Episodes

Originally published April 4, 2024

It’s about seven months to election day and our regular panel of health care journalists sees a lot of divisions in the electorate. Joyce Frieden, who’s in charge of MedPage Today’s coverage of Washington and health policy, says the debate over abortion is driving voter interest. Yet Ben Leonard, a health care reporter at POLITICO, notes that Republican voters place issues such as immigration ahead of health care.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel Weixel, a health policy reporter for The Hill, says the health care sector should consider itself a winner for avoiding the chopping block during the recent federal budget showdown. This trio of journalists joins hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter to share their insights about their news stories including Washington’s take on artificial intelligence in health care and efforts to get federal dollars for the new obesity drugs.

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe, see more episodes: https://bit.ly/chcradio

Originally published March 28, 2024

Medicare just announced that it will pay for weight loss drugs if patients using them also have heart disease and need to reduce the risk of future heart attacks and strokes. Medicare has already been covering the costs of the GLP-1 class of drugs to treat diabetes problems. However, Medicare Part D plans are still restricted by law from covering obesity medications used for chronic weight management alone.

It’s a decision the American Diabetes Association would like to see overturned. “It really is important that we try to get upstream of diseases…we know that obesity is a disease and it’s a bigger driver to the increasing number of people developing diabetes…it’s important that people have access to treatments that are effective. Medicare isn’t covering that [obesity] treatment and that’s something we’ve been advocating for,” says Dr. Robert Gabbay, chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association

Dr. Gabbay also tells hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter that anybody with diabetes on insulin should have access to a continuous glucose monitor and the ADA is proud that it helped secured Medicare coverage for such monitors.

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe, see more episodes: https://bit.ly/chcradio

The recent death of former college football player Craig Roh from colon cancer at age 33 has brought attention to the “alarming” increase of colorectal cancer in young people. The American Cancer Society reports colon cancer is now the most common cause of cancer deaths in men under 50 and second for women under 50.

Dr. Alan Venook at the University of California-San Francisco is one of the nation’s leading colorectal cancer researchers. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and Dr. Venook explains to “Conversations on Health Care” hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter how to stem the rise in cases among young people.

Dr. Venook also talks about his research that found there’s no compromise in colorectal cancer patient survival or the risk of recurrent cancer over time with less radiation—a finding that goes against conventional wisdom.

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe: https://www.chcradio.com

Originally broadcast on March 14, 2024

The family planning revolution has a new chapter and journalist Valerie Bauman is both documenting it and participating in it. She and others pursuing alternatives say they’re frustrated with fertility clinics because of the cost, what they call the discriminatory nature of the system and the lack of insurance coverage. Bauman explains how she met her sperm donor and why others like her say it makes sense for them.

Hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter interview Bauman about her upcoming book, “Inconceivable: Super Sperm Donors, Off-the-Grid Insemination, and Unconventional Family Planning.”

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe. https://bit.ly/3Txnu1y

Originally broadcast on March 4, 2024

Even as Alabama scrambles to enact a law protecting in vitro fertilization in the state, the Biden-Harris Administration sees additional challenges that legislation may not be able to quickly fix. Carole Johnson leads the Health Resources and Services Administration, the part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department tasked with strengthening the health workforce and connecting skilled professionals to rural, urban and tribal underserved communities.

Johnson explains that some health care providers were already reluctant to work in states with restrictive reproductive legislation and the Alabama situation presents a new challenge.

In rejecting Alabama’s Supreme Court decision she says, “It should not be the case that young women in this generation have less rights than I did growing up and we need to change that. We will continue to lean in as an administration supporting women.”

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe. https://www.chcradio.com

Originally broadcast on February 29, 2024

Americans say nursing is the most respected profession, but nurses say their challenges tell a different story. They’re sounding the alarm on staffing shortages, violence in the workplace and racism (63% of nurses say they have personally experienced an act of racism in the workplace).

The American Nurses Association is also fighting an American Medical Association policy recommending advanced practice registered nurses be licensed and regulated by both state medical and nursing boards.

Our guest to tackle these issues is the president of the American Nurses Association, Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, Ph.D., MBA, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN. Join hosts Mark Masselli and Margaret Flinter for this important conversation.

Conversations on Health Care features in-depth discussions on health policy and innovation with industry newsmakers from around the globe. https://www.chcradio.com