Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

“woke” is the new caravan.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

The Supreme Court is corrupt. Democrats must win in November and force court reform.

Good lord, these people are nuts.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Days Since JD Vance Insulted Women Across America: Zero

It could be worse. Vance could have said “post-menopausal sows.” Waiting for that audiotape to surface.

Never forget that he train is barreling down on Trump, even as he dances on the tracks.

In my day, never was longer.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Never give a known liar the benefit of the doubt.

Second rate reporter says what?

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

You are here: Home / Anderson On Health Insurance / And now this….

Reader Interactions

233Comments

  2. 2.

    O. Felix Culpa

    Yay you, Mr. Newly-Minted Ph.D.! Bask in the glow, and toss back an adult beverage or three.

  19. 19.

    AJ of the Mustard Search and Rescue Team

    Congrats, David! Wonderful accomplishment and so well deserved!!

  21. 21.

    Chris Johnson

    Nice! You care about this stuff so much and know so much about it… thank fuck I don’t have to spend my time dealing with it, but look at you! You deserve all the kudos and more. Get out there and do some good, Doctor A :D

  26. 26.

    JaySinWA

    What’s up doc?

    Congrats.

    It looks like your bio in the BJ authors section needs a minor update.

    I am a student in the doctoral program at the Duke University Department of Population Health Sciences. I am working towards my my doctorate in Health Services Research with a policy focus.

    I’m sure that’s at the top of your list of things to do. /s

  32. 32.

    rusty

    Congratulations Dr. Anderson!!  Many thanks too for your on going education of the folks here on the nitty gritty of health policy and the consequences of different decisions.  It has been greatly appreciated.

  39. 39.

    Ramalama

    Could have and did fool me – I thought you already had a PhD. Woo! Congrats. Hope you did not lose too much blood when you entered the fight circle with your doctoral combat advisors.

  45. 45.

    RSA

    Wow, congratulations! Are you going to “walk”?

    (…that is, participate in the convocation?)

  46. 46.

    narya

    I am here to tell you that it was a great defense! (Yes, I attended.) Congratulations, Dr. Anderson!

    One thing I learned: Dr. Anderson has a Boston accent (I think that’s what it is?)! It really was a well-organized presentation, and it was accessible–despite the statistics–because Dr. Anderson is good at putting his thoughts into an understandable form. (Yes, I just want to keep saying “Dr. Anderson.”)

    Also: in my consulting work, I’ve been working with CHCs who have Ryan White funding to serve people living with HIV–and most of the ones I’m working with are in non-Medicaid-expansion states, whereas I’m more familiar with services/care in an early-1332-waiver expansion state. I wonder if there are differences between expansion and non-expansion states in terms of quality of care, viral suppression, etc., and/or in how grantees utilize their funding. I know that your work has been in a different area of the policy world, so this probably isn’t your thing at all . . . but maybe one of your colleagues would be intrigued.

  51. 51.

    zhena gogolia

    Congratulations!

    “Oh, stewardess, I think the man sitting next to me is a doctor.”

  54. 54.

    cope

    You deserve that big smile, congratulations.  It took me 20 years to get a masters after college and at that rate, I reckoned a PhD would take me more years than I had left.

    Bask in the glow of a hard earned accomplishment.

  59. 59.

    Dorothy A. Winsor

    @RSA: I loved it when my doctoral students went to graduation because I got to “hood” them, ie put on their ceremonial hood. I’m small, so once a student had to practically kneel before I could get it over her head, but it’s such a joyous occasion.

  60. 60.

    Spanky

    Narrator: “And that was the last time Dr. Anderson was seen wearing a tie.”

    Congratulations!

  61. 61.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @narya:

    It was a real pleasure to attend the defense virtually (and “meet” Narya), and I echo all the congratulations and admiration for a very well-structured presentation.

    Gosh, there are a lot of smart people who hang out here! Well done, Dr. Jackal.

  64. 64.

    narya

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: The man who would have been my advisor died (at 53 . . . fk cancer) as I started writing my dissertation. In the course of helping finish his book, I became friends w/ his wife, and she offered to let me wear his robe when I graduated so I didn’t have to rent one, as he had his Ph.D. from the same place. It was special to have him “with” me that way.

  66. 66.

    Elizabelle

    Do you think that that Richard Mayhew might show up and buy you a drink tomorrow?  He should.

  70. 70.

