Care Talk with Laura Packard: American Health Care Explained

Laura Packard
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Medicine
  • 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. 1d ago

    Big Medicine's Monopoly Problem: Corporate Consolidation Is Costing You Everything w/ Emma Freer, American Economic Liberties Project

    Giant corporate conglomerates may control your health insurance, your hospital, your doctor's office, AND your pharmacy - and it's costing American families $37,824 a year in employer coverage alone. It's time to break up Big Medicine. Emma Freer of the American Economic Liberties Project unpacks the corporate consolidation crisis destroying American healthcare, and the growing bipartisan movement to fix it in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard from Health Care Voices. Find out more about the Break Up Big Medicine coalition: https://www.breakupbigmedicine.com/ 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 how to handle a surprise medical bill if your insurance refuses to cover it, what Medicare does and does not cover, figuring out what insurance plan is right for you, and Medicare and Ozempic coverage. 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

  2. Jul 7

    Big Pharma Charges the World's Highest Prices - Here's the Public Fix w/ Alejandro Molina, Groundwork Collaborative

    Big Pharma earns a 76% gross profit margin - and three corporate middlemen pocket 41 cents of every dollar Americans spend on prescriptions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Alejandro Molina at Groundwork Collaborative breaks down their bold new plan, AmericaRx, that could change everything 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 changes to the Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace next year, Medicaid termination rule coming soon, and what to do if your health insurance plan drops you. 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

    Big Pharma Charges the World's Highest Prices - Here's the Public Fix w/ Alejandro Molina, Groundwork Collaborative

  3. Jun 30

    Screwworm Crisis: What They're Not Telling You About Food Safety w/ Dr. Carrie McMahon, Unbiased Science

    Is the screwworm outbreak actually a threat to your food? How have cuts to our nation’s food infrastructure made our food supply less safe and endangered our health? Dr. Carrie McMahon, a former FDA regulatory scientist with over two decades of experience, now a contributor to Unbiased Science, cuts through the noise and delivers unbiased, evidence-based answers 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 a new bill in Congress that would add an out-of-pocket limit to traditional Medicare, CMS reports Affordable Care Act enrollment numbers have dropped, how to apply for Medicaid, and what to do if your doctor opts out of Medicare. 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

    Screwworm Crisis: What They're Not Telling You About Food Safety w/ Dr. Carrie McMahon, Unbiased Science

  4. Jun 23

    Medicaid Work Requirements: Will the Medical Frailty Exemption Protect You? w/ Nicole Jorwic, Caring Across Generations

    New federal rules require some Medicaid recipients to prove they qualify for a "medical frailty" exemption - or lose their coverage. Here's what you need to know before it's too late. Nicole Jorwic at Caring Across Generations breaks down the new Medicaid work requirements that take effect next year - and the proposed new CMS rules that determine who qualifies as "medically frail" 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 allowing insurers to offer loans to patients with catastrophic health insurance plans, suing a school district forcing retired employees into Medicare Advantage, can your employer insurance discriminate based on private testing which may reveal pre-existing conditions, and a mix-up on primary and secondary health insurance coverage for cataract surgery. 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

    Medicaid Work Requirements: Will the Medical Frailty Exemption Protect You? w/ Nicole Jorwic, Caring Across Generations

  5. Jun 16

    Hospital Mergers Are Making Your Healthcare Bills Explode w/ Natasha Murphy, Center for American Progress

    Why is healthcare so expensive in America? Hospital mergers are driving up your health care bills - and the data proves it. Natasha Murphy at Center for American Progress breaks down how hospital consolidation hands Big Hospital the power to charge you whatever they want 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 a judge's ruling on Affordable Care Act marketplace changes for next year, a Medicare Advantage plan that handled charges incorrectly, proposed rule changes on Medicaid eligibility for next year, and whether or not vision insurance is a good deal. 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

    Hospital Mergers Are Making Your Healthcare Bills Explode w/ Natasha Murphy, Center for American Progress

  6. Jun 9

    Big Pharma Sued to Block Lower Drug Prices? Here's Why They Lost w/ Merith Basey, Patients for Affordable Drugs

    Big Pharma just took a massive loss at the Supreme Court - and it means lower drug prices for millions of Americans. Merith Basey at Patients for Affordable Drugs breaks down the Supreme Court's decision to reject pharmaceutical industry lawsuits challenging Medicare drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act 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 Medicare covering GLP-1 weight loss drugs, Medicare no longer covering preventative sonograms for breasts, fighting an out of network bill, and Part B Medicare is optional? 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

    Big Pharma Sued to Block Lower Drug Prices? Here's Why They Lost w/ Merith Basey, Patients for Affordable Drugs

  7. Jun 2

    RFK Jr.'s HHS Shakeup: Why Top Officials Keep Quitting w/ Kayla Hancock, Protect Our Care

    The doors keep swinging at the Department of Health and Human Services. With multiple top health agencies now run by acting officials, who is actually steering America's public health? As the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak winds down, a new Ebola outbreak is rapidly spreading. What happens to patients when no one's in charge? Kayla Hancock at Protect Our Care does a deep dive into the leadership vacuum at HHS, and why it matters for your health 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 Affordable Care Act marketplace changes for 2027 and 2028, what to do if your Medicare drug plan denies your prescription, and appealing denials of care under an employer self-funded health insurance plan. 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

    RFK Jr.'s HHS Shakeup: Why Top Officials Keep Quitting w/ Kayla Hancock, Protect Our Care

  8. May 19

    Hantavirus: Facts vs. Misinformation w/ Dr. Christina Madison, The Public Health Pharmacist

    Hantavirus is dominating the news - but how much of what you're hearing is actually true? From the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak to viral social media claims, misinformation is spreading almost as fast as the headlines. Dr. Christina Madison the Public Health Pharmacist cuts through the noise 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 rule changes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) affecting health insurance plans next year, Medicare Advantage plans attached to a local hospital, do dental and vision insurance plans also have open enrollment periods, how to get a prescription for off-label use through Medicare. 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

    Hantavirus: Facts vs. Misinformation w/ Dr. Christina Madison, The Public Health Pharmacist
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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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