THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

As millions of Americans face losing their health coverage, what can single-payer advocates do right now to protect our care and push for something better? What’s truly at stake for our country—and especially for its most vulnerable residents?

To find out, we spoke to Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now coalition and former constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation. 

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

How are young people pushing back against a potential rollback that could once again block DACA recipients, or Dreamers, and thousands of others from enrolling in Affordable Care Act coverage? And why do advocates call this potential move by the Trump administration extremely dangerous?

To find out, we spoke with Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, the nation’s largest young adult policy and advocacy organization. Kristin leads efforts to elevate the voices of young adults in the political process and expand their access to economic opportunity.

This is the second episode in our two-part series.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation. 

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

As federal officials carry out large-scale, military-style raids and widespread arrests of undocumented immigrants, another fight is quietly brewing — one that could push thousands of people off their health insurance.

More than half a million young people who were brought to the U.S. as children and grew up here could soon lose eligibility for affordable and subsidized health coverage.  A new rule proposed by the Trump Administration would once again block DACA recipients from buying Marketplace insurance or receiving financial assistance.

What would this mean for their health, their communities and the widening gap in health and economic equity?

To find out, we spoke with Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles — the nation’s largest young adult policy and advocacy organization — where she leads the charge to amplify the voices of young adults in the political process.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation. 

This time on CodeWACK!

How are big insurance companies dodging the very rules meant to protect patients — and turning our health care system into a profit machine for Wall Street? What can we the people do to stop it?

Join us as we dive into the dark side of corporate loopholes, for-profit health care, and policy failure with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former FDA staffer and health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Rachel played a key role in crafting and reintroducing the House Medicare for All bill in 2023. With a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, she brings both scientific rigor and firsthand policy experience to this eye-opening conversation.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate

This week on CodeWACK!

Are Americans finally waking up to the truth about single-payer healthcare? With new Medicare for All bills recently reintroduced in Congress, we’re setting the record straight. Will it really save us money? Is it socialized medicine? And why aren't our legislators addressing the REAL causes of our skyrocketing healthcare costs?

To unpack this, we spoke with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — lead sponsor of the House Medicare for All bill — Rachel helped shape and reintroduce the landmark legislation in 2023. She’s also a former FDA staffer and holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, where she was active in both Physicians for a National Health Program and Students for a National Health Program.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK!

Medicare for All is back in the spotlight! With two new bills recently introduced in Congress, what makes these proposals different from earlier versions— and why are some advocates feeling hopeful, even in the current political climate?

What would a truly public, universal health care system look like, and how could it help curb the soaring costs, corporate greed, and bureaucracy plaguing our current system?

To unpack this, we spoke with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — lead sponsor of the House Medicare for All bill — Rachel helped shape and reintroduce the landmark legislation in 2023. She’s also a former FDA staffer and holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, where she was active in both Physicians for a National Health Program and Students for a National Health Program.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK!

Which states have received the highest scores in the rePROs Fight Back’s 13th annual 50-state report card on sexual and reproductive health and rights released in March -- and why? And what specific threats - whether federal, state or local - should reproductive rights advocates be most concerned about? And what policies should they be promoting? 

To find out, we spoke with Jennie Wetter, Director of the rePROs Fight Back initiative at The Population Institute, where she champions sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice every day. Jennie also hosts the rePros Fight Back Podcast, offering deep dives into abortion access, birth control, sex ed, LGBTQ+ rights, and 

This is part two of a powerful two-part series with Jennie.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! 

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate. 

This week on CodeWACK!

How is America doing on sexual and reproductive health nearly three years after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade? What are the real-life human rights consequences of abortion bans now sweeping across many states?

To unpack the fallout, we spoke with Jennie Wetter, Director of the rePROs Fight Back initiative at The Population Institute, where she champions sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice every day. Jennie also hosts the rePros Fight Back Podcast, offering deep dives into abortion access, birth control, sex ed, LGBTQ+ rights, and more.

This is part one of a powerful two-part series with Jennie.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate. 

This week on CodeWACK!

Single payer is back in the spotlight with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Pramila Jayapal  submitting new Medicare for All bills for 2025-26! How will the upcoming National Day of Action on May 31st keep the need for healthcare reform in the spotlight? And how do physicians feel about single payer today, 60 years after the American Medical Association’s infamous ‘stealth campaign’ against socialized medicine (featuring none other than Ronald Reagan)? 

To find out, we recently talked to Dr. Ana Malinow, who spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children before retiring as clinical professor of Pediatrics from UC San Francisco School of Medicine. The past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, she is on the steering committee of National Single Payer. She’s also a lead organizer for The Movement to End Privatization of Medicare.

This is the second episode in a two-part series.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate. 

This week on CodeWACK!

Why is National Single Payer organizing a National Day of Action on May 31 amid cuts and freezes to public health programs? How has an incremental approach to universal health care in America made comprehensive healthcare reform more difficult? 

To find out, we recently talked to Dr. Ana Malinow, who spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children before retiring as clinical professor of Pediatrics from UC San Francisco School of Medicine. The past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, she is on the steering committee of National Single Payer. She’s also a lead organizer for The Movement to End Privatization of Medicare.

This is the first episode in a two-part series.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.