Tradeoffs

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.

A Chicago violence prevention program is pairing cognitive behavioral therapy with intensive mentoring and wraparound support to help high-risk teens avoid incarceration.Guests:Nour Abdul-Razzak, Research Associate, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy; Research Director, University of Chicago Inclusive Economy LabCharles Branas, Professor and Chair, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public HealthToni Copeland, Director of Student Supports and Violence Prevention Programs, Chicago Public SchoolsJennifer Doleac, Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice, Arnold VenturesJasper Guilbault, Therapist, BrightpointGary Ivory, President and CEO, Youth Advocate ProgramsJulie Noobler, Director of Mental Health and Wellness, BrightpointT-ManLearn 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.

Some patients’ lives are so complicated by trauma, poverty and other social problems that routine conditions like diabetes and asthma regularly turn into $10,000 hospital visits. America’s health care leaders have spent years trying to help this small but costly group of patients. What have they learned?Guests:Jeff Brenner, MD, CEO, The Jewish BoardArthur Brown, Client, Camden CoalitionAmy Finkelstein, PhD, Professor of Economics, MIT; Co-Scientific Director, J-PAL North AmericaAllison Hamblin, MSPH, President and CEO, Center for Health Care StrategiesPaula Lantz, PhD, Professor of Health Policy, University of MichiganLarry Moore, Client, Camden CoalitionKathleen Noonan, JD, President and CEO, Camden CoalitionDottie Scott, Community Health Worker, Camden CoalitionBrian Thompson, Housing Coordinator, Camden CoalitionLeslie Walker, Senior Producer/Reporter, TradeoffsLearn 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.

Jonathan Gruber, Ford Professor of Economics at MIT, dives into the potential fallout of proposed cuts to Medicaid and Obamacare. He reveals how these changes might leave millions without coverage and strain hospitals with increased uncompensated care. The discussion emphasizes the financial ramifications for insurers and consumers alike, including rising premiums and accessibility issues. Gruber also addresses the exploitation of Medicaid funding loopholes and warns of broader public health risks if these vital programs are compromised.

Why are a handful of sheriff’s departments in California refusing to respond to some 911 calls that involve a person with mental illness?Guest:Lee Romney, Journalist and co-host of November In My SoulLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Check out Lee's full coverage for CalMatters.Be sure to listen to Tradeoffs special series The Fifth Branch that examines what it looks like when one community dramatically changes how it responds to people in crisis.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.