Tradeoffs

Worrying about deportation can literally make people sick. Health care providers are scrambling to cut through their undocumented patients’ panic about President Trump’s new immigration policies. Guests: Maria Steph Willding , CEO, CommunityHealth Emily Hendel , Director of Clinical Services, CommunityHealth Samantha Artiga , Vice President and Director for Racial Equity Health Policy Program, KFF...

The Trump administration’s swift and sweeping efforts to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development is creating chaos across global public health efforts. One doctor working to halt an Ebola outbreak in Uganda reflects on consequences, now and long-term, of America’s abrupt change in policy. Guest: Dr. James Lawler, Director of International Programs and Innovation, Global Center for...

The fight to improve Americans’ nutrition could get new momentum from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., but he will face practical and political limits to changing U.S. food supply if he’s confirmed to lead the Health and Human Services Department. Guests: Laura Schmidt, professor at the University of California at San Francisco Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies; Department of Humanities and...

If the Senate confirms Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — a vaccine skeptic — to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, he would control a powerful group of federal vaccine advisors. Guests: Ron Balajadia, Hawaii Department of Health immunization branch chief Dorit Reiss , University of California, San Francisco, professor of public health law  Dr. Sarah Long, former member of the Advisory Co...

Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius shares what the country’s top health official can and can’t do, and what she wants senators to consider ahead of RFK’s confirmation hearings. Read our new story about an obscure but extremely influential vaccine committee that Kennedy, if confirmed. would control. Guest: Kathleen Sebelius, Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Learn mor...

Many Republicans have singled out Medicaid as a policy that could see big changes under the new administration and Congress. We take a closer look at why many conservatives think less Medicaid will mean better Medicaid. Guests: Josh Archambault , Senior Fellow, Cicero Institute Brian Blase , President, Paragon Health Institute Michael Cannon , Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato Institute Eliz...

With Medicaid poised for potential cuts from Republicans in Washington, Dan Tsai reflects on what he's learned running Medicaid for the Biden administration — and his hopes and concerns for the program's future. Guest: Dan Tsai , Deputy Administrator and Director of Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, CMS Learn more on our website . Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter fe...

Alternative response teams are being asked to tackle vexing problems: mental illness, homelessness, addiction. How much can they actually do? We explore how Durham grapples with connecting people to long-term care and support, and where the city draws the line between crisis response and social services. Guests: Ryan Smith , Director, Durham Community Safety Department Sammetta Cutler , Peer Suppo...

How do you keep everyone safe? We look at HEART’s impact on the safety of Durham residents in crisis, the mental health workers responding, and the police. Guests: David Prater , Peer Support Specialist, Durham Department of Community Safety Ryan Smith , Director, Durham Department of Community Safety Yolanda, Durham resident Sgt. Dan Leeder , Durham Police Department Patrice Andrews , Police Chie...

How do you convince police officers that it makes sense to send unarmed mental health workers to some 911 calls? Guests: Patrice Andrews , Police Chief, Durham Police Department Ryan Smith , Director, Durham Department of Community Safety Sgt. Dan Leeder , Durham Police Department Abena Bediako , Clinical Manager, Durham Department of Community Safety Christie Thompson , Staff Writer, The Marshall...

A mandate to make health care prices public was one of President Trump’s signature health policies in his first term. But forcing hospitals to publish prices hasn’t yet helped patients shop around for medical care. Guest: Melanie Evans , Producer, Tradeoffs Learn more and read a full transcript on our website . Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health...

The murder of UnitedHealthcare's CEO put a violent point on the frustration and rage some Americans feel toward health insurance companies. But insurers are just one piece of America’s broken and expensive health care system. Guest: Aaron Carroll , CEO, Academy Health Learn more and read a full transcript on our website . Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the la...

Businessman and entertainer Mark Cuban has long had an interest in health care, and a mission to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry. Torie Bosch, host of First Opinion, a podcast from STAT News, speaks with Cuban about one of his latest ventures Cost Plus Drugs - Mark’s efforts to drive down prescription drug prices.  Guests: Torie Bosch , Editor, First Opinion, STAT News Matt Herper, S...

Congress banned most surprise medical bills back in 2020, with one major exception: ambulance rides. Most people agree that patients should be shielded from these unexpected charges. But who should pick up the tab instead? As state and federal policymakers grapple with that question, we delve into why finding a fair solution is harder than you’d think. Guests: Tara Bannow , Reporter, STAT Precious...

Former HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius shares what the country’s top health official can and can’t do, and what she wants senators to consider ahead of RFK’s confirmation hearings. Guest: Kathleen Sebelius, Former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Learn more and read a full transcript on our website . Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the lat...

Twenty-six states have passed bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, and the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in December about Tennessee's ban. We take a closer look at gender-affirming care and the legal arguments that could influence how accessible that care is. Meredithe McNamara , MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine Katie Eyer , JD, Professor of...

It’s Medicare open enrollment season, and in this episode first aired in 2021, we explain why shopping for a new plan is often tougher than it seems. Guests: Lilyan Grossman, Medicare beneficiary Tricia Neuman , ScD, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Program on Medicare Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation Amal Trivedi , MD, Professor of Medicine and Health Services, Policy, and Prac...

One of the nation’s leading experts on the Affordable Care Act breaks down its track record and weighs in on the stakes the historic health care law faces in the lead-up to the election. Guest: Larry Levitt , Executive Vice President for Health Policy, KFF Learn more and read a full transcript on our website . Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health...

The next U.S. president will have to make consequential choices about the Affordable Care Act, prescription drug prices and abortion. We compare the positions of candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on these major health policy issues. (NOTE: This episode has been updated to clarify the number of people who would lose health coverage if Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies expired.) Guests:...

Journalist Paula Span, who writes The New Old Age column for the New York Times, shares what she’s learned about how to age well. Guest: Paula Span , reporter and The New Old Age columnist for the New York Times Learn 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 o...

U.S. companies spend more than $1 trillion annually on health care for their employees. To get this budget-busting figure under control, some companies are experimenting with cutting out insurers, and investing in primary care clinics at the office.  Guests: Amy Cooper , NP, Vera Whole Health Bob Galvin, MD, former Chief Medical Officer, General Electric and Board Chairman, Catalyst for Payme...

For decades, the most effective treatment for addiction to methamphetamine or cocaine has been mired in stigma and mostly limited to small research studies. But with deaths involving meth and cocaine on the rise, policymakers across the country are turning to gift cards to fight drug use. This story has been updated to clarify the research on long-term effects of contingency management and the eli...

Many potent new medicines pose a host of challenges for drug companies trying to copy and sell similar versions on the cheap. Can those companies find a sustainable path forward, or will patients get left stuck paying exorbitant prices? Guests: Christine Baeder , MBA, President, Apotex USA Alfred Engelberg , JD, retired attorney and former counsel to the Generic Pharmaceutical Industry Association...

America pays less, on average, than any other major country for our generic drugs. But selling essential drugs at such low prices comes with hidden costs — from quality problems to frequent shortages. This is the second episode of  Race to the Bottom , a three-part series by Tradeoffs on the problems plaguing the generic drugs we all rely on — and how we could fix them. Guests: Christine Baed...

Generic drugs are, in many ways, the unsung hero of America’s health care system, bringing powerful medical innovations within the reach of millions more people. These cheaper copies of brand-name drugs — from pills that stop heart attacks to antibiotics that cure life-threatening infections — save America hundreds of billions of dollars a year. But will affordable, high-quality generic drugs cont...