Ken Perez

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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…

Array February 23, 2024

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…

Array August 25, 2023

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…

Array May 26, 2023

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…

Array February 28, 2023

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.

Array October 2, 2022

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.

Array May 26, 2022

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.

Array March 1, 2022

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.

Array October 31, 2021

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.

Array August 26, 2021

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.

Array April 28, 2021