Paging America

Paging America

Exploring the power, profit & politics shaping American health care with hosts Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson. New episodes every Thursday. www.pagingamerica.org

  1. 5D AGO

    Biohazard Bobby’s One-Year Anniversary

    Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson mark the one-year anniversary of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of HHS, and take stock of the chaos. They begin with a sobering look at new research linking abortion restrictions to higher maternal mortality. The conversation also touches on staffing shakeups across federal health agencies and what it means for the stability of America’s public health infrastructure. Then, they count down RFK Jr.’s Top 10 “worst hits” of the year, from sewage swims and AI-generated health reports riddled with fake citations, to dismantling CDC leadership, promoting autism misinformation, slashing tens of thousands of staff, and undermining vaccine confidence nationwide. It’s a candid and often darkly humorous look at how ideology, chaos, and coalition politics are reshaping U.S. health policy, and what the long-term consequences could be. Background reading: * Bloomberg: Pregnant Women Die at Higher Rates When States Restrict Abortion * RFK Jr. says he snorted cocaine off of toilet seats on X * RFK Jr. and Kid Rock in the “Secretary Kennedy and Kid Rock’s ROCK OUT WORK OUT” video on X * California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Press Office on X * Alyssa Farah Griffin, co-host of The View, on X * MedPage Today: Here’s How Many Jobs HHS Has Lost Since RFK Jr. Took Over * HHS: Secretary Kennedy Enhances Management Team to Accelerate President Trump’s Priorities and MAHA Agenda * The Washington Post: White House, RFK Jr. shake up health leadership after controversies * AXIOS: RFK Jr. shakes up top health department staff * AXIOS: NIH director will also run CDC * The New York Times: Kennedy Allies Target States to Overturn Vaccine Mandates for Schoolchildren * POLITICO: RFK Jr.’s allies are trying to free anti-vaccine doctors to speak their minds * The New York Times: R.F.K. Jr. Says Doctors Found a Dead Worm in His Brain * The New York Times: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Sawed the Head Off a Whale and Drove It Home, Daughter Says * NPR: RFK Jr. admits to dumping a dead bear in Central Park, solving a decade-old mystery * PEOPLE: RFK Jr. Says Heroin Made Him a Top-of-Class Student in Resurfaced Clip: ‘It Worked for Me’ * NBC News: RFK Jr. goes swimming with grandchildren in contaminated D.C. creek * The New York Times: 100 Push-Ups and 50 Pull-Ups in Under 10 Minutes. What Could Go Wrong? * Daily Beast (via Yahoo! News): RFK Jr. Awkwardly Hauls Dr. Oz Up a Cliff in Bonkers MAHA Stunt * “The MAHA Report: Make Our Children Healthy Again” report * CIDRAP: MAHA report on chronic disease in US kids includes fake citations, other errors * MedPage Today: U.S. Unveils New Dietary Guidelines * The Hill: Kennedy wants to end ‘war on saturated fats’ with new dietary guidelines * MedPage Today: RFK Jr. Pledged More Transparency. Here’s What the Public Doesn’t Know Anymore. * The New York Times: Several of Kennedy’s Dietary Advisers Have Ties to Meat and Dairy Interests * MedPage Today: Are Vaccine Panels at CDC, FDA ‘Plagued’ by Conflicts? Numbers Say No * STAT: HHS backtracks on pledge to disclose new vaccine advisers’ conflicts of interest * Public Citizen: MAHA, Means, Money – MAHA’s influence in US health care means big money for Big Wellness * Chemical & Engineering News: RFK Jr.’s claim that Tylenol causes autism has no backing * PBS News: Reupping unproven claims about Tylenol, Kennedy claims a link between circumcision and autism * HHS: President Trump, Secretary Kennedy Announce Bold Actions to Tackle Autism Epidemic * POLITICO: RFK Jr. says he directed CDC to remove claim that vaccines do not cause autism * BBC: RFK Jr pledges to find the cause of autism by September * MedPage Today: Here’s How Many Jobs HHS Has Lost Since RFK Jr. Took Over * POLITICO: The meeting that sparked Monarez’s dismissal * CBS News: Senior CDC officials resign after Monarez ouster, cite concerns over scientific independence * FIERCE Healthcare: RFK Jr. defends proposed HHS budget as Democrats slam cuts, gutting of CDC vaccine panel * The New York Times: The Disappearing Funds for Chronic Diseases * ABC News: RFK Jr. launches FDA review of abortion pill * Scientific American: The Abortion Pill Is Safe. Scientists Fear an FDA Investigation Will Ignore Science * The Atlantic: A Convenient Piece of Junk Science * The 19th: RFK Jr. says he wants to curb measles. His former nonprofit keeps undermining his message. * Politifact: No, the COVID-19 vaccine is not the deadliest vaccine ever made * CiDRAP: Annenberg poll shows drop in perceived safety of vaccines * CNBC: Kennedy defends Trump glyphosate order; MAHA erupts as midterms approach Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    54 min
  2. FEB 12

    MAHA Goes Prime Time

    Miles and Dr. Rob sort through another chaotic week in health politics. Dr. Oz urges all Americans to get the measles vaccine during a major outbreak, despite his boss, RFK Jr., spreading doubt about vaccine safety. Meanwhile, RFK Jr. pushes dubious claims about diet and mental illness. The hosts dig into Oz’s suggestion that Americans should work longer to stabilize federal programs, mounting frustration inside the AMA, and what MAHA’s Super Bowl ad reveals about the administration’s coalition-management strategy. Later, AXIOS health care reporter Maya Goldman joins to break down TrumpRx. The new site promises lower prescription drug costs but won’t benefit most Americans, especially those with health insurance. Who actually saves money, where generics fit in, and whether this is real reform or political branding, Goldman brings clarity to the rollout. Background reading: * Dr. Oz on CNN’s State of the Union with Dana Bash (measles vaccine portion begins at 7:45) * People: RFK Jr. Falsely Claims Measles Vaccine Contains ‘Fetus Debris,’ Asks CDC for New Treatment * CIDRAP: CDC’s FluView shows 8 more pediatric deaths as flu activity drops * The New York Times: Oz Offers Forceful Call for Vaccination as Measles Becomes More Dire * AP: Moderna says FDA refuses its application for new mRNA flu vaccine * Dr. Oz at the National Press Club * Bezinga (via Yahoo! Finance): Dr. Oz Says Americans Starting Work ‘Right Out Of High School’ Or Retiring One Year Later Would ‘More Than Remove’ The National Debt * Democratic National Committee: Dr. Oz Wants To Raise the Retirement Age to Fund Trump’s Tax Cuts for Billionaires * AMA Pres. Bobby Mukkamala’s Facebook post with RFK Jr. is HERE * POLITICO: A meeting with RFK Jr. set off recriminations inside doctors’ lobbying arm * Scientific American: RFK, Jr. just claimed the keto diet can cure schizophrenia. Here’s what the science says * RFK Jr. saying Trump lets him do thing nobody else ever would * WWLTV: Louisiana plans to sue California and New York over abortion pill cases * Gavin Newsom’s tweet responding to Louisiana AG Murrill * Super Bowl ad featuring Mike Tyson: Processed Food Kills, Eat Real Food * The New York Times: MAHA Group Pledges $1 Million to Help Defeat Senator Cassidy in Louisiana Primary * AXIOS: More than half of TrumpRx drugs have a cheaper alternative * AXIOS: Trump unveils TrumpRx discount drug site * The New York Times: Trump’s Online Drugstore Opens for Business * PRN Newswire: BlinkRx Welcomes Donald Trump Jr. to Board of Directors * STAT: TrumpRx has a fundamental flaw * US Senate Committee on Finance: Wyden Statement on TrumpRx Announcement * US Senate Committee on Finance: Wyden, Senate Democrats Blast Trump’s Drug Pricing Fraud, Lay Out Agenda for Lower Prices * Protect Our Care: Fact Sheet: 10 Reasons Why TrumpRx Is an Utter Joke * Maya Goldman’s work at AXIOS is HERE * Maya Goldman on LinkedIn * Maya Goldman on X * Maya Goldman on Bluesky * Sign up for the free Axios Vitals newsletter at https://www.axios.com/signup/vitals Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    56 min
  3. FEB 5

    ICE in Hospitals & the Trump Rx Grift

    Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson break down a cascade of political decisions and enforcement actions that are actively reshaping American health care. The episode covers new reporting on ICE disrupting care inside hospitals, Democratic senators raising alarms about the legality of Trump’s “TrumpRx” prescription drug platform, and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices reconsidering all vaccine recommendations amid rising anti-vaccine influence. The hosts also examine the latest Epstein file releases and what they reveal about the growing overlap between wellness influencers, media power, and political hypocrisy. The show also checks back in with Dr. Erin Stevens, an OB-GYN in the Twin Cities and a leading voice speaking out against ICE activity in medical settings. Dr. Stevens shares an on-the-ground update from Minnesota as the ICE surge continues, discusses how fear is keeping pregnant patients from critical care, and calls on hospital systems and professional organizations to more forcefully defend patients and providers. Background reading: * AP: ICE claim that a man shattered his skull running into wall triggers tension at a Minnesota hospital * The 19th: Fear of ICE is keeping pregnant immigrants in Minnesota from critical care * Verite News: A pregnant mother in ICE detention says she’s bleeding — and hasn’t seen a doctor in weeks * KFF Health News: ‘I Can’t Tell You’: Attorneys, Relatives Struggle To Find Hospitalized ICE Detainees * Democratic Congressional leaders’ letter listing their ten “guardrails” for ICE * TrumpRx website * Sign the Committee’s open letter calling for legislation to restore hospitals as sensitive locations, free from the presence of ICE and other federal agents → ProtectMed.org/ICEoutofHospitals * MedPage Today: TrumpRx May Not Be Legal in Its Current Form, Senators Contend * STAT: Senators raise concerns about TrumpRx in letter to HHS watchdog * PharmaVoice: Why TrumpRx is stumbling before it gets off the ground * The Guardian: US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations * The Hill: Trump says latest release of Epstein files ‘absolves’ him * Peter Attia’s “apology”on X * The Atlantic: The Longevity Influencer Who Went Into ‘Withdrawal’ Without Jeffrey Epstein * The Cut: The Celebrity Doctor in the Epstein Files (non-paywalled version is HERE) * Variety: CBS News Contributor Peter Attia Under Fire After Latest Epstein File Disclosures * The Daily Beast: CBS News’ Star Hire Hung With Epstein as Baby Son Fought for Life * The Guardian: A ‘wellness bro’, a cosmologist and an RFK Jr crony: meet Bari Weiss’s new CBS News contributors * Los Angeles Times: Longevity guru Peter Attia keeps CBS News role despite showing up in Epstein files Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    44 min
  4. JAN 29

    Doctors Fight Back Against ICE

    Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson confront the expanding role of ICE and DHS in and around hospitals, and the growing consequences for public health. The conversation begins in Minneapolis, where the killing of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents has shattered official narratives and forced a national reckoning. The show takes a tour of the Midwest with guest ER physician Dr. Chris Ford from Milwaukee, WI, who describes how hospitals are preparing for ICE in a similar way to how they once prepared for COVID, bracing for fear-driven no-shows, delayed dialysis and other life-saving treatments, and collapsing trust. Then, in Columbus, OH, with guest OB-GYN and state representative Dr. Anita Somani, who details how immigration enforcement is already disrupting prenatal care and routine medicine, while lawmakers and medical institutions struggle and often fail to respond with moral clarity. The episode closes with a warning about the broader health policy landscape, including RFK Jr.’s HHS and a CDC advisory chair openly questioning the value of polio and measles vaccines, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy’s actions lately, and Elon Musk’s medical robots. Background reading: * The New York Times: White House Use of ‘Domestic Terrorist’ Doesn’t Match Legal Reality * Stephen Miller calling Alex Petti an assassin on X * The New York Times: Bovino Set to Leave Minnesota as Trump Shakes Up Crackdown Leadership * POLITICO: Border Patrol agents involved in Minnesota shooting of Alex Pretti placed on administrative leave * POLITICO: Third ‘No Kings’ nationwide protest planned for March * The Center Square: Walz deploys 1,500 National Guard troops in Twin Cities * City of Minneapolis: City requests MN National Guard to help with staffing after 3rd shooting by federal agents * CBS News: Minnesota National Guard hands out donuts, coffee to protesters in Minneapolis * The New York Times: Democrats Vow Not to Fund ICE After Shooting, Imperiling Spending Deal * The Washington Post: GOP backlash on Minnesota signals a tougher landscape for Trump * AMA statement on immigration enforcement at hospitals * Sign the Committee’s open letter calling for legislation to restore hospitals as sensitive locations, free from the presence of ICE and other federal agents → ProtectMed.org/ICEoutofHospitals * The Hill: Chair of CDC’s vaccine panel questions need for polio vaccines, citing personal autonomy * POLITICO: A US return to the World Health Organization could hinge on whether Trump approves of its next leader * The Guardian: What is Nipah virus? Key things to know about the disease amid cases in India * Examples of Sen. Bill Cassidy doing something right are HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE * The New York Magazine: The Superhuman President’ A good-faith attempt to ascertain the truth about Donald Trump’s health * PEOPLE: Donald Trump Addresses His Father’s Alzheimer’s in New Health Interview, Saying Fred Had ‘What Do They Call It?’ * Elon Musk saying going to medical school is now “pointless” * Noah Wyle skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    1h 10m
  5. JAN 22

