPR

Source: Johns Hopkins University

~ @_davegorman

Source: The New York Times

The U.S. now has the largest number of COVID-19 deaths worldwide, but a number of Western European countries have lost the most people to the virus compared to their population sizes. Source: Johns Hopkins University / World Bank

Source: The MEKD / The Washington Post

Source: Philip N. Cohen

Sources: State and local health agencies / The New York Times

Source: HuffPost / YouGov poll

Source: Pew Research Center

Source: CDC / NCHS

Source: New Jersey Resident Death Certificate Registry, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health Compiled by: Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health

We are not all in the same boat. We are all in the same storm (in reference to the current pandemic)

Here's How Americans Feel about COVID-19, along with Other Topics That Get Similar Levels of Agreement for Comparison Compiled with help from Huffpost Polling Editor Ariel Edwards-Levy. Recent Coronavirus Polls 86% Say "Stay-at-home orders are responsible government policies that are saving lives" rather than "an over-reaction" (ABC/IPSOS)....Sources: XKCD.com/2305/sources

Last updated: April 24, 2020 Source: CEBM

Source: CEBM

Source: CEBM

Democrats, black and Hispanic Americans more likely to say it is acceptable for the government to track people's cellphones amid the coronavirus outbreak, 2020 Source: Pew Research Center

Americans divided on whether it's acceptable for the government to track people who have tested positive for COVID-19 through their cellphone, 2020 Source: Pew Research Center

More Americans think location tracking through cellphones won't make a difference in limiting the spread of COVID-19 than say it would help, 2020 Source: Pew Research Center

Source: Maryland Transportation Institute

Source: Department of Labor and CDC / Joe Fox / The Washington Post

What Caused the Shortage? - Just in Time Shipping - A practice that reduces the inventory held by retailers and hospitals to increase cash flow--but can lead to shortages when unexpected disruptions affect supplies. - Manufactured Disruptions - As the pandemic began, Chinese manufacturing experienced labor shortages and slower production--affecting many of the protective articles we now find in short supply. --Source: Social Work Degree Center

On March 20, 2020 a 17-year-old with symptoms of COVID-19 went to an urgent care facility in California to seek treatment. Due to lack of insurance he was denied care and sent to a local hospital instead. He went into cardiac arrest before reaching the hospital and died 6 hours later. The Role of Business in COVID-19 - As the coronavirus spreads, U.S. hospitals face critical shortages of equipment Source: Social Work Degree Center

Source: Philip N. Cohen / ECDC data

Source: Philip N. Cohen / ECDC data

U.S. Suicide Rates (deaths per 1,000,000 girls) Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Artist: Alyse Ruriani

In this image Dr. Walter Freeman performs a lobotomy at Western State Hospital in Virginia, using an ice-pick-like instrument he invented for the procedure, July 1949. Freeman traveled to 23 states to demonstrate his "miracle cure." In all, he performed some 3,439 lobotomies—some on patients not yet in their teens. Despite the obvious risks and lack of concrete success rates, hospitals let Freeman continue; however, everything changed in 1967, when Freeman performed a lobotomy in…

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

U.S. Hospital Admissions for Non-Fatal Self Harm, Girls Ages 10-14 and 15-19, 2001-2015 (per 100,000) Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

You can learn more about Nataline's life & dreams, and struggle to live, at the link below. I never had the privilege of meeting Nataline Sarkisyan, but I think of her every day. And today, on her 30th birthday, I hope many others will, as well. ~ @WendellPotter

That was it for me. I quit and became a whistleblower, because I couldn't keep defending life-threatening industry practices like this. I'll regret for the rest of my life not blowing the whistle sooner on what essentially are industry death panels. It's now my life's work. ~ @WendellPotter

"Prior authorization" requirements (which doctors say have become increasingly prevalent) are time-consuming. Patients often can't get the care they need in time. That's what happened to Nataline. 5 days before Christmas in 2007, just hours after Cigna's reversal, she died. ~ @WendellPotter

When reporters learned that Cigna had denied the transplant, they called me because I was the company's spokesman. Eventually, Nataline's case became a huge PR problem for us, forcing the company to reverse course and agree to pay for the transplant. But it was too late. ~ @WendellPotter

2,500 miles away from Nataline's hospital bed, a Cigna medical director refused her doctor's pleas. He'd never laid eyes on or examined her. But he ruled the transplant would be "experimental" even though liver transplants were listed in her policy as a covered benefit. ~ @WendellPotter

Nataline needed a liver transplant her surgeons were confident would save her life. But due to a little-known loophole called "prior authorization," her doctors had to seek Cigna's approval in order to perform the transplant--even though a perfect match had been found. ~ @WendellPotter

(1 of 7) I'm often asked what made me quit the health insurance industry & become a whistleblower. A big turning point was the death of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan. She should be celebrating her 30th birthday today, but died after a tragic saga with my company. Here's her story: ~ @WendellPotter

Vulnerable = jobs within each industry that pay less than the median wage and do not provide employer-sponsored health care--Source: Brookings Institute

- Each year more than 26,000 American adults die due to lack of health insurance - The uninsured face between 25% and 80% greater risk of death Who Are the Uninsured? - Nearly 9 in 10 are nonelderly adults - More than 8 in 10 are low-income families - More than 7 in 10 had at least one full-time worker in their family - Another 1 in 10 had a part-time worker in their family...Source: Social Work Degree Center

Click on this image to find a list of the sources

-67% of medication non-adherence is linked to the high cost of healthcare -20-30% of prescriptions are never filled -50% of medications for chronic diseases aren't taken as prescribed | Going without Treatment ends up costing even more. -Annually, in the US treatment non-adherence costs between $100 b and $289 b -For patients with chronic diseases, treatment non-adherence can cost $949 to $44,190, due to worsening symptoms, complications, and hospital readmittance...

Americans who do seek medical care, don't always follow through - In 2019, 26% of Texans had a claim denied by their insurance company--including doctor-ordered medicines, procedures, tests, and scans - 30% paid for medicine, procedure, or test out of pocket - 14% appealed and their insurer changed its decision - 10% had symptoms worsen, or a delayed diagnosis Source: Social Work Degree Center

Source: Pew Research Center