Care Talk with Laura Packard: American Health Care Explained

Laura Packard
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  • Updated Weekly

Care Talk is a weekly American healthcare podcast, from a progressive point of view. Hosted by Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate, health and public policy experts explain health care in the United States and answer your questions on Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance, and more. We help patients and families navigate America's health insurance and health care industries, and cover in-depth how to deal with medical debt, fight insurance company denials of care, access cheaper prescription drugs and better health care. New episodes every Tuesday. CALL/TEXT IN YOUR QUESTIONS FOR FUTURE EPISODES ‪(202) 838-6837‬.

  1. 4d ago

    Can MediKids Fix America's Child Healthcare Crisis? w/ Dr. Tracy Tyson

    Millions of American kids are losing health coverage. Could universal Medicaid for kids fix it? On this Care Talk, Dr. Tracy Tyson joins host Laura Packard to talk about about children's health care in America: how Medicaid and CHIP work today, what's driving the rise in uninsured kids, how the One Big Beautiful Bill's Medicaid cuts could affect children, and Senator Andy Kim's bold new MediKids proposal for universal healthcare coverage from birth to age 26. Also Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org and Rachel Madley of Center for Health & Democracy answer your health insurance questions on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and more. Topics include more about upcoming Medicare open enrollment which begins October 15, what to do when giving birth at a specialty hospital out-of-network, what happens if Medicare pays doctors a lower rate in 2027, when a doctor's office advises you to get preventative care treatments does that mean insurance will cover, and more about Affordable Care Act open enrollment beginning November 1. LINKS & RESOURCES: • Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk SUBSCRIBE to Care Talk for weekly health care policy breakdowns that put patients first. #HealthCare #MediKids #Medicaid #ChildrensHealth — Laura Packard is a stage 4 cancer survivor, health care advocate, and host of Care Talk. Founder of Health Care Voices and Voices of Health Care Action.

    Can MediKids Fix America's Child Healthcare Crisis? w/ Dr. Tracy Tyson

  2. Sep 15

    Big Pharma Loses Again! But Will Trump's Deals Lower Your Drug Prices? w/ Merith Basey, Patients for Affordable Drugs

    Big Pharma just lost again in court - but will your drug prices actually go down? On this Care Talk, Merith Basey from Patients for Affordable Drugs joins host Laura Packard for an update on the Medicare drug price negotiation lawsuits, Trump's Most Favored Nation deals with drug manufacturers, and what it all means for patients. A federal appeals court just rejected PhRMA's challenge to Medicare negotiation, the latest in a string of losses for industry lawsuits. At the same time, the Trump administration says it has struck Most Favored Nation (MFN) pricing deals with 16-17 major manufacturers, starting with Pfizer, plus 9 new companies announced in late August, alongside the launch of TrumpRx.gov. Critics call the deals a farce with secret terms and no real enforcement. Merith breaks down: which lawsuits are still alive, what's actually in the MFN deals, and whether Medicare negotiation or MFN will lower what you pay at the pharmacy counter. Also Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org and Rachel Madley of Center for Health & Democracy answer your health insurance questions on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and more. Topics include what to know for this Medicare open enrollment season, the Trump administration's proposed $500 Obamacare rebates, why can a drug be so much more expensive when not covered by insurance, and does preventative care really mean free of charge. LINKS & RESOURCES: • Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk SUBSCRIBE to Care Talk for weekly health care policy breakdowns that put patients first. #Medicare #DrugPrices #BigPharma #healthcare — Laura Packard is a stage 4 cancer survivor, health care advocate, and host of Care Talk. Founder of Health Care Voices and Voices of Health Care Action.

    Big Pharma Loses Again! But Will Trump's Deals Lower Your Drug Prices? w/ Merith Basey, Patients for Affordable Drugs

  3. Sep 1

    Doctors vs. Insurance Companies: Why We Must Ban Prior Authorization w/ Emma Freer and Hannah Garden-Monheit, American Economic Liberties Project

    Your doctor said yes - but insurance said no. Why? On this Care Talk, Emma Freer and Hannah Garden-Monheit from the American Economic Liberties Project, authors of the new report “Ban Prior Authorization: Ending Big Medicine’s Strategy to Boost Profits by Denying Medically Necessary Care" join host Laura Packard. We break down how prior authorization went from a narrow cost tool to a “corporate care veto” — where Big Medicine insurance conglomerates require approval, then have their own affiliates (including AI companies they own) deny the care. We cover what it means for patients facing delays, denials, and surprise bills, why doctors are burning out, and why 71% of voters — Democrats and Republicans — support banning it. Also Louise Norris of healthinsurance.org and Diane Archer of Just Care answer your health insurance questions on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and more. Questions include what to do if you lose your health insurance before employer insurance kicks in, is Medicare only available for people over 65, is appealing a prior authorization denial worth the effort, and what happens if you're on Medicare and retire abroad. READ THE REPORT: Ban Prior Authorization — American Economic Liberties Project: https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/ban-prior-auth/ ABOUT THE GUESTS: Emma Freer and Hannah Garden-Monheit are researchers/authors at the American Economic Liberties Project. Their August 6, 2026 brief proposes banning prior authorization where insurers have a financial conflict of interest. LINKS & RESOURCES: • Full Report (PDF): https://www.economicliberties.us/our-work/ban-prior-auth/ • Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk SUBSCRIBE to Care Talk for weekly health care policy breakdowns. #PriorAuthorization #CareTalk #HealthCare — Laura Packard is a stage 4 cancer survivor, health care advocate, and host of Care Talk. Founder of Health Care Voices and Voices of Health Care Action.

    Doctors vs. Insurance Companies: Why We Must Ban Prior Authorization w/ Emma Freer and Hannah Garden-Monheit, American Economic Liberties Project

  4. Aug 25

    Trump's Vaccine Order: What It Means for Your Kids w/ Dr. Didi Ray, Doctors for America

    President Trump signed an executive order on August 10th, reshaping federal childhood vaccine recommendations - from limiting the vaccine schedule to splitting the MMR shot into separate visits. Pediatricians and public health experts are pushing back, with the American Academy of Pediatrics calling the measles, mumps, and rubella recommendation "dangerous." Dr. Madhury "Didi" Ray, preventative medicine physician and leader at Doctors for America separates fact from fear in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard at Health Care Voices. Plus Diane Archer at Just Care and Louise Norris at healthinsurance.org answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about health insurance companies and AI use, what to do when your health insurance company's billing department and credentialing department don't agree, identity theft and health insurance coverage, and how to tell if an incoming call claiming to be from your health insurance company is a scam. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk

    Trump's Vaccine Order: What It Means for Your Kids w/ Dr. Didi Ray, Doctors for America

  5. Aug 18

    What's Safe to Eat? Cyclospora, Salmonella & the Food Safety Crisis w/ Dr. Janet Krommes, Doctors for America

    What's actually safe to eat right now? And what happens when we gut the public health agencies whose job is to catch food borne parasites before they reach your plate? Dr. Janet Krommes of Doctors for America explains two outbreaks hitting America's food supply now - the cyclospora outbreak linked to lettuce, and the salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeños - and the bigger story behind them in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices. Plus Diane Archer from Just Care answers your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about prior authorization, and how insurers deny your needed care. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk

    What's Safe to Eat? Cyclospora, Salmonella & the Food Safety Crisis w/ Dr. Janet Krommes, Doctors for America

  6. Aug 11

    Corporate Health Care Crimes: Wendell Potter on the Real Waste, Fraud & Abuse

    Corporate consolidation didn't just raise your health insurance premiums — it built a system where big insurance companies, hospitals, and PBMs profit from denying you care. Health insurance whistleblower and former Cigna VP Wendell Potter of Center for Health & Democracy joins us to expose what politicians really mean when they say "waste, fraud, and abuse" — and why the biggest offenders aren't patients, they're the corporations running the show in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices. Get "Deadly Spin: An Insurance Company Insider Speaks Out on How Corporate PR Is Killing Health Care and Deceiving Americans" by Wendell Potter: https://amzn.to/4i2Cxg9 Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org answers your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about Affordable Care Act open enrollment timing, resources for fighting prior authorization denials of care, and non-MAGI income limits for Medicaid vs Medicare and Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk

    Corporate Health Care Crimes: Wendell Potter on the Real Waste, Fraud & Abuse

  7. Aug 4

    How Wellness Influencers Scam Patients w/ Jen Bordenick, Unbiased Science

    While public health faces enormous cuts, the global wellness economy reached a record 6 trillion dollars, and is projected to climb to nearly ten trillion by 2029. That’s serious money. But wellness culture has a dark side - and it's costing people their health, their money, and sometimes their lives. Jen Bordenick of Unbiased Science breaks down the grifters, gurus, and fake "cures" flooding the wellness industry. We're talking about how misinformation spreads, who's profiting off it, and how to spot a scam before it costs you in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org and Diane Archer from Just Care answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about the Trump administration ending Medicare Part D drug premium subsidies, changes to the Affordable Care Act marketplace open enrollment schedule later this year for 2027 coverage, and what to do if you're overwhelmed with a confusing mountain of insurance bills from a hospitalization. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk

    How Wellness Influencers Scam Patients w/ Jen Bordenick, Unbiased Science

  8. Jul 28

    Medicare and Medicaid Anniversary: Can We Protect Both Programs? w/ Margarida Jorge, Health Care for America Now

    Medicare and Medicaid were created 61 years ago to protect Americans’ health and financial security. On their anniversary, we look at the future of both programs, and the growing attacks on Medicaid through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Margarida Jorge of Health Care for America Now discusses what the present and the future of Medicare and Medicaid looks like for patients, families, seniors, people with disabilities, and everyone who depends on affordable health care in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org and Rachel Madley from Center for Health & Democracy answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about the Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program, what to do when a good faith cost estimate from the hospital is wrong, and does Medicare protect you from financial ruin if you get seriously sick or injured. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk

    Medicare and Medicaid Anniversary: Can We Protect Both Programs? w/ Margarida Jorge, Health Care for America Now
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About

Care Talk is a weekly American healthcare podcast, from a progressive point of view. Hosted by Laura Packard, cancer survivor and health care advocate, health and public policy experts explain health care in the United States and answer your questions on Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, private insurance, and more. We help patients and families navigate America's health insurance and health care industries, and cover in-depth how to deal with medical debt, fight insurance company denials of care, access cheaper prescription drugs and better health care. New episodes every Tuesday. CALL/TEXT IN YOUR QUESTIONS FOR FUTURE EPISODES ‪(202) 838-6837‬.

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