Michael L. Barnett
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mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett
@mlbarnett.bsky.social
2.2K followers 860 following 140 posts

health policy researcher, primary care physician, dad

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Sociology 22%
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mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Sep 8
New paper w/ Brian McGarry, Ashvin Gandhi, and Drew Wilcock in @jamainternalmed.com!

Hospitals are complaining across the US that patients are "stuck" waiting for rehab beds at nursing homes when they are medically stable and ready for discharge. What is going on??

jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...
Question Has hospital length of stay increased more for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries than for traditional Medicare beneficiaries since the COVID-19 pandemic?Findings In this cohort study involving more than 89 million hospitalizations from 2017 to the third quarter of 2023, Medicare Advantage beneficiaries experienced disproportionately greater increases in extended hospital stays, especially among those discharged to skilled nursing facilities.Meaning These findings suggest that the Medicare Advantage plan design and practices may contribute to hospital discharge delays, with implications for patient outcomes and hospital capacity as enrollment continues to rise.

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 3d
I wonder who can do the quarterbacking! 🤔
aciaccia.bsky.social Antonio Ciaccia @aciaccia.bsky.social · 3d
A often-overlooked fallout of our fragmented drug distribution system: patients with too many medicines, too many prescribers, too many pharmacies, and not enough quarterbacking of the entirety of the patient’s treatment journey.

www.wsj.com/health/healt...
America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated
One in six seniors enrolled in Medicare’s drug benefit were prescribed eight or more medications at the same time, an analysis of Medicare data found.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Stacie B. Dusetzina

aciaccia.bsky.social
Antonio Ciaccia @aciaccia.bsky.social · 3d
A often-overlooked fallout of our fragmented drug distribution system: patients with too many medicines, too many prescribers, too many pharmacies, and not enough quarterbacking of the entirety of the patient’s treatment journey.

www.wsj.com/health/healt...
America’s Seniors Are Overmedicated
One in six seniors enrolled in Medicare’s drug benefit were prescribed eight or more medications at the same time, an analysis of Medicare data found.
www.wsj.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Scott L. Greer

awgaffney.bsky.social
Adam Gaffney @awgaffney.bsky.social · 4d
Our new study just up in JAMA IM: we track Americans' out-of-pocket health spending longitudinally over a four-year period, showing that risks mount year after year. Whereas 11.8% of adults experience healthcare financial strain after 1 year, risk rises to 26.7% over four years

Reposted by Michael Barnett, John Mullahy, Aaron Sojourner

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Peter Thorne, Scott L. Greer , and 11 more

mksongbird.bsky.social
Grant @mksongbird.bsky.social · 12d
so far tonight msnbc has interviewed two students from brown university that are also survivors of separate high school shootings.

insanity.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Barrett

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Joshua Goodman, Valerie Mueller , and 7 more

florianederer.bsky.social
Florian Ederer @florianederer.bsky.social · 16d
The brilliant Kate Ho has passed away.

She was an amazing economist and a genuinely kind human being. Her work shaped how we think about healthcare markets and her generosity touched everyone lucky enough to know her.

The profession and the world are poorer without her.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Dorothy Bishop , and 7 more

aedwardslevy.bsky.social
Ariel Edwards-Levy @aedwardslevy.bsky.social · 16d
"there's a new serif in town"
phillewis.bsky.social Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 16d
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Mark Lubell, Nancy­ Knowlton­ , and 5 more

bistline.bsky.social
John Bistline @bistline.bsky.social · 16d
Wow... NYC's congestion pricing has led to big drops in PM2.5 and real improvements in local air quality.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Megan L. Ranney, John Mullahy , and 6 more

jacobwswallace.bsky.social
Jacob Wallace @jacobwswallace.bsky.social · 17d
🚨 Predoc Opportunity at Yale! 🚨

Care about research that changes policy?

My research team works within state government to advance evidence and learning for a smarter safety net!

And our predocs have excellent PhD placements. Apply here!

