Healthy Communities Online

Originally broadcast October 10, 2024 The countdown is on to election day with health care issues hanging in the balance as never before. The biggest one: Abortion and reproductive rights. Andrea Ducas, the Vice President of Health Policy at the Center for American Progress, says “What you see with Vice President Harris is a candidate who’s committed to protecting women’s freedoms, to protecting women’s right to choose.” On the other side of the political spectrum is Wayne Winegarden, Ph.D., the…

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Originally broadcast October 2, 2024 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Mandy Cohen described to “Conversations on Health Care” that their role right now is ensuring impacted residents understand the health risks that are present and could continue to grow in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Dr. Cohen says while local, state and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials are in the acute response phase, CDC is doing its part by ensuring people realize there are growing…

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Originally broadcast September 26, 2024 At the beginning of this year, few could have predicted that in vitro fertilization would become a big political topic. But that’s what occurred after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled frozen embryos are “unborn children.” The Alabama legislature then responded by passing a law to shield IVF providers. Since then, former President Trump said he wants the government or insurance companies to pay for IVF treatment. However, Vice President Kamala Harris has said that “under…

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Originally broadcast November 22, 2022 When we have a guest like “Shark Tank” star Mark Cuban, it’s can be hard to keep up with all his thoughts. He was a bundle of energy in November 2022 explaining his then-new venture trying to reform how Americans can purchase lower-priced drugs; he called it “dunking on the pharma industry.” Since our conversation, experts say Cuban has become a major disrupter in generic drug pricing. Cost Plus now offers 2,500 drugs and has…

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Originally broadcast August 3, 2023 Experts report we’re dealing with the hottest summer on record for the second year in a row. Phoenix has recorded 100 straight days of over 100-degree weather; Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area matched its all-time high temperature with a reading of 114. In Los Angeles, the city is taking action to help its people deal with the temperatures through the leadership of Marta Segura, one of the few appointed chief heat officers…

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Originall broadcast September 5, 2024 Did you know private equity now owns one-third of private hospitals in the country and the percentage is growing? Private equity is a controversial type of financing typically seen in the technology and media sectors that’s now attracted to health care. It’s a trend that greatly troubles Erin Fuse Brown. She’s a professor of health services, policy and practice at Brown University’s School of Public Health and its Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research….

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