Nurse Talk

This time on Code WACK! What happens when doctors know what their patients need, but the healthcare system stands in their way? A new report from Physicians for a National Health Program suggests the consequences can be profound. Among more than 1,200 physicians surveyed, 68% reported moderate or severe distress over being unable to provide the best possible care. More than one in four had already left a job because of moral distress. Today we're talking about 'moral injury' in medicine. What's the difference between physician burnout and moral injury? And why do some doctors believe the healthcare system itself is making them sick? Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What does it take to survive cancer in America? Working multiple jobs during treatment, borrowing from your 401K, launching a GoFundMe, or rationing your super-expensive cancer medication? For Garrina Ross, the answer was all of the above, and then some. Diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer eight years ago, the Michigan resident soon discovered that fighting for her life also meant fighting to stay financially afloat and to keep a good credit score, even with what she describes as ‘very good’ health insurance. Today, Garrina is a cancer awareness and healthcare policy advocate, and the founder and executive director of My Breast Friend, a nonprofit supporting women diagnosed with cancer. But when she first received her diagnosis, the shock of having cancer was only the beginning. She was also stunned by the mounting costs of her care, from diagnostic tests to cancer treatments, and she's still dealing with new medical costs today. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! In the United States, about 5,800 new cases of cancer are diagnosed each day. That’s over 2 million people a year. In fact, excluding the most common skin cancers, nearly four in 10 Americans will develop cancer during their lifetime. Yet cancer is increasingly treatable. Excluding the most common skin cancers, nearly four in 10 Americans will develop cancer during their lifetime. The good news is that the five-year survival rate for all cancers combined has reached 70%, according to the American Cancer Society. But surviving cancer can come at great cost. It can mean years or even a lifetime of costly treatment and medical bills. Even people with good jobs and health insurance aren't immune from extraordinarily high copays and medical debt. Today we’re speaking with cancer survivor Garrina Ross, an automotive worker living in a Detroit suburb. Garrina is Founder and Executive Director of My Breast Friend, a nonprofit supporting women living with breast cancer. Eight years ago, Garrina was at work when she noticed that the tissue around her breast seemed different . . . . Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! An estimated 5.7 million Americans are living with dementia in 2026, with that number expected to rise sharply as the population ages. And care isn't cheap. According to US News and World Report, it averages about $7,600 a month, more than $91,000 a year. For many, special care, especially ‘memory care,’ will be required at some point in their disease progression. When an assisted living facility promises a patient specialized memory care, what exactly does that mean? What are patients and families actually being promised? And what happens when facilities can't deliver? To learn more, we're speaking with Tony Chicotel, senior staff attorney with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, or CANHR. For decades, Tony has fought to protect the rights of long-term care residents. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! We’re revisiting part 2 of a powerful series from 2024 in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September. What justification did a major insurance company give to repeatedly deny coverage to treat a baby’s brain tumor? What can be done to prevent these denials of life-saving treatment in the future? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Eunice Stallman, a psychiatrist in Idaho and mother of then two-year-old Zoey, who has suffered seizures and developmental delays because of a brain tumor discovered when she was an infant. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! About 15,000 children and teens are diagnosed with cancer every year in the United States. While survival rates have improved dramatically, cancer remains the leading cause of disease-related death among children. This time on Code WACK!, we’re revisiting a powerful 2024 episode in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month this September. Imagine finding out that your baby girl has a brain tumor that’s causing seizures and disrupting her development, and your insurance company is denying treatment her doctor says she needs to survive and thrive? Where did one mother turn for help when repeated health insurance denials delayed time-sensitive treatment to shrink her baby’s tumor? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Eunice Stallman, a psychiatrist in Idaho and mother of Zoey, who was two years old at the time of this interview and is still undergoing medical treatment. This is the first episode in a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK! Labor unions have spent decades fighting to win good health benefits for their members. And by and large, they have succeeded. The ‘union advantage’ has been documented. Compared to non-union workers, union workers are more likely to have health insurance coverage… more likely to have a regular care provider…, and to have visited office-based providers 31% more often. So why would union members want to give up their hard-won ‘union advantage’ for a completely different system? What might happen if organized labor began fighting not just for better health benefits for their union members, but for everyone? Could organized labor help lead America to a system where healthcare isn't tied to a job at all? To discuss this and more, we welcome back Mark Dudzic, a longtime union organizer and labor activist. He's a former president of Local 8-149 of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, now part of the Steelworkers, as well as the OCAW District 8 Council, and a former national organizer of the Labor Party. In 2009, he co-founded the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare and currently serves as its chair. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! In honor of Labor Day, we're looking at the powerful connection between work and healthcare in America — and what it means for workers when their health coverage is chained to their jobs. Against the backdrop of our ever-changing economy, we must ask, are the risks of employer-sponsored health insurance greater than the benefits? Today’s guest is Mark Dudzic, a longtime union organizer and labor activist. He's a former president of Local 8-149 of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, now part of the Steelworkers, as well as the OCAW District 8 Council, and a former national organizer of the Labor Party. In 2009, he co-founded the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare and currently serves as its chair. This is the first episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! This time, we’re taking a closer look at the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. In a nutshell, the program gives hospitals and clinics that serve low-income and other vulnerable patients deep discounts on prescription drugs. But who really benefits from these discounts? Patients? Or hospitals? Did the legislation really intend that patients be charged coinsurance based on the full price of drugs that their hospital bought for far less? Let’s explore why consumer advocates say the program needs reform. Today’s guests are from the National Consumers League, Sally Greenberg, CEO and Lisa Bercu, Senior Director of Health Policy. The NCL is one of the nation’s oldest consumer and worker advocacy organizations. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What is medical debt? Let’s look at what it’s not. It’s not excessive spending on a pricey vacation, or on designer clothing or expensive watches. Medical debt usually happens when an unexpected accident or illness lands you in the emergency room or the hospital. Focus on the word ‘unexpected.’ Then add the word ‘expensive.’ Today we're talking about the hidden costs of getting sick in America, the patients whose lives have been upended by medical debt, and why the system is failing the people it's supposed to serve. Joining us is Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League, the nation's oldest consumer advocacy organization, working with both consumers and workers since 1899. This is the first of two episodes with Sally Greenberg. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Got health insurance, but still can't get the care you need? Ever spent hours on hold, battling claim denials, and jumping through hoops just to get the care you already paid for with your insurance premiums? What does it say about our healthcare system when getting treatment depends not just on your medical needs, but also how much time, money, and energy you can dedicate to fighting for it? In her new book, Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States, Miranda Yaver points out that having insurance and actually being able to use it are often two very different things. This is the second of two episodes with Miranda Yaver. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! We're talking about one of the most frustrating experiences in American healthcare - when your insurance company says ‘no.’ According to Miranda Yaver, an assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh, insurance denials aren't rare. They're a routine part of navigating our healthcare system. In her new book, Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States, Miranda Yaver explores what happens when patients undergoing treatment find themselves trapped between their doctors and their insurance companies. This is the first of two episodes with Miranda Yaver. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! California has debated a single-payer healthcare system for decades, but a new UCLA report commissioned by the California Health and Human Services Agency under Senate Bill 770 could reshape the conversation. In this episode, Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now, explains how the report moves the debate from cost to equity. This is the second of two episodes with Michael Lighty. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! The upcoming governor's race could shape the future of health care for nearly 40 million Californians. With former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra facing Republican Steve Hilton, the election is raising critical questions about whether California will move closer to a single-payer healthcare system—or further away. Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now, joins us to break down what the primary results mean, where the candidates stand on healthcare reform, and what's at stake for the future of universal healthcare in California. This is the first of two episodes with Michael Lighty. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! For many Americans getting the right medical care isn't just about what their doctors recommend, it's also about what their insurance company is willing to cover. So what happens when those two don't agree? And why can it be so difficult for patients to fight back? Attorney Lisa Kantor of Kantor & Kantor, LLP has spent more than two decades helping patients challenge health insurance denials. Her cases have ranged from eating disorders to life-threatening cancers, giving her a firsthand look at how insurers make coverage decisions and the consequences when they favor profits over patients. This is the second episode in a two part series. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! In the United States, as many as 30 million people are affected by eating disorders, including many children and adolescents, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect both mental and physical health.  How well does our corporate healthcare system respond to illnesses as complex as eating disorders? What happens when an insurance company decides treatment is costing too much, and pressures a patient to go home? Can your insurer really cut off coverage? And what if that decision turns out to be not just wrong, but catastrophic?  In “When Insurance Cuts Eating Disorder Care Too Soon,” host Brenda Gazzar speaks with Lisa Kantor, Founding Partner of Kantor & Kantor, LLP, about what can happen when insurers end coverage before a patient is medically ready to leave treatment. In “When Insurance Cuts Eating Disorder Care Too Soon,” host Brenda Gazzar speaks with Lisa Kantor, Founding Partner of Kantor & Kantor, LLP, about what can happen when insurers end coverage before a patient is medically ready to leave treatment. This is part one of a two-part episode. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

Is it really normal that the health insurance we pay for often doesn't fully protect us? It may be ‘normal’ but is it right? Millions of Americans face soaring healthcare costs, coverage denials, medical debt, job lock, and even hospital closures. Have we simply come to accept these realities as part of life? Retired pediatrician and healthcare reform advocate Dr. Ana Malinow says they don't have to be. After three decades caring for immigrant, refugee, and underserved children, Dr. Malinow believes America is at a pivotal moment to rethink its healthcare system. As America marks 250 years of independence, she's helping lead a campaign calling for a "Declaration of Independence from the U.S. Medical-Industrial Complex" and a national single-payer healthcare system. Dr. Malinow is the former president of Physicians for a National Health Program and currently serves on the steering committee of National Single Payer. This is Part 2 of a two-part episode. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! America's healthcare system doesn't only hurt us in big ways - like forcing us to choose between getting expensive medical treatments or living sick. Or having to choose the ‘least worst,’ but always very expensive health insurance policy. It also hurts us in small ways, forcing us to compromise to save a few bucks, to make a thousand little choices that can cost us our quality of life. As we approach the 4th of July, we’re talking with Dr. Ana Malinow, a retired pediatrician. She’s helping lead a campaign for a new Declaration of Independence … from the ‘US Medical-Industrial Complex.’ Dr. Malinow spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant refugees and underserved children. She's past president of Physicians for a National Health Program and is currently on the steering committee of National Single Payer. This is part one of a two-part episode. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Imagine being cut off from Mom - a nursing home resident - for months. You can't bring her favorite foods, or help dress her, hug her, or even hold her hand. For thousands of families during the COVID-19 pandemic, this became a heartbreaking reality. And without new laws, advocates say, it could very well happen again. That's why they are fighting to ensure our loved ones are never again separated from those they depend on most in nursing homes and other long-term care settings Today we're speaking with Tony Chicotel, senior staff attorney with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, or CANHR. For decades, Tony has fought to protect the rights of nursing home residents. And he says the isolation and neglect that families experienced during COVID was one of the most painful chapters of his career. This is part two of a two-part series on the Essential Caregiver’s Act. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! What role do family members and friends play in the lives of nursing home residents? When COVID hit, how were residents impacted when their loved ones were no longer allowed to visit them? Today we share the story of Melody Taylor Stark, who became an advocate for the Essential Caregivers Act after her husband, a retired dentist and nursing home resident, dramatically declined, then died, after being denied her daily visits during the dark days of COVID. Melody is a founding member of Essential Caregivers Coalition; a member of Caregivers for Compromise, and San Gabriel Valley Disability Collaborative; and Facebook co-administrator for Aging Enlightened, a group that was begun by a prominent reporter for Kaiser Health News. She works diligently to advance positive system changes in disability rights and long-term care. This is part one of a two-part series on the Essential Caregiver’s Act. Please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! What happens when we get too sick to work in a healthcare system that is tied to our jobs? What is the ultimate cost? The story of New York Health Act advocate Mariana Pineda is a case in point. After developing Long COVID, Mariana spent years navigating the same fragmented healthcare system she was fighting to change. She lost her job. She lost her health insurance. She lost her home. And earlier this year, in March, 2026, she lost her life. Mariana was just 46 years old. This is part two of a two-part series featuring tri-chair of the New York State Poor People’s Campaign, Susan Karbiner, and LGBTQ and healthcare justice advocate Carly Paris. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! This is the story of a dedicated advocate, organizer, and powerful voice in the fight for healthcare justice - Mariana Pineda. Mariana was a teacher in the Roosevelt School District, Nassau County, Long Island, until she caught a serious case of COVID complicated by pre-existing conditions, including asthma and heart problems. No longer able to work, she lost her employer-sponsored health insurance. Desperate to have some kind of coverage, she spent down her savings on COBRA. Despite financial help from friends, Mariana eventually ended up in a homeless shelter with her young son, Max, where they suffered from cockroaches and bedbugs. Yet through it all, Mariana never stopped advocating for people's rights. A social justice activist and tireless organizer, she could command a rally one minute and spend the next making sure everyone had something to eat. And before she died earlier this year at age 46… she spent years fighting for healthcare as a human right. This is part one of a two-part series about Mariana Pineda, single mom, teacher, and healthcare justice fighter. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! For millions of Americans, health care means fighting insurance companies, putting off costly treatment, wondering whether the hospital you prefer is in-network, or fearing financial disaster if you get seriously sick. But what if healthcare worked differently? This is part two of our conversation with Dr. Bernard Ho, an emergency physician in Toronto and vice chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, a national evidence-based organization working to strengthen Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system. He is a lecturer at the University of Toronto, where he also earned his M.D. Bernard is currently completing his Master's of Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Today we’re taking an inside look at Canada’s public health insurance system known as Medicare. What are the biggest misconceptions Americans have about it? What works, what doesn’t, and why? And what happens when a public system starts drifting toward privatization? This is part one of our conversation with Dr. Bernard Ho, an emergency physician in Toronto and Vice-Chair of Canadian Doctors for Medicare, a national evidence-based organization working to strengthen Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system. He is a lecturer at the University of Toronto, where he also earned his M.D. Bernard is currently completing his Masters of Public Administration at the Harvard Kennedy School. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! As of spring 2026, enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies have not been extended. Without congressional action, millions of Americans could face significantly higher premiums—or lose coverage altogether. Around 22 million people receive ACA premium subsidies, many of whom benefited from pandemic-era enhancements. If those aren’t restored, affordability for individuals buying their own coverage will take a major hit. Meanwhile, health care costs are rising across the board. Employer-sponsored insurance premiums have seen some of the largest increases in over a decade, shifting more costs to workers through higher premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses. Medicare premiums are also climbing, adding pressure on older adults. As coverage becomes less affordable, many people delay care, skip medications, or make tough financial tradeoffs just to get by. So what options do people have? Today, we revisit a timely 2025 conversation with Rachel Madley, executive director at the Center for Health and Democracy and former advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! What if the rising cost of health care - the surprise bills, the shrinking choices, the long waits — weren’t random at all, but largely the result of quiet, strategic consolidation happening behind the scenes? The Center for Health & Democracy has been working to reveal just this. Founded by former insurance executive-turned-whistleblower Wendell Potter, the organization shines a light on how corporate power shapes the American health care system — and what it means for patients and families. Joining us today is Rachel Madley, the Center’s Executive Director. A scientist by training and a federal health policy expert, Rachel also brings lived experience navigating the health system with Type 1 diabetes — giving her unique insight into how policy decisions ripple into real lives. Today, we’re talking about the Center’s recent Sunlight Report, a first-of-its-kind investigation into the corporate structure and expansion of UnitedHealth Group, the largest healthcare company in the world. The report pulls back the curtain on health care consolidation and reveals how deeply corporate expansion is reshaping who delivers care, how much it costs, and who ultimately benefits. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! Imagine two patients … same diagnosis, same medication, same country. Each one needs the same prescription. One gets their care through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the other gets it through Medicare. The price of the exact same drug could be half as much for one patient as for the other. That's not a glitch. It's how the system is designed. Our guest is Bob Coleman, a retired healthcare professional who spent more than 40 years serving veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs—as a clinical pharmacist, medical informaticist, and researcher. His latest ebook is called "Hostile Takeover: How Wall Street and Congress Hijacked American Healthcare and How We Can Take it Back." This is the second of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! Today, we’re talking about insurance denials, hidden incentives… and why getting care can feel like navigating a system designed to stop you. Our guest is Bob Coleman, a retired healthcare professional who spent more than 40 years serving veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs—as a clinical pharmacist, medical informaticist, and researcher. His latest ebook is called "Hostile Takeover: How Wall Street and Congress Hijacked American Healthcare and How We Can Take it Back." This is the first of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! Most employers don’t actually know what they’re paying for healthcare - and employees are paying the price. In this episode of Code WACK!, discover why companies are “flying blind” on healthcare costs, how opaque pricing drives higher premiums, and what this means for your coverage, care, and financial security. To learn more, we spoke with Chuck Melendi, who has more than three decades of experience in healthcare leadership, advocacy, and industry strategy. He spent 25 years at Johnson & Johnson, where he tackled issues including drug pricing, payer negotiations, policy, and commercial strategy. Chuck retired from Johnson & Johnson in early 2025 and went on to launch Disruptive Dialogue, a podcast and consulting platform where he shares insights from inside the U.S. healthcare system – while exploring ideas for reform. This is the second of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! What challenges do employers face when providing health coverage to their employees? And what role do health insurers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers—prescription drug middlemen known as PBMs—play in shaping costs, coverage, and access to care? To find out, we spoke with Chuck Melendi, who has more than three decades of experience in healthcare leadership, advocacy, and industry strategy. He spent 25 years at Johnson & Johnson, where he tackled issues including drug pricing, payer negotiations, policy, and commercial strategy. Chuck retired from Johnson & Johnson in early 2025 and went on to launch Disruptive Dialogue, a podcast and consulting platform where he shares insights from inside the U.S. healthcare system – while exploring ideas for reform. This is the first of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on CodeWACK! Today, most people on Medicaid get their care through private insurers called Managed Care Organizations, or MCOs—like Aetna and UnitedHealthcare. Critics say these companies add layers of bureaucracy that make it harder for patients—most of them low-income—to get care. They discourage physicians from accepting Medicaid patients by making them jump through hoops to get treatment pre-authorizations, or even to get paid. Are Managed Care companies making health care more expensive, not less? How are some states reacting? Are legislators starting to wake up and see through the hype? Some are. All this and more is discussed in a recent report from Physicians for a National Health Program, Removing the Middlemen from Medicaid. To unpack it, we spoke with Dr. Alankrita Olson, a public health physician and PNHP board member who advocates for a single-payer healthcare system. This is the 2nd of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on CodeWACK! Why are there middlemen in Medicaid—and what are they doing to our most vulnerable patients and physicians? How and why are private insurance intermediaries permitted to put profits ahead of patients? A recent report by Physicians for a National Health Program, titled Removing the Middlemen from Medicaid, pulls back the curtain on Managed Care Organizations (MCOs). To learn more, we spoke with Dr. Alankrita Olson, a public health physician and advocate for a universal single-payer system. She serves on the board of Physicians for a National Health Program and works to protect and expand healthcare access for all Americans. This is the first episode of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! We’re taking a closer look at what happens when private equity buys hospitals. Our guest is Dr. Renee Hsia (pronounced “Shaw”). An emergency physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Dr. Hsia explains how patients can be harmed when Wall Street firms take over health care. A Professor of Emergency Medicine and Health Policy at the University of California, San Francisco, she is also Vice Chair of Health Services Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and a core faculty member of the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. This is part two of our two-part series. Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What happens to staff and patients when private investors buy hospitals to make them more profitable? And why should this concern us all? To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Renee Hsia ( pronounced “Shaw”) an attending physician at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center and a Professor of Emergency Medicine and Health Policy at the University of California, San Francisco. She’s also Vice Chair of Health Services Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, and a core faculty member of the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. This is the first episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Millions of Americans have health insurance, but still can’t afford to use it. So what happens when high deductibles and corporate profit pressures shape the care patients receive? To break it down, we spoke with Dr. Adam Gaffney — a pulmonary and critical care physician, public health researcher, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He’s also a former president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and his work focuses on health care financing and national reform. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Why do Americans live about four years less, on average, than people in similar European countries, despite spending far more on health care? And why are so many dying from illnesses we already know how to prevent or treat? To help us unpack this, we spoke with Dr. Adam Gaffney — a pulmonary and critical care physician, public health researcher, and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He’s a former president of Physicians for a National Health Program, and his research and advocacy focus on health care financing and national reform. He’s also the author of To Heal Humankind: The Right to Health in History. This is part one of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Why are people in America resorting to receiving medical care in animal stalls - even if they have health insurance? What would it take to make volunteer stopgap clinics unnecessary - and who stands in the way of real reform? To break it down, we spoke with leading healthcare reform advocate and New York Times bestselling author Wendell Potter. A former health insurance executive turned industry whistleblower, Wendell now serves as board president of the Center for Health and Democracy, which advocates for healthcare reform, and editor-in-chief of HEALTHCARE Un-covered, which investigates healthcare corporations and insurance conglomerates. This is part two of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

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This time on Code WACK! Privatized Medicare now covers more than half of older adults nationwide. But how do Medicare Advantage plans’ lower star ratings, narrow networks, and “paper benefits” hit seniors of color hardest-and why are hospitals dropping these plans, leaving patients scrambling for care? Our guest is Dr. Belinda McIntosh, an Atlanta-based psychiatrist with more than 20 years of experience, Physicians for a National Health Program board member, and co-author of the PNHP report No Real Choices: How Medicare Advantage Fails Seniors of Color. This is part two of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! How does Medicare Advantage - also known as privatized Medicare - fail seniors … especially seniors of color? Why do many seniors find they actually have no other choice than an Advantage plan? What’s the consequence of that lack of choice? And how do Medicare Advantage insurance plans actually deepen racial and income disparities? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Belinda McIntosh — an Atlanta-based psychiatrist with more than 20 years of experience, a board member of Physicians for a National Health Program, and co-author of a new PNHP report titled “No Real Choices: How Medicare Advantage Fails Seniors of Color.” This is the first episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! This time on Code WACK! In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re rebroadcasting this episode examining how desegregation shaped the experiences of Black patients in America – and what still hasn’t changed. What does racism in medicine look like today? To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. Berney. It originally aired in March of 2025. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we’re rebroadcasting our Anthem Award–winning episode on one of the most overlooked civil rights battles in American history: the desegregation of hospitals. The episode features Dr. Barbara Berney, a distinguished public health scholar and the creator of the award-winning documentary Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution. Together, we explore how federal Medicare dollars were used as a powerful tool to force hospitals to integrate in the 1960s. We’re uplifting this groundbreaking story to educate a new generation about the critical role health care played in the civil rights movement - and to confront how racism still shapes access to care and health outcomes today. This is part one of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! As healthcare costs skyrocket and Americans face new coverage threats, California advocates are pushing for something bigger than simple fixes around the edges. We’re joined by longtime healthcare organizer Michael Lighty, who breaks down the fight for single payer, what’s at stake in 2026, and why unity may be the key to winning guaranteed healthcare for all. Michael is the president of Healthy California Now and has organized, advocated and developed policy for single payer Medicare for All nationally and in California for more than 30 years. This is the second episode in a two-part series with Michael Lighty. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Today we’re talking about rising healthcare costs and the renewed momentum behind Medicare for All. Recent polling shows majority support for the idea-across Democrats, independents, and even a notable share of Republicans-even when voters are told it would replace most private insurance and require higher taxes. As premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs continue to climb, healthcare affordability is once again front and center in the political debate. To help us unpack what’s driving this support-and whether it represents a real political opportunity-we’re joined by longtime healthcare advocate and policy strategist Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now and former healthcare constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. This is the first of two episodes with Michael Lighty. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! America is facing a looming crisis in caregiving with an aging population and scarce in-home care resources . Could neighborhood-based care networks offer answers? What becomes possible when they’re in place? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon, a scientist-turned-storyteller, caregiver and founder of a business helping neighbors build caring communities and local economies through community villages. She spent more than two years caring for her father, who lived with dementia, and is currently the unreimbursed caregiver for her elderly mother in Virginia. This is the second episode in a two-part series featuring Dr. Harmon. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Suddenly, with little notice, you may find yourself having to step into a caregiving role for a friend or family member. Maybe you already have. It could be an aging parent, an ailing partner or an injured child. What does it really cost—emotionally, physically, and financially—to care for someone you love? To find out, we recently spoke with Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Harmon, a scientist turned storyteller and caregiver whose life changed in an instant. What she thought would be a brief visit to her father ultimately became a years’ long caregiving journey that nearly pushed her to the brink—and ultimately inspired her vision for “vertical villages,” where neighbors foster caring communities and economies to support one another through life’s toughest moments. As the founder of Village Company 360 and the caregiver of her mother in Virgina, Dr. Harmon reveals just how unprepared our systems are for the caregiving crisis—and why all of us need to pay attention. This is the first episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Join us on a deep dive into the hidden forces behind soaring out-of-pocket costs, from rising medical costs to pandemic aftershocks and corporate profit pressures. Our guest, health insurance agent Sherry Davis Johnson, shares eye-opening stories from the front lines. We’ll also explore how the Affordable Care Act has saved lives, what protections still matter most, and what it really takes to navigate today’s healthcare maze. This is the second episode in a two part-series. Sherry Davis Johnson — a former nurse turned long–time insurance agent in Southern California — has seen our challenging healthcare system from every angle, as a nurse and home health provider, insurance agent and patient. Today, she’s here to help us make sense of it all. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! We’re digging into big questions: Are reduced health insurance subsidies leaving Americans with a bad case of sticker shock? If you’re shopping on the ACA marketplace, what should you watch out for before picking a plan? And what happens if you're pre-authorized for treatment in 2025, but can't afford to renew with the same plan in 2026? (It's not pretty). For these answers and more, we talked to Sherry Davis Johnson — a former nurse turned long–time insurance agent in Southern California. Sherry has seen our challenging healthcare system from every angle, as a nurse and home health provider, insurance agent and patient, having personally gone through five major surgeries in just two years. Today, she’s licensed in health, property, casualty, accident, and life insurance — and she’s here to help us make sense of it all.  Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Will Humana and UnitedHealth Group be found by the courts to have prematurely denied or cut off physician-ordered post-acute care for Medicare Advantage members using AI models with error rates as high as 90%? And could these same AI tools, which over 60% of doctors allege systematically deny patients necessary care, be used in Traditional Medicare as well? The answer is YES, depending on where you live. To learn more, we spoke with Jeremy White, author of InHumana: An American Healthcare Story, published recently by White Lines Press. Jeremy and his wife, Edie, founded the award-winning satirical publication Red Shtick Magazine and its online version, The Red Shtick. They live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This is the second episode of a two-part series with Jeremy about his new book. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Imagine watching your mom suffer a stroke and two seizures that left her unable to use her right side… and then having her Medicare Advantage health insurer deny coverage for the nursing home care she desperately needs. Now imagine learning that the decision to deny her coverage may have been based on artificial intelligence (AI) instead of clinical observation by a qualified medical professional! Here to share this shocking personal story is Jeremy White, author of InHumana: An American Healthcare Story, published by White Lines Press. Jeremy and his wife, Edie, founded the award-winning satirical publication Red Shtick Magazine — and its online version, The Red Shtick. They live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, near Jeremy’s mother. This is the first episode of a two-part series with Jeremy about his new book. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! How do health insurance hassles like denials and preauthorizations exacerbate inequities in our broken healthcare system? How do they rob physicians of precious time caring for patients and even jeopardize their practices? And why are some big insurance companies buying up physician practices? To find out, we recently spoke with Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart, a private practice orthopedic surgeon in northern New Jersey. Harvard-trained in biomedical engineering with an MD and PhD from Johns Hopkins, Dr. Urquhart is the author of the forthcoming book The Invisible Hand Wielding the Scalpel: Paying the Price in America’s Fractured Healthcare System. This is the second episode of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Why can working as a doctor in America feel like being on a battleground? What questionable tactics are insurance companies using? How are they affecting patients and physicians alike? And when coverage is denied, what can patients do? (See Helpful Links below for tips on appeals.) To find out, we recently spoke with Dr. Erica Rowe Urquhart, a private practice orthopedic surgeon in northern New Jersey. A Harvard-trained biomedical engineer with an MD and PhD from Johns Hopkins, Dr. Urquhart is the author of the forthcoming book The Invisible Hand Wielding the Scalpel: Paying the Price in America’s Fractured Healthcare System. This is the first episode of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Millions of Americans are expected to forgo buying health insurance starting in 2026 as the cost of their coverage soars. Others who currently qualify for Medicaid may find the rules have changed and they are no longer eligible. What can people do when they need care but can’t afford it? And why are young people especially at risk? To find out, we spoke with Rachel Madley, director of policy and advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously served as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and worked in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Having struggled personally with a chronic medical condition, Rachel shares her firsthand experience staying alive despite America's cruel healthcare system. This is the second episode of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! With millions of Americans poised to lose their health coverage due to government cuts to Medicaid and other health programs, what can you do to protect your health and access to care? If you find yourself uninsured, are there ways to get free or low-cost prescription meds and health care? To find out, we spoke with Rachel Madley, director of policy and advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. She previously served as health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and worked in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Having struggled personally with a chronic medical condition, Rachel shares her firsthand experience staying alive despite America's cruel healthcare system. This is the first episode of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! What will happen when Medicaid is slashed for millions of people as a result of Trump’s H.R. 1, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill?” How will the largest rollback of the social safety net in over 50 years harm children, families, and rural communities – and what could it mean for states that recently expanded Medicaid, like North Carolina? To find out, we spoke to Jennifer Wells, director of Economic Justice at Community Change Action, where she leads the organization’s work to advance policies and practices that improve the material conditions of low-income communities. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

New from CodeWACK! Medicaid Saved My Mom’s Life – But Trump Could End It for Millions by Nurse Talk

