John W Rodat

Book Review: “Weapons of Math Destruction. Read It!

April 14, 2017 Analysis

Cathy O’Neil’s Weapons of Math Destruction, How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, is a terrific and important book.  O’Neil has the credentials and the cred. Her Ph.D. in mathematics is from Harvard and she subsequently taught at Barnard. She took her analytical skills to D. E. Shaw, a hedge fund and then to […]

Read the full article →

Jealous?

April 7, 2017 Analysis

Hey, data mavens: Jealous?

Read the full article →

And the Shoes Will be on Other Feet

April 6, 2017 Congress

The US Senate changed their rules today, requiring only a simple majority to end debate over Supreme Court nominations. This so-called “nuclear option” reduced the votes required from 60 percent plus one to 50 percent plus one. The change was accompanied by much drama.  It’s probably fair to assume that a similar change will come […]

Read the full article →

Some Key Data Relevant to the Collins/Faso Amendment to the AHCA

March 24, 2017 County

A key consideration in the current fracas, but which is not part of the discussion is that the effect of Medicaid on county finances in New York is quite variable. Here are some graphics for background          

Read the full article →

The House of Representatives Meddling in NYS Internal Fiscals

March 22, 2017 Budget

I’m analyzing NYS options if the AHCA becomes law including the amendment pushed by Congressmen Collins and Faso. I’ll post that later today. For some context and history, it will be useful to read this post from five years ago. Note that the number in the earlier post is $8 billion while the estimated effect […]

Read the full article →

Some History: What We Have Learned Regarding Coverage

January 17, 2017 Government

I’ve been working on health coverage issues since the late 70’s. Here are some of the key things that WE have learned during the time since. Prior to Medicare, private insurers did not offer coverage to the elderly. Most elderly simply got dropped when they turned 65. That’s why we have Medicare. Prior to the […]

Read the full article →

Latest Medicaid Enrollment Data

January 12, 2017 Data

We’ve updated our visualized Medicaid enrollment data. These data run through May of 2016.

Read the full article →

The Requirements of Intelligence (Both Military & Organizational)

January 5, 2017 Defense

From The Secret War: Spies, Cyphers, and Guerrillas, 1939-1945, by Max Hastings:   “The first requirement for successful use of secret data is that commanders should be willing to analyze it honestly. Herbert Meyers, a veteran of Washington’s National Intelligence Council, defined his business as the presentation of ‘organized information’; He argued that ideally intelligence […]

Read the full article →

Updated New York Medicaid Enrollment Data

October 25, 2016 Uncategorized

Visualized Medicaid enrollment trends, by health plan (and fee-for-service) along with mix by demographic characteristics

Read the full article →

Effect of the ACA on Personal Debt – It Goes Down

April 21, 2016 Debt

This is as we – or at least most of us – would expect. Compared to people in states that did not expand Medicaid under the ACA, newly available Medicaid in States that expanded the program enabled newly covered people to reduce their unpaid bills and debts.  Luojia Hu, Robert Kaestner, Bhashkar Mazumder, Sarah Miller, […]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →