Tradeoffs

Businessman and entertainer Mark Cuban has long had an interest in health care, and a mission to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry.Torie Bosch, host of First Opinion, a podcast from STAT News, speaks with Cuban about one of his latest ventures Cost Plus Drugs - Mark’s efforts to drive down prescription drug prices. Guests:Torie Bosch, Editor, First Opinion, STAT NewsMatt Herper, Senior Writer, Medicine, STAT NewsMark Cuban, Co-Founder Cost Plus Drugs EntrepreneurLearn more and read a full transcript on here.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

Congress banned most surprise medical bills back in 2020, with one major exception: ambulance rides. Most people agree that patients should be shielded from these unexpected charges. But who should pick up the tab instead? As state and federal policymakers grapple with that question, we delve into why finding a fair solution is harder than you’d think.Guests:Tara Bannow, Reporter, STATPrecious Mae Clark, patientDia Gainor, Executive Director, National Association of State EMS OfficialsZach Gaumer, Principal, Health Management AssociatesJames Gelfand, JD President and CEO, ERISA Industry CommitteeBob Herman, Reporter, STATPete Lawrence, Deputy Chief, Oceanside FireButch Oberhoff, President, Texas EMS AllianceLeslie Walker, Senior Reporter/Producer, TradeoffsMatt Zavadsky, At-Large Director, National Association of EMTsLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

Twenty-six states have passed bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, and the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in December about Tennessee's ban. We take a closer look at gender-affirming care and the legal arguments that could influence how accessible that care is.Meredithe McNamara, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Yale School of MedicineKatie Eyer, JD, Professor of Law, Rutgers Law SchoolJames Blumstein, LLB, University Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law and Health Law & Policy, Vanderbilt University Law SchoolLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

It’s Medicare open enrollment season, and in this episode first aired in 2021, we explain why shopping for a new plan is often tougher than it seems.Guests:Lilyan Grossman, Medicare beneficiaryTricia Neuman, ScD, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of the Program on Medicare Policy, Kaiser Family FoundationAmal Trivedi, MD, Professor of Medicine and Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown UniversityLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

One of the nation’s leading experts on the Affordable Care Act breaks down its track record and weighs in on the stakes the historic health care law faces in the lead-up to the election.Guest:Larry Levitt, Executive Vice President for Health Policy, KFFLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

The next U.S. president will have to make consequential choices about the Affordable Care Act, prescription drug prices and abortion. We compare the positions of candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump on these major health policy issues. (NOTE: This episode has been updated to clarify the number of people who would lose health coverage if Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies expired.)Guests:Michael Cannon, Director of Health Policy Studies, Cato InstituteEderlina Co, JD, Associate Professor of Law, University of the PacificCynthia Cox, Vice President and Director of Program on the ACA, KFFStacie Dusetzina, PhD, Professor of Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical CenterBenedic Ippolito, PhD, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise InstituteRyan Levi, Reporter/Producer, TradeoffsLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

Journalist Paula Span, who writes The New Old Age column for the New York Times, shares what she’s learned about how to age well.Guest:Paula Span, reporter and The New Old Age columnist for the New York TimesLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.

U.S. companies spend more than $1 trillion annually on health care for their employees. To get this budget-busting figure under control, some companies are experimenting with cutting out insurers, and investing in primary care clinics at the office.  Guests:Amy Cooper, NP, Vera Whole HealthBob Galvin, MD, former Chief Medical Officer, General Electric and Board Chairman, Catalyst for Payment ReformDan Mendelson, CEO, Morgan HealthAnn O’Malley, MD, MPH, Senior Fellow, MathematicaMatt Ohrt, Co-founder, Self Fund HealthLee Sagraves, Employee, JPMorganChaseGwen SagravesLearn more and read a full transcript on our website.Want more Tradeoffs? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter featuring the latest health policy research and news.Support this type of journalism today, with a gift.