by Grace Pappadellis ’29 on January 22, 2026

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Opinion - Entertainment & Society

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Ever since I was a small child, I have been fascinated by books. I try not to sound trite when I say this, but I have always found a profound ease in getting lost in a good book. To delve into the characters, the setting, the interpersonal relationships and deep honesty of a good author—it is reading and learning and understanding that has made me want to become an author of books myself.

I can understand that the concept of reading is not thrilling to every person, especially in college when various majors require tedious forms of reading, other strenuous types of work, or simply no reading at all, and therefore one could be unaccustomed to the beauty of an enjoyable story. However, I wholeheartedly believe that with the right amount of exposure to impactful, high quality books, anyone is bound to find their own significance and relevancy to their life in reading.

Reading brings me a sense of peace that feels only perceptible to me. It feels like a massage for my brain, a reset, a reminder that words can hold so much meaning, they just need to be paid attention to in the same way everyday stimuli are given our time and attention. I was raised around books; I was told that reading can only strengthen my brain, and it also opens your brain to collections of knowledge that cannot be attained by a quick web search or skimming a couple pages. Reading takes time and requires a meditative, comfortable state of mind that every person should enter, even if reading is not part of their routine or required within their work.

I strive to write books that anyone can lose themselves in, regardless of their prior opinions of reading. It is perfectly reasonable not to get excited about reading in the same way that I do, but I am a firm believer that one who dislikes reading is one who has not found the right book. Every day we aim to find meaning, of any sort, whether we find it through our

friends, our families, the places we travel to, the things we study, or even the food we eat. What means the most to us is what pushes us to be better for ourselves, thus we are better friends, siblings, students, employees, and overall people. To find meaning is to be open, honest, and

receptive. There is so much to read, so much to learn, even if we are reading a simple, direct news article about the state of the world today or a 500 page novel by our favorite author.

I will forever thank my parents for insisting that I read, because without the development of that skill, I wouldn’t have learned how much I enjoyed writing. There’s an

excitement in reading, a burst of happiness and inspiration I feel when I know the characters and they represent a part of my life that I haven’t been able to put into words myself. Even if my assigned reading for school doesn’t fully align with this feeling, I promise myself that I will do the best I can to dig into the words with the same alacrity that I give to the books that I choose

for myself. No matter how successful I am, I am guaranteed to gain something from what I am reading—a new meaning so slight that it can mean the whole world.

by Courtney Wight '26 on January 22, 2026

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Uncategorized

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This past week, I went out to dinner with a couple of friends. It was a celebratory first-week-back meal, so we got some drinks and an appetizer in addition to our main meals. The total bill for the four of us (after tip) came out to around $200. While the food was good and we had a great time, I don’t think it was worth $200. This dinner is just one instance of a larger feeling I’ve had building over the past years: my money does not go as far as it used to.

Over the past few years, it feels like every aspect of life has become more expensive, particularly for students. Whether it is our tuition, meal plans, or student experiences, it constantly feels like nothing is affordable anymore. 

Each year, I’ve watched my Providence College bill increase. Now this is partially because I moved from the traditional housing—which is cheaper—to an on-campus apartment, but the increase is not just this. Tuition and meal plans have consistently risen in price over my time at PC. Tuition during my freshman spring cost $28,490, which is not cheap by any means. Now as a senior, my spring tuition was $32,435.

Now I’m not an idiot; I know inflation exists. However, it can begin to feel like the increases in prices are unnecessary. For example, all students are charged an activity fee. As an avid event attender, I acknowledge this is a necessary charge that should be paid for and that attending college events adds to my college experience. However, since my freshman year, the activity fee increased from $175 a semester to $230 a semester without any explanation as to why.

The PC administration has quietly made the college experience more expensive and simply hopes no one notices. One of these areas is student tickets for games. Despite my protest to $10 hockey tickets, prices have not gone back to $5. Instead, for this most recent game against Boston College, men’s hockey tickets were $15. Treating student ticket pricing like a concert sale on Ticketmaster with dynamic pricing is ridiculous. Last year the ticket to the Boston College game was $5, just as every other game last season!

Some may argue that if students want to save money, they should simply not go to events that cost money. I find this extremely stupid because PC is a sports school. Part of campus culture is attending games and the administration knows this. Student tickets no longer feel like a bargain, instead, it feels like PC’s administration and athletics department are taking advantage of their dedicated student fanbase.

