Health Savings New – Episode 17: Indirect Costs of Healthcare

Note: This is a rough transcript of episode 17 of Health Savings News and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form. Evan (00:09): Hello and welcome to Health Savings News, the podcast about healthcare costs in America, and how to save money on the often expensive care all kinds of people need. I’m your host, Evan O’Connor, joined by retired doctors Rich Sagall and Mike Woods.  How are you guys doing today?  Mike: Good.  Rich: Doing well.  Evan: Great. Each episode we discuss healthcare costs in America, offer tips for saving money, and […]

Holiday Tips for Safe Travel and Mental Health

The holiday season in the United States and throughout the world has begun, and many people travel to visit family during these months — including some who may be traveling with a chronic illness, all of which have added complications due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We at NeedyMeds have some tips for healthy travel over the holidays along with suggestions for staying safe and mitigating the spread of coronavirus. Getting fully vaccinated and/or receiving boosters of available COVID-19 vaccines is the best way to protect yourself from infection while traveling — especially if you are uninsured; COVID vaccines will […]

Health Savings News – Episode 16: How to Appeal Health Insurance Denials

Note: This is a rough transcript of episode 16 of Health Savings News and has been lightly edited for clarity. Copy may not be in its final form.   Evan (00:08): Hello and welcome to Health Savings News, the podcast about healthcare costs in America, and how to save money on the often expensive care all kinds of people need. I’m your host, Evan O’Connor, joined by retired doctors Rich Sagall and Mike Woods. How are you doing today, guys? Rich (00:22): Good, and you? Evan (00:23): Doing all right. Mike (00:24): Good. Except for the bleak, rainy day, but… […]

An unhoused man holds a sign that reads "Seeking human kindness" on the MBTA

Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week 2022

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual observance when people and organizations draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness and show compassion for our unhoused neighbors. While the issues are broad and causes are varied, the solutions that have been shown to work (but are rarely employed in the United States) are centered around harm reduction as opposed to increased criminalization.   Homelessness can take many forms, with people living on the street, in encampments or shelters, in transitional housing programs, or staying with family or friends. While the U.S. government reports 1.5 million people a year […]

Transgender Awareness Week 2022

Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity is different from their sex assigned at birth; ‘gender identity’ is one’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both (gender fluid), or neither (nonbinary). Gender expression involves expressing one’s gender identity through their social roles, appearance, and behaviors. Many health concerns that transgender people face are due to minority stress, such as discrimination and social/internalized stigma. Gender affirming care is essential to transgender health.   Transgender people experience gender dysphoria, a clinically significant distress recognized by the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental […]

About Us

Welcome to the NeedyMeds Voice! We look forward to presenting you with timely, provocative pieces on healthcare reform, patient advocacy, medication and healthcare access, and other health-related news. Our goals are to educate, enlighten, and elucidate; together, we will try to make sense of the myriad and ongoing healthcare-related changes in the U.S. today.