

Health Affairs This Week
Health Affairs
Health Affairs This Week places listeners at the center of health policy’s proverbial water cooler. Join editors from Health Affairs, the leading journal of health policy research, and special guests as they discuss this week’s most pressing health policy news. All in 15 minutes or less.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 14, 2025 • 31min
Elizabeth Popp-Berman on How the U.S. Can Build a Just Political Economy for Health
In a special podcast episode, Health Affairs Scholar Associate Editor Loren Adler interviews Elizabeth Popp-Berman about the Health and Political Economy series of papers recently published in Health Affairs Scholar. The series asks how might the U.S. build a more just and inclusive political economy for health rather than take the status quo for granted. This paper collection was developed in partnership with the The New School’s Health and Political Economy Project (HPEP), a field catalyst initiative advancing a just and inclusive economy for health, and supported by the Commonwealth Fund.Read the Collection:Health and political economy: building a new common sense in the United StatesAdvancing a political economy approach to health using lessons from US antitrust and climate policyReviving public provisioning in US health careThe fundamental importance of social insurance for health equityCentering marginalized care: Home care cooperatives and system change

Apr 11, 2025 • 15min
Where Tariffs and Health Care Meet w/ David Simon
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes David Simon from The University of Connecticut to the program to discuss the recent news that the Trump administration implemented reciprocal tariffs on imported goods and what this could mean for the health care industry.Become an Insider today to never miss out on David Simon's exclusive newsletter, Economic Intersections.Insiders can join us April 23 for an exclusive virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Order the April 2025 theme issue of Health Affairs focusing on food, nutrition, and health.And, join Health Affairs April 29 for a free and open for all virtual event featuring a conversation between consumer advocate, nutritionist, and award-winning author Marion Nestle of New York University and Angela Odoms-Young of Cornell University.
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Apr 9, 2025 • 10min
Food, Nutrition, & Health: Behind the Pages
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Welcome to the third episode in a special four-part series from Health Affairs on the intersection of food, nutrition, and health. This special series compliments the release of a theme issue on food, nutrition, and health to be released this week.In this episode, Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Ellen Bayer discuss the content in the theme issue.Order the Food, Nutrition, and Health Issue.
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Apr 4, 2025 • 14min
The Politics of Alternative Payment Models
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Michael Gerber back to the program to discuss the recent announcement from the Trump administration to cancel certain alternative payment models, their previous impact on health spending, and the difficult task of measuring success over a long period of time and across different administrations.Order the April 2025 theme issue of Health Affairs focusing on food, nutrition, and health.Join us for our theme issue briefing on April 8 featuring panels on Food is Medicine, Government Programs & Policies, Community Voices, and more. Save the date.Also, join us April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Related Articles:Kennedy to slash 10,000 jobs in major overhaul of US health agencies (Reuters)Internal fallout at HHS delays 10,000 firings (Politico)Maryland Hospital All-Payer Model: Can It Be Emulated? (Health Affairs Forefront)CMMI cancels 4 payment models early (Healthcare Dive)Statement on CMS Innovation Center Aligning Portfolio with Statutory Obligation (CMS)
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Apr 2, 2025 • 22min
Food, Nutrition & Health: Food Support Programs w/ Diane Schanzenbach
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Welcome to the second episode in a special four-part series from Health Affairs on the intersection of food, nutrition, and health. This special series compliments the release of a theme issue on food, nutrition, and health to be released April 7, 2025.In this episode, Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander speaks with Diane Schanzenbach from Northwestern University on the topic of food support programs and their impacts on very young children.Pre-order the Food, Nutrition, and Health Issue.Related Links:Food Support Programs and Their Impacts On Very Young Children (Health Policy Brief)SNAP's Short- and Long-Term Benefits (Northwestern Institute for Policy Research)Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net (American Economic Association)
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Mar 28, 2025 • 17min
What We Talk About When We Talk About SNAP w/ Seth Berkowitz
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Seth Berkowitz of UNC School of Medicine back to the program to discuss nutrition in the US, the current state of SNAP benefits, and his upcoming paper to be featured in our April 2025 theme issue on food, nutrition, and health.Preorder the April 2024 theme issue of Health Affairs.Join us April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Learn more about Seth's book, Equal Care: Health Equity, Social Democracy, and the Egalitarian State.Related Articles:Tennessee bill could ban candy and soda from SNAP benefits (WJHL)
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Mar 26, 2025 • 21min
Food, Nutrition, & Health: Water Insecurity w/ Na'Taki Osborne Jelks
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Welcome to a special four-part series from Health Affairs on the intersection of food, nutrition, and health. This special series compliments the release of a theme issue on food, nutrition, and health to be released April 7, 2025.In the first episode, Health Affairs' Ellen Bayer speaks with Na'Taki Osborne Jelks from Spelman College on the topic of water insecurity.Pre-order the Food, Nutrition, and Health Issue.Related Links:Water Insecurity and Population Health: Implications for Health Equity and Policy (Health Affairs' Health Policy Brief)
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Mar 21, 2025 • 16min
Health Policy at a Crossroads: Trump's First 50 Days w/ Katie Keith
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Chris Fleming and Katie Keith of Georgetown Law to the program to discuss the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and the first 50 days of the new Trump administration.Katie Keith is a frequent contributor to the Health Affairs Forefront series Health Policy At A Crossroads. Catch up on what you may have missed.Health Affairs will be hosting a theme issue briefing on April 8 to celebrate the release of our April 2025 issue focusing on food, nutrition & health. RSVP for the event and preorder your copy of the new issue today!Also, join Health Affairs on April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments. Make sure you sign up for all of our free newsletters to stay up to date on new events, podcasts, Forefront, and journal articles.Related Articles:HHS Proposes To Restrict Marketplace Eligibility, Enrollment, And Affordability In First Major Rule Under Trump Administration (Part 1) and (Part 2) (Health Affairs Forefront)What Lies Ahead For Medicaid In Budget Reconciliation? (Health Affairs Forefront)Health Affairs Forefront's Following The ACA seriesThe Affordable Care Act At Fifteen: Policy Surprises And Lessons (Health Affairs Forefront)
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Mar 14, 2025 • 23min
At the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Health Care w/ Brian Anderson
Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Brian Anderson, President & CEO of the Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), to the program to discuss the adoption of artificial intelligence technology in health care and the future application of these tools.Health Affairs is hosting an Insider-exclusive virtual event on March 19th examining the potential policy and administrative changes surrounding the Medicaid program and what they may mean in terms of coverage, operations, and financing. Sign up today.Related Links:Artificial Intelligence In Health And Health Care: Priorities For Action (Health Affairs)
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Mar 7, 2025 • 20min
The Impact of Trump's Known Health Care Agenda w/ Rebecca Pifer
Rebecca Pifer from Healthcare Dive joins to dissect the evolving landscape of U.S. healthcare policy. She delves into the recent budget resolution, its implications for Medicaid, and the internal GOP conflicts. The conversation highlights Trump's revisited health agenda, focusing on price transparency, abortion rights, and the challenge of potential Medicare cuts. Pifer also emphasizes the impact of these changes on low-income communities and the evolving needs of the healthcare workforce, painting a vivid picture of the future of healthcare in America.


