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Millions of Americans are expected to forgo buying health insurance starting in 2026 as the cost of their coverage soars. Others who currently qualify for Medicaid may find the rules have changed and they are no longer eligible. What can people do when they need care but can’t afford it? And why are young people especially at risk?

To find out, we spoke with Rachel Madley, director of policy and advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously served as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and wo...

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With millions of Americans poised to lose their health coverage due to government cuts to Medicaid and other health programs, what can you do to protect your health and access to care? If you find yourself uninsured, are there ways to get free or low-cost prescription meds and health care?

To find out, we spoke with Rachel Madley, director of policy and advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously served as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and worked in the Office of Legislative Affairs at...

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What will happen when Medicaid is slashed for millions of people as a result of Trump’s H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill?”  How will the largest rollback of the social safety net in over 50 years harm children, families, and rural communities – and what could it mean for states that recently expanded Medicaid, like North Carolina?

To find out, we spoke to Jennifer Wells, director of Economic Justice at Community Change Action, where she leads the organization’s work to advance policies and practices that improve the material con...

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While not perfect, Medicaid has served as a lifeline for millions of impoverished Americans, including Jennifer Wells and her mother, who suffered a brain aneurysm years ago. But that lifeline will soon be taken away. Jennifer joins us to talk about the expected ramifications of Trump’s H.R. 1, the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill. 

She’s the director of economic justice at Community Change Action , where she leads the organization’s work to advance policies and practices that improve the material conditions of low-income communities. Over recent years, she has earn...

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As a consequence of Trump's drastic cuts to Medicaid and other health programs, experts estimate that between nearly 8 million and 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. These include the most vulnerable among us, people who depend on Medicaid because they are poor, ill and/or live with disabilities. And here’s the kicker: experiencing disability isn’t as rare or improbable as we’d like to think. 

That's why this fight for health care is about all of us, our families, our neighbors, and our future. From hospital care to home...

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What’s already changing for people with disabilities now that President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” has been signed into law? From pediatric clinics closing their doors to looming cuts in home and community-based services, the fallout is just beginning — and it’s hitting hard.

Today we’re joined by two staff members of Disability Rights California, Executive Director Andy Imparato and Policy Analyst Sabrina Epstein, who have been working to track the bill’s impact and fight for the rights of those with disabilities across the state. This is th...

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We talk a lot about how our healthcare system fails us when we get sick, but what about when regulators fail to PREVENT ILLNESS?  Case in point: lead poisoning. It’s not just a danger from the past. Thousands of children are sickened from lead poisoning each year across the country.

This week we’re looking at New York State which has older, poorly maintained housing stock in several areas, and where we’ve seen some of the highest incidences of lead poisoning in the country.  So why hasn’t the state l...

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Imagine discovering that your infant child—your nine-month-old baby—has lead poisoning – a toxin banned from paint and phased out of gasoline decades ago. So why do thousands of children each year have dangerously high levels of lead in their system?

We spoke with New York mom, nurse, and advocate Shannon Burkett, whose son Cooper developed lead poisoning that stole his words, halted his development, and nearly cost him his life. Shannon is also the writer, producer, and editor of the podcast LEAD: How This Story Ends Is Up to Us, whi...

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What happens when millions are stripped of Medicaid coverage? Who shoulders the costs when hospitals are forced to care for more uninsured patients? And how will unions and the workers they represent bear the brunt of skyrocketing premiums, job losses, and a growing healthcare crisis? 

Today we're joined by Cindy Young, a veteran labor negotiator and health policy advisor, and now vice president of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and of Healthy California Now. Cindy has spent decades fighting for healthcare justice and protecting workers' rights. She breaks down Tr...

This time on Code WACK! 

What happens when millions are stripped of Medicaid coverage? Who shoulders the costs when hospitals are forced to care for more uninsured patients? And how will unions and the workers they represent bear the brunt of skyrocketing premiums, job losses, and a growing healthcare crisis? 

Today we're joined by Cindy Young, a veteran labor negotiator and health policy advisor, and now vice president of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and of Healthy California Now. Cindy has spent decades fighting for healthcare justice and protecting workers' rights. She breaks down Tr...

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What if California, Oregon, and Washington joined forces to win federal approval for universal, single-payer healthcare? Could a united West Coast shift the balance of power in America’s healthcare debate? 

To find out, we recently spoke with Michael Lighty, president of the single payer advocacy coalition Healthy California Now. Michael ’s a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute, and he was healthcare constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. Most recently, he co-wrote and was a leader in the successful campaign to enact California’s Senate Bill 770, a critical step toward n...

