KFF Health News' 'What the Health?' Live From AHCJ: Shock and Awe in Federal Health Policy
Jun 2, 2025
Rachel Nuzum, Senior VP for Policy at The Commonwealth Fund, Berenice Núñez Constant, Senior VP at AltaMed Health Services, and Anish Mahajan, Chief Deputy Director of Los Angeles County Public Health, dive into the turbulent waters of federal health policy. They discuss the ripple effects of proposed budget cuts, especially on vulnerable communities and critical public health initiatives. The panel also tackles pressing issues like reproductive health funding and the challenges of Medicaid, emphasizing the need for advocacy and sustainable solutions in these uncertain times.
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Unprecedented Health Policy Shift
- 2025 is witnessing the dismantling of health programs built over decades.
- This rapid change is unlike any health policy shift in recent memory.
Rapid Federal Health Policy Changes
- Federal health policy changes have come rapidly with many executive orders and reorganizations.
- Litigation and funding freezes have created widespread uncertainty for programs.
AltaMed's Community Trust Role
- AltaMed serves 700,000 mainly Latino patients in Southern California as the largest federally qualified health center.
- They focus on social justice and remain a trusted community messenger during policy uncertainty.