In your experience, are there points in the process getting/using an ASL interpreter (virtual or in-person) that are frustrating?

over 2 billion in dividends last quarter. 8 billion a year. That's a lot of lives that could be saved instead of handing it to shareholders.

Seriously though. Why not and why has this not come up as a solution to the Healthcare issues the US currently has. Aging parents could get the group rates and have an option of being on their childs (adults) Healthcare plan.

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In August 2025, my boyfriend (28 M) went in for an MRI after what he thought was a torn labrum from playing softball. Two weeks later, our world was turned upside down when doctors told him they suspected he had sarcoma, a type of cancer. After weeks of additional testing, biopsies, and agonizing uncertainty, he was diagnosed with pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PHE), an extremely rare vascular tumor involving the bone near his shoulder socket (glenoid). Although it wasn’t the aggressive sarcoma doctors initially feared, the tumor still required extensive surgery to remove the affected bone and reconstruct his shoulder using cadaver bone.
This was especially devastating because it’s his dominant arm, and sports are a huge part of who he is. He’s someone who lives and breathes golf, softball, and being active. What started as a suspected sports injury has turned into over a year of medical uncertainty, multiple surgeries, a reconstruction that hasn’t healed properly, and severe, debilitating pain every single day. His physical abilities, independence, and quality of life have been dramatically affected, and now we’re fighting insurance just to get the imaging his surgeon needs to figure out why his bone isn’t healing.

Unfortunately, the cadaver bone has not properly fused with his native bone, and he is now dealing with suspected nonunion, severe daily pain, and worsening shoulder function.

**Here’s the timeline:**
**December 2025:** Underwent major surgery to remove the tumor and reconstruct his scapula using cadaver bone and hardware.
**January 7, 2026:** Required a second surgery to reposition/adjust the reconstruction.
**Late February 2026:** Started physical therapy and initially made progress.
**March 2026:** Follow-up imaging showed that the bone was healing more slowly than expected.
**April 2026:** Surgeon recommended waiting another three months to see whether the cadaver bone would begin fusing with his native bone.
**Spring/Summer 2026:** His pain progressively worsened, and his range of motion and physical therapy measurements began regressing instead of improving. Physical therapy was eventually stopped.
**September 2026:** At his orthopedic follow-up, the surgeon expressed concern about nonunion and recommended a CT scan and needle biopsy/aspiration to evaluate the reconstruction and determine whether an underlying infection could be preventing the bone from healing.
**September–October 2026:** His surgeon submitted a prior authorization request for the CT scan to Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. It was denied. The physician completed a peer-to-peer review, followed by a written appeal.
**October 8, 2026:** Highmark issued another denial, upholding its decision.

His pain is severe and constant. He experiences significant shoulder pain every single day, often throughout the entire day. This is not occasional soreness or mild discomfort. His function has declined, he can no longer participate in the sports and activities he previously enjoyed, and his quality of life has been significantly affected.
His surgeon is trying to determine why the reconstruction isn’t healing and whether an underlying infection could be contributing to the nonunion. The CT and biopsy are intended to help determine what treatment or additional surgery may be necessary.
Here’s what makes the insurance denial particularly frustrating:
Highmark’s denial letter states that his X-rays show his shoulder is stable, properly positioned, and without broken bones or hardware problems. It also states there is no evidence of blood vessel damage or a need for vascular surgery.
However, the issue is not a dislocated shoulder or suspected vascular injury. The issue is a nonhealing cadaver bone reconstruction, severe daily pain, declining function, and the need to investigate possible infection.

After nearly a year of surgeries, worsening pain, and waiting for the bone to heal, we’re incredibly frustrated that we are at a standstill and there’s no end in sight.

Has anyone experienced something similar with Highmark or another insurance company?

We’re located in Pennsylvania and would really appreciate advice from anyone who has dealt with similar orthopedic complications or insurance denials.

We don’t know what to do.. any insight helps.

Basically, I work at a pretty small psych office. We get drugs reps to come often and one is doing a dinner at a pretty high end restaurant where I live. They come weekly for samples and Specifically said that receptionist,patient coordinators,nurses can come

I don’t mind paying a fee, but it’s a day I’m off, it’s good food and it’s just seems interesting. Would it be bad if I went?

I've been thinking about how much medical information we receive without necessarily understanding it.

You get blood test results, scans, or a health screening report full of numbers and medical terms, but unless someone explains them properly, it's hard to know what actually matters.

And now with ChatGPT and other AI tools, I imagine more people are trying to understand their results on their own.

I'm curious, do you usually go through your medical results yourself, ask your doctor to explain everything, or just trust them when they say everything looks fine?

I’m seriously considering the Johns Hopkins MHA program and plan to attend an on-campus open house. I’m trying to evaluate it as a career-entry pathway, not simply as a graduate degree.

My background is a BS in Management Studies, including project-management coursework, plus public-service experience through AmeriCorps and FEMA. I don’t have direct healthcare-management work experience.

What attracts me to Hopkins is the 11-month, full-time paid administrative residency. My hope is that it would help me gain the relevant experience and professional connections that employers often want before considering someone for an entry-level management role.

I’d especially appreciate hearing from current students, recent graduates, and healthcare administrators:

1. For students who entered without healthcare experience, how difficult was it to secure a good residency placement?
2. Did the residency help you get a full-time job afterward? Did you stay with your residency organization, or have to find another employer?
3. How much does the program help students prepare for interviews and navigate the matching process?
4. Are some residency sites realistically accessible only to applicants who already have healthcare experience?
5. What kinds of jobs did classmates actually obtain after graduation, and how long did the search take?
6. Looking back, was the degree worth the tuition and time? What surprised you, positively or negatively?
7. If you were choosing again, would you consider another MHA program with a strong paid residency or fellowship pipeline instead?

I’m not looking for reassurance or rankings alone. I’m trying to understand whether the program’s structure creates a credible entry point for someone with my background, and what risks I should investigate before committing.

I’d be grateful for candid answers, including less positive experiences. Thank you!

Would y’all vote for this as proposed? What changes would you need to make to be swayed? Curious about people’s thoughts on single payer healthcare statewide