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Why are some Americans choosing to go off the health insurance grid? For Lani Gonzales, entrepreneur and hypnotherapist, it was the mounting frustration with denials, delays … and ultimately being dropped by her health insurer through no fault of her own. So instead of reapplying she walked away—and pieced together a system for herself. Combining medical tourism, concierge medicine, a health share and even reclaiming her Philippine citizenship, Lani took an unconventional route to take control of her health care.

What drove her to make these radical changes—and what can we...

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What would you do if your health insurer suddenly dropped you, and the care you needed cost thousands out of pocket? That’s what happened to Lani Gonzales, a former attorney from Florida who thought she understood contracts, until she came face-to-face with America’s broken healthcare system.

After experiencing medical debt and being denied coverage for vital health treatments, Lani asked herself: Why keep playing a game that’s rigged against me? Her search for affordable, compassionate care led her across the border to Mexico – and to some surprising lessons...

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

Most of us know that our profit-driven healthcare system results in moral injury. How is moral harming physicians? And how is it harming patients?  Dr. Diljeet Singh is an integrative gynecologic oncologist and the president of Physicians for a National Health Program. She’s leading a powerful new project with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to find out.

By gathering stories from doctors and patients across the country, her team is uncovering how corporate control and financial pressures are fueling moral injury in medicine—and what it will take to make...

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

What happens when doctors feel forced to act against their own moral compass? When financial barriers—not clinical judgment—determine the care a patient receives?

We’re talking about moral injury in medicine—how it’s affecting physicians, harming patients, and why it’s getting worse under our profit-driven healthcare system.

Joining us is Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and president of Physicians for a National Health Program. She shares powerful stories from her own practice—and from the front lines of American healthcare—that reveal a deeper crisis...

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK!

As Trump Administration attacks on public health care ramp up, what’s California doing to fight back? Can the state break free from a system that puts profits over patients — and build a truly universal, single-payer healthcare system? Or will political roadblocks and federal inaction keep us stuck in a broken status quo? Bottom line, how close can California - the 4th largest economy in the world - get to single payer on its own?

To find out, we spoke with Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now who has orga...

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What does freedom really mean when, in 2025, health care costs more than $31,000 a year for the average American family? This Independence Day, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation about how single-payer healthcare could slash costs, unleash innovation, and expand access for all. Could it also help revive the American Dream of owning your own business?

Ian Lewis, now with Unite Here Local 2 but at the time of this interview with National Union of Healthcare Workers, breaks down how our current system burdens small businesses, stifles entrepreneurship—and what a bold refor...

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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.

Th...

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 hea...

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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 Me...

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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...

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 advi...

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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...

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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 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...

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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 th...

This week on CodeWACK!

The Wyoming legislature effectively shut down the only surgical abortion clinic in the state. How did it use "TRAP" (Targeted Regulations Against Abortion Providers) as its legislative strategy? And how does this make getting an abortion even more challenging for residents in Wyoming and nearby states that have abortion bans?

We recently spoke to Julie Burkhart, longtime reproductive rights advocate, founder and CEO of Trust Women Foundation, which works to expand access to abortion care in underserved communities. Julie is president of Wellspring Health Access, in Caspar, Wyoming and a...

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What’s it like operating an abortion clinic in Wyoming, one of the most anti-abortion states in the nation? Meet Julie Burkhart — longtime reproductive rights advocate, founder and CEO of Trust Women Foundation, which works to expand access to abortion care in underserved communities, and protégé of Dr. George Tiller, who was murdered for providing abortion care. Hear how Dr. Tiller’s legacy lives on through her work. 

Why are patients traveling hundreds of miles for abortion care, post-Roe? What’s it been like to offer care in as state where arson...

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Can our local health departments counteract the mixed messages given by RFK, Jr. the secretary of Health and Human Services, about vaccine safety and efficacy? What about us? How can we combat disinformation and highlight the benefits of vaccinating our children and ourselves?

To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit.  As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thou...

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What could Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services mean for the public health of everyday Americans, given his history of vaccine misinformation? With measles already on the rise and deadly, and the looming threat of future pandemics, how might his leadership shape the nation’s response to infectious diseases?

To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit.  As the host of the award-winning America Dissecte...

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How is Ireland’s plan for single-tier, universal health care, known as Sláintecare, funded? Is it sustainable long term? What improvements has the nation’s healthcare system seen so far – and what can America learn from this?

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Sara Burke, associate professor and director of the Centre for Health Policy and Management in Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine.  She is the Principal Investigator of a research project entitled 'Health system foundations for Sláintecare implementation in 2020 and beyond …’ and Co-Director of ...

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In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re featuring Ireland’s healthcare reform agenda known as Sláintecare. What healthcare challenges have plagued the country – and how will Sláintecare help?

To find out, we interviewed Dr. Sara Burke, associate professor and director of the Centre for Health Policy and Management in Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine. She is the Principal Investigator of a research project entitled 'Health system foundations for Sláintecare implementation in 2020 and beyond …’ and Co-Director of  SPHeRE, Ireland’s national research training program for population health...

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How did desegregation impact Black patients in America? What hasn’t changed? What does racism in medicine look like today? And what should we do when we see it? 

To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system. This is the second of two epi...

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What did segregation look like in hospitals and medical facilities in America, and did it only extend to the South? What finally brought an end to the deadly practice that cost countless Black and Brown lives? 

To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healt...

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What would cutting off or limiting Social Security benefits – or privatizing Social Security – mean for the roughly 68 million retirees who rely on such benefits? And what could that mean for those who receive disability benefits? 

To break it down, we spoke with Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, an organization fighting to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; lower drug prices; and ensure health care as a human right. This is part two of a two-part series.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for mo...

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What’s at stake for Medicaid—the lifeline for millions of low-income Americans—under President Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress determined to slash spending? How would cutting Medicaid affect the more than 72 million people who rely on it for health care? And is Social Security next on the chopping block? 

To break it down, we spoke with Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, an organization fighting to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; lower drug prices; and ensure health care as a human right. Th...

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Why are some 200,000 Americans dying each year due to issues with their health insurance and access to care? Would a single payer healthcare system put a stop to this? 

To find out, we interviewed Dr. James G. Kahn, an expert in health policy and economics, and advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Justice Monitor. 

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

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The strong reactions to the tragic murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by alleged killer Luigi Mangione are bringing renewed attention to the abuses of for-profit health insurance. How does our complex, costly, and callous for-profit healthcare system contribute to America's high mortality rate and how many people are believed to die each year as a result?

To find out, we interviewed Dr. James G. Kahn, an expert in health policy and economics, and advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Ju...

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For the second episode in our two-part series on racism in medicine, in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, we’re asking the question: What is racially concordant care and how does it help save lives? What else can be done to reduce deadly disparities in medicine? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Uché Blackstock. Blackstock, author of the New York Times best-selling book “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine,” which is now available in paperback.  She’s also the founder and CEO of Adv...

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In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of equality and justice for all, we welcome Dr. Uché Blackstock, author of the New York Times bestselling book “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.” 

Trained as an ER physician, the Harvard Medical School graduate is founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, an organization that aims to dismantle racism in healthcare and narrow health inequities.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

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How is the Department of Veterans Affairs becoming increasingly privatized and what could this mean for those who have served and sacrificed for our country? Is corporate health insurance better than the VA healthcare system - or not? How is privatization affecting the financial viability of the VA -- and what can be done to stop it?

To find out, we recently spoke to Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Ce...

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Why have U.S. administrations from both sides of the aisle chosen to privatize Medicare and how has that complicated health care for patients? How do mega insurance companies benefit as a result? How much is all this costing us, anyway? And what can we do about it?

To find out, we spoke with Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Center for Health and Democracy. He’s also the author of t...

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In the wake of the recent presidential election, we’re revisiting one of our favorite podcast episodes from 2023 about the hurdles America's Indigenous peoples face in accessing health care. 

What’s being done to help elder Native Americans receive culturally competent long term care? Would it surprise you to learn that relying on the Indian Health Service may not be enough to meet their needs? Why are some members of this highly vulnerable population buying health insurance too? 

To find out, we spoke to Elder Billie Tohee, acting execut...

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What could another Trump presidency mean for the rise in Medicare private plans and what would that mean for patient care and financial waste in our healthcare system and for the Medicare Trust Fund? 

To find out, we recently interviewed Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and incoming president of Physicians for a National Health Program [PNHP]. With more than 25,000 members across the United States, PNHP advocates for a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program. This is the second episode in a two-part series. 

Check out...

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Why are seniors between a rock and a hard place when choosing between various Medicare options? How do private Medicare plans, known as Medicare Advantage, limit patients’ options and why are they considered riskier than traditional Medicare? And what's the ‘Medigap Trap?’

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and the incoming president of Physicians for a National Health Program [PNHP]. With more than 25,000 members across the United States, PNHP advocates for a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program.

Check ou...

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What questionable justifications did a major insurance company give to repeatedly deny coverage to treat a baby’s brain tumor? What would have been the financial impact on the family if they had to pay for their baby's treatment out-of-pocket? What specific health policies could we implement to avoid situations like this? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Eunice Stallman, a psychiatrist in Idaho and mother of two-year-old Zoey, who has suffered seizures and developmental delays because of a brain tumor discovered when she was an inf...

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Imagine learning that your baby girl has a brain tumor that’s causing seizures and disrupting her development, and your health insurance company is denying coverage for the treatment her pediatric oncologist says she needs to survive and thrive? What would you do? Where did one mother turn when repeated health insurance denials delayed time-sensitive treatment to shrink her baby’s tumor? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Eunice Stallman, a psychiatrist in Idaho and clinical faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the University of Wa...

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What can be done to protect health care for the most vulnerable in the aftermath of Trump's victory? What does another Trump administration mean for single payer both nationally and in the states? How do many union leaders feel about single payer, and why? If we had Medicare for All, what other benefits could unions bargain for?

To find out, we recently interviewed Ada Briceño, chair of Orange County Democrats and co-chair of Unite Here Local 11, which represents tens of thousands of workers in hotels, restaurants, airports, and sports ar...

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What could a Trump White House mean for your health care and your family’s? What might it mean for public health at a time when the nation is still reeling from the devastating COVID-19 pandemic? And which populations stand to lose the most? 

To find out, we spoke to Ada Briceño, chair of Orange County Democrats and co-chair of Unite Here Local 11, which represents tens of thousands of workers in hotels, restaurants, airports, and sports arenas in Southern California and Arizona. Ada is also a former National Steering Commi...

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Why have healthcare giants like United Health and Cigna been purging some of their commercial accounts and pivoting to government-funded programs like Medicare Advantage and Medicaid? How is this affecting patients? And what is the government doing about it? 

To find out, we spoke with Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Center for Health and Democracy. He’s also the author of the Substack newsletter HEALTH CARE un-covered which chronicles out-of-control profiteering in U...

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How do some Australians, who have single-payer health care they call Medicare, view the American healthcare system? What do they think about the many people in America who need to have a job to get health insurance? Who set their wedding day with their health insurance in mind? Or who have health insurance but go bankrupt anyway, because it doesn't cover all their medical bills?

To find out, we spoke to Australian Anna Candler, founder and CEO of The Circular Water Company. Through frequent visits to family in the U.S...

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How does Australia's healthcare system work and why is it considered one of the best in the world? What are some of the ways the Australian healthcare system, which they call Medicare, and private health insurance differ from ours?

To find out, we interviewed Anna Candler. An Australian citizen, Anna is founder and CEO of  The Circular Water Company in Sydney. Through frequent visits to family in the United States, particularly in Maryland, she's gained firsthand insight into the stark differences between the Australian and American healthcare models. This is t...

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What is “data justice” and how does it inform and refine health policies for invisibilized communities? What policy solutions are needed to reduce health disparities among people, especially marginalized Latinx and indigenous communities? What role does the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California play in advancing the health of vulnerable communities throughout the state? And what are the hopes and fears of these communities when it comes to their health and the upcoming presidential election? 

To find out, we recently interviewed Dr. Seciah Aquino, executive director of the Latino Coalition for a...

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Public health advocacy requires considerable insight into the major issues that affect communities. How best to gain this insight? What role does direct personal experience play? 

Today Seciah Aquino, DrPH, MS shares how her lived experience as an immigrant has informed her work as Executive Director of a leading health equity advocacy organization, the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California. How did her experience, first as a young child in Guatemala and later as an immigrant living in Gardena, California, inspire her to pursue higher education and transform her life, an...

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Rebate aggregators? Group purchasing? Vertical integration? How exactly do Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMs, operate to maximize profit? And how are everyday Americans suffering from these practices?

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, national board secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program, a single-payer advocacy coalition that boasts more than 25,000 members,  and former chief medical officer for one of the largest PBMs in the country. This is the second episode in a two-part series.

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

...

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We’re taking another look at Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs. Why were PBMs started and how did they morph to become one of the most powerful entities in health care? Why have they caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission? How are they a threat to consumers?

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ed Weisbart, the national board secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program and former chief medical officer of one of the biggest PBMs in the country. This is the first episode in a two...

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What’s at stake in health care with the upcoming federal election? Would Donald Trump really try to repeal the Affordable Care Act - again? Would Kamala Harris continue fighting to rein in the skyrocketing cost of medicine? What will be the fate of Biden-era policies like enhanced tax credits limiting the cost of health insurance premiums? Or access to reproductive health care (including contraception)?

With so much up in the air, how is Families USA, a leading national, non-partisan voice for healthcare consumers, responding? To find out, we s...

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The fight for affordable, accessible health care in the U.S. has gone on for decades. Who’s in the fight to win solutions that improve health care for everyone? What policies are they working on? 

Today we’re featuring the Washington DC-based Families USA, a leading national nonpartisan voice for healthcare consumers.  We welcome their new executive director, Anthony Wright, who previously served for 22 years as executive director of Health Access California. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Anthony Wright. 

Check out the Transcri...

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What are lawmakers and the Federal Trade Commission doing about Pharmacy Benefit Managers and their undue influence over drug prices and access? Who is watching out for consumers when the pharmaceutical industry pursues self-serving arrangements? And what’s the impact on independent pharmacies and their patients?

To find out, we recently interviewed Hannah Garden-Monheit, the FTC’s director of the Office of Policy Planning. Prior to joining the FTC, Garden-Monheit worked at the National Economic Council (NEC), where she served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Direc...

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So you might have heard the term pharmacy benefit managers – or PBMs – in the news. But what are they? How did these middlemen get to be so powerful? How are they causing drug prices to skyrocket? And what’s the Federal Trade Commission doing about it? 

To find out, we recently interviewed Hannah Garden-Monheit, the FTC’s director of the Office of Policy Planning. Prior to joining the FTC, Garden-Monheit worked at the National Economic Council (NEC), where she served as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director...

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As the United States faces an election possibly  unlike any other in our history, we wonder about the future of our healthcare system. What changes might we expect under President Trump, or President Harris? What would a new administration mean for single-payer efforts in states like California and Oregon? And what about Medicare, a lifeline for so many vulnerable Americans?

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

Check out t...

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What’s been happening on the healthcare front since California Senate Bill 770, which paves the way for a single-payer healthcare system, was passed last year? What’s the process and the timeline? What are the necessary next steps to winning single payer in the Golden State and why is it so important to achieving healthcare equity? 

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

Check out the Transcript and Show Notes...

This time on Code WACK!

How far did one man have to go to get the health insurance he needed to cover a specialized surgery in another state? Despite jumping through many hoops to even qualify to buy the coverage he needed, why did he still end up paying tens of thousands of dollars in out of pocket costs? How much would you be willing to pay for the freedom to consult the doctor of your choice?

We recently spoke to Rand, a commercial property manager, writer and father of three in Southern California who...

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Imagine having to fight with your HMO insurer about compensating your surgeon who doesn't belong to your provider network, but happens to be a specialist in a particular procedure that you want because it has fewer side effects. Could you afford to cough up a few thousand dollars to pay the surgeon while hassling with your HMO? But the story doesn't end there. What if you then needed a followup procedure that is relatively new but has a 98% chance of a positive outcome? But the surgeon you want - who invented it...

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Why did California’s latest single payer bill fail and what can we do about it? How can the public learn the truth about how much they could save with unified financing when deep-pocketed corporations keep lobbying legislators against it? What will it take to make Medicare for All a reality once and for all? 

To find out, we asked Jodi Reid,  executive director of California Alliance for Retired Americans or CARA, California’s largest grassroots senior advocacy organization. Jodi represents her organization on the board of Healthy California Now, a sing...

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Why is long term care, including in-home health care, in crisis? How are skyrocketing costs affecting patients? How come two-thirds of people in California who are getting in-home health care get it from family members who are often unpaid?  Would universal long term care - or a single-payer system with unified financing - help?  

 To find out, we spoke to Jodi Reid, executive director of California Alliance for Retired Americans, California’s largest grassroots senior advocacy organization. She has more than four decades of organizing experience on issues ranging from health...

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How do insurance companies put up barriers to addiction treatments? How does this affect treatment programs and their clients? And how would it be if we had Medicare for All?

To find out, we spoke to Arlene Stanich-Prince, executive director of Ohlhoff Recovery Programs in San Francisco, one of the longest standing treatment programs in the area. This is the first of two episodes with Stanich-Prince.

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for more!

This time on Code WACK!

What are some of the most common misconceptions about people who are addicted to substances like opioids? What medicines are revolutionizing the way people are being treated today – and how accessible are they? 

To find out, we spoke to Arlene Stanich-Prince, executive director of Ohlhoff Recovery Programs in San Francisco, one of the longest standing treatment programs in the area. This is the first of two episodes with Stanich-Prince.

Check out the Show Notes and Transcript for more!

This time on Code WACK!

What is the true cost of the American health insurance system? What toll is it taking on both patients and providers?  And what do we need instead?

To find out, we recently interviewed Dr. Linda Peeno, a physician, ethicist and health insurance industry whistleblower who testified before Congress and who has spent nearly four decades working to protect patients from harm and death by corporate healthcare systems. 

Dr. Peeno was played by actor Laura Dern in the 2002 docudrama “Damaged Care,” and she was also featured in Michael Moore’s 2007 d...

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How did a single mom in Kentucky, in the 1970s, become a physician, then a health insurance medical reviewer and eventually a whistleblower?

To find out, we recently interviewed Dr. Linda Peeno, a physician and ethicist who has spent nearly four decades working to protect patients from harm and death by corporate healthcare systems. 

Dr. Peeno was played by actor Laura Dern in the 2002 docudrama “Damaged Care,” and she was also featured in Michael Moore’s 2007 documentary “Sicko.” She has assisted in more than 150 legal cases to expose for-profit...

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In honor of PRIDE Month, we’re revisiting a popular episode about the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s. What were the health policy failures that spurred so many Americans to militant activism? How did the LGBTQ+ community win the struggle to get government funding to address the deadly virus?

Fortunately today, with appropriate medical intervention, more and more people are living, instead of dying, with HIV/AIDS. But the U.S. still trails many developed countries in life expectancy, a result of health policy failures that continue to...

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At least seven states are grappling with budget shortfalls in 2024. What goes on behind the scenes when a state needs to cut costs? Who stands to lose the most as programs are trimmed or eliminated? Today we're looking at California’s multi-billion dollar budget deficit – and what's being done to protect the state’s most vulnerable residents.

 To find out, we spoke to Jodi Reid, executive director of California Alliance for Retired Americans, California’s largest grassroots senior advocacy organization. She has more than four decades of organizing experienc...

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How do Managed Care health insurance plans hurt patients? Why is it legal for commercial health insurers to use Denial-of-Care as a business model? And what is one organization doing to call attention to such issues? 

To find out, we spoke to Kimberly J. Soenen, founder of “SOME PEOPLE,” a Chicago-based not-for-profit organization and multiverse channel dedicated to removing barriers to healthcare access.  Soenen is also the COO of AMPERS Radio Association in Minnesota, but the views she expressed in this podcast are solely her own. This is the seco...

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What’s the impact of commercial health insurance Denial-of-Care tactics? Who “wins” when new employees have to wait three months before their health insurance kicks in? What devastating physical, financial and emotional consequences did one young woman face after she was seriously injured during such a waiting period? 

To find out, we spoke to Kimberly Soenen, founder of Chicago-based “SOME PEOPLE,” a not-for-profit organization and multiverse channel dedicated to removing barriers to healthcare access.  This is the first episode in a two-part series with Kimberly.

Soenen is the Chief Operat...

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Why do lawmakers continue to ignore the toll our broken healthcare system takes on us?  And what can we do, ourselves, to bring about change? What inspired single-payer advocate and mother Rebecca Wood to put much of her activism on hold to “sharpen her swords”? 

To find out, we interviewed Rebecca, a first-year law student and public interest fellow at the University of Massachusetts. She’s a 2024 Rappaport Fellow in Law and Public Policy and the president of the University of Massachusetts Law National Lawyers Guild chapter. This is the second e...

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In honor of Mother's Day,  we're talking about how our dysfunctional health insurance system affects moms. How far did one mother go to ensure that her daughter – born extremely premature – got the critical care she needed? 

How did our broken healthcare system push our guest, Rebecca Wood, to delay her own care for the sake of her daughter Charlie, with devastating consequences? How has Rebecca’s life been transformed since she testified before Congress in 2019 about the impossible choices she faced? This is the first of two podcast episodes featuring Rebecca W...

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With all its apparent advantages, why hasn’t California passed single payer yet? Is organized labor fully in the Medicare-for-All game? Do managed care providers - like Kaiser Permanente - have outsized influence on healthcare reform in the state? 

To find out, we spoke to Peter Shapiro, a retired letter carrier and author of Song of the Stubborn One Thousand: the Watsonville Canning Strike (Haymarket Books 2016). He represented his union at the founding conference of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer in 2009 and has been involved with the issue ever sinc...

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How is private equity affecting our healthcare system? What’s being done about it? How does our fragmented healthcare system affect patients, including people who have cancer? And what cues can healthcare reform activists take from California's immigrant community?

To find out, we spoke to Peter Shapiro, a retired letter carrier and author of Song of the Stubborn One Thousand: the Watsonville Canning Strike (Haymarket Books 2016). He represented his union at the founding conference of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer in 2009 and has been involved with the issue ever sin...

This time on Code WACK! 

How would single-payer, Medicare for All affect the experience of getting care? Would it make it easier to find and see a primary care doctor? And just as importantly, how much money could individuals and families save under a state or national single-payer system? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. James G. Kahn, an expert in health policy and economics, an advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Justice Monitor, a health policy blog. This is the second episode in a two part series with Dr...

This time on Code WACK! 

What the heck is going on with Medicare for All in California? Can single-payer advocates overcome their differences and finally win health care for all in the Golden State? What’s the significance of two recent bills, Senate Bill 770, and Assembly Bill 2200, in achieving Medicare for All in California? 

To find out, we spoke to Dr. James G. Kahn, an expert in health policy and economics, an advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Justice Monitor, a health policy blog.

This is the f...

This time on Code WACK! 

Will California’s new single payer bill, CalCare, be a tough sell for the state’s legislature, even if most of the state’s residents want Medicare for All?  What political hurdles must be cleared before such a bill would pass? And what would it mean for single payer efforts if Donald Trump is re-elected president this year?

To find out, we spoke to Assemblymember Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and AB 2200 in 2023), which would guarantee...

This time on Code WACK! 

Once again, a new single-payer bill, AB 2200 or CalCare, sponsored by the California Nurses Association, has been introduced in the California state legislature. How will it help save lives? Will it break the bank, or will it save us money? What’s different about this version of the bill and what kind of support does it have in the state legislature? 

To find out, we spoke to Assemblyman Ash Kalra. As a longstanding champion of single-payer health care, Assemblymember Kalra introduced statewide legislation known as CalCare (AB 1400 in 2021 and...

This time on Code WACK! 

Besides the Alabama IVF decision, how else are reproductive rights being rolled back in America? Why are some states going after emergency contraception known as the morning-after pill? What policy solutions are needed to better protect reproductive rights?

To find out, we spoke to Vina Smith-Ramakrishnan, a fellow at The Century Foundation, where she works on issues related to maternal health and reproductive rights and justice. Vina’s work supports The Century Foundation’s efforts to eliminate racial and gender disparities in health outcomes. Vina has a master’s of pub...

This time on Code WACK!

Where are we today when it comes to reproductive rights in America? And what does the latest IVF case in Alabama mean for reproductive justice and healthcare equity in America? 

To find out, we spoke to Vina Smith-Ramakrishnan, a fellow at The Century Foundation, where she works on issues related to maternal health and reproductive rights and justice. Vina’s work supports The Century Foundation’s efforts to eliminate racial and gender disparities in health outcomes. Vina has a master’s of public health in global health policy from George Washing...

This time on Code WACK! 

Are regulations meant to protect nursing home residents being enforced? How is understaffing at the California Dept of Public Health affecting nursing home regulation?  Are for-profit and nonprofit nursing homes comparable when it comes to the quality of care residents receive? What reforms are in the works to better protect residents?

To find out, we spoke to Tony Chicotel, senior staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, or CANHR, where he promotes the rights of residents in long-term care facilities through litigation, legislation, regulatory policy, and consumer education. 

This time on Code WACK! 

The COVID pandemic devastated nursing homes and other long-term care facilities highlighting the need for major reforms. What are the policies behind the often dismal performance of the nursing home industry? What policy changes have been made so far and why are nursing home residents still so vulnerable? 

To find out, we spoke to Tony Chicotel, senior staff attorney at California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, or CANHR, where he promotes the rights of residents in long-term care facilities through litigation, legislation, regulatory policy, and consumer education. 

 ...

This time on Code WACK! 

Why is tying a medical provider’s pay to the outcomes of their patients a bad idea? Why else should we be concerned about Accountable Care Organizations and the privatization of traditional Medicare? 

To find out, we spoke 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 the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. She’s past president of Physicians for a National Health Program and is currently a lead org...

This time on Code WACK! 

You've probably heard about the dangers of Medicare Advantage, but did you know that traditional Medicare is being privatized too? How is this corrupting our healthcare system even more and what does this mean for patients?

To find out, we spoke to Dr. Ana Malinow,  who spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children in Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, and California before retiring as Clinical Professor of Pediatrics from the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine. She’s past president of Phy...

This time on Code WACK! 

Some states are making it easier for trans and non-binary individuals to get gender-affirming care but in other states, a record number of laws have been passed to outlaw  – or limit – such care. What kind of toll does this take on people in the trans community, their doctors and their advocates?  What policy solutions are needed to ensure that everyone, regardless of gender identity, has access to the medical care they need?

To find out, we spoke to Ash Orr, a trans organizer from West Virginia and press relations manager for the...

This time on Code WACK! 

What unique challenges do transgender individuals face when it comes to accessing health care - especially in rural America? Why is gender affirming care considered potentially life saving for trans and nonbinary individuals? How do inaccessible health care, employment discrimination and medical mistreatment intersect for trans people?

To find out, we spoke to Ash Orr, a trans organizer from West Virginia and press relations manager for the National Center for Transgender Equality or NCTE. Ash is also a National Storyteller for Planned Parenthood, leveraging their personal experiences with abortion care a...

This time on Code WACK!

What can be done about the fentanyl crisis on Los Angeles’ Skid Row that disproportionately affects Black residents? What policy solutions are needed? In light of the historical evidence of racial disparities in the criminal justice and healthcare systems, should reparations be considered?

To find out, we spoke to Nyabingi Kuti, director of the LA Harm Reduction Network. Harm reduction, an evidence-based public health approach,  focuses on reducing harmful consequences of substance use. It meets people where they’re at and acknowledges that many people aren’t willing...

This time on Code WACK! 

More than 3,000 people died of drug overdoses in Los Angeles County alone in 2022 and last October, Hollywood actor Matthew Perry, of “Friends” fame, became one of the latest overdose victims when he accidentally died of acute effects of ketamine at his Los Angeles home. 

Perry's story reminds us that no one is immune to drug overdoses, but who are the most vulnerable in LA County and why? How do poverty, homelessness and mental health issues intersect with addiction to create a deadly “perfect storm” for so many? To find out, we spoke t...

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Can California’s new Office of Health Care Affordability stem the rising tide of healthcare inflation? Are similar efforts to rein in healthcare costs happening in other states? And what does the creation of the Office mean about the chance for single-payer, Medicare for All in the Golden State?

To find out we spoke to Ian Lewis, the policy director for Unite Here Local 2, a union of over 15,000 hospitality workers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Ian previously served as a research director for the National Union...

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The New Year is ringing in higher health care premiums while U.S. life expectancy continues to fall. Despite spending more on health care than any other country, we don’t seem to be getting much bang for our bucks! For instance, in 2023 American men can expect to live to age 73 while Frenchmen can expect to live to age 80 - nearly 10% longer! 

What’s the link between lower life expectancy and high healthcare costs? And what can we do to about it?

To find out we spoke...

This time on Code WACK!

In honor of more than 200 podcast episodes and the New Year, we’re running one of our oldies but goodies about the medical tourism phenomenon - 

Need surgery but your $7,000 deductible is in the way?  How about major dental care that your insurance doesn't even begin to adequately cover?  Could you save by going to another country for treatment?

The skyrocketing cost of care and rising insurance premiums are driving some Americans to seek affordable health care abroad. 

Many medical tourists get high quality, afforda...

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Patients aren’t the only people who are frustrated with our current healthcare system. So are doctors! Why?  And why doesn’t free market capitalism work with health care?

To find out, we spoke to award-winning filmmaker Maddy Purves, who is editor of the documentary Healing US narrated by Susan Sarandon, and Laura Fielding, founder of Red Berets for Medicare for All and associate producer of Healing US. This is the second episode in a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK!

How did the new documentary Healing US, about the drawbacks of America’s for-profit healthcare system, get made? Which harrowing stories did they highlight? When Americans need health care, why do so many worry whether they can afford to be treated?

For answers to these questions and more, we spoke to award-winning documentary filmmaker Maddy Purves, who is editor of the film, and Laura Fielding, founder of Red Berets for Medicare for All and associate producer of Healing US. This is the first in a two-part series.

Check ou...

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How can we, as a society, better support Black expectant parents and their babies in light of how vulnerable they are to dying in America? And what root causes must be addressed do this most effectively? 

To find out, we spoke to Melissa Franklin, the first Black director of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health for LA County’s Department of Public Health. Dr. Franklin is a system transformation leader with over 25 years of experience in organizational development, community engagement and communications strategy. This is the second in a two-part series with...

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Why are Black people so vulnerable to maternal and infant mortality  - and what’s being done about it? What will the closing of a maternity ward in South Los Angeles County – a trend happening around the country – mean for local residents there?

To find out, we spoke to Melissa Franklin, EdD, MBA, the first Black director of Maternal Child and Adolescent Health for LA County’s Department of Public Health. Dr. Franklin is a systems transformation leader with over 25 years of experience in organization...