This time on Code WACK! As a consequence of Trump's drastic cuts to Medicaid and other health programs, experts estimate that between nearly 8 million and 10 million more Americans will be uninsured by 2034. These include the most vulnerable among us, people who depend on Medicaid because they are poor, ill and/or live with disabilities. And here’s the kicker: experiencing disability isn’t as rare or improbable as we’d like to think. That's why this fight for health care is about all of us—our families, our neighbors, and our future. From hospital care to home-based services to keeping rural clinics alive, Medicaid is a pillar of our healthcare system—and when it’s weakened, entire communities feel the impact. So what happens when that pillar is damaged? We recently spoke to Andy Imparato, executive director of Disability Rights California, and policy analyst Sabrina Epstein. This is the second episode in a two-part series with Disability Rights California. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What’s already changing for people with disabilities now that President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” has been signed into law? From pediatric clinics closing their doors to looming cuts in home and community-based services, the fallout is just beginning — and it’s hitting hard. Today we’re joined by two staff members of Disability Rights California, Executive Director Andy Imparato and Policy Analyst Sabrina Epstein, who have been working to track the bill’s impact and fight for the rights of those with disabilities across the state. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Disability Rights California. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! We talk a lot about how our healthcare system fails us when we get sick, but what about when regulators fail to PREVENT ILLNESS? Case in point: lead poisoning. It’s not just a danger from the past. Thousands of children are sickened from lead poisoning each year across the country. This week we’re looking at New York State which has older, poorly maintained housing stock in several areas, and where we’ve seen some of the highest incidences of lead poisoning in the country. So why hasn’t the state legislature passed the Lead Paint Right to Know Act, a bill that could help protect families from this entirely preventable harm? To learn more, we recently spoke with Shannon Burkett, a New York mother whose son Cooper was diagnosed with lead poisoning as an infant in 2008. Shannon is also the writer, producer, and editor of the podcast LEAD: How This Story Ends Is Up to Us. Both Shannon, a registered nurse, and Cooper, now 18, have been powerful voices in the fight to end lead poisoning. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Imagine discovering that your infant child—your nine-month-old baby—has lead poisoning – a toxin banned from paint and phased out of gasoline decades ago. So why do thousands of children each year have dangerously high levels of lead in their system? We spoke with New York mom, nurse, and advocate Shannon Burkett, whose son Cooper developed lead poisoning that stole his words, halted his development, and nearly cost him his life. Shannon is also the writer, producer, and editor of the podcast LEAD: How This Story Ends Is Up to Us, which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival 2025, starring Merritt Wever and Cynthia Nixon. She’s a registered nurse, a mother of three, and a fierce voice in the fight to end lead poisoning. This is the first of a two-part series with Shannon Burkett. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What happens when millions are stripped of Medicaid coverage? Who shoulders the costs when hospitals are forced to care for more uninsured patients? And how will unions and the workers they represent bear the brunt of skyrocketing premiums, job losses, and a growing healthcare crisis? Today we're joined by Cindy Young, a veteran labor negotiator and health policy advisor, and now vice president of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and of Healthy California Now. Cindy has spent decades fighting for healthcare justice and protecting workers' rights. She breaks down Trump's so-called One Big, Beautiful Bill, explains why unions are sounding the alarm and reveals what's really at stake for working families, seniors, and communities across America. This is the first episode in a two-part series in honor of Labor Day. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What happens when millions are stripped of Medicaid coverage? Who shoulders the costs when hospitals are forced to care for more uninsured patients? And how will unions and the workers they represent bear the brunt of skyrocketing premiums, job losses, and a growing healthcare crisis? Today we're joined by Cindy Young, a veteran labor negotiator and health policy advisor, and now vice president of the California Alliance for Retired Americans and of Healthy California Now. Cindy has spent decades fighting for healthcare justice and protecting workers' rights. She breaks down Trump's so-called One Big, Beautiful Bill, explains why unions are sounding the alarm and reveals what's really at stake for working families, seniors, and communities across America. This is the first episode in a two-part series in honor of Labor Day. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! What if California, Oregon, and Washington joined forces to win federal approval for universal, single-payer healthcare? Could a united West Coast shift the balance of power in America’s healthcare debate? To find out, we recently spoke with Michael Lighty, president of the single payer advocacy coalition Healthy California Now. Michael ’s a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute, and he was healthcare constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. Most recently, he co-wrote and was a leader in the successful campaign to enact California’s Senate Bill 770, a critical step toward negotiating the federal waivers the Golden State needs to build a universal, publicly financed healthcare system. Join us as we explore how these three states are moving to collaborate toward a common goal — and why this could be a game-changer for patients, politics, and policy nationwide. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on Code WACK! Why are some Americans choosing to go off the health insurance grid? For Lani Gonzales, entrepreneur and hypnotherapist, it was the mounting frustration with denials, delays … and ultimately being dropped by her health insurer through no fault of her own. So instead of reapplying, she walked away—and pieced together a system for herself. Combining medical tourism, concierge medicine, a health share, and even reclaiming her Philippine citizenship, Lani took an unconventional route to take control of her health care. What drove her to make these radical changes—and what can we learn from her journey? This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! What would you do if your health insurer suddenly dropped you—and the care you needed cost thousands out of pocket? That’s what happened to Lani Gonzales, a former attorney from Florida who thought she understood contracts—until she came face-to-face with America’s broken healthcare system. After experiencing medical debt and being denied coverage for vital health treatments, Lani asked herself: Why keep playing a game that’s rigged against me? Her search for affordable, compassionate care led her across the border to Mexico – and to some surprising lessons about what health care in America could look like. This is the first episode in a two-part series with Lani.