To freshmen, a $10 hockey ticket seems normal, but seniors remember when those same tickets were $4. Freshmen are not receiving the same quality of student experience, despite paying an increased amount. Seniors remember Food Truck Fridays or when the Global Station at Ray Dining Hall used to change everyday and how huge it was to see either the orange chicken or ravioli that day.

I’ve felt my student experience decline over my time at PC. Every big event has become more and more expensive, from dances to Senior Ring Weekend, Homecoming, and the Spring Concert. Elements of the PC student tradition are no longer affordable and students are losing out on amazing experiences. I’ve loved my time at PC and I have met some of my lifelong friends here. I feel bad for underclassmen who may not be able to have the same experience I did because it is financially out-of-reach. Many of my favorite moments have been at student events and sports games. I encourage all students to take advantage of the free events across campus as a way to save money, but students should not have to consider if they’re going to the game with their friends or not because it is too expensive.

by Rachel Barter ’27 on January 22, 2026

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Opinion - Campus

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As an upperclassman or even a sophomore living in on-campus apartments or in suites, such as McCarthy Hall, you have multiple options for which meal plan you want to sign up for. There is a two-week window at the beginning of each semester for you to reduce or cancel your meal plan depending on your housing situation and meal plan requirements. As a junior living in an apartment on campus, I am not required to have a meal plan, so I reserve the right to select a meal plan and test it out for just under two weeks before deciding whether to adjust my selection or not. Similarly, if you are living in an off-campus building and currently have selected a meal plan that is higher than the required plan, then you should have received an email asking if you would like to reduce or cancel your meal plan.

Although I am grateful that we are allowed this two-week grace period to change our minds and adjust our dining plans to meet our specific needs and habits, as someone who has reduced my meal plan in the fall of 2025, it is important to note that even if you lower your meal plan, you may not be lowering your tuition bill. In fact, I had originally selected the 14 Meal Plan and decided to lower it to the Friar 165 Block meal plan during this grace period and this increased my tuition bill by $41.52, despite the 14 Meal Plan being $240 more expensive than the Friar 165 Block meal plan. Instead of crediting me the $3,440 semester cost of the 14 Meal Plan and charging me the $3,200 of my new Friar 165 Block plan, PC reduced my reimbursement to $3,158.48 to account for the portion of my meal plan that I had used in that less than two-week window.

In my opinion, it would make sense for the Office of Residence Life or the Bursar’s Office, depending who deals with this, to deduct what I had used from my new meal plan rather than from my old meal plan. This would  leave me to pay the difference and not use up my new meal plan, essentially paying for 18 weeks of a meal plan and studying at PC for only 16 weeks out of those 18. For instance, if I used 20 meal swipes and $20 in Friar Bucks, I would have expected my new meal plan to have 145 meal swipes rather than 165, and $305 Friars Bucks rather than $325. Instead, I was charged an additional $281.52 to cover what I had used and an additional $3,200 for the Friar Block 165 plan, which I had already decided would last me a full semester.  Otherwise I would not have decided to lower my meal plan.

Overall, if you are considering lowering your meal plan, it could actually cost you more money than remaining on your current plan, especially if the two plans are close in price. In fact, even if you lower your meal plan to an option that is significantly cheaper, you cannot count on the entire reimbursement.

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 and Dorothée Durivage ’28 on December 11, 2025

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Sports

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NBA

Christmas is just around the corner and holiday magic can be felt anywhere. The NBA is no exception, as it has annually played games on Christmas Day since the league’s inception in the late 1940s. As tradition wants it, Christmas games are the perfect opportunity to spotlight the top teams, rivalries, and stars, bringing in some of the best ratings of the season. This year’s games will be no different; the league has set up five consecutive nationally televised games. In an attempt to highlight special narratives and heated rivalries, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, pitting two competitive Eastern Conference teams against each other. The Knicks have played the most Christmas Day games out of all 30 NBA teams, with this game marking their 58th appearance. The league’s defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will be receiving the San Antonio Spurs in Oklahoma City for an opportunity to play against the Spurs’ rising star, Victor Wembanyama. Christmas Day’s main rivalry will take place in Los Angeles when the Lakers face the Houston Rockets, with two rival stars, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, fighting for their team’s win. LA’s Lakers are tied with the Knicks for the team with the most wins on the holiday, with 25 each. The NBA’s youngest player, Cooper Flagg, will be making his first appearance in a Christmas Day game since being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks last June. Dallas will travel to San Francisco for their game against the Golden State Warriors. With a Western Conference meeting to close off this Holiday’s games, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be heading to Denver to play the Nuggets, pitting Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic against each other. This game in the West will close out a 13-hour run of nonstop games for the league, making it a day packed with exciting matchups. 
– Dorothée Durivage ’28
Sports Staff

NFL

Turkey in the oven, cranberry sauce on the stove, family around the table, and football on the TV. Thanksgiving Day football is an American pastime, a staple of the holiday. Even those who couldn’t care less about the sport find comfort in the sound of the games on TV while holiday preparations begin.

