TNR readers are familiar with Harold Pollack, the University of Chicago professor who writes frequently about health care and social policy. Like all good public intellectuals, Harold is a policy omnivore—as comfortable discussing the latest thinking on anti-poverty efforts as he is talking about the intricacies of Medicare. But Harold offers some truly unique insights, because he knows the social welfare state as a user, as well as a scholar.

Several years ago, he and his wife became custodians for his adult brother-in-law, who is intellectually disabled and has various medical problems. Harold has written about this experience before, movingly—and what it’s taught him about the value of programs like Medicaid. Now he’s decided to put his thoughts on a video.

Harold has been involved in advocacy groups, like Doctors for America, but he told me that he received no outside support or funding for this project. He made the video on his own, except for a videographer whom he paid out of his own pocket. It’s worth a look.

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