Tradeoffs

In this engaging discussion, Alex Olgen, a reporter for TradeOffs, delves into how a Maryland company transformed health insurance decision-making using gamification. He highlights innovative strategies like the Benefit Builder game, where employees voice their healthcare priorities, leading to ethical debates over benefits allocation. Topics include the challenges of negotiating high-cost medications and the importance of empathy in fostering collaborative dialogue. This approach not only addresses employee needs but also reshapes the future of health benefits.

Ryan Levy, a producer at Tradeoffs focused on Medicaid policies, leads a riveting discussion on the bipartisan push to extend Medicaid coverage to individuals transitioning out of incarceration. The conversation highlights the significant health challenges former inmates face and the legislative reforms aimed at improving their reintegration. With insights from experts across various states, the dialogue underscores the critical importance of healthcare access post-release and shares compelling personal stories that illuminate the systemic barriers these individuals encounter.

A leading addiction expert explains how he’s driven by the memory of a friend who died, and why he believes giving data on the drug supply to people on the street is more important than using it to inform national drug policy.Guest:Nabarun Dasgupta, Epidemiologist, University of North Carolina Street Drug Analysis Lab and Opioid Data LabLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Asher, Chief Strategy Officer at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana, Kentucky, shares insights on the urgent challenges facing rural healthcare amid impending Medicaid cuts. He discusses the financial hurdles confronting his hospital and others in the region, particularly for low-income patients. Asher highlights the emotional toll on healthcare providers and communities while stressing the importance of planning for future funding losses. The conversation touches on the potential impacts of significant legislative changes and the role of federal support in sustaining essential health services.

Harleigh Walker is a transgender teen from Alabama, who shares her poignant experiences growing up in a politically charged environment. She discusses the impact of recent federal healthcare restrictions on transgender individuals, exposing the emotional toll these policies take. Harleigh highlights her family's struggles against bullying and fear while seeking acceptance. The conversation emphasizes resilience within the transgender community and the need for understanding during challenging times, painting a vivid picture of navigating life as a transgender youth in today's America.

Kody Kinsley, Senior Policy Advisor at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and former North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services, dives into the challenges states are facing with new health reforms. He discusses the daunting task of implementing Medicaid work requirements and the technological hurdles ahead. Budget cuts loom large, threatening healthcare coverage, while the rollout of the Big Beautiful Bill raises concerns about its complexity and the varied responses from different states. Kinsley highlights the critical importance of these reforms for communities.

Health law expert Katie Keith helps us break down what a pair of big court decisions mean for RFK Jr.’s power and for people's access to abortion, cancer screening and many other kinds of care.Guest:Katie Keith, Director, Health Policy and the Law Initiative at the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health LawLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Werner, a physician and Executive Director at the Leonard Davis Institute, joins health economist Eric Roberts and pediatrician Aditi Vasan to dissect the alarming consequences of the Republican 'Big Beautiful Bill.' They explore potential spikes in the uninsured population and preventable deaths linked to the proposed healthcare reforms. The trio discusses dire implications for Medicaid, including significant financial burdens for low-income families and the moral need to protect access to life-saving care. Personal stories highlight the urgent need for advocacy.

The White House is asking Congress to sharply roll back federal spending on HIV prevention, a reversal from President Trump’s first term, when he championed investment to end the epidemic in America within a decade.Guests:Hana Fields, outreach manager, Health Outreach Prevention Education Dr. Patrick Sullivan, professor of epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public HealthBrad Sullivan Jeremiah Johnson, executive director, PrEP4AllDr. John T. Brooks, former chief medical officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of HIV/AIDS PreventionDr. Brett P. Giroir, former assistant secretary for health, U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Health and Human Services chief’s latest action on vaccinations is unprecedented, and quickly drew condemnation from medical groups who said his dismissal of the vaccine advisory committee put public health at risk. Here’s why the members of that committee are so important.Guest:Ron Balajadia, Hawaii Department of Health immunization branch chiefDorit Reiss, University of California, San Francisco, professor of public health law Dr. Sarah Long, former member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and Drexel University, professor of pediatric infectious diseaseDr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.Richard Hughes IV, attorney with Epstein Becker Green Per Fischer, CEO, MinervaXLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.