This year, while food was still in the oven, the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions 31–24. Then, the game might have been muted while dinner was served as the Dallas Cowboys beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a tight game, with a final score of 31–28. Finally, as the holiday came to a close, the Cincinnati Bengals won against the Baltimore Ravens 32–14.

Whether or not your team is playing, the games bring together everyone in the house. An argument or two might arise if someone wants to flip channels back and forth to the parade. Like the parade, the games and the holiday are forever linked. This tradition is one incomparable to any other sport, because not only does it unite (or divide) families in their homes, but it unites people across the country. 57.2 million people tuned into the Cowboys vs. Chiefs 4:30 p.m. game, making it the most viewed regular season game in NFL history. 

Other sports, like basketball, average around 5.25 million viewers on their holiday games, proving that Thanksgiving Day football is truly unparalleled in its importance for sports fans and non-sports fans alike.
– Izzy Mignardi ’27
Sports Staff

by Olivia Gleason '26 on December 11, 2025

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Opinion

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Hi Cowl readers! It’s hard to believe that Christmas is only two weeks away and that we have reached our final issue of the semester. The past three months were full of exciting learning experiences with The Cowl as Sarah and I navigated coming into this role together, and how quickly they flew by has gotten me into a very reflective mood. 

To me, reflecting on your life feels especially natural in the wintertime, particularly in December as the calendar year comes to a close. This is probably why, ever since I downloaded the Spotify music app, I have always enjoyed the arrival of Spotify Wrapped in December, and it’s almost too perfect timing. For those who have not heard of this before, Spotify Wrapped is a marketing tool used by the music app that provides each user with a summary of their top artists, albums, and songs throughout the calendar year. Every year, as the days get shorter, the campus quiets down, and we prepare ourselves for the new year, Spotify users (and Apple Music users, I suppose) receive this little present on our phones, serving as a miniature time capsule of who we were and who we have become throughout the year. 

The music we gravitate to is more often than not a reflection of our emotions, wants, and needs at any given moment. We reach for specific songs, genres, and artists for a plethora of reasons—comfort, motivation, nostalgia, or simple joy, to name a few. Maybe this comfort is found in a Beatles song your dad used to play in the car growing up, or the soundtrack to your favorite Broadway show. Maybe you queue an artist you’ve never listened to when you’re feeling like your life needs a change. Whatever the reason may be, it becomes clear that the music we gravitate towards, and the playlists we build in our Spotify apps, serve as emotional time capsules of ourselves. 

One of my favorite parts about the Spotify Wrapped release is getting to share and compare results with friends. In many conversations I’ve had with them, we’ve discussed our frustration with how we might not exactly relate to the results now. For example, one of my listed top five artists is someone I barely listen to now, but was playing nonstop at the beginning of this calendar year. The more I thought about this, though, the more I realized that this disconnect is actually something to embrace and hold close. Something as simple as Spotify Wrapped, by capturing these previous versions of ourselves, can remind us that we are constantly evolving, and that is an exciting thing. I don’t remember exactly when I stopped listening to this particular artist and started gravitating toward others, but this shift is a subtle reminder that I have grown over the course of the year; I have coped, celebrated, learned, and let go through a variety of different songs. 

All of this is to say, I think it is worth taking the time to reflect on your life and experiences in 2025 as it comes to a close, and your Spotify Wrapped is the perfect place to start.

by Rachel Barter ’27 on October 30, 2025

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Opinion

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I know it is not a popular opinion to have, but Halloween is my least favorite holiday, and it has lost its magic for me.

I don’t like Halloween, probably because I am cut off from trick-or-treating, which was my favorite part of the holiday. However, I also think it is due to the increasingly elaborate expectations of Halloween costumes, especially in college. I feel like there is pressure to create original and elaborate individual costumes or even group costumes. Thus, without trick-or-treating and creative ideas, I often feel at a loss for how to celebrate Halloween every year. 

