Health Policy Ross Matican Health Policy Ross Matican

What a Trump Presidency Means for Healthcare

Make America Healthy Again?

It's official— Trump was elected as our 47th president and plans to use his second term to "go wild on health." For this special episode, Aneesh Chopra, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer and author of “Innovative State: How New Technologies can Transform Government," joins Steve to talk about what we can expect in Trump's second term.

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Competition and Consolidation in Healthcare

In this episode, we sit down with one of the most influential figures in government today: Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan. As the youngest FTC chair to ever be appointed, during her tenure the FTC has pushed to ban non-compete agreements, filed lawsuits against healthcare companies engaging in anti-competitive practices, and strengthened the Health Breach Notification Rule (HBNR) to protect sensitive health data. 

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Healthcare on the Ballot

With the election around the corner, Halle and Steve welcome Dan Diamond back on the show to talk about how the election will impact healthcare (and how healthcare impacts voting). Dan is a national health reporter for the Washington Post, focused on accountability, federal agencies, and public health.

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The Algorithms Fueling a Mental Health Crisis

In this episode, former Facebook product manager and internationally recognized whistleblower, Frances Haugen offers invaluable insights into how tech giants prioritizes profits over public safety, and the profound implications this has on mental health of young people.

We explore her brave journey, which took her from the inner workings of Meta to testifying before the world's parliaments, sparking a global conversation about the role and regulation of social media. Listen in as we shed light on the pressing issues of our digital era, and the steps we can take to safeguard vulnerable populations from social media's impacts.

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There’s a Way to Fix Healthcare, but Is There a Will?

In this episode, we dive into our dysfunctional healthcare system with guest Wendell Potter, a former health insurance executive turned whistleblower, advocate for healthcare reform, New York Times best-seller, and documentary producer.

We discuss the role of private, for-profit health plans in the U.S. and how they’ve drained resources from the healthcare system while leaving Americans financially vulnerable and sick. We also touch upon Medicare Advantage (which is neither Medicare, nor an advantage), Medicare for All, “non-profit” hospital systems, and if we’ll ever break free from employment-based insurance.

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How Healthcare Shapes Elections

Does the US believe in public health? Do voters think about healthcare when voting? Are we really health citizens? If you're curious about the intricate connections between politics and healthcare in our country, this episode is a must-listen. Gain insights into what’s on voters’ minds, and discover the potential future of healthcare policies in the United States leading up to the 2024 election.

Jane Sarasohn-Kahn is a health economist, communicator, and trend weaver. Through her advising, writing and speaking, she focuses across the health/care ecosystem on consumers, health, technology, and policy."

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Free the Pill, and Make It Free

Patrick Brown, founder of Impossible Foods, doesn’t care about food. He just wants to stop climate change. And he knows the best way to halt global warming is to ditch meat from animals. A former Stanford Professor, Patrick Brown started Impossible Foods at age 60 and has helped grow it to a multi-billion dollar company and household name. In this episode, we talk about his journey to save the planet and human health, and how food is just the vessel for that mission.

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The Repeal of Roe v. Wade

The recent Supreme Court ruling represents a major blow to the fight for reproductive justice in the United States, and will create varying reproductive healthcare restrictions across the country spanning far beyond a woman’s right to bodily autonomy. In this episode we discuss evidence-bcked public health for reducing unplanned pregnancies, as well as what the repeal means for families needing fertility treatments.

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Coming of Age in 2022

We love to hate on them, but right now teenagers need our help. In fact, American Academy of Pediatrics declared the mental health crisis facing children and teens a national emergency.

In this episode, Dr. Hina Talib discusses the challenges adolescents are facing today. Dr. Talib is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and an OBGYN at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is a spokesperson with the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the executive board of the North American Society of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology.

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