Author: Michael Bertaut

Healthcare Economist Michael Bertaut (BURR-toe) is a Certified Health Consultant and Professional of the Academy of Healthcare Management. He has more than 30 years of analytical experience in the healthcare, telecom and retail industry sectors. On the ground in D.C. when the healthcare reform law (PPACA) was written, Michael has taken part in more than 1,100 public discussions on healthcare costs and the impact of reform since 2009. Mike is a fellow of the Academy of Applied Politics at Louisiana State University, and author of this Hermes Award winning healthcare blog. Michael earned his MBA and BA from Louisiana State University and just celebrated his 35th year as a cancer survivor. Michael is recognized as a national commentator on healthcare reform, quoted in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and state and local publications. He is a regular guest on the Talk Louisiana radio show.

In case you missed it, it’s cold and flu season. Hopefully, you are following the advice medical and public health professionals have been giving for years: Get your flu shot, wash your hands regularly, avoid huge crowds, try not to touch your face and, for God’s sake, keep your fingers out of your nose! (Quit denying it, I saw you!) Likewise, if you start to feel bad, running fever and the like, don’t go to work, school or public gatherings, and see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

These habits will serve you well in the face of the latest viral threat, the new coronavirus, formally named COVID-19. Read more

In this episode of the Straight Talk podcast (23:32), Mike sits down to answer some questions from readers.

Mike takes on your tough questions, including how the Health Insurance Tax is affecting your premiums (hint: they are taking a hit, but there are other factors that can cause your rates to go up. Mike spells them out).
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Want in on an inside conversation between Healthcare Economist Mike Bertaut and one of his Straight Talk producers? They are interesting exchanges. In this one, which we recorded for you, we talk about the latest news with the ACA, even going back in time a bit.

We also talk about how the ruling could affect some really popular benefits of the ACA, Read more

“Cut the grass, son!” Yep, that’s my Dad, circa early 1970s, encouraging 11-year-old me to get off my butt and do some work, which frankly at that age I was keen to avoid. But he was home from working offshore and would be for at least a week, and it was July in Morgan City. You could almost watch the grass grow, so I wasn’t getting out of it. Read more

For the past few months, I’ve been telling my Straight Talk audience about the people at Blue Cross who are doing hard work to make big improvements to the health insurance landscape and health in Louisiana.

Today, I want to introduce you to the head honcho here at Blue Cross, Dr. I. Steven Udvarhelyi. He’s our President and CEO and he’s best known around here as Dr. Steve. Read more

You ever hear the expression “You just can’t make this stuff up?” It implies that reality is so bizarre, so unexpected, that it HAS to be unscripted and random.

If you’ve followed the fate of the Affordable Care Act through the courts over the past decade, you would become a believer of “you just can’t make this stuff up.” Read more