This is all without mentioning that Halloween in college is associated with excessive drinking, which seems to be heightened at Providence College. Furthermore, even if I had good Halloween ideas or even a couple of bad ones, there is a lot of pressure at PC to have a different costume for every Halloween festivity, especially for women, which adds up.

Despite my ill-will towards Halloween, which has been festering for quite some time, I want to rediscover the beauty of Halloween while I am still in college, given the importance placed on Halloween during this time. Perhaps next year I will dip my toes in the Halloween pond by carving a pumpkin, who knows where I will display its rotting carcass after, and roasting the seeds as well as using the “guts” to make homemade pumpkin goods. 

Maybe I will bake those classic pumpkin chocolate cookies and pass them out to my friends like reverse trick-or-treating, or perhaps I will have an epiphany about what creative or boring costume I should wear using mostly clothes that I already have. 

Or maybe I will continue to celebrate Halloween in the most lackluster ways, such as eating Halloween-branded candy, taking advantage of holiday goodies (especially pumpkin ones), or admiring fall-scented candles in store aisles. 

Realistically, I will visit the Roger Williams Park Zoo during their fall and Halloween-inspired events, such as their Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, which gives me just enough of my Halloween fix.

by Ava Stringer ’28 on October 23, 2025

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Opinion

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There’s always a duo in a trio.

Triple dorms are the definition of unnecessary chaos: cramped, loud, and awkward. The math isn’t adding up. These rooms are built for two, yet somehow, we’re squeezing in three and pretending it’s “community living.” It’s like trying to have a dinner party in a broom closet and calling it “intimate.”

You can feel the tension before the semester even begins. There’s always an odd one out. Don’t even get me started on when it’s two friends and a random roommate. Two strangers, a communal bathroom down the hall, and barely any floor space? That’s a social experiment, not housing.

Let’s talk about the dimensions. Freshman triple rooms average around 15 by 13 feet, which is roughly the size of a one-car garage, except with three beds, three desks, and three sets of everything else. Sophomore triples aren’t much better, averaging the size of a small studio apartment cut in half. And let’s not forget, we’re paying upward of ten thousand dollars a year for the privilege of living in a glorified shoebox.

What better way to stress out new students than to confine them to a space smaller than most people’s bedrooms, all while they’re learning to live away from home for the first time? The college talks endlessly about wellness, community, and adjusting to campus life, but how’s anyone supposed to “find themselves” when there’s literally nowhere to stand?

Providence College can do better. Triples aren’t a solution to overcrowding; they’re a shortcut that makes students pay the price for poor planning. Everyone deserves a room that feels like a home, not a closet with three beds. At the very least, hand out noise-canceling headphones and emotional support water bottles on move-in day.

Triples might build character, but so does surviving a natural disaster. Neither of those should be a part of the “college experience.” If it is, hazard pay seems reasonable.

by Courtney Wight ’26 on October 23, 2025

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Opinion

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Connecting To Our Community & Beyond

One of my favorite things about coming to Providence College was the ability to use public transportation to explore the city of Providence. My freshman year orientation leader was very passionate about the Rhode Island Public Transport Authority (RIPTA) and made sure to tell us all about the benefits of using the public transportation offered to explore areas throughout Rhode Island. I’ve been using the RIPTA for all four of my years at PC. Whether it is just a trip to the mall or going to Shaw’s, the RIPTA is easy to use and, best of all, free. 

I acknowledge the system is not without its flaws. There have been frustrating days where I end up calling an Uber since buses can be delayed, leaving me waiting, or buses run too ahead of schedule that I miss. However, despite these misfortunes, the RIPTA has been extremely beneficial and useful during my time at PC.

Public transportation systems, like the RIPTA, have many added benefits rather than using a car all the time. Public transportation reduces the carbon footprint of each individual, reduces congestion and traffic, and promotes safer travel. Public transportation reduces the number of cars on the road, which leads to less air pollution, reduced individual carbon footprints, and less traffic. Additionally, when I am on the bus, I don’t have to worry about knowing where I’m going or the other drivers on the road. I wait for my stop to be announced, pull the yellow cord, and I can leave at my destination. The best part about using the RIPTA as a PC student is that the RIPTA is free for all with a PC ID. Even for those who are not PC students, public transportation is cheaper than using and owning a car. This allows more accessibility to those of all income levels to move around the city and state, creating a better-connected and serviced community.

