Dr. Niran Al-Agba

Medicaid Expansion: Nothing But an Empty Promise for Children

For the first time in a decade, the number of uninsured children in the United States increased in 2018. Apple Health seemed like the quintessential success story because it expanded Medicaid coverage for children — in Kitsap County alone, the number enrolled grew from 9,000 to over 21,000 in the last 10 years. However, Medicaid reimbursement also decreased by more than 35 percent, after a federal provision that kept Medicaid payments on par with Medicare expired in 2015. Some states set aside funding to maintain rates equal to those of Medicare, but Washington was not one of them.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-31T00:17:12+00:00January 8, 2019|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, Child Advocacy, Consolidation, Corporatization, Government Medicine, Health Policy, Hospitals, Medicaid, Obamacare|

Can CEO’s Dean and Lofton Perform A Miracle through the CommonSpirit Health Merger?

Nonprofit hospitals, in general, are facing challenging times. And that challenge is going to reverberate through our county, whether that means a major facility on a new construction timeline or further corporate creativity to reduce health care costs.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-31T00:13:03+00:00January 2, 2019|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, CHI, Dignity, Franciscan Health, Government Medicine, Health Policy, Hospital Consolidation, Hospitals, Merger|

The Reasons Childbirth is safer in Libya than the United States

During the same period, the U.S. maternal mortality more than doubled, skyrocketing from 9.8 to 21.5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. That’s six times higher than most Scandinavian countries and three times higher than Canada and the United Kingdom. In the U.S., around 700-900 women die and another 65,000 experience life-threatening complications during or after childbirth. By any standard, the U.S. has the worst performance on this crucial measure of any country in the developed world.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-31T00:05:12+00:00October 16, 2018|Categories: Equality, Policy|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, Consolidation, Health Policy, Hospitals, Life Expectancy, Patient Physician Relationship, Physician Autonomy, Quality|

Can Physicians Push Back Against Big Pharma?

The patient was on the state Medicaid insurance and required a so-called prior authorization, or PA, for Ciprofloxacin. Consisting of additional paperwork that physicians are required to fill out before pharmacists can fill prescriptions for certain drugs, PAs boil down to yet another cost-cutting measure implemented by insurers to stand between patients and certain costly drugs.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-31T00:03:13+00:00October 2, 2018|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Big Pharma, Corporatization, Corruption, Government Medicine, Patient Safety, Pharmaceutical|

Prior Authorizations: Who is Responsible for the Death of a Patient when Insurers Practice Medicine?

In July, 2009, the family of Massachusetts teenager Yarushka Rivera went to their local Walgreens to pick up Topomax, an anti-seizure drug that had been keeping her epilepsy in check for years. Rivera had insurance coverage through MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid insurance program for low-income children, and never ran into obstacles obtaining this life-saving medication.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-31T00:01:37+00:00September 18, 2018|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Big Pharma, Corporatization, Corruption, Government Medicine, Health Policy, Insurance, Patient Safety, Pharmaceutical, Transparency|

Does Kitsap County Have Enough Doctors?

Only 6% of physicians practice in rural areas, yet they serve 16% of the population. Kitsap County has 443 physicians, equivalent to 2.4% of the state total and is one county experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians. Kitsap County falls below the state average in every primary care specialty across the board.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-30T23:49:15+00:00August 7, 2018|Categories: Physician, Policy|Tags: ACA, Affordable Care, Government Medicine, Health Policy, Patient Safety, Physician Shortage, Rural Care, Underserved|

The Tapeworms are Hungry for Direct Primary Care

Tapeworms represent third parties who have ingratiated themselves into the patient-physician relationship in the interest of the almighty dollar. As the distance has grown between patients and physicians, costs have spiraled out of control. By inviting extra layers of bureaucracy, CMS and other corporations are essentially slapping lipstick on the tapeworm and trying to make CPC look as attractive as Direct Primary Care, but that is an illusion.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-30T23:27:47+00:00April 24, 2018|Categories: Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Corporatization, Direct Primary Care, DPC, Health Policy, Independent Practice, Transparency|

Firing Dr. Shulkin, One Really Good Decision

Just over a year ago, I met Dr. Shulkin in his office while working in Washington DC on behalf of independent physicians. A highly esteemed colleague of mine previously worked at the same hospital with Dr. Shulkin and scheduled a meeting to discuss healthcare reform. My colleague asked for a “wing woman” and I happily tagged along. Knowing their shared history, an exchange of pleasantries seemed far more likely than the haranguing with insults that ensued. In my opinion, Dr. Shulkin was one of the most pompous men I have ever encountered.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T01:42:46+00:00April 4, 2018|Categories: Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Government Medicine, Health Policy, Transparency, Veterans Administration|

Health Savings Accounts: Are Lawmakers Being Target-ed or Getting Amazon-ed?

Our Government should be Of the people, By the people and For the people – not Of Target, By Amazon, and For Berkshire Hathaway. Being seen by a midlevel provider at a big box retailer cannot save money. Lawmakers sponsoring H.R 5138 are doing the nation a grave disservice by sponsoring this atrocious legislation.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T01:44:10+00:00March 27, 2018|Categories: Patient, Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Amazon, Chase, Consolidation, Corporatization, Health Policy, HSA, Physician Autonomy|

MD + DNP = Dr.² (Doctor Squared): The Alternative to MOC Burden

While the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) argues MOC participation makes for better doctors, no credible proof supports this assertion; only initial board certification has been scientifically validated. Seven states already eliminated MOC compliance to maintain licensure, physician hospital employment, or insurance contracting, however this same freedom must be extended to the other 43.

Niran Al-Agba2020-05-26T02:08:57+00:00February 13, 2018|Categories: Physician, Policy|Tags: Affordable Care, Consolidation, Health Policy, Maintenance of Certification, Mid-level Care, MOC, Nonphysicians, Transparency|