Ezra Golberstein
@egolberstein.bsky.social
Health policy and economics. Some Prince, some Minnesota. Opinions my own.
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
UCare, the largest HMO in MN, to cease operations in 2026 & transition remaining enrollees to Medica. According to MN Health Market Review 2025, UCare lost $480.7 million in 2024 and $125.4 million in first half of 2025. allanbaumgarten.com/minnesota/ For coverage of UCare's plans: bit.ly/4pjAi8T
bit.ly
November 17, 2025 at 8:03 PM
UCare, the largest HMO in MN, to cease operations in 2026 & transition remaining enrollees to Medica. According to MN Health Market Review 2025, UCare lost $480.7 million in 2024 and $125.4 million in first half of 2025. allanbaumgarten.com/minnesota/ For coverage of UCare's plans: bit.ly/4pjAi8T
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
Very excited to be guest-editing a special issue of @jhppl.bsky.social on the politics of private health insurance, alongside @mirandayaver.bsky.social
Send us your papers!
assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/f7ca9afb-82c...
Send us your papers!
assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/f7ca9afb-82c...
November 14, 2025 at 6:56 PM
Very excited to be guest-editing a special issue of @jhppl.bsky.social on the politics of private health insurance, alongside @mirandayaver.bsky.social
Send us your papers!
assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/f7ca9afb-82c...
Send us your papers!
assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/f7ca9afb-82c...
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.
November 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
Deportations actually _increase_ housing prices because they shrink the construction industry.
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
November 13, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Deportations actually _increase_ housing prices because they shrink the construction industry.
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
The reduction in new houses being built swamps effects from lower demand
UMN slogans.
Out: “Driven to Discover”
In: “Elevate Extraordinary”
Next (presumably): “Fixated on Funding”
After that: “Gophering for Greatness”
Out: “Driven to Discover”
In: “Elevate Extraordinary”
Next (presumably): “Fixated on Funding”
After that: “Gophering for Greatness”
November 13, 2025 at 7:40 PM
UMN slogans.
Out: “Driven to Discover”
In: “Elevate Extraordinary”
Next (presumably): “Fixated on Funding”
After that: “Gophering for Greatness”
Out: “Driven to Discover”
In: “Elevate Extraordinary”
Next (presumably): “Fixated on Funding”
After that: “Gophering for Greatness”
Was thinking about this...
Guess what Trump did to the U.S. Attorney in Southern Florida who went behind victims' backs, over line prosecutor's head, & approved an arguably-illegal 2008 nonprosecution agreement with Epstein.
Trump made him U.S. Secretary of Labor in 2017.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexand...
Trump made him U.S. Secretary of Labor in 2017.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexand...
Alexander Acosta - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
November 13, 2025 at 3:53 AM
Was thinking about this...
If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.
November 12, 2025 at 4:52 PM
If anyone will be at #APPAM2025 #2025APPAM and wants to meet up, let me know. Happy to meet with anyone there, schedule permitting.
👇
Democrats didn't funnel subsidy dollars directly to insurers because of their great love for industry. It's just the approach that's most user-friendly and administratively efficient.
November 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
👇
People famously like interacting with insurance companies.
(I'm not even anti-insurer, I just can't imagine who actually wants this.)
(I'm not even anti-insurer, I just can't imagine who actually wants this.)
Trump: "I want the money to go into an account for people where they buy their own health insurance. It's so good. The insurance will be better. It'll cost less. Everybody is gonna be happy. They're gonna feel like entrepreneurs. They're actually able to go out & negotiate their own insurance"
November 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
People famously like interacting with insurance companies.
(I'm not even anti-insurer, I just can't imagine who actually wants this.)
(I'm not even anti-insurer, I just can't imagine who actually wants this.)
Pleased to share that tonight my family graduates from the small jar of chili crisp to the large jar.
November 11, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Pleased to share that tonight my family graduates from the small jar of chili crisp to the large jar.
Timely.
My paper on the consumer financial impacts of Missouri's 2005 Medicaid cut with @1armedeconomist.bsky.social and Slava Mikhed is finally out in the fall issue of AJHE: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...
Missouri’s Medicaid Contraction and Consumer Financial Outcomes | American Journal of Health Economics: Vol 11, No 4
Abstract In July 2005, the state of Missouri implemented a series of cuts to its Medicaid program. These cuts resulted in the elimination of the Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities progra...
www.journals.uchicago.edu
November 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Timely.
If he thinks that bad, wait til he sees how few people file claims for auto, fire, and flood insurance.
Tell me you don’t understand risk pools without telling me you don’t understand risk pools
November 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
If he thinks that bad, wait til he sees how few people file claims for auto, fire, and flood insurance.
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
With the mini-burst of proposals to replace enhanced PTCs with spending accounts like FSAs, keep in mind that this would *absolutely wallop* older people with middle incomes—say a 63-year-old earning $65K—who are among the most dependent on enhanced PTCs. 🧵1/
November 9, 2025 at 4:20 AM
With the mini-burst of proposals to replace enhanced PTCs with spending accounts like FSAs, keep in mind that this would *absolutely wallop* older people with middle incomes—say a 63-year-old earning $65K—who are among the most dependent on enhanced PTCs. 🧵1/
Also is incompatible with pushing to rely on private insurance to deliver Medicare via Medicare Advantage.