    The Nexus of ICE and Health Care

    Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson unpack Donald Trump’s long-promised “Great Healthcare Plan,” a glossy rollout with few details, impossible math, and recycled GOP ideas and tie in the political fallout for Senator Bill Cassidy. They discuss the impact of ICE’s presence in Minnesota and how it’s impacting caregivers and patients and Dr. Oz referring to Alabama’s response to health care deserts as “very cool”. Finally, they examine what RFK Jr.’s latest praise of Trump reveals about power, loyalty, and the dismantling of public health institutions. Later, Miles is joined by OB/GYN physician, Dr. Erin Stevens, from the Twin Cities, to share an on-the-ground account of ICE activity inside and around hospitals. As federal agents intimidate patients and disrupt care, fear is driving people to delay or avoid medical treatment altogether. The conversation highlights how immigration enforcement is colliding with health care delivery, and what clinicians across the country need to prepare for as these tactics spread. Background reading: * The White House: President Trump Unveils The Great Healthcare Plan to Lower Costs and Deliver Money Directly to the People * “The Great Healthcare Plan” website is HERE * NPR: Trump struck deals with 16 drug companies. But they’re still raising prices this year * POLITICO: Republicans will be hard-pressed to pass Trump’s ‘Great Healthcare Plan’ * The Guardian: ‘Absolutely no detail’: experts alarmed as Trump unveils healthcare plan * STAT: Trump releases health care plan amid pressure over affordability * NBC News: Pentagon orders troops to prepare for possible Minnesota deployment * MPR News: ICE agents appear at Twin Cities hospitals, alarming health care workers * CIDRAP: Minnesota residents delay medical care for fear of encountering ICE * The New York Times: Inside Minnesota Hospitals, ICE Agents Unnerve Staff * Spectrum News 1: ICE detainees raise alarms over medical care, sheriff refutes claims * Popular Information: ICE has stopped paying for detainee medical treatment * Dr. Oz talking about fixing OB/GYN deserts in Alabama with robots is HERE * Sen. Bernie Sanders’ response to Dr. Oz is HERE * Amanda Litman’s response to Dr. Oz is HERE * RFK Jr. on The Katie Miller Podcast is HERE * POLITICO: RFK Jr. is bringing the GOP and the trial bar together * Minnesota Reformer: Minnesota doctors say immigration crackdown is forcing patients to hide, endangering lives * ABC News: Doctors in Minnesota decry fear and chaos amid Trump administration’s immigration crackdown * MedPage Today: Minnesota Doctors Decry Fear and Chaos Amid Trump’s Immigration Crackdown * Dr. Erin Stevens’ website is HERE * Dr. Erin Stevens on Instagram * Dr. Erin Stevens on TikTok Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    56 min
  6. JAN 15

