Commentary
November 27, 2024
Bake Chestnuts Great Again
Soaking chestnuts in water vastly improves the edibility of the roasted nut. Poke a hole, soak, roast, enjoy.
October 20, 2024
Steward Greed, Bankruptcy — Madoff-Style Clawbacks, Anyone?
Massachusetts taxpayers are paying for Ralph de la Torre's yachts and bloated legal fees that result from the Steward bankruptcy. We should not be.
October 18, 2024
Fight Election Anxiety — Disconnect
Political communications are overwhelming in advance of the presidential election. Many people are suffering severe anxiety from advance catastrophication. You can combat that by disconnecting from political communications.
October 18, 2024
Hello, This Is Medicare Calling
Spoofed calls are pervasive and have made cell phones as well as land lines much less useful for direct communication.
October 3, 2024
Why Health Care and Not Healthcare?
Healthcare is what we have now. Health care is what we want.
September 18, 2024
Liverwurst, Hubris and Greed
Boar's Head liverwurst was contaminated with listeria because of unsanitary manufacturing practices. Customers died. The company brand is tarnished. Other companies have violated the trust of their customers. Why? Hubris or greed or incompetence?
July 8, 2024
If Joe Biden Were My Patient…
President Biden's observed inability to put together a coherent sentence during the recent debate requires urgent, comprehensive neurological evaluation.
November 7, 2021
Out-of-Pocket Mental Health Care Can Be Reimbursed by Medicare Supplemental Plans
If you are on Medicare and pay directly for outpatient mental health services to a psychiatrist or psychologist or social worker who does not accept Medicare, you may be surprised to know that you should be eligible for substantial reimbursement of those expenses because a Massachusetts law requires Medicare supplemental plans to cover such services…
November 2, 2021
Oral Drug Therapy and Antibody Prevention for Covid-19 Coming Soon
New antiviral medicine and effective long-acting antibody injections will dramatically improve our tools to fight Covid-19 around New Year's. It's time to look up!
October 3, 2021
Quick Updates: Covid-19 and Flu
The Covid-19 pandemic continues. Immunization remains critical to individual health and suppressing the epidemic. A third dose of Pfizer vaccine suggested for those over 65 or younger people at higher risk. Moderna vaccine maintains its effectiveness. Breakthrough infections occur but hospitalizations and death largely occur in unvaccinated. OHC plans flu clinics beginning Wednesday October 13…
August 22, 2021
Covid-19 Is Now a Marathon – Vaccine, Virus and Self-Protection Updates
I have a lot of ground to cover since my last post in February. At that optimistic point it appeared we might get everyone immunized by summer and beat the pandemic if we could move quickly enough. That has not happened nor is it likely to happen. Let me summarize accurately for you in three…
February 7, 2021
Covid-19 Shots Starting for >75, Distribution Improving, Confusion Still Reigns
Covid-19 vaccines began last week for everyone over 75 in Massachusetts. The state distribution program includes websites to sign up, outreach calls from major health care organizations and pharmacies, and a new 211 call center. Most all elders should be started on vaccination this month and finish by late March. The over-65 population and younger…