Care Talk with Laura Packard: American Health Care Explained

Dr. Oz has been nominated by President Trump to run CMS, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Ed Weisbart of Physicians for a National Health Program talks about the dangers of putting Dr. Oz in charge of Medicare, Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer from Just Care and Social Security Works, and Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance and more.

This episode includes explainers about how tariffs could affect the cost of health care in America and possible Medicaid budget cuts, what to do if your insurance declines to cover your medication, how can we see reforms in health care, and why Medicare doesn't cover a specific drug.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

The Inflation Reduction Act finally allows Medicare to negotiate drug prices, starting in 2026. Did you know that Big Pharma sued the government several times to try and stop it? Temi Amoye of Patients for Affordable Drugs talks about drug price negotiations, the lawsuits, and what happens next.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer from Just Care and Social Security Works, and Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance and more.

This episode includes explainers about the executive orders on health care that President Trump has just signed, bans on travel, hiring and more at the NIH, and a surge in cost on a patient's Ozempic prescription.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

What does our health care system look like under President Trump? Margarida Jorge of Health Care for America Now talks about what happened with health care under the first Trump administration, and what could happen under the second Trump administration, including appointments, legislative actions, executive orders and more.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, and Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance and more.

This episode includes answers on what life events qualify you for health insurance through the ACA even though open enrollment is over, what can you do if you're uninsured and don't qualify, what are employer self-funded ASO (administered services only) insurance plans, and can you start your own co-op for health insurance.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

Is contraception at risk in 2025? Dana Singiser of the Contraceptive Access Initiative talks about past and ongoing attacks on access to birth control in America, and what we could face under the Trump administration.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer of Just Care & Social Security Works, and Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance and more.

This episode includes answers on Affordable Care Act open enrollment ending soon (Nov 1-Jan 15), Medicare Advantage open enrollment continuing (Jan 1-Mar 31), what to do when your insurance refuses to cover a needed drug or treatment, and when will the U.S. get national healthcare.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

Edwin Park of Georgetown Center for Children and Families talks about what cuts to Medicaid this year could look like, including work requirements, block grants, and per capita cuts, how changes to Medicaid worked (or didn't work) in Arkansas and Georgia so far, and how cuts could affect your state’s health care.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer of Just Care & Social Security Works, and Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance and more.

This episode includes answers on the Affordable Care Act enrollment deadline coming soon (Nov 1-Jan 15), Medicare Advantage open enrollment starting up (Jan 1-Mar 31), dealing with contract disputes that leave your medical providers out-of-network, what if you can barely afford Medicare but can't afford dental and vision.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

Naveed Shah of Common Defense talks about what has happened over the past several years for veterans on health care, including changes to the VA, the PACT Act, what could happen in 2025 under President Trump next year including Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) recommendations for spending cuts, and how it will affect veterans.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, and special guest Brandy Schantz of the Living Chronic podcast talk about Tricare and VA health care, and answer your veterans' health insurance questions.

This episode includes what is Tricare? Who is eligible? What is the difference between Tricare and the VA healthcare system? Do you need Tricare to use the VA? Can you use Tricare outside the VA? How do you enroll? What are your Tricare options as a retired reservist?

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

The nominees to run the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)--Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)--Dr. Oz, have controversial records and views on medicine. Dr. Meena Bewtra of Doctors for America talks about what they could mean to our public health in 2025 if confirmed.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, and Louise Norris from HealthInsurance.org answer your health insurance and health care questions.

This episode includes more about the marketplace open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act, Mary wants to know is there a way to cut insurance companies out as middlemen between doctors and patients, David is applying for hospital assistance for a huge emergency surgery uninsured medical bill, Lisa had to get an approval letter for a mammogram, and Elisa's mother's health care provider will no longer accept her Medicare Advantage plan Jan 1.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

The health insurance industry in America is broken. What can we do about it? Wendell Potter, whistleblower and former health insurance industry exec, and founder of Center for Health and Democracy talks about Brian Thompson, the former UnitedHealthcare CEO, and the stories that have been revealed about the greedy underbelly of our health insurance system. 

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer from Just Care and Social Security Works, and Louise Norris from HealthInsurance.org answer your health insurance and health care questions.

This episode includes more about the continuing Affordable Care Act open enrollment period, the upcoming Medicare Advantage open enrollment period, why NOLAgal may have gotten charged for her colonoscopy, and a retiree couple on Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) getting the hard sell to switch insurance plans. 

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

In Alabama, a state supreme court decision led to fertility clinics suspending in vitro fertilization (IVF) services, and some have now closed for good. Tina Sherman, National Director of MomsRising talks about fertility treatments and IVF, what happened in Alabama with the Supreme Court, fetal personhood laws, what could happen in 2025 under the Trump administration and beyond, and how it will affect patients.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Diane Archer from Just Care and Social Security Works, and Louise Norris from HealthInsurance.org answer your health insurance and health care questions.

This episode includes more about Affordable Care Act open enrollment, how to navigate your insurance provider network, and why are Eunice's health care premiums going up next year.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!

Is your reproductive health care at risk under the Trump administration? Ianthe Metzger from Planned Parenthood talks about what has happened to reproductive care and abortion care over the past several years in America including the Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturning Roe v Wade, abortion bans on a state level, what could happen to reproductive services including birth control and fertility care in 2025 and beyond under President Trump, and how it will affect patients.

Plus experts including show host, stage 4 cancer survivor and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices, Rachel Madley from Center for Health and Democracy, and Louise Norris from HealthInsurance.org answer your health insurance and health care questions.

This episode includes more about Affordable Care Act open enrollment, how do you find the best plan? What do you need to do during Medicare open enrollment? What kind of benefits do you receive with a marketplace plan-there's a scam involving ads featuring gas and grocery subsidy cards. What are all the various alphabet parts of Medicare, Parts A B C D etc.

New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows!