Day: December 8, 2024

Following the brazen murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, some were surprised by the lack of sympathy shown by people online. Those who follow the healthcare industry closely, however, say the anger towards the industry has been boiling for a long time. Guest: Elisabeth Rosenthal, Senior Contributing Editor at KFF Health News & author, “An American Sickness: How Healthcare Became Big Business and How You Can Take It Back”
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In 1972, the federal government launched a program to support the poorest disabled and elderly Americans. Supplemental Security Income, run by the Social Security Administration, provides monthly checks that are a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in this country. SSI was intended to serve as a powerful safety net and a tool for fighting poverty. But a recent NPR Investigation led by correspondent Joseph Shapiro has discovered a very different reality today. In today’s episode of The Sunday Story , Shapiro explains how SSI’s outdated rules have made the system difficult to run and almost impossible for its beneficiaries to navigate. Impoverished disabled and elderly people say they have been penalized for trying to improve their lives—for saving money, getting married, and even daring to have careers. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy

Syrian rebels said President Assad had already fled as they declared their capture of Damascus. Reports said that he left the capital by plane for an unknown destination.