[Applause] It's a warm Michigan summer afternoon when a panicked mother bursts through the emergency room doors. Her toddler is cradled in her arms and his little wrist is swollen. He's got all these tears streaked across his face cuz he fell off the monkey bars earlier that day.And his wrist is clearly fractured, but there's no bone protruding and there aren't any life-threatening signs. Yet here they are thrown into the chaos of the emergency room. And that room is packed.There are crying kids. There's ex ...

A question being asked across the country. How can I afford my prescription drugs. Prices are skyrocketing.It's a broken system and we need to make sure everyone is paying attention. With some specialty medications costing tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and prescription drug prices in the US averaging nearly three times more than in other countries, driving people and employers to find a solution. It's such a desperate thing to think that you might not have your medication at all.>> ...

[Music] [Applause] I want to tell you a story about my aunt who one day while enjoying a rare moment of downtime began to experience a tightness in her chest and a shortness of breath. She did what anyone would do and headed to the emergency room. But instead of being met with urgent care, she was met with skepticism.With a raised eyebrow and a condescending tone, the physician asked, "Are you sure you're feeling these symptoms?" She received little to no test, no real help, no answers. She headed to the ca ...

Healthcare Systems Comparison - Canada operates a publicly funded universal healthcare system, unlike the United States [2] - OECD countries, except the US, generally have universal or near-universal healthcare systems [6] - The US spends significantly more per capita on healthcare compared to other developed nations but often has worse outcomes [7] US Healthcare Programs - The Social Security Amendments of 1965 created Medicaid and Medicare [9] - Over 66 million people are on Medicare and 71 million are on Medicaid [11] - In 2023, the US uninsured rate reached a record low of 79% after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) [13] Impact of the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" - The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the bill will add $33 trillion to the national debt over a decade and could increase the number of uninsured people by 118 million [15] - Some estimate that Trump administration policies could push the number of uninsured people up to 17 million [16] - The bill shortens the annual ACA open enrollment period by about a month [17] - The bill includes provisions that require states with expanded Medicaid coverage to charge some enrollees up to $35 for some services [18] - The changes and cuts from the bill could lead to the closure of some of the country's 760 at-risk rural hospitals [18]