    Rugosa

    Congratulations, Dr. Dave!  Your posts were extremely helpful to me during the Obamacare wars and I was out of work, needing to navigate COBRA and MassHealth.  Here’s to more great work!

  71. 71.

    lowtechcyclist

    Congratulations, Dr. Anderson!!​

    To quote our President, this is a big fucking deal!!

  77. 77.

    There go two miscreants

    Congratulations! I always enjoy your posts; many of them have been helpful in explaining to normies just how the system works.

  79. 79.

    Mousebumples

    @narya: that’s so great of her. Thanks for sharing that.

    Congrats to you, and Dr. Anderson!

    I also have a PhD – just have an ARM in the middle there. (PharmD). And I feel lucky since I didn’t have a dissertation. Just practicum (eg paying tuition to work full time).

  83. 83.

    frosty

    Congratulations! Not an easy thing to do, especially when you are trying to do research, write, and get paid at the same time. It took my dad seven years.

  92. 92.

    H.E.Wolf

    Congratulations, Dr. Anderson!

    And kudos to all the other PhDs we’ve been harboring in our midst!

  101. 101.

    Raven

    As many of you know, I don’t drink but I found this interesting!

     

    TAMU Beer Hall

    Where Korean Heritage, Food Truck Ingenuity, and the Local Community meet.

  102. 102.

    JaySinWA

    @Elizabelle: Ah, little Richard Mayhew who gave testimony while in the BJ witness protection program. I wonder what ever happened to that guy. Don’t see him around much anymore.

    Maybe he’s hiding behind Groucho Glasses?

  103. 103.

    Auntie Anne

    Congratulations Dr. Anderson!  Tell that Mayhew character he did well too :)

  105. 105.

    Chief Oshkosh

    Congratulations! Pile it higher and deeper – we need all the help we can get!

  106. 106.

    Searcher

    Does any other child of the 90’s still read “Doctor Anderson” in an Agent Smith voice, in their head?

  107. 107.

    Mandarama

    Congratulations, Dr. Anderson!

    –Dr. Amanda (former student of Dr. Rasmussen, father of also-Dr. Petra) ❤️

  110. 110.

    Prometheus Shrugged

    Congratulations. I trust that you now qualify for the PhD discount at Mayhew insurance!

  123. 123.

    Leto

    If that’s not the smug grin of a ref who totally missed the foul… haha, congrats! Beer well deserved.

  126. 126.

    Fake Irishman

    @narya:

    Yeah, I remember the first time I met Dave in person at a conference. I looked around the room during a presentation, found the guy who looked and sounded like he’d be most useful to have on your side if a bar fight broke out in the conference hotel over the effect of co-pays on Medicaid expansion and went “that’s got to be Dave.”

    I was right.

  128. 128.

    Barbara

    Congratulations!  I am sorry I missed the defense — I am actually interested in this subject for professional reasons but I will bug you some other time.  Everyone needs at least one day to bask in the glory of such a wonderful achievement.

  129. 129.

    skerry

    Congratulations!

    Thanks for bringing us along with you on this journey. I have learned so much from you.

  133. 133.

    Gwangung

    Congratulations! I was daunted by the work so I admire anyone who can finish the slog.

  138. 138.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    Hey Doc, I have this problem with my….

    Oh! Congratulations, Doc!! 😎

  139. 139.

    Madeleine

    Congratulations, DR. Anderson!! And now I foresee . . . More research and writing and publishing! In a word—success!

    Edited very lightly.

  140. 140.

    No One of Consequence

    Congratulations Doc! Or do you prefer doctor?
    Seems like a Pretty Huge Deal, well-earned.
    Peace,
    -NOoC

  143. 143.

    Spanish Moss

    Congratulations! They should put a picture of your smile in the dictionary under the definition of “beaming”.

  146. 146.

    laura

    It’s official- You’re kind of a Big Deal! Congratulations on this accomplishment. Ya dun Good.

  148. 148.

    patrick II

    Did you practice that shit-eating grin, or does it come naturally — because that is as good as I have seen. Congratulations.

  161. 161.

    David Anderson

    @Fake Irishman: The brawling at ARM is not a particularly scary crowd

     

    Now come to the health econ conferences and watch the fisticuffs after someone identifies a plausibly critical flaw in an identification strategy….. Jackknifes are not just a standard error method….

  167. 167.

    Betsy

    Perhaps no one esle has said it yet — so here goes:  you’re Phinally Done!!

    Awesome achievement  👏

    Plaudits and kudos!!

  169. 169.

