Medicaid is a massive, life-sustaining program whose new work requirements and funding cuts risk stripping coverage from millions of people who can’t afford to lose it.

In this episode, Cindy Mann, partner at Manatt Health and former director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services, explains how Medicaid was created alongside Medicare in 1965 and has grown into the nation’s largest public coverage program, serving nearly 80 million people across diverse populations. She details the state–federal financing structure, explains why match rates vary, and highlights how Medicaid remains foundational to the Affordable Care Act’s coverage continuum. Cindy breaks down the proposed Medicaid cuts in HR1 and the impact of work requirements, illustrating how administrative barriers lead to people losing coverage and increasing uncompensated care costs without improving employment outcomes. She also challenges the “deserving versus undeserving poor” narrative and highlights efforts by states and providers to protect coverage gains.

Tune in and learn how Medicaid’s design, politics, and future will shape health, budgets, and justice in America!

Resources

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What if the biggest threat to our survival isn’t the next virus, but our failure to learn from the last one?

In this episode, Dr. Michael Osterholm, Regents Professor and Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota, explains why America’s public health system is dangerously underprepared for the next major outbreak. He shares how misinformation and political interference have eroded confidence in science, leaving critical institutions like the CDC and NIH struggling to fulfill their missions. Dr. Osterholm discusses lessons from COVID-19 and why failing to apply them could cost millions of lives in the future. He also explores the promise of universal vaccines, the need for sustained investment in pandemic defense, and how rebuilding public trust starts with humility, transparency, and truth-telling.

Tune in to hear what it will really take to prepare for “the big one.

Resources

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A nation’s promise to those who served becomes a lesson in how health care can truly heal.

In this special Veterans Day episode, Dr. David Shulkin, the ninth Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump Administration and VA’s Under Secretary of Health in the Obama Administration, talks about the mission, history, and transformation of the Veterans Health Administration, one of the nation’s largest and most innovative health systems. He shares how his time leading the VA changed his perspective on what effective, compassionate care looks like, highlighting the system’s holistic, population-based approach and its groundbreaking medical research. Dr. Shulkin also reflects on the challenges of government service, the importance of protecting the VA from privatization, and his continued advocacy for veterans and the workforce that serves them.

Tune in to hear how the VA’s model offers vital lessons for the future of American health care!

Resources:

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Our information environment has become a social determinant of health.

In this episode, Joshua Sharfstein, a public health leader and professor at Johns Hopkins, and Joanne Kenen, journalist in residence at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discuss how the collapse of local journalism, the design of social media algorithms, and politicization have created an “information sickness” that undermines personal and public health. They explain that traditional reporting once filtered out false claims through rules and accountability, while today’s engagement-driven platforms reward emotional misinformation that quickly becomes “sticky.” The guests explore the consequences of vaccine refusal, fractured families, and the urgent need for remedies, such as embedding misinformation experts in health agencies, utilizing trusted platforms, and fostering community trust. They emphasize that artificial intelligence will both fuel and fight misinformation, demanding institutional adaptation. Ultimately, they urge individuals to maintain an informed news diet and practice empathy across information divides, reminding listeners that public health must serve everyone, even those who disagree.

Tune in to learn practical ways to counter health misinformation, from rapid pre-bunking to community partnerships and smarter use of AI!

Resources:

Connect with and follow Joshua Sharfstein on LinkedIn.

Follow and connect with Joanne Kenen on LinkedIn.

Learn more about Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health on their LinkedIn and website.

Buy Josh and Joanne’s book Information Sick here.

Listen to the What The Health podcast here.

Sign up for the Expert Insights Newsletter here.

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“I just went there for a routine knee replacement, or so I thought.”

In this inspiring episode, Rosie Bartel, a patient partner and advocate, educator, and survivor, shares her journey from a devastating MRSA infection acquired during a routine knee replacement to becoming a global voice for patient safety and health care reform. After surviving 58 surgeries, more than 200 hospitalizations, and multiple amputations, she transformed her pain into a mission to prevent others from enduring the same experience. Rosie explains how being invited to her hospital’s root-cause investigation empowered her to advocate for systemic change and demonstrate the power of storytelling with purpose. She reminds health care professionals that patients seek healing, not lawsuits, urging both providers and patients to share their stories because, as she powerfully states, stories aren’t just anecdotes; they’re data that inspire action.

Tune in and learn how courage, compassion, and the patient’s voice can light the path toward a safer, more humane health care system!

Resources:

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The healers we need now don’t stop at the exam room; they go upstream to the causes of suffering and make safety, dignity, and trust part of the clinical job.

In this episode, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, a physician and academic leader, calls for a broader, more human-centered definition of health care, one that addresses substance use, firearm injuries, pain, and the social realities that shape well-being. Drawing on personal experiences and systemic insight, he advocates for harm reduction, trust-building, and courageous leadership that transforms stigma and obstacles into opportunities for progress.

Tune in and learn how broadening medicine’s scope saves lives and restores trust!

Resources:

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The integrity of evidence-based policy is under threat when political agendas override scientific rigor.

In this episode, Dr. Robert Califf, former FDA Commissioner and cardiologist, reflects on his experience leading the FDA and the agency’s critical role in protecting public health through rigorous, science-based regulation across multiple sectors. He warns that political interference, disinformation, and mistrust threaten health outcomes but believes meaningful collaboration can still restore integrity and progress.

Tune in and learn how protecting science-based regulation may be one of the most important public health actions of our time!

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The corporatization of health care is driving a mass exodus from primary care, creating a crisis that affects both physicians and patients alike.

In this episode, Dr. Peter Grinspoon, a physician and advocate, discusses the worsening state of American primary care, shaped by burnout, poor pay, and a loss of autonomy, while sharing how his recovery from opioid addiction inspired him to support other physicians. He also explores the stigma surrounding mental health in medicine, stalled union efforts, and the need for better education and regulation around the safe use of medical cannabis.

Tune in and learn how systemic dysfunction is breaking primary care and how medical cannabis could be part of a more humane, effective future!

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One of the biggest drivers of high drug prices in America is the opaque rebate system between pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers, where savings rarely reach the patient.

In this episode, Vinay Patel explains how drug prices are formed, from R&D and manufacturing to complex negotiations involving insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. He breaks down the mechanics of rebates, formulary restrictions, and the consolidation of power among PBMs, showing how these hidden forces raise prices and limit access. He also offers promising alternatives like cost-plus pricing models and calls on employers to take control of their health care contracts to cut costs.

Tune in and learn how this broken system works, and what it might take to fix it!

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While universal health care offers immense equity and access, it still faces real challenges around fragmentation, funding, and integration.

In this episode, Dr. Bob Klaber reflects on the values and challenges of the UK’s NHS, contrasting its universal care model with the U.S. system and advocating for whole-person care over over-medicalization. He emphasizes the importance of trust, collaboration across sectors, and the role of prevention and social determinants, remaining hopeful thanks to the next generation of health care leaders.

Tune in and learn how real-world care, leadership, and connection shape a more equitable and effective health system!

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