#EconSky #EconTwitter #Predoc #ResearchJobs #HealthPolicy
Economics of the Safety Net
tobin.yale.edu

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 17d
i mean, as a expert and doctor i'm biased, but this comment is 🔥🔥🔥🔥
joshuajfriedman.com Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 18d
Justice Jackson to Solicitor General Sauer (just now, in Trump v. Slaughter arguments):
"I guess I have a very different view of the dangers and real-world consequences of your position than what you explored with Justice Kavanaugh. My understanding was that independent agencies exist because Congress has decided that some issues, some matters, some areas should be handled in this way by nonpartisan experts—that Congress is saying that expertise matters with respect to aspects of the economy and transportation and the various independent agencies that we have. "So having a president come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don't know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States."

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Alan Richardson, Nathan Richardson , and 2 more

joshuajfriedman.com
Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 18d
Justice Jackson to Solicitor General Sauer (just now, in Trump v. Slaughter arguments):
"I guess I have a very different view of the dangers and real-world consequences of your position than what you explored with Justice Kavanaugh. My understanding was that independent agencies exist because Congress has decided that some issues, some matters, some areas should be handled in this way by nonpartisan experts—that Congress is saying that expertise matters with respect to aspects of the economy and transportation and the various independent agencies that we have. "So having a president come in and fire all the scientists and the doctors and the economists and the PhDs and replacing them with loyalists and people who don't know anything is actually not in the best interest of the citizens of the United States."

Reposted by Michael Barnett

gabyaboulafia.bsky.social
Gaby Aboulafia @gabyaboulafia.bsky.social · 18d
Medicaid “spend down” — how we force individuals to impoverish themselves to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care — is one of the most messed up things I’ve learned about the US health care system

In a new paper, we look at how often spend-down happens in nursing homes specifically
Asset Spend-Down and Medicaid Enrollment in Nursing Homes
This cohort study examines the rate of Medicaid spend-down among nursing home residents enrolled in traditional Medicare and assesses what factors are associated with Medicaid spend-down among these r...
tinyurl.com

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 19d
news story of the year 2025

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Will Lowe, Barrett , and 1 more

bharrap.bsky.social
Ben Harrap @bharrap.bsky.social · 20d
%notin% coming soon to an #rstats environment near you 🤩

developer.r-project.org/blosxom.cgi/...
Daily News: R-devel/NEWS
developer.r-project.org

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 24d
yeah, trying not to defend this strategy but it seems directionally better than mega gifts to rich institutions. it's head scratching that it seems like an anti-poverty gift but will include so many households where $250 is a drop in the bucket. why bother?

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · 24d
i don't know the answer to this question, but being a devils advocate - what is a worse way to donate this sum of money: $250 for 25 million not-wealthy children or a huge gift to a couple of universities (the common alternative)?

Reposted by Michael Barnett

seema.bsky.social
Seema Jayachandran @seema.bsky.social · 24d
GivePoorly
Michael and Susan Dell to Put $250 in 25 Million Children’s Accounts
www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Will Jennings, A. E. Dessler , and 12 more

lukesteuber.com
Luke Steuber ✔️ @lukesteuber.com · 25d
presented without comment
Offit told me that Kennedy is a "liar" and a "terrible human being." I asked him to explain. "It doesn't matter what I say," Offit said. "He thinks the medical journals are in the pocket of the industry, he thinks that the government is in the pocket of the industry, he thinks I'm in the pocket of industry, and he's wrong." Offit continued: "If he has data showing he's right, then fucking publish it. He can't, because he doesn't have those data." I asked Offit if he saw a way to reverse the public's rising distrust in science. "I don't think there is any way to regain that trust other than have the viruses do the education, and the bacteria do the education, and then people will realize they paid way too high a cost," he said.

Reposted by Michael Barnett

emergencybod.medsky.social
Dr Farbod @emergencybod.medsky.social · 27d
This might be the most incredible road safety video you'll ever see.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Philip N. Cohen, Devon Greyson , and 1 more

kentuckylantern.com
Kentucky Lantern @kentuckylantern.com · Nov 25
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough.

