Topic: Managed Health

Australian news outlets have reported multiple cases of fatal blood clotting linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine. Such reports are more common in Australia because the country does not allow the same level of pharmaceutical advertising on television as the United States. The discussion also touches on the 1970s Nixon-era changes that allowed health corporations to prioritize profits.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a memo stating that the 2020 NFL Draft will proceed as scheduled in late April. Goodell warned that public discussion of issues relating to the draft's timing by team officials would be grounds for disciplinary action. The hosts criticize the league's "shut up slave" mentality and its insistence on normalcy during the pandemic.

UnitedHealth Group, the nation's largest health insurer, announces its withdrawal from most Obamacare exchanges due to financial losses. Despite claims of losing money on the exchanges, the company reported a $53 billion gross profit over the last 12 months, leading to skepticism about their motivations for pulling out.

The hosts discuss the history of Progressive Insurance, noting its origins as a data-driven company that used actuarial tables to predict driver risk. They argue that the insurance industry's ultimate goal is to acquire DNA data to perform advanced risk management, potentially denying coverage to individuals based on genetic predispositions to diseases. They warn that the "nothing to hide" argument regarding privacy fails to account for how personal data can be used for financial exclusion.

Aviation insurance restrictions prevent non-employees from hitching rides on empty Boeing ferry flights due to liability concerns. This shift in insurance mirrors the broader health care industry, where insurance has transitioned from a disaster-recovery mechanism to a complex financing system for routine medical expenses.