The new GOP talking point again premium tax credits is an argument against *all* demand-side assistance.
Don’t help people buy health insurance because money flows to insurers?
That’s also an argument against SNAP and WIC — dollars flow to grocery stores.
Just an excuse to not help people.
Don’t help people buy health insurance because money flows to insurers?
That’s also an argument against SNAP and WIC — dollars flow to grocery stores.
Just an excuse to not help people.
November 8, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Also is incompatible with pushing to rely on private insurance to deliver Medicare via Medicare Advantage.
Yep. I’ve banged this drum before but if there were any sincerity or consistency, R’s would have implemented work requirements for spouses and adult dependents to be eligible for these huge subsidies for employer-sponsored insurance.
if you are insured, in all likelihood.. you got a SUBSIDY to buy health insurance.
WE ALL GET TAX SUBSIDIES TO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE
Those with employer insurance (60% of us) get subsidies TEN TIMES higher than the costs of the ACA subsidies.
So why only attack the ACA/Obamacare subsidies?
WE ALL GET TAX SUBSIDIES TO BUY HEALTH INSURANCE
Those with employer insurance (60% of us) get subsidies TEN TIMES higher than the costs of the ACA subsidies.
So why only attack the ACA/Obamacare subsidies?
A complaint: extending ACA/marketplace enhanced premium tax credits would be expensive.
It would cost $35 billion/year to extend marketplace credits.
In contrast the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance cost $299 billion/year in 2022
taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-boo...
It would cost $35 billion/year to extend marketplace credits.
In contrast the tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health insurance cost $299 billion/year in 2022
taxpolicycenter.org/briefing-boo...
November 8, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Yep. I’ve banged this drum before but if there were any sincerity or consistency, R’s would have implemented work requirements for spouses and adult dependents to be eligible for these huge subsidies for employer-sponsored insurance.
Yeah, this place has the au jus.
November 6, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Yeah, this place has the au jus.
Thank you, @dewayneforminneapolis.com
November 5, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Thank you, @dewayneforminneapolis.com
In case you needed more motivation to rank @dewayneforminneapolis.com #1, last week my 11yo randomly spouted out, "DeWayne 'De-Rock' Davis" and we all need that for our new mayor.
The polls close at 8 today. You can find information about how and where to vote here: pollfinder.sos.mn.gov
Voting Information
pollfinder.sos.mn.gov
November 4, 2025 at 3:11 PM
In case you needed more motivation to rank @dewayneforminneapolis.com #1, last week my 11yo randomly spouted out, "DeWayne 'De-Rock' Davis" and we all need that for our new mayor.
I was delighted to rank @dewayneforminneapolis.com #1 just now. A great choice for Minneapolis.
November 4, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I was delighted to rank @dewayneforminneapolis.com #1 just now. A great choice for Minneapolis.
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
I’m honored to be endorsed by @wedge.live!
“We need a mayor who inspires trust, someone who can unite the city in hard times. Davis is the kind of steady, humble, experienced leader who can move us beyond the last five exhausting years of ego, grandstanding, and finger-pointing.”
“We need a mayor who inspires trust, someone who can unite the city in hard times. Davis is the kind of steady, humble, experienced leader who can move us beyond the last five exhausting years of ego, grandstanding, and finger-pointing.”
November 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
I’m honored to be endorsed by @wedge.live!
“We need a mayor who inspires trust, someone who can unite the city in hard times. Davis is the kind of steady, humble, experienced leader who can move us beyond the last five exhausting years of ego, grandstanding, and finger-pointing.”
“We need a mayor who inspires trust, someone who can unite the city in hard times. Davis is the kind of steady, humble, experienced leader who can move us beyond the last five exhausting years of ego, grandstanding, and finger-pointing.”
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
Great opportunity at the intersection of public sector data & social policy in Minnesota.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
October 31, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Great opportunity at the intersection of public sector data & social policy in Minnesota.
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/43...
Nothing says very open like getting your people to sign NDAs
Chris Murphy on Platner's Totenkopf tattoo: "He sounds like a human being to me. A human being who made mistakes, recognizes them, and is very open about it."
October 26, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Nothing says very open like getting your people to sign NDAs
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
Grim preview of what we should be expecting when work requirements go into effect — a pilot effort in Louisiana to use texts to nudge people to confirm/report income only had a 7% response rate (h/t @joanalker1.bsky.social, @acinthedc.bsky.social)
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/h...
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/h...
Officials show little proof that new tech will help Medicaid enrollees meet work rules | CNN
The Trump administration says it’s developing a digital tool to help people prove they’re meeting new Medicaid work requirements. KFF Health News talked to officials from the two states running pilot ...
www.cnn.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Grim preview of what we should be expecting when work requirements go into effect — a pilot effort in Louisiana to use texts to nudge people to confirm/report income only had a 7% response rate (h/t @joanalker1.bsky.social, @acinthedc.bsky.social)
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/h...
www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/h...
Reposted by Ezra Golberstein
I hope you’ll rank me first on November 4th because Minneapolis deserves a Mayor who can help us meet this moment. I know that Minneapolis can do everything we need to when we come together. We just need the right leadership to get us there.
October 23, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I hope you’ll rank me first on November 4th because Minneapolis deserves a Mayor who can help us meet this moment. I know that Minneapolis can do everything we need to when we come together. We just need the right leadership to get us there.