    The New War on Reproductive Health Care

    Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson break down the escalating political attacks on reproductive health care and the federal institutions meant to protect patients. They examine the renewed effort to undermine Mifepristone through a politicized Congressional hearing, the growing push to enforce bans on abortion medications across state lines, and how these strategies are designed to intimidate providers while eroding trust in medical science. Later, Miles is joined by Dr. Chelsea Daniels, Family Planning Staff Physician at Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Dr. Daniels shares firsthand insight from the frontlines of reproductive health care, including her experience navigating hostile political environments in Florida and California. She explains why the attacks on medication abortion are both dangerous and deeply misguided, and why physician advocacy is crucial to protecting patients’ privacy, autonomy, and access to care. Background reading: * Senate HELP Committee press release: Chair Cassidy Leads Pro-Life Republicans Seeking Answers on FDA Approving Dangerous Chemical Abortion Drug * Ms. Magazine: Junk In, Junk Out: The Senate HELP Hearing Confirmed What We Already Knew About the War on Medication Abortion * Senator Patty Murray press release: Senator Murray Slams Republicans for Sham HELP Committee Hearing to Discredit Medication Abortion: “We All Know This Hearing is Not About Safety—It’s About Banning Abortion Nationwide” * Nevada Current: With health insurance premiums rising, Nevada’s new public option is proving popular * KTNV: Healthcare premiums spike an average of 26% in Nevada * STAT: House passes ACA subsidy extension as bipartisan negotiations heat up in Senate * POLITICO: The GOP’s Obamacare defectors were more numerous than expected * AXIOS: Inside the Senate’s last-gasp effort to solve the health care crisis * POLITICO: Senators punt release of health package to end of January * The CBO’s scoring of the bipartisan plan to extend ACA premium subsidies is HERE * Reuters (via MSN): Trump says he may veto extension of Obamacare subsidies * AP: Trump tells Republicans to be ‘flexible’ on abortion restrictions to get a health care deal * POLITICO: Trump admin can share immigrants’ Medicaid data with ICE, judge rules * The Washington Post: New RFK Jr. pick for vaccine panel: ‘I was not anti-vaccine. I am now.’ * The New York Times: H.H.S. Reverses Decision to Cut $2 Billion for Mental Health and Addiction Services * Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: In 24 hours, Feds cancel, then reinstate $2 billion in mental health grants * The New York Times: Louisiana Indicts Another Out-of-State Doctor Over Abortion Pills * The Hill: Louisiana seeks extradition of California doctor accused of mailing abortion pills * Virginia Mercury: Virginia House Democrats advance four constitutional amendments on opening day of 2026 session Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own health care story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    1 hr
  7. JAN 8

    No Booze for Breakfast

    Miles and Dr. Rob kick off the new year by laying out the health care fights already shaping 2026. From rising insurance costs and unfinished ACA business to reinstating an upside-down food pyramid (while removing guidelines around alcohol moderation), the hosts break down how political decisions continue to put patients and families at more and more risk. They also examine Republican hypocrisy on drug pricing, more changes to the recommended childhood vaccine schedule, and the continued erosion of public and international trust in America’s health institutions. As the stakes rise heading into a pivotal election year, Miles and Dr. Rob explain what listeners should be watching closely, and what it will take to protect care, health, and basic government accountability in the months ahead. Background reading: * People: Doctor Tried to Help Woman Shot Dead by ICE, but Agents Blocked Him from Treating Her: ‘I Don’t Care’ * The Center Square: First negotiated Medicare drug prices go into effect Jan. 1 * Reuters Drugmakers raise US prices on 350 medicines despite pressure from Trump * HEALTH CARE un-covered: The Other Health Care Cliff Americans Are About to Fall Off * The Guardian: Canadian officials say US health institutions no longer dependable for accurate information * CIDRAP: CMS to stop requiring states to report childhood vaccination levels * The New York Times: Kennedy Scales Back the Number of Vaccines Recommended for Children * Annenberg Public Policy Center: CDC Urges ‘Shared Decision-Making’ on Some Childhood Vaccines; Many Unclear About What That Means * STAT: Why Denmark’s vaccine schedule works for Denmark — but not for the United States * NPR: Should the U.S. model its vaccine policy on Denmark’s? Experts say we’re nothing alike * KFF Quick Takes: Do We Want to Outsource U.S. Vaccine Policy to Denmark? * AMA Pres. Bobby Mukkamala’s Facebook post with RFK Jr. is HERE * NPR Shots: RFK Jr.’s new food pyramid puts meat, cheese and vegetables at the top * The Washington Post: In reversal, U.S. loosens guidance on alcohol * JAMA Internal Medicine: The Political Polarization of Physicians in the United States * Kevin Bass tweet about the political leanings of doctors is HERE * HUFFPOST: Trump Admin Says It’s Cutting Welfare Funds To Blue States Over Alleged Minnesota Fraud * HUFFPOST: Katie Miller Drops Revelation About Youngest Kid’s Vaccinations * The Wall Street Journal: As Signs of Aging Emerge, Trump Responds With Defiance * Wikipedia: Age and health concerns about Donald Trump Join the fight at committeetoprotect.org. Subscribe, share, and leave a rating to help more people find Paging America. Have thoughts, questions, or your own healthcare story? Email us at feedback@pagingamerica.org. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.pagingamerica.org/subscribe

    52 min
4.8
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

Exploring the power, profit & politics shaping American health care with hosts Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson. New episodes every Thursday. www.pagingamerica.org

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