Ken Perez
About the Author
Ken Perez
Latest Work
Ken Perez: Assessing the U.S. response to the healthcare needs of migrants and asylum seekers
Immigration, for decades one of the most politically charged issues in the United States, is emerging as a top issue during this election year. A poll of 1,074 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 30-Dec. 4, 2023, found that immigration ranked as the fourth-highest priority for 2024, with 35% of those surveyed indicating that they want the…
Ken Perez: How homelessness and healthcare are inextricably linked
Homelessness is a worsening problem for the United States, and in multiple ways, it is a healthcare issue. Many of our nation’s failed efforts to solve this problem, outlined below, do not fully acknowledge this reality. But a promising new not-for-profit initiative, Built for Zero, may provide a truly viable solution using a data-driven approach…
Ken Perez: 3 strategic options hospitals can use to repair today’s negative margins
The year 2022 has been characterized by some economists as being the worst financial year for U.S. hospitals in decades as expense growth has outpaced revenue increases. As a result, many hospitals and health systems have a pressing need to launch initiatives that can effectively repair their negative operating margins.a Labor shortages and inflation demand…
2022 midterms aftermath: Gridlock or bipartisanship?
Studies conducted over the past several years have found the polarization is increasing in American society.a And not surprisingly, the 2022 midterm elections reflected the deep divisions. Two fiercely contested Senate seats in this past election are emblematic. Democrat John Fetterman won Pennsylvania’s hotly contested Senate race over Republican Mehmet Oz, MD, taking over the seat…
Ken Perez: What U.S. hospitals and health systems can expect from the 2022 IRA
Passed on Aug. 7, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act has policy provisions that are significant for providers, but overall, it constitutes a mixed bag for hospitals and health systems.
Ken Perez: U.S. demographic realities and the productivity mandate for healthcare
COVID-19’s impact on nursing is undeniable. But focusing too much on the pandemic can obscure longstanding and inexorable demographic trends that are also contributing to growing nursing shortages.
Ken Perez: Healthcare assailed by a labor crisis, with pharmacy technicians particularly affected
The healthcare sector lost more than half a million workers from February 2020 to September 2021, contributing to labor shortages in the sector. An often-overlooked yet important element in this trend is the acute shortage among pharmacy technicians, who play a vital role in the delivery of pharmacy services.
Ken Perez: Healthcare plays a pivotal role in the fate of the Democrats’ social spending bill
Characterized by some as the centerpiece of President Joe Biden’s agenda, the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion budget plan is still very much a work in progress.
Two infrastructure bills have significant implications for healthcare and bipartisanship
Congress’ handling of two mammoth bills may well determine the political tone in Washington and whether there will be any room for bipartisanship for the remainder of President Joe Biden’s term.
Herd immunity and the prospect of seeing an end to the COVID-19 crisis
There are widespread expectations that the United States will achieve herd immunity against COVID-19 within the coming year, and possibly by this summer.