The intense impact of COVID-19 continues playing out in new headlines each day, but it’s important we step back – both as a medical community and as individuals – and consider the various ways we can prevent serious harm from this disease and others.
The article below notes that obesity is a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness and death and it remains associated with all leading causes of death in the U.S. – diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
The pandemic underscores the urgency of preventive care and addressing social determinants in a meaningful way.
PEW: Pandemic Health Inequities Expose Need for Greater Obesity Prevention

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Ted’s Take: Ted’s Take: Coalescing or Convergent Thinking
I’d like to introduce the concept that coalescing or “convergent thinking” may be detrimental within an organizational setting. By this, I mean that individuals working in the same or similar space often tend to think similar thoughts.
Ted’s Take: We all have a role to play in climate change research
One would think that research about climate issue is one area that people would come together and commit to doing it right – collaboratively, transparently and without ego.
Why aren’t we talking about this? Key questions raised by the Medicare Trustees Report
The Medicare Trust Fund (TF) Annual Trustees report on solvency drives much of the discussion about Medicare payments. Therefore, it’s important and appropriate to understand the underpinnings of the report in order to best understand and engage in the discussion.

Jayne Koskinas Ted Giovanis
Foundation for Health and Policy
PO Box 130
Highland, Maryland 20777
Media contact: 202.548.0133