    ArchTeryx

    From one PhD to another, congrats on making it to the end of your journey!! Always good to have another doctor in the house. 😊

  172. 172.

    Big R

    I’m sorry I missed it, I’ve been trapped in a mechanic waiting room all day only to be told “we’re not going to finish today, come back tomorrow.”

  174. 174.

    pat

    I just finished On Call by Tony Fauci.

    I hope you are keeping notes for your block-buster!

    Congrats!

  189. 189.

    Mathguy

    Congratulations! Defending is a good feeling, but for me it was truly done when the thesis clerk approved my dissertation.

  191. 191.

    tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)

    Congratulations! That is so exciting and wonderful news!

    What is the next step in Dr. Anderson’s career? Inquiring minds want to know. :)

  192. 192.

    Uncle Jeffy

    Heartiest congratulations and fullest felicitations! (Now you can speak in Doctorate – never use four syllables when five will do….)

  193. 193.

    Torrey

    My very dear Dr. Anderson,
    Please to accept my heartfelt congratulations and a wild and enthusiastic bravo! Relief doesn’t begin to cover the feeling, but if it feels by you like it feels by most folks, your feet won’t be touching the ground for at least a year.
    Cheers!

  195. 195.

    PapDad/TadoDad

    Outstanding!  A hearty virtual handshake to you!

    Where are you planning to do your post-doc?  :)

  200. 200.

    sab

    Glad somebody can authenticate your knowledge, because I have been relying on your advice since Obamacare first started.

    Yay and hurrah!

  203. 203.

    lurker

    congrats ! way to go ! no phd is anything other than a long hard path to tread – glad you made it to the correct end

  204. 204.

    TEL

    Congratulations! I have been fortunate to benefit from your knowledge here. Hopefully you’ll continue with your balloon juice writing now you’re a big shot PhD.

  207. 207.

    Bard the Grim

    “As you can see, we’ve had our eye on you for some time now, Dr. Anderson. It seems that you’ve been living two lives. In one life, you’re David Anderson, health insurance expert at a respectable university, you have a social security number, you pay your taxes, and you help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived online at a top-10,000 blog, where you go by the hacker alias Mayhew and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not.”  Congratulations, doc!

  209. 209.

    RSA

    @Dorothy A. Winsor:  I loved it when my doctoral students went to graduation because I got to “hood” them, ie put on their ceremonial hood. I’m small, so once a student had to practically kneel before I could get it over her head, but it’s such a joyous occasion.

    LOL. Yes!  What an excellent, heartwarming picture you paint of the ceremony. I never got comfortable with the hooding–I can’t remember it being other than awkward. But it was joyous. We did that sort of thing for the students and their families, and it was worth it.

  211. 211.

    Ruckus

    Congrats doc!!!

    Moving up the scale of whatever job you do and like is great! Being able to get to the top level of any endeavor is a big accomplishment.

  215. 215.

    David Anderson

    @Spanky: I actually want to expand my wardrobe.  My wife got me my first jacket with elbow pads as a defense gift tonight.

     

    I am curious if I can pull off either seersucker or houndstooth when I teach next year.

  218. 218.

    Ohio Mom

    Such a great photo of a great smile.
    So happy for you — Congrats on a job well done!

  223. 223.

    mvr

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: ​
      I’ve done that now on one occasion with two students (one as an honorary co-advisor). Having them do a separate ceremony for the Grad Students made it more meaningful, that a mixed event would have been. I think the two students really cared about it. Most of my advisees have moved away by the time they finished so that was the only time.

    I skipped my own, much to my father’s disappointment. He was the only oldest son in his family not to be a medical doctor in several hundred years, I gather. So he cared a lot when I got a PhD even though I’m not a medical doctor. There was a way he never completely got what I did and why I did what I did.

  226. 226.

    Chris T.

    Way too far behind to read comments above, but: Congrats! (Or “Con-grad-ulations” as we would often say)

  227. 227.

    Pennsylvanian

    I’m always last to any thread.
    Congratulations on a major accomplishment. You are a gentleman and a scholar.

  228. 228.

    Debbie(Aussie)

    Congratulations DR Anderson! May your new educational achievement allow you to continue your work in improving the health care available to the ordinary US citizens. It’s a big ask, I know, but do you think you might be able to move things around, just marginally, so that the Aussie model could work 😀

  232. 232.

    Miss Bianca

    Back to lurking these days so I didn’t catch this in real time, just wanted to add my congratulations to the pile!

Comments are closed.