While Rhode Island has a decent public transportation system, nothing compares to the public transportation systems I’ve had the benefit of experiencing when traveling abroad. For example, during my freshman year, I went on the Honors Spring Break trip to Paris. For most of our travels, we used the Metro since there was a stop close to our hotel. Using the system, we could navigate the city effectively, and it was relatively simple to use once you got the hang of it. Also through PC, I went to South Korea on a Maymester trip. On the trip, we stayed in Seoul and Busan, which are on opposite sides of the country. Instead of driving, we took the bullet train across, and it was the most amazing experience. The train ride took about two and a half hours to travel over 200 miles. Compared to the U.S., this would be roughly the same distance between Boston and NYC. This drive would normally take over four hours (with minimal traffic), but using high-speed bullet trains reduced the travel to two and a half hours.

One of my favorite things when traveling or discovering a new place is to use their public transportation. I’m not saying never drive a car again (I like my car too!), but having the freedom to quickly walk to a train or bus station, hop on, and arrive on time at my desired location is a must!

by Kaelynd Brouillette ’29 on October 23, 2025

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News - Campus

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If you have scrolled TikTok or Instagram lately or turned on the news, you’ve probably seen the panic surrounding the current government shutdown. Personally, I was scared. When I heard the shutdown was actually happening, I was worried about my flight home. Was it going to be cancelled or delayed? Should I get to the airport extra early in case the TSA takes forever? On Oct. 9, I flew out of Logan International in Boston to Syracuse, NY, and business was operating as normal. TSA took 10 minutes, and my flight took off on time. I prepared for the absolute worst going in there, but I was surprised by the relatively normal experience. After all,  TSA workers and air traffic controllers are federal employees who are affected by the shutdown. The situation left me thinking that maybe this is what America feels like right now—everything looks normal on the outside, but beneath, our system is cracking. That realization made me wonder how much the people around me actually understand what’s going on, not just at the airport, but across the country. To find this information out, I sent out a student-run survey regarding Providence College students’ perceptions of the shutdown. 

PC students’ reactions show how younger generations perceive government dysfunctions from the outside looking in. While most aren’t directly affected, many recognize the shutdown as a symptom of deeper political failure. Their voices reveal both frustration with leaders and a desire for better civic understanding, as only 14.8 percent of PC student respondents said they felt truly informed about the shutdown. Most reported that they get their news from social media, such as TikTok and Instagram, with only some getting it directly from well-known news sources. This highlights a broader issue: young people are surrounded by political content on every platform, and lack context or real, trustworthy explanations. Social media, although helpful in some capacity, is not an entirely reliable source of information regarding obtaining facts on the current state of our government, containing often biased and heavily skewed “information.” 

I also found it interesting that 52 percent of respondents said they were not personally affected by the shutdown in any capacity, and 74.1 percent said they only felt somewhat connected to the events happening in D.C., although several cited indirect consequences, such as their family and ROTC members being furloughed, as well as some stating they did experience TSA/flight struggles. This data makes it clear that students see through political dysfunction, yet struggle to feel connected to government processes. It is important to note that although we, as a generation, find it difficult to feel impacted by national government events such as this shutdown, we recognize the implications of it and see that it has real-world effects in society. One anonymous student stated, “We feel isolated in our own little world when we’re on campus, but there’s so much going on around us that is important to learn.” This quote really stuck with me because it holds true that when we are on campus, we do feel like we’re in our own little world, and although there are such frightening government events happening in our country, we don’t feel affected by them. Therefore, it is incredibly important that college students make any effort to learn about and care about the current state of the government. Although we don’t feel the direct effects, our society as a whole is facing the consequences. 

Through my collection of data, students also made it clear that the shutdown is not a good look for our government, with 74.1 percent of respondents saying that this has changed the way they see our government and its leaders for the worse. Two anonymous students expressed frustration with the way our administration is handling the shutdown, stating “The propaganda that has been plastered all over official government websites, calling this a ‘Democrat shutdown’ has worsened my feelings towards the Trump Administration,” with another stating “Misinformation and the control of news and media I feel is at an all time high attempting to divide the country with Democrat versus Republican without being genuine to the inherent ideals of the parties.” These responses reflect bipartisan frustration, as students are annoyed with the rhetoric on both sides of the aisle, and, from what I have gathered, believe it is important for both sides to work together to solve the bigger issue at hand. 

