ClearHealthCosts

Our CEO, @JPinderHealth, did a TED talk that went on the @TEDTalks front page! Watch it here. go.ted.com/jeannepinder

More therapists have things to say about what they describe as a drop in Psychology Today referrals. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2026/03/m…

Need a new hearing aid? What's it going to cost you? Here's what you need to know, new on the blog by the amazing Katherine Bouton at Smart Hearing. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2026/02/n…

We keep hearing that ICE is asking for therapy records. Here's what you need to know. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2026/02/i…

@Vossvik7 Hi, I'm a journalist interested in writing about this. Can you DM me?

News wash: I heard from a professional colleague today who is also a practicing clinical psychologist that ICE came to their office and demanded patient records from their admin person who refused them. She told them they needed a court order, meaning a judicial order and not just their order and they were not happy and said they were coming back today. This is how dirty this administration is. They want to get psychotherapy notes and medical notes without the consent of the patient. We ethical doctors will not be complying. Come get me. ✊🏼

@1goodtern She adds that they were doing aid for rent and groceries but have had to focus on rent coz the need is so great and they can try to find other food aid. She is right in the epicenter.

What can we donate to in Minnesota? Who's good to support? What can the rest of the world do practically?

@1goodtern Mpls friend says: "this is the mutual aid effort for the majority-BIPOC high school my kid attends, with many impacted families. The neighborhood doesn't have a ton of financial wealth so it would be great to bring in folks beyond the local community. gofundme.com/f/support-sout…

More than 60 CEOS of Minnesota-based companies just put out an open letter “With yesterday’s tragic news, we are calling for an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” mnchamber.com/blog/open-lett…

Heard about those new AI powered hearing aids? There's a lot of hype. Here's what you need to know. New, on the blog, from the amazing @katherinebouton clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2026/01/n…

@CitizenCohn Also make it traditional Medicare and not Medicare Advantage, thank you very much

Rs complaining a lot these days about ACA sending money to private insurers Easy way to do something about that: Open up Medicare to 55+ Makes perfect sense -- unless, of course, objection isn't to the private insurers I.e., objection is to helping people get health coverage

Even amid a government shutdown, the Trump administration is working to publish its new proposed regulation that would make two hugely consequential changes to the Social Security Administration’s disability system, according to four SSA officials. propublica.org/article/social…

This is another not nice thread, and it's about reproductive health, so if that's a trigger, please stop reading here. Seriously. This one gets really depressing. 🧵⚕️❤️‍🩹

Only in healthcare will the biggest insurance companies in the country negotiate a price for services that is worse than any Joe Schmo can walk in off the street and get for cash That tells you how screwed up our healthcare finances are @RepMTG @SenWarren @SenTedCruz @SenateGOP @CoryBooker @RepJeffries

“The Labor Department warned in an obscure document filed with the Federal Register last week that “the near total cessation of the inflow of illegal aliens” is threatening “the stability of domestic food production and prices for U.S. consumers.” washingtonpost.com/business/2025/…

@LazarusLong13 How a neuroscientist solved the mystery of his own long COVID youcanknowthings.com/how-one-neuros…

Donald Trump’s reaction to any American who is facing higher premiums or a loss of coverage is “go fuck yourself.”

Behold: The End Game

Last week I saw someone write about how 6 year olds have never heard of Covid even though they've had it at least five times here. So this week I asked school children of all ages about Covid. Some of what they said blew me away, especially the older teenagers. 🧵

Have you tried to get a Covid vaccine? It's a mess out there. New, on the blog. clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/09/s…

