#5SmartReads - April 19, 2022

Hitha on medical debt, spam, and why representation matters

April 19, 2022

This week’s #5SmartReads is sponsored by Felix Gray.

It’s not just you. It’s everyone, and the spam is EVERYWHERE.

And it’s not merely annoying - some of the actors behind it are deploying spam contacting to open the door to fraud, identity theft, and cybercrime.

So be diligent about immediately deleting those suspicious texts, feel free to keep screening unknown numbers, and don’t be afraid to hit that “report spam” button on your e-mail early and often (or just use Superhuman - the spam filter is excellent, as is their auto-unsubscribe feature).

I know you’re all smart enough to handle this - so forward this article to your elders (along with my advice), and maybe download RoboKiller on their phones while you’re at it.

Imagine if affordable childcare was as easy to find as a Starbucks. JUST IMAGINE.

That’s the reality that NeighborSchools is trying to build by 2030. And their multi-pronged approach - helping would-be home daycare providers get training and administration support, help with the licensing process, and giving parents a marketplace to find the right care for their children with transparency - is poised to give working families what they’ve needed for so, so long.

I am so proud of my brilliant friend Brigid and can’t wait to see how NeighborSchools scales (and so proud of my other brilliant friend Amy’s smart interviewing).

If you’ve been hearing the term “groomer” in the context of LGBTQ conversations, there’s a reason for that.

It’s a disgusting term to pair with the anti-LGBTQ laws that are being passed at a rapid clip throughout the country, to paint anyone who believes in queer rights as someone corrupting children.

“But what these bills communicate coyly, its supporters in media and politics have been saying out loud for quite some time: The way to win back lost ground in the culture war over LGBTQ people is to cast them as morally corrupt villains — and use schools as a starting point for a bigger cultural shift.”

Now this is not a new fight (we’re entering the fifth decade of it, in fact). And while conservatives are becoming increasingly desperate in the culture wars, their effective echo chambers are truly making people believe that anyone supportive of LGBTQ rights are somehow pedophiles.

Sharing articles like this bring me no joy, but I will also not stand for the the rights and dignity our queer friends wish to live with being stripped away and for them to be painted this way.

What do you do when you first wake up?

I brush my teeth. Make my bed. And before I grab my phone, I put on my Felix Grays to help protect my eyes from the blue light emitted from my devices. They’re lightweight, comfortable, and have the added perk of making me look smarter.

Get a pair for yourself, and get 15% off in honor of their birthday sale, with code BIRTHDAY15!

What happens to our brains when we see people who look like us, who share our experiences, and whose names and food and culture are the same as ours on screen or in the pages of books?

“The more people can see a version of themselves in a positive light (being successful, healthy, valued, respected, and considered), the more likely they are to achieve that same thing and model the behavior for others. It matters that people can find a foundation to match their skin tone and stylish, quality clothing regardless of their dress size. It matters even more that your current and prospective employees and consumers see women, ethnically-diverse, and differently-abled leaders, brand ambassadors, and talent. In this range of representation, they are more likely to connect with a version of themselves and, therefore, see, believe, and ultimately become that which they observe.”

You can’t be what you can’t see is a cliché, but one backed in science. I’ve written about what season 2 of Bridgerton meant to me and a whole book about our nations first woman (and Black, and South Asian) vice-president and how she’s helped me step into my own power.

Those that have always been represented take it for granted or accept it as the norm. Making space for those who may not look/sound/learn/love like you does not take away your own power. Power multiples when it’s in the hands of many, and can help us build a better word. I truly believe this, and it’s a big part of why I am careful about curating #5SmartReads to share underestimated perspectives and underreported news.

Medical debt is a massive issue in the United States (and the fact it even exists is a tragedy, but that’s for another day). The CFPB (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) released a report that found $88B of medical debt on credit reports, with that burden being borne more heavily by Black and Latinx households.

So what has this administration done? Well, quite a bit:

  • Stronger enforcement of the No Surprises Act, which prohibits collection of certain medical debts by credit reporting agencies and debt collectors and to protect consumers from surprise billing (ambulance services are unfortunately not included in this act)

  • The VA announced a plan to simplify medical debt forgiveness, along with changes on how clinical debt will be reported to credit agencies in the future.

  • Medical debt will not be counted against consumers who are securing mortgages and loans from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Housing IS healthcare, and we have to look at holistic solutions in addressing it.

There’s a lot more in this set of executive actions signed by President Biden, and also a lot more we can do. But these are really important and will make an impact in so many people’s lies.

Also, can we expand Medicaid in the states that have declined to do so?

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