Pertussis, best prevented with a vaccine, has killed three Kentucky babies in the last 12 months.

kentuckylantern.com/2025/11/25/t...
Third unvaccinated Kentucky baby dies of whooping cough • Kentucky Lantern
A third unvaccinated infant in Kentucky has died of pertussis as public health officials urge Kentuckians to get vaccinated against the disease.
kentuckylantern.com

Reposted by Kim L. Scheppele, Michael Barnett, Miles Corak , and 6 more

bhighsmith.bsky.social
Brian Highsmith @bhighsmith.bsky.social · Nov 24
🚨We analyzed 138 million geocoded property tax records to quantify how municipal boundaries spatially overlap onto economic segregation in every US metro area—creating disparities in localities’ ability to fund public goods. And we made an interactive map of our results! [1/16]

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Brian A. Nosek, David McKenzie , and 8 more

evavivalt.bsky.social
Eva Vivalt @evavivalt.bsky.social · Nov 24
🚨 New working paper!

How well do people predict the results of studies?

@sdellavi.bsky.social and I leverage data from the first 100 studies to have been posted on the SSPP, containing 1,482 key questions, on which over 50,000 forecasts were placed. Some surprising results below.... 🧵👇

Reposted by Marc Lynch, Lisa W. Fazio, Michael Barnett , and 25 more

ddiamond.bsky.social
Dan Diamond @ddiamond.bsky.social · Nov 20
CDC has overhauled its website to assert that “the claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim”
Autism and Vaccines QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS PAGE 2 OF 9 | ALL PAGES J For Everyone NOV. 19, 2025 KEY POINTS • The claim "vaccines do not cause autism" is not an evidence-based claim because studies have not ruled out the possibility that infant vaccines cause autism. • Studies supporting a link have been ignored by health authorities. HHS Research on Plausible Biologic Mechanisms between Vaccines and Autism HHS will evaluate plausible biologic mechanisms between early childhood vaccinations and autism. Mechanisms for further investigation include the impacts of aluminum adjuvants, risks for certain children with mitochondrial disorders, harms of neuroinflammation, and more. * The header "Vaccines do not cause autism" has not been removed due to an agreement with the chair of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee that it would remain on the CDC website.

Reposted by Michael Barnett, David L. Anderson

citizencohn.bsky.social
Citizen Cohn / Jonathan Cohn @citizencohn.bsky.social · Nov 19
Trying to assess GOP health plans right now is like “trying to read tea leaves, only the cup is full of mud”

— @adrianna.bsky.social

www.thebulwark.com/p/not-so-imp...
The Not-So-Impressive “New” Health Care Ideas Republicans Want to Rush Out
What GOP leaders are missing in their mad scramble to remake health care policy.
www.thebulwark.com

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Daniel W. Drezner, Alan Richardson , and 1 more

brunodias.bsky.social
Bruno Dias @brunodias.bsky.social · Nov 17
It needs to be emphasized that this paragraph is about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Like all men but more so, he was a hunter. In a literal sense, he used not a bullet but a bird. It was not about a chase but about a puzzle of logic and skill that amounted to a test of his self-mastery. He was the mouse and the architect of his maze. The giver of his own pleasure and torment. He desired. He desired desiring. He desired being desired. He desired desire itself. I understood this just as I came to understand the range of his kinks and complexes and how they fit within what I thought I understood of his soul.

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Nov 15
since I get this, hello fellow nerd 😂

Reposted by Michael Barnett

abettel.bsky.social
Adriel Bettelheim @abettel.bsky.social · Nov 14
Federal court gives go-ahead for settlement in Purdue Pharma opioid case. www.axios.com/2025/11/14/o...
Federal judge approves $7.4 billion bankruptcy settlement in OxyContin case
"Today cements the end of a long chapter," said Purdue board chairman Steve Miller.
www.axios.com

mlbarnett.bsky.social
Michael L. Barnett @mlbarnett.bsky.social · Nov 12
?????!?!
heartlandsignal.bsky.social Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · Nov 12
JD Vance calls ibuprofen "useless medication" and implies it's not "necessary, safe and effective."

Reposted by Michael Barnett, Kevin J. Anchukaitis, Scott L. Greer , and 9 more

heartlandsignal.bsky.social
Heartland Signal @heartlandsignal.bsky.social · Nov 12
JD Vance calls ibuprofen "useless medication" and implies it's not "necessary, safe and effective."