While many Americans view the shutdown as a distant political event, federal employees are experiencing a direct disruption of their livelihoods. I conducted an interview with an Environmental Project Manager who has worked for the federal government for 10 years now, and he gave us an inside glimpse as to what the work environment is currently like. He describes his frustration with seeing “highly respected people in their fields,” being scientists and engineers, labeled to be nonessential by “people unfamiliar with their work.” This label, he explains, is “demeaning to someone who takes pride in the work they do.” For these workers, it’s not just about a paycheck, but rather being told their contribution to society suddenly does not matter. The shutdown reduces public service to a checklist of expendability, reflecting a broader cultural disregard for labor that does not produce an immediate political or financial gain. When asked about the overall morale in his workplace, he stated, “Disruptions such as this shut down and callous decision making created a negative environment locally and I’m sure through the federal workforce.” Imagine going to work knowing your role is “essential,” yet your paycheck is suspended and some of your colleagues have been determined “nonessential.” This situation therefore corrodes morale and creates resentment towards leadership that appears indifferent to human cost. The government relies on the expertise of people like him to keep important systems running, but refuses to compensate him for his contributions in real time. He notes that essential workers must “adapt, find a solution and press forward” despite missing staff support and resources, showing that it is adaptability and the quiet resilience of people like him that keep the country functioning even when Congress does not. It’s a stark reminder that the strength of our institutions lies not in the politicians who run them, but in the ordinary professionals who continue to do their jobs day in and day out despite being furloughed. His words reveal the human face of government dysfunction and the emotional labor carried by workers unseen by the public. Shutdowns are often discussed in terms of cost per day or economic impact, but the true cost is personal: pride diminished, morale broken, and trust in leadership eroded. The story of this one federal employee becomes a mirror for a much larger truth, being that America’s “nonessential” workers are often the ones most essential to its stability. The government shutdown is therefore not just a budgetary failure, but a profound human failure, one that exposes the gap between political rhetoric and the lived reality of those keeping the country running.

Just like the airport seemed to be functioning normally, in my case at least, despite the chaos behind the scenes, so too does America, as we continue to move forward during this shutdown. Even in states of complete dysfunction, daily life goes on because of the people who choose to let it, such as our TSA agents, the National Guard, and environmental project managers. Make no mistake, the shutdown is a serious reflection of a larger failure within our government and its leaders, as well as political stubbornness and polarization. It reveals how fragile our systems can be when struggles for power on both sides outweigh public service. Yet, despite all of this, I still believe in the strength of our system. Our democracy is not perfect, but it is resilient, as it bends under pressure yet does not break. The American system has always found a way to adapt to change, and I believe it will again—not because of the politicians in D.C., but because of the people who keep it running. As students, citizens, voters, and future leaders, it is our responsibility to pay attention, to learn, to question, and to care about the government that shapes our daily lives, although we may not directly feel it. Understanding what’s happening beyond campus is the first step in ensuring the next generation leads with more empathy and accountability. The government may falter, but its people never do. Students, workers, and citizens together prove that America’s system, though strained, will always endure.

by Emma Cody on October 23, 2025

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Letters to the Editor

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A Letter to the Editors by Local Assembly Members

The federal government could have fixed the gaps in traditional government-run Medicare and created an improved Medicare for All single-payer program, but instead, it paid private middlemen billions to offer Medicare Advantage plans.

Seniors were lured into buying heavily advertised, “cheaper,” heavily subsidized Medicare Advantage plans while the private corporations that offered these plans saw their profits soar. 

Unfortunately, costs, utilization, and oversight increased, and corporations began abandoning these once lucrative plans—and the seniors who relied on them.

In Rhode Island, UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans stopped covering patients who seek care at four major Rhode Island hospitals in July. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island recently told about 275 of its own retirees that it would no longer offer them a subsidized Medicare Advantage group plan.

Clearly, this abandonment is yet more evidence that we cannot allow private corporate middlemen (“payers”) who stand between patients and providers to manage health insurance. 

Studies have found they impose 15–20 percent administrative costs, compared to traditional Medicare, which has about two percent.

Every other industrialized nation has a single-payer system and pays half per capita what the U.S. pays, and gets universal coverage, better health outcomes, and doctors who do not get burnt out spending hours a day on insurance paperwork and “prior authorizations.”

It’s time to move to an improved Medicare for All single-payer system.

Sen. Linda L. Ujifusa (D-Dist. 11, Portsmouth, Bristol)
Sen. Samuel W. Bell (D-Dist. Five, Providence)
Rep. David Morales (D-Dist. Seven, Providence)
Rep. Jennifer A. Stewart (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket)