Podcasts about Individual mandate

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Alison Barkoff of George Washington University to the pod to explore the evolving landscape of Medicaid work requirements. They break down who is impacted by these policies, how the requirements are structured across states, and the real-world challenges of implementation. The conversation also explores concerns about administrative burden, potential coverage losses, and what these changes mean for beneficiaries, policymakers, and providers.Topics covered:What Medicaid work requirements are and how they workWho qualifies—and who may lose coverageState-level variations and policy designAdministrative complexity and compliance challengesPotential impacts on access to care and health outcomesJoin us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert.Related Links:Medical Frailty Rule Contravenes HR 1, Burdens The Health Care System, And Threatens Public Health (Health Affairs Forefront)States balk at the high price of Medicaid work requirements amid budget crunch (POLITICO PRO)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News to the pod to discuss the Rural Health Transformation Fund, highlighting how it aims to improve infrastructure and access in rural communities amid ongoing challenges like hospital closures, workforce shortages, and Medicaid cuts. To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Fund, join us on June 8 for a free event featuring Kate Sapra and Katherine Ornstein highlighting state initiatives focusing on improving care for older adults.Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert.Related Links:Rural Health Payout Series (KFF Health News)Rural America at a Glance (U.S. Department of Agriculture)Federal Budget Cuts Won't Hit All Hospitals Equally: How States Can Better Analyze Hospital And Health System Financial Data (Health Affairs Forefront)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Andrew Rundle of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article about Medicare's upcoming ACCESS model and its potential to expand digital health for chronic disease management. They discuss why the program could spur rapid growth in health tech while highlighting key challenges, including serving an older population with varying degrees of digital literacy and adapting to a new, evidence-driven marketplace. Related Links:The ACCESS Model May Set Off A Health Tech Gold Rush, But New Markets Bring Serious Obstacles (Health Affairs Forefront)A deeper dive into the ACCESS Model—Who's participating, potential headwinds and how it could spur health plan adoption (Fierce Healthcare)ACCESS (Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions) Model (CMS)ACCESS Model Accepted Applicants (CMS)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Welcome to a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. This episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.In our third and final episode for the series in 2026, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Alison Barkoff of George Washington University to the program to discuss the rising economic and social importance of family caregiving, recent federal policy shifts affecting Medicaid and caregiver programs, and new interventions at the state and private‑sector levels.Support for the Age-Friendly Health series is provided by The John A. Hartford Foundation.Related Links:Reflections On Caregiving Policy: Progress, Challenges, And Opportunities (Health Affairs Forefront)History Repeats? Faced With Medicaid Cuts, States Reduced Support For Older Adults And Disabled People (Health Affairs Forefront)Long Term Services and Supports InitiativeNational Strategy to Support Family CaregiversNation Alliance for Caregiving's Caregiver Nation Coalition

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of youth mental health challenges, including suicide and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised.Health Affairs Publishing's Kathleen Haddad welcomes Caroline Figueroa of Stanford University to the pod to discuss how teens are using AI chatbots for mental health support and the factors driving that use, including access and stigma. It also discusses emerging concerns and potential approaches to improving safety, design, and oversight of these tools. Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert.Also, learn more about the upcoming AcademyHealth 2026 Annual Research Meeting from May 30 to June 2 featuring Caroline Figueroa as part of the panel, A Responsible Approach to AI Innovation to Support the Mental Health of Young People.Related Links:Responsible AI for Youth Mental Health (Hopelab)Talk, Trust, and Trade-Offs: How and Why Teens Use AI Companions (common sense media)One in Eight Adolescents and Young Adults Use AI Chatbots for Mental Health Advice (RAND)Towards responsible AI for adolescent mental health and well-being2026 CHATBOT LEGISLATION TRACKERSign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Welcome to a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. This episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.In our second episode, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Bianca Frogner, director of the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University of Washington to discuss the role of direct care workers in long‑term care, workforce shortages, policy shifts affecting Medicaid, immigration, labor standards, and more.Support for the Age-Friendly Health series is provided by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Georgetown University's Katie Keith and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming back to the podcast to unpack a new court case over mifepristone that could alter telehealth access to medication abortion and test the boundaries of FDA authority.Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert.Related Links:Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Ruling Barring Telehealth And Pharmacy Access To Mifepristone (Health Affairs Forefront)The US Food and Drug Administration's Regulation of Mifepristone (JAMA)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Welcome to the first episode in a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. The episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.In our first episode, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Hemi Tewarson of the National Academy for State Health Policy how the The Big Beautiful Bill will impact Medicaid and state health policies affecting older adults. Their conversation explores work requirements, Medicaid financing changes, rural health investments, the sustainability of age‑friendly services, and more.Support for the Age-Friendly Health series is provided by The John A. Hartford Foundation.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Duke University School of Medicine's Mike Pignone to the pod to explore the new cholesterol screening guidelines, how evolving screening and treatment guidelines (including colon cancer and breast cancer screening guidelines) influence care, and the broader cost implications for the health system. Join Health Affairs Publishing on May 13 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) with Urban Institute's Jason Levitis.Related Articles:Generic cholesterol drugs save Medicare billions of dollars, study finds (UT Southwestern Medical Center)Trends in Utilization and Cost of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol–Lowering Therapies Among Medicare Beneficiaries (JAMA)A cholesterol test you've never heard of is now recommended to prevent heart disease (NPR)ACC/American Heart Association Issue Updated Guideline for Managing Lipids, Cholesterol (American Heart Association)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Stacey Pogue of Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy about her recent Forefront article examining proposed updates to health plan price transparency rules, focusing on efforts to improve data usability and the ongoing challenges in making healthcare costs more accessible and actionable.Join Health Affairs Publishing on May 13 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) with Urban Institute's Jason Levitis. Related Links:Taking Stock Of Proposed Updates To Health Plan Price Transparency Rules (Health Affairs Forefront)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Michael Gerber back to the pod to discuss recent federal action on prior authorization, including CMS's proposal to expand response-time requirements to prescription drugs. The conversation also covers insurer efforts to reduce prior auth volume, the promise of AI and prior authorization, and what increased transparency could reveal about costs.To learn more, check out our recent Insider trend report on the current prior authorization landscape. And if you haven't already, join Insider today to get access to exclusive events, newsletters, cheat sheets, and reports.Related Links:CMS proposes new deadlines for prior authorizations for drugs (Healthcare Dive)2026 CMS Interoperability Standards and Prior Authorization for Drugs Proposed Rule (CMS)A Rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on 02/08/2024 (Federal Register)Health Plans Reduce Prior Authorization, Support Continuity of Care and Enhanced Consumer Communications (Blue Cross Blue Shield)AI speeds up prior auth, coding while driving higher costs for health systems: PHTI report (Fierce Healthcare)Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analysis.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Jessica Bylander back to the pod to explore the White House's proposed FY 2027 HHS budget, outlining major cuts to health agencies and research programs and the emphasized investment on the Make America Healthy Again initiative.Related Links:Celebrating Big Wins of the Trump Administration (HHS)President's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Proposal Released (NAWDP)White House seeks 12% cut to HHS in 2027 (Healthcare Dive)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analysis.

Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to discuss recent health policy developments, including a Supreme Court ruling on conversion therapy, renewed Democratic interest in Affordable Care Act reform, and key findings from MedPAC's latest Medicare payment report.On April 20th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event exploring the evolution of the Medicare Advantage market featuring Sachin Jain, David Meyers, and Grace Mackleby.Related Links:2027 Medicare Advantage Final Payment Rule: Key Changes Explained | David Meyers (Health Affairs This Week)Chiles v. Salazar (Conversion Therapy) (SCOTUSblog)Senate Democrats lay out plans to overhaul health insurance after setbacks under Trump (STAT)March 2026 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy

On an emergency pod episode, Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Brown University's David Meyers to the pod to unpack the 2027 Medicare Advantage final payment rule, including the higher-than-anticipated rate increase, changes to risk adjustment models, what is V28, and the tradeoffs between market stability and long-term program sustainability. On April 20th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event exploring the evolution of the Medicare Advantage market featuring Sachin Jain, David Meyers, and Grace Mackleby.Related Links:Assessing Recent Regulatory Action On Medicare Advantage (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Halle Tecco, investor, founder of Rock Health and professor at Columbia Business School, to the pod to discuss her new book, Massively Better Healthcare: The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest Challenges. Their conversation explores why consumers are becoming a powerful force in healthcare, how innovation happens within complex systems, and what it takes to align technology, evidence, and incentives to drive meaningful change.Related Links:Order Massively Better Healthcare: The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest ChallengesCheck out Halle's podcast, The Heart of Healthcare Podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Ben Ippolito of the American Enterprise Institute to the pod to discuss the growing debate over Medicare Advantage (MA) payments and coding intensity. They break down why MA plans typically receive higher federal payments than traditional Medicare, how diagnostic upcoding factors into that gap, and what a new study in Health Affairs Scholar reveals about policy changes aimed at reducing inflated coding. On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.Related Articles:An updated analysis of coding pattern differences in Medicare Advantage (Health Affairs Scholar)The Trouble With MedPAC (Wall Street Journal)The Higher Price Tag on Medicare Advantage (Wall Street Journal)Aligning The MedPAC And CMS Estimates Of Coding Intensity: The Importance Of The Risk Model And Trend (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare Advantage growth decelerates as insurers shed members for 2026 (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Leslie Erdelack back to the pod to break down recent turbulence at the FDA following the departure of Vinay Prasad, whose decisions around rare‑disease gene therapies courted controversy. They explore the fast‑growing rare disease therapeutics market, why traditional clinical trials often don't work for ultra‑rare genetic conditions, and the new FDA draft guidance for rare disease drug development. On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.Become an Insider to get access to this event, trend reports, cheat sheets, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:FDA vaccines chief who ran afoul of pharma to depart (Politico)Rare Disease Therapeutics Market to Surpass US$ 495.27 Billion by 2033 as Gene Therapy, RNA-based Drugs, and Biologics Transform Patient Care (PR Newswire)FDA NEWS RELEASE: FDA Launches Framework for Accelerating Development of Individualized Therapies for Ultra-Rare Diseases FDA illuminates new approval pathway for bespoke gene editing therapies (Fierce Biotech)One Pivotal Trial, the New Default Option for FDA Approval — Ending the Two-Trial Dogma (The New England Journal of Medicine)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Margaret Winchester to the pod to discuss Trump's recent State of the Union Address and unpacking its health care and health policy talking points, including most-favored nation drug pricing, health savings accounts, and if there's a path toward codification for either.On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.Related Articles:National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated (Health Affairs)Trump's State of the Union trumpets healthcare greatest hits, but no new policies (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Brown University's Andrew Ryan to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article that explores whether value-based payment and managed care can lead to addressing the core drivers of spending.Related Links:Value-Based Payment And Managed Care Will Not Solve The Affordability Crisis (Health Affairs Forefront)“All I Do Is Win”: Why Beating Benchmarks Doesn't Mean That ACOs Are Reducing Costs (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Christina Farr, CEO and editor-in-chief of Second Opinion Media, back to the pod to discuss her book, The Storyteller's Advantage: How Powerful Narratives Make Businesses Thrive. The conversation explores the value of storytelling in the health care and health policy space, how to invest in posting, the catch 22 of "spicy takes," recommendations for the reluctant poster, and Christina shares a quick look into what's interesting in the digital health investment space. 

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Georgetown University's Katie Keith back to the podcast to break down the newly proposed HHS rule that could bring major changes to the ACA beginning in 2027.They discuss the proposal's biggest shifts, including a major push toward expanding catastrophic plans, new marketplace eligibility restrictions tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and potential impacts on premiums, marketplace enrollment, insurers, and consumers.Related Links:HHS Proposes Sweeping Changes for 2027 Marketplace Plans (Part 1) (Health Affairs Forefront)HHS Proposes Sweeping Changes for 2027 Marketplace Plans (Part 2) (Health Affairs Forefront)Trump Team's Planned ACA Rule Offers Its Answer to Rising Premium Costs: Catastrophic Coverage (KFF Health News)CMS proposes sweeping ACA exchange rule (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to discuss the recently passed $1.2 trillion spending appropriations bill, its included reforms for pharmacy benefit managers, the latest round of drugs slated for the Medicare Drug Negotiation program, TrumpRx, the upcoming flat rate for Medicare Advantage plan rates, and more recent health policy news.Related Articles:Congress Reins In Drug Middlemen In Effort to Lower Prescription Prices (The New York Times)Analyzing The Drugs Selected For The 2028 Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Cycle (Health Affairs Forefront)The No UPCODE Act: Considering A Simple Start To A Complex Problem (Health Affairs Forefront)PRESS RELEASE: CMS Announces Selection of Drugs for Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, Including First-Ever Part B Drugs

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming to the pod to discuss what to watch out for in 2026 for health policy. The conversation touches on Affordable Care Act subsidies, Medicaid eligibility, guidance for pharmacy benefit managers, drug price negotiations, and more.This week, we announced that Health Affairs has become Health Affairs Publishing, LLC, a single-member limited liability company wholly owned by Project HOPE. To find out more about this exciting new chapter, check out this Forefront piece.Join us for the following events:2/17: The FDA and Its Changing Relationship to Industry2/25: What Excites Insiders About Health Care in 2026?Become an Insider today to get access to these exclusive events.Related Links:Health Policy At A Crossroads: What To Watch In 2026 (Health Affairs Forefront)Prescription Drug Policy, 2025 And 2026: The Year In Review And The Year Ahead (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Gabriel Perna, Deputy Editor of Digital Health Business & Technology at Modern Healthcare, to the pod to discuss Epic Systems, how they became one of the leading American health care EHR companies, a recent antitrust lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Epic Systems, and even touch on ChatGPT's entrance into health care.Related Articles:Texas files antitrust suit against Epic over health data (Modern Healthcare)Texas hits Epic with an antitrust suit: Here's what to know (Modern Healthcare)

On an emergency pod episode, Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University Medical Center to breakdown the recently unveiled The Great Healthcare Plan from the Trump administration.Related Articles:The Great Healthcare Plan (White House)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Michael Chernew from Harvard Medical School to explore the recent 2024 health care spending report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).To kick off the new year, we are offering podcast videos of A Health Podyssey. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch those episodes. Let us know what you think about the videos by emailing us at communications@healthaffairs.org.Join us on January 21 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring the latest drug policies with the University of Utah's Joey Mattingly. Become an Insider to get access to this event.Related Articles:National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated (Health Affairs)Growth In National Health Expenditures: It's Not The Prices, Stupid (Health Affairs Forefront)

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Bonesteel of Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy to the pod to discuss her recent Forefront article focused on how ACO REACH enabled ACOs to participate in an advanced, global-risk, population-based payment model.Related Articles:ACO REACH 2023 Performance Results Indicate A Pathway To Sustainable Accountable Care (Health Affairs Forefront)Opportunities To Enhance Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH's Core Payment Model Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Enhancing Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH's Equity-Focused And Beneficiary Engagement Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Future Of Accountable Care: Lessons Learned And Potential Paths Forward During A Time Of Transition (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare Accountable Care Organizations In 2023: Large Savings With Increasing Value-Based Programmatic Competition (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare ACOs In 2024: Increased Participation And Evolving Policy Impacts (Health Affairs Forefront) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Nathan Hostert of The Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research at Brown University to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article on how states are utilizing hospital price caps to save money.Become an Insider today to get access to our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.Related Articles:How States Are Using Hospital Price Caps To Save Money (Health Affairs Forefront)Hospital Payment Cap Simulator (Brown University)Hospital Facility Prices Declined As A Result Of Oregon's Hospital Payment Cap (Health Affairs)Hospital Payment Caps Could Save State Employee Health Plans Millions While Keeping Hospital Operating Margins Healthy (Health Affairs)How Massachusetts's New Health Care Reform Takes Aim at Private Equity (Health Affairs Forefront) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Sachs from Washington University in St. Louis and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming back to the pod to discuss CMS' final guidance for the latest round of the Medicare drug price negotiation program. Related Articles:Administration Releases Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Final Guidance For 2028 (Health Affairs Forefront)The Role of Combination Drugs in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (JAMA)Articulating policy options regarding implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program's renegotiation provision (Brookings Institution)Eye on The IRA (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Allison Oakes, Chief Research Officer of Trilliant Health, to the pod to discuss Trilliant's recent health care trend report highlighting the health economy and breaking down the big trends, including price and affordability, demographics and lifestyle, care settings and therapies, and more.Join us for this upcoming event:11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to this event and our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.Related Articles:2025 Trends Shaping the Health Economy (Trilliant Health) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to take a look at the recent government shutdown, how health policy plays into it, HHS layoffs, the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, the ACA marketplace, and more.Join us for this upcoming event:11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events and our upcoming third trend report.Related Articles:Judge pauses shutdown layoffs at more than 30 federal agencies (NPR)Medicare backs off plan to pause doctor payments amid shutdown (STAT)White House: Shutdown layoffs will be ‘north of 10,000' (Politico) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Dr. Yul Ejnes of Brown University Health to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article he authored about the trend of deprofessionalization in the health care workforce and potential antidotes to address these issues.Learn more about the topic of the health care workforce with a Health Affairs Insider trend report.Join us for this upcoming Insider exclusive events:10/15: Immigration Policies and Their Impact on Health CareBecome an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Deprofessionalization: An Emerging Threat To The Physician Workforce (Health Affairs Forefront)The Health Care Workforce: A Challenge In Sustainability (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming to the pod to discuss the recent Supreme Court case, American Public Health Association et al. v. National Institutes of Health et al., that explores the lawfulness of the NIH's termination of nearly $800 million worth of grant funding for programs due to DEI association.This week, Health Affairs released a new theme issue focusing on insights from the opioids crisis. Subscribe to the journal to never miss out on an upcoming issue.Join us for these upcoming events:9/17: Lunch & Learn: The Current Opioids Policy Landscape & What's Ahead (FREE TO ALL)9/23: Prior Authorization: Current State and Potential Reform (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Unpacking The Supreme Court's Decision Over NIH Funding (Health Affairs Forefront)American Public Health Association et al. v. National Institutes of Health et al.A closely watched legal battle over NIH funding cuts could settle soon (STAT+)

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to take a look at recent news that HHS terminated 22 mRNA projects. The two explore the agency's reasoning, political and Wall Street reactions, and what it could mean for health care innovation.Join us for these upcoming events:8/26: Provider Prices in the Commercial Sector: Independent Dispute Resolution (FREE TO ALL)9/3: Theme Issue Briefing: Insights About The Opioid Crisis (FREE TO ALL)9/17: Lunch & Learn: The Current Opioids Policy Landscape & What's Ahead (FREE TO ALL)9/23: Prior Authorization: Current State and Potential Reform (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events like the ones highlighted above.Related Articles:HHS abandons mRNA vaccine research (BioPharma Dive)1 big thing: RFK Jr.'s anti-vaccine revolution (Axios)Moderna Stock Jumps as NIH Chief Tempers Administration's Attack on mRNA (Barron's)750 HHS employees send signed letter to RFK Jr. asking him to stop spreading misinformation (ABC News)Industry frets Kennedy's mRNA decision will curb cancer breakthroughs (Politico Pro) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Dr. Aaron Carroll, President and CEO of AcademyHealth, to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article that takes a closer look at the disappearance of public health information and how this could have an impact on infrastructures that scientists, clinicians, health policy makers, and community leaders rely on daily. Become an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Links:AcademyHealth Situation ReportsPRESS RELEASE: AcademyHealth Joins Lawsuit to Restore Public Health Data Removed from Federal WebsitesBecome an AcademyHealth Member Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Ryan Golden, Senior Reporter at HR Dive, to the pod to discuss workforce trends within the health care space pertaining to artificial intelligence, recruitment, overtime eligibility requirements, pay transparency, noncompete agreements, remote work, RTO policies, and more.This week, Health Affairs released their second Insider trend report focusing on the health care workforce, titled "The Health Care Workforce: A Challenge In Sustainability."Become an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters. Related Links:What HR pros need to know about AI in the workplace (HR Dive)

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Michael Chernew from Harvard Medical School to discuss the recently released National Health Expenditures Projections for 2024–33 from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).Related Articles:National Health Expenditure Projections, 2024–33: Despite Insurance Coverage Declines, Health To Grow As Share Of GDPCMS National Health Expenditure Data Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law back to the pod to discuss the House Republican budget reconciliation legislation and what impacts this legislation could have on the Affordable Care Act market, Medicaid beneficiaries, health savings accounts, Medicare, and more.Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events, our recent trend report on AI in health care, and monthly newsletters from authors such as Stacie Dusetzina, David Simon, Laura Tollen, and others.Related Articles:The House Republican Budget Reconciliation Legislation: Unpacking The ICHRA And HSA Changes (Health Affairs Forefront)Health Policy At A CrossroadsTrump tax bill will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit and leave 10.9 million more uninsured, CBO says (AP News)Expansions to Health Savings Accounts in House Budget Reconciliation: Unpacking the Provisions and Costs to Taxpayers (KFF) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.On May 13, A Health Podyssey's Rob Lott chatted with Andrew Ryan of Brown University about his paper in the May 2025 edition of Health Affairs that explores how Rhode Island's affordability standards impacted hospital prices and insurance premiums. Order the May 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcasts free for everyone. Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Thomas Buchmueller of the University of Michigan to discuss his recent paper that explores how during the Medicaid 'Unwinding' of 2023, the reduction in Medicaid-paid prescriptions was offset by increased commercial coverage.Order the May 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Senior Deputy Editor Rob Lott interviews Caitlin Carroll of the University of Minnesota to discuss her recent paper that explores how rural hospital closures led to an increase in prices for nearby remaining hospitals.Order the May 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Senior Deputy Editor Rob Lott interviews Eric Topol, Executive Vice President of Scripps Research, on his new book, Super Agers, which provides an evidence-based approach on extending healthy lifespans.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Jessica Bylander to the program to celebrate the 200th episode of Health Affairs This Week and take a look back at the health care world of 2020 and see what has changed in terms of COVID-19, vaccinations, telehealth, and more.  Health Affairs published an ahead-of-print article this week from Yashaswini Singh and coauthors exploring explore how the expansion of private equity-owned physician practices has led to a decrease in access for certain eye conditions such as retinal detachment.  Yasahswini Singh also appeared as a guest on a live episode of A Health Podyssey discussing private equity's effect on health care staff turnover. Health Affairs is hosting an Insider exclusive event on May 29 focusing on the FDA's first 100 days under the second Trump administration featuring moderator Rachel Sachs alongside panelists Richard Hughes IV and Arti Rai.Related Links:The Many Ways Kennedy Is Already Undermining Vaccines (The New York Times)Health secretary RFK Jr. endorses the MMR vaccine — stoking fury among his supporters (NPR)Measles tracker: Follow cases, outbreaks and vaccination rates across the U.S. (NBC News)Fact Sheet: Telehealth (American Hospital Association) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes David Simon from The University of Connecticut to the program to discuss the recent news that the Trump administration implemented reciprocal tariffs on imported goods and what this could mean for the health care industry.Become an Insider today to never miss out on David Simon's exclusive newsletter, Economic Intersections.Insiders can join us April 23 for an exclusive virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Order the April 2025 theme issue of Health Affairs focusing on food, nutrition, and health.And, join Health Affairs April 29 for a free and open for all virtual event featuring a conversation between consumer advocate, nutritionist, and award-winning author Marion Nestle of New York University and Angela Odoms-Young of Cornell University. Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Welcome to the third episode in a special four-part series from Health Affairs on the intersection of food, nutrition, and health. This special series compliments the release of a theme issue on food, nutrition, and health to be released this week.In this episode, Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander and Ellen Bayer discuss the content in the theme issue.Order the Food, Nutrition, and Health Issue. Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Michael Gerber back to the program to discuss the recent announcement from the Trump administration to cancel certain alternative payment models, their previous impact on health spending, and the difficult task of measuring success over a long period of time and across different administrations.Order the April 2025 theme issue of Health Affairs focusing on food, nutrition, and health.Join us for our theme issue briefing on April 8 featuring panels on Food is Medicine, Government Programs & Policies, Community Voices, and more. Save the date.Also, join us April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Related Articles:Kennedy to slash 10,000 jobs in major overhaul of US health agencies (Reuters)Internal fallout at HHS delays 10,000 firings (Politico)Maryland Hospital All-Payer Model: Can It Be Emulated? (Health Affairs Forefront)CMMI cancels 4 payment models early (Healthcare Dive)Statement on CMS Innovation Center Aligning Portfolio with Statutory Obligation (CMS) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Welcome to the second episode in a special four-part series from Health Affairs on the intersection of food, nutrition, and health. This special series compliments the release of a theme issue on food, nutrition, and health to be released April 7, 2025.In this episode, Health Affairs' Jessica Bylander speaks with Diane Schanzenbach from Northwestern University on the topic of food support programs and their impacts on very young children.Pre-order the Food, Nutrition, and Health Issue.Related Links:Food Support Programs and Their Impacts On Very Young Children (Health Policy Brief)SNAP's Short- and Long-Term Benefits (Northwestern Institute for Policy Research)Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net (American Economic Association) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Seth Berkowitz of UNC School of Medicine back to the program to discuss nutrition in the US, the current state of SNAP benefits, and his upcoming paper to be featured in our April 2025 theme issue on food, nutrition, and health.Preorder the April 2024 theme issue of Health Affairs.Join us April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments with health economist and health services researcher Brady Post of Northeastern University and Health Affairs' Meg Winchester.Learn more about Seth's book, Equal Care: Health Equity, Social Democracy, and the Egalitarian State.Related Articles:Tennessee bill could ban candy and soda from SNAP benefits (WJHL)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Chris Fleming and Katie Keith of Georgetown Law to the program to discuss the 15th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and the first 50 days of the new Trump administration.Katie Keith is a frequent contributor to the Health Affairs Forefront series Health Policy At A Crossroads. Catch up on what you may have missed.Health Affairs will be hosting a theme issue briefing on April 8 to celebrate the release of our April 2025 issue focusing on food, nutrition & health. RSVP for the event and preorder your copy of the new issue today!Also, join Health Affairs on April 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring site-neutral payments.  Make sure you sign up for all of our free newsletters to stay up to date on new events, podcasts, Forefront, and journal articles.Related Articles:HHS Proposes To Restrict Marketplace Eligibility, Enrollment, And Affordability In First Major Rule Under Trump Administration (Part 1) and (Part 2) (Health Affairs Forefront)What Lies Ahead For Medicaid In Budget Reconciliation? (Health Affairs Forefront)Health Affairs Forefront's Following The ACA seriesThe Affordable Care Act At Fifteen: Policy Surprises And Lessons (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rebecca Pifer of Healthcare Dive back to the program to discuss the 2025 budget resolution that passed the House on its way to the Senate, the current administration's health care agenda, and what ripple effects the current actions of DOGE are having on the health care workforce. Health Affairs just released their March 2025 issue focusing on pharmaceuticals, private equity, child health, & more. Order your copy today. Join a live recording of A Health Podyssey on March 12 featuring Rob Lott and Yashaswini Singh discussing her recent paper on the effect of private equity on physician turnover.  Register for the live taping here.Also, Health Affairs is hosting an Insider-exclusive virtual event on March 19th examining the potential policy and administrative changes surrounding the Medicaid program and what they may mean in terms of coverage, operations, and financing. Sign up today.Related Links:White House orders agencies to prepare for large-scale firings (Axios)Trump revisits health price transparency in new exec order (Axios)Prescription Drug Policy, 2024 And 2025: The Year In Review And The Year Ahead (Health Affairs Forefront)