Here is the full report. 2/2 nytimes.com/2025/08/27/hea…

My resignation letter from CDC. Dear Dr. Houry, I am writing to formally resign from my position as Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective August 28, 2025, close of business.   I am happy to stay on for two weeks to provide transition, if requested. This decision has not come easily, as I deeply value the work that the CDC does in safeguarding public health and am proud of my contributions to that critical mission. However, after much contemplation and reflection on recent developments and perspectives brought to light by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., I find that the views he and his staff have shared challenge my ability to continue in my current role at the agency and in the service of the health of the American people. Enough is enough. While I hold immense respect for the institution and my colleagues, I believe that it is imperative to align my professional responsibilities to my system of ethics and my understanding of the science of infectious disease, immunology, and my promise to serve the American people.  This step is necessary to ensure that I can contribute effectively in a capacity that allows me to remain true to my principles. I am unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.  The recent change in the adult and children’s immunization schedule threaten the lives of the youngest Americans and pregnant people.   The data analyses that supported this decision have never been shared with CDC despite my respectful requests to HHS and other leadership.  This lack of meaningful engagement was further compounded by a “frequently asked questions” document written to support the Secretary’s directive that was circulated by HHS without input from CDC subject matter experts and that cited studies that did not support the conclusions that were attributed to these authors.  Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people. It is untenable to serve in an organization that is not afforded the opportunity to discuss decisions of scientific and public health importance released under the moniker of CDC.  The lack of communication by HHS and other CDC political leadership that culminates in social media posts announcing major policy changes without prior notice demonstrate a disregard of normal communication channels and common sense.  Having to retrofit analyses and policy actions to match inadequately thought-out announcements in poorly scripted videos or page long X posts should not be how organizations responsible for the health of people should function.  Some examples include the announcement of the change in the COVID-19 recommendations for children and pregnant people, the firing of scientists from ACIP by X post and an op-ed rather than direct communication with these valuable experts, the announcement of new ACIP members by X before onboarding and vetting have completed, and the release of term of reference for an ACIP workgroup that ignored all feedback from career staff at CDC. The recent term of reference for the COVID vaccine work group created by this ACIP puts people of dubious intent and more dubious scientific rigor in charge of recommending vaccine policy to a director hamstrung and sidelined by an authoritarian leader.   Their desire to please a political base will result in death and disability of vulnerable children and adults.  Their base should be the people they serve not a political voting bloc. I have always been first to challenge scientific and public health dogma in my career and was excited by the opportunity to do so again.  I was optimistic that there would be an opportunity to brief the Secretary about key topics such as measles, avian influenza, and the highly coordinated approach to the respiratory virus season.  Such briefings would allow exchange of ideas and a shared path to support the vision of “Making America Healthy Again.”  We are seven months into the new administration, and no CDC subject matter expert from my Center has ever briefed the Secretary.  I am not sure who the Secretary is listening to, but it is quite certainly not to us.  Unvetted and conflicted outside organizations seem to be the sources HHS use over the gold standard science of CDC and other reputable sources.  At a hearing, Secretary Kennedy said that Americans should not take medical advice from him.  To the contrary, an appropriately briefed and inquisitive Secretary should be a source of health information for the people he serves. As it stands now, I must agree with him, that he should not be considered a source of accurate information. The intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies will bring us to a pre-vaccine era where only the strong will survive and many if not all will suffer.  I believe in nutrition and exercise.  I believe in making our food supply healthier, and I also believe in using vaccines to prevent death and disability.  Eugenics plays prominently in the rhetoric being generated and is derivative of a legacy that good medicine and science should continue to shun. The recent shooting at CDC is not why I am resigning.  My grandfather, who I am named after, stood up to fascist forces in Greece and lost his life doing so.  I am resigning to make him and his legacy proud.   I am resigning because of the cowardice of a leader that cannot admit that HIS and his minions’ words over decades created an environment where violence like this can occur.  I reject his and his colleagues’ thoughts and prayers, and advise they direct those to people that they have not actively harmed. For decades, I have been a trusted voice for the LGBTQ community when it comes to critical health topics.  I must also cite the recklessness of the administration in their efforts to erase transgender populations, cease critical domestic and international HIV programming, and terminate key research to support equity as part of my decision. Public health is not merely about the health of the individual, but it is about the health of the community, the nation, the world. The nation’s health security is at risk and is in the hands of people focusing on ideological self-interest. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunities for growth, learning, and collaboration that I have been afforded during my time at the CDC. It has been a privilege to work alongside such dedicated professionals who are committed to improving the health and well-being of communities across the nation even when under attack from within both physically and psychologically. Thank you once again for the support and guidance I have received from you and previous CDC leadership throughout my tenure. I wish the CDC continued success in its vital mission and that HHS reverse its dangerous course to dismantle public health as a practice and as an institution.  If they continue the current path, they risk our personal well-being and the security of the United States. Sincerely, Demetre C. Daskalakis MD MPH (he/his/him)