News of Note, Hey Elmo, Cost Matters and On the Lighter Side 💰

News of Note, Hey Elmo, Cost Matters and On the Lighter Side 💰 https://aepc.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/iStock-465626215-scaled.jpeg 2560 1696 AEPC Health AEPC Health //aepc.us/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/AEPC-LOGO-v1.png February 3, 2024 February 3, 2024

How is everybody doing?

Guess who is celebrating his birthday on February 3rd? Here’s a hint. He is a red, furry, and an optimistic monster who lives at 123 Sesame Street with his mother, Mae, and his father, Louie. Yes, it’s Elmo’s birthday and he will again be 3 ½ years old – just like every year!

Just Asking

Elmo made big news this week in advance of his birthday. On X (formerly Twitter), he posted:

“Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”

The response to Elmo’s post was massive. Over 200 million people viewed his post and 19,000 told him how they were doing – including President Biden! Elmo was likely expecting people to say that they were great, just like in these lyrics of the famous Sesame Street theme song:

Sunny day
Sweepin’ the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?

Come and play
Everything’s A-okay

Instead, the vast majority of responses were a trauma dump, as people expressed feelings of depression, anxiety and being overwhelmed. Everything’s not A-okay

Clear Sky, Sunny Day

Elmo heard what many of us already knew – America has a mental health crisis. And thanks to Elmo, it is back in the spotlight and the subject of discussions. As Elmo says:

“Life is similar to a movie where you need to write your very own ending.”

Let’s all we work together to write the ending of the mental health crisis for this and future generations!

Happy Reading!

Suzanne Daniels

News of Note: US prescription drug prices v. other countries, lead aprons & dental X-rays, and surprise billing backlog.
Hey Elmo: check-in points to crisis, the loneliness plague, unprofitable mental health/addiction care.
Cost Matters: Americans don’t know cost of care, worries postponing surgeries and FTC attacks Patent Thickets.
On the Light Side: including my personal favorite, The Dogs That Live Longest, by a Nose!