Laura Packard

Care Talk with Laura Packard: American Health Care Explained

Health EN ↓ 135 episodes

American health care is broken. But that doesn't mean it needs to break you. With the help of some friends, we can make sense of it all and come out stronger. Join Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate, each week on Care Talk as she brings policy experts to answer your questions on Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance, and more. We help patients and families navigate America's health insurance and health care systems, and explain topics in-depth from how to fight medical bills to lowering the cost of healthcare in America. New episodes every Tuesday....

Author

Laura Packard

Category

Health

Podcast website

redcircle.com

Latest episode

Jul 7, 2026

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Episodes

What Happens To Our Health Care Now? w/ Alex Lawson, Social Security Works 18.11.2025

The government in America is back open, but our health insurance costs are still set to dramatically increase next year. Alex Lawson from Social Security Works explains why and what happens now in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate with show host & cancer survivor Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org a...

Government Still Shut Down, Now What? w/ Margarida Jorge, Health Care for America Now 11.11.2025

Over the weekend, 60 Senators voted to end the Federal Shutdown. What happens next? How might it impact healthcare? Margarida Jorge from Health Care for America Now is here to discuss in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate with show host & cancer survivor Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org and Rachel...

Lower Drug Prices Now? w/ Vinny DeMarco, Maryland Health Care For All 21.10.2025

Several states have set up prescription drug affordability boards to help lower drug prices. Colorado just became the first state to cap the price of a prescription drug, Enbrel. What happens next? Our guest Vinny DeMarco from Maryland Health Care For All is here to discuss in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate with show host & cancer survivor Laur...

The Government Shut Down. Now What? w/ Laura Rodriguez, Center for American Progress 07.10.2025

Because there is no agreement on government funding, the American government has shut down. How will this affect our care? What happens next? Our guest Laura Rodriguez of Center for American Progress is here to discuss in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate with show host & cancer survivor Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Plus Louise Norris f...

Government Shutdown? w/ Anne Shoup, Protect Our Care 30.09.2025

Is our government about to shut down? Why? What happens next? How is our health care at stake? Our guest Anne Shoup of Protect Our Care is here to discuss i n this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate with show host & cancer survivor Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org and Diane Archer of Just Care and Socia...

What’s Happening to Veterans’ Health Care? w/ Dr. Allison Gill, Daily Beans Podcast 16.09.2025

What’s happening to veterans’ health care with changes at the VA under the new administration? Our guest Allison Gill of The Daily Beans Podcast Mueller She Wrote is a veteran and worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs for over a decade. In this #CareTalk episode Dr. Gill talks about how VA health care works, and changes that veterans should know about with show host, cancer survivor, and he...

Damaging Myths in Public Health? w/ Dr. Jessica Steier, Unbiased Science 09.09.2025

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to release the causes of autism this month. Our guest Jessica Steier DrPH of Unbiased Science just wrote a New York Times article about one of the most damaging myths in public health. She’s here to talk about how vaccines do not cause autism, and why this fake news keeps being spread. Read the full essay with this guest link: https://nyti.ms/3UUNrIp...

Make America Healthy? w/ Miranda Yaver, Defend Public Health 26.08.2025

In May, the Trump administration and Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released the first Make America Healthy Again report, “Make Our Children Healthy Again”, on chronic diseases and children. A new draft report on strategies to fight chronic illness in kids was leaked but not officially released yet. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Miranda Yaver PhD of Defend Public Health talks abou...

Addressing the root causes of illness in the US w/ Elizabeth Jacobs, Defend Public Health 19.08.2025

A grassroots organization of health professionals called “Defend Public Health” has released a new report on the root causes of illness in the United States. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Elizabeth Jacobs of Defend Public Health talks about how to get beyond false, flawed and fundamentally incorrect interpretations of science, medicine, and disease outcomes to improve our health wi...

What Changes Are Coming To Our Health Care, & When? w/ Rachel Madley, Center for Health & Democracy 12.08.2025

The Big Ugly Bill makes a lot of changes to America’s health care system over the next several years. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Rachel Madley of Center for Health & Democracy explains what changes are coming to your health care, and when those changes will happen with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Read Rachel&#3...

Lessons from RomneyCare: Building a Health Safety Net? w/ Alex Sheff, Health Care for All Massachusetts 05.08.2025

Massachusetts is the home of RomneyCare, which originally inspired the Affordable Care Act. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Alex Sheff of Health Care For All Massachusetts shares what we can learn about making health more affordable and available with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday,...

Your health insurance costs about to skyrocket? w/ Charles Gaba, ACASignups.net 29.07.2025

Do you have health insurance through the Affordable Care Act? Your costs may be about to skyrocket. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Charles Gaba of ACASignups.net explains why you may be getting sticker shock for your health insurance policy in the next couple months, and what Congress could still do to help you with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard...

What Happens To The Caring Economy Now? w/ Nicole Jorwic, Caring Across Generations 22.07.2025

The new Trump budget law means huge cuts to health care. How will this affect the caring economy, including nursing homes, assisted living, and in-home caregiving all paid for by Medicaid? In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Nicole Jorwic from Caring Across Generations tells us more about how Medicaid cuts will affect people needing care, and people giving care with show host, cancer sur...

How Will The Trump Budget Affect Medicaid? w/ Dr. Eric Fethke, Doctors for America 15.07.2025

The Trump budget megabill is law. Drastic cuts to Medicaid will affect everyone, whether you have Medicaid or not. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Dr. Eric Fethke from Doctors for America and The Pursuit of Health podcast tells us more about how it will change all of our health care with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Plus...

How Will The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Affect Your Health Care? w/ Natasha Murphy, Center for American Progress 08.07.2025

President Trump and Congress’s “Big Beautiful Bill” is now law. How will the drastic cuts to health care affect you and your family? In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Natasha Murphy from Center for American Progress returns to tell us more about what was in the final bill, and how it will change our health care with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard fro...

Still Big, Still Ugly Bill w/ Alex Lawson, Social Security Works 01.07.2025

The U.S. Senate is debating the Big Ugly Bill, which would cut a trillion dollars from our health care to pay for tax breaks to the rich. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Alex Lawson from Social Security Works returns to give us the latest news about the budget bill, and what happens next with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices ....

Big Ugly Bill w/ Adam Hoyer, Protect Our Care 17.06.2025

The U.S. Senate is working on their version of the Big Ugly Bill, which would cut a trillion dollars from our health care to pay for tax breaks to the rich. In this #CareTalk episode, health care expert Adam Hoyer from Protect Our Care returns to give us the latest news about the budget bill, and how these cuts could affect you with show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura...

"Disgusting Abomination" Budget Bill w/ Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress 10.06.2025

The U.S. House passed their version of a “Big Beautiful Bill” last month, but the budget bill Elon Musk calls a “disgusting abomination” now makes its way through the Senate. Or not? In this #CareTalk episode, federal budget policy expert Bobby Kogan from Center for American Progress dives into the details of the budget bill and proposed changes from the Senate with show host, stage 4 cancer survi...

TRUMP's Shocking Budget Plan Leaves MILLIONS Without Healthcare? w/ Linda Benesch, Social Security Works 03.06.2025

President Trump and Congress's "Big Beautiful Bill" has left millions of Americans in shock, as it threatens to strip health care from those who need it most. In this #CareTalk episode, we dive into the details of the proposed budget and explore the potential consequences of such drastic changes to the healthcare system with Linda Benesch from Social Security Works and with show host,...

Prescription drugs we can finally afford? w/ Vinny DeMarco, Maryland Healthcare for All 28.05.2025

Are you tired of breaking the bank just to fill your prescription? From inflated prices to skyrocketing copays, America's prescription drug prices have reached crisis levels. In this #CareTalk episode, we'll dive into the shocking truth behind the high cost of prescription medication in the United States, and explore the reasons behind these exorbitant prices with Vincent DeMarco from Mary...

Big bad budget: Congress cuts our health care? w/ Natasha Murphy, Center for American Progress 20.05.2025

The U.S. House continues work on their budget which includes drastic cuts to our health care, including slashing Medicaid and unrenewed subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. On #CareTalk live, health policy expert Natasha Murphy from Center for American Progress talks about how the budget will affect your health care with show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard f...

Taxes and the Trump Budget w/ Margarida Jorge, Health Care for America Now 13.05.2025

President Trump has released a budget, and the U.S. House continues to deliberate on whether and how much to cut our health care through gutting the Medicaid program. On #CareTalk live, Margarida Jorge from Health Care for America Now talks about the budget reconciliation process with show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Also Louise No...

Congress is back & getting ready to cut your healthcare? w/ Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress 06.05.2025

Congress is back from their break this week, and their work resumes on the budget. What cuts are they looking at making to our health care, and why? On #CareTalk live, Bobby Kogan from Center for American Progress talks about the budget reconciliation process with show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices . Also Louise Norris from healthinsur...

Make your state take action on health care? w/ Jessica Grennan, Simple Majority 29.04.2025

If your Governor or state legislature won’t act on making health care more affordable and available to all, what can you do? On #CareTalk live from Las Vegas, Jessica Grennan from Simple Majority talks about the ballot initiative process with show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices , and how people in some states can make reforms in spite o...

Medicaid Under Attack w/ Nicole Jorwic, Caring Across Generations 22.04.2025

The U.S. House and Senate have passed their budget blueprints for the reconciliation process, but now Congress has to write the actual budget. They plan to cut trillions of dollars, including from Medicaid, to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. Nicole Jorwic from Caring Across Generations talks about the budget process and what’s at stake for our health care. Plus experts including show host, st...

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