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! Most of us know that our profit-driven healthcare system results in moral injury. How is moral harming physicians? And how is it harming patients? Dr. Diljeet Singh is an integrative gynecologic oncologist and the president of Physicians for a National Health Program. She’s leading a powerful new project with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to find out. By gathering stories from doctors and patients across the country, her team is uncovering how corporate control and financial pressures are fueling moral injury in medicine—and what it will take to make things right. From physicians losing autonomy to entire communities losing access to care, the stakes are real—and deeply personal. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! What happens when doctors feel forced to act against their own moral compass? When financial barriers—not clinical judgment—determine the care a patient receives? We’re talking about moral injury in medicine—how it’s affecting physicians, harming patients, and why it’s getting worse under our profit-driven healthcare system. Joining us is Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and president of Physicians for a National Health Program. She shares powerful stories from her own practice—and from the front lines of American healthcare—that reveal a deeper crisis than just burnout. This is the first episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

As Trump Administration attacks on public health care ramp up, what’s California doing to fight back? Can the state break free from a system that puts profits over patients — and build a truly universal, single-payer healthcare system? Or will political roadblocks and federal inaction keep us stuck in a broken status quo? Bottom line, how close can California - the 4th largest economy in the world - get to single payer on its own? To find out, we spoke with Michael Lighty, president of Healthy California Now who has organized, advocated and developed policy for single-payer Medicare for All nationally and in California for over three decades. He’s a founding fellow of the Sanders Institute, and he was healthcare constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. Most recently, he co-wrote and was a leader in the successful campaign to enact California’s Senate Bill 770, a critical step toward negotiating the federal waivers the Golden State needs to build a universal, publicly financed healthcare system. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

What does freedom really mean when, in 2025, health care costs more than $31,000 a year for the average American family? This Independence Day, we’re revisiting a powerful conversation about how single-payer healthcare could slash costs, unleash innovation, and expand access for all. Could it also help revive the American Dream of owning your own business? Ian Lewis, now with Unite Here Local 2 but at the time of this interview, with National Union of Healthcare Workers, breaks down how our current system burdens small businesses, stifles entrepreneurship—and what a bold reform could change. Could Medicare for All be the key to greater financial security, opportunity, and true independence for millions of Americans? While Ian ends the interview on an optimistic note, the political context for healthcare reform has changed dramatically since this episode. Funding for public health insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare are on the chopping block and the threat of privatization is greater than ever. Keep up with the latest news on health policy reform by subscribing for updates at heal-ca.org/take-action. And keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-free donation: https://heal-ca.org/donate/

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! As millions of Americans face losing their health coverage, what can single-payer advocates do right now to protect our care and push for something better? What’s truly at stake for our country—and especially for its most vulnerable residents? To find out, we spoke to Michael Lighty, president of the Healthy California Now coalition and former constituency director for the Bernie 2020 campaign. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! How are young people pushing back against a potential rollback that could once again block DACA recipients, or Dreamers, and thousands of others from enrolling in Affordable Care Act coverage? And why do advocates call this potential move by the Trump administration extremely dangerous? To find out, we spoke with Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles, the nation’s largest young adult policy and advocacy organization. Kristin leads efforts to elevate the voices of young adults in the political process and expand their access to economic opportunity. This is the second episode in our two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

THIS WEEK ON CODE WACK! As federal officials carry out large-scale, military-style raids and widespread arrests of undocumented immigrants, another fight is quietly brewing — one that could push thousands of people off their health insurance. More than half a million young people who were brought to the U.S. as children and grew up here could soon lose eligibility for affordable and subsidized health coverage. A new rule proposed by the Trump Administration would once again block DACA recipients from buying Marketplace insurance or receiving financial assistance. What would this mean for their health, their communities and the widening gap in health and economic equity? To find out, we spoke with Kristin McGuire, Executive Director of Young Invincibles — the nation’s largest young adult policy and advocacy organization — where she leads the charge to amplify the voices of young adults in the political process. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation.

This time on CodeWACK! How are big insurance companies dodging the very rules meant to protect patients — and turning our health care system into a profit machine for Wall Street? What can we the people do to stop it? Join us as we dive into the dark side of corporate loopholes, for-profit health care, and policy failure with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former FDA staffer and health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Rachel played a key role in crafting and reintroducing the House Medicare for All bill in 2023. With a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, she brings both scientific rigor and firsthand policy experience to this eye-opening conversation. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! Are Americans finally waking up to the truth about single-payer healthcare? With new Medicare for All bills recently reintroduced in Congress, we’re setting the record straight. Will it really save us money? Is it socialized medicine? And why aren't our legislators addressing the REAL causes of our skyrocketing healthcare costs? To unpack this, we spoke with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — lead sponsor of the House Medicare for All bill — Rachel helped shape and reintroduce the landmark legislation in 2023. She’s also a former FDA staffer and holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, where she was active in both Physicians for a National Health Program and Students for a National Health Program. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! Medicare for All is back in the spotlight! With two new bills recently introduced in Congress, what makes these proposals different from earlier versions— and why are some advocates feeling hopeful, even in the current political climate? What would a truly public, universal health care system look like, and how could it help curb the soaring costs, corporate greed, and bureaucracy plaguing our current system? To unpack this, we spoke with Rachel Madley, Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Center for Health and Democracy. A former health policy advisor to Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal — lead sponsor of the House Medicare for All bill — Rachel helped shape and reintroduce the landmark legislation in 2023. She’s also a former FDA staffer and holds a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Columbia University, where she was active in both Physicians for a National Health Program and Students for a National Health Program. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

New on CodeWACK! Sex Ed, Medicaid, & Abortion Access: A trio of policies worth fighting for by Nurse Talk

This week on CodeWACK! How is America doing on sexual and reproductive health nearly three years after the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade? What are the real-life human rights consequences of abortion bans now sweeping across many states? To unpack the fallout, we spoke with Jennie Wetter, Director of the rePROs Fight Back initiative at The Population Institute, where she champions sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice every day. Jennie also hosts the rePros Fight Back Podcast, offering deep dives into abortion access, birth control, sex ed, LGBTQ+ rights, and more. This is part one of a powerful two-part series with Jennie. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! Single payer is back in the spotlight with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Pramila Jayapal submitting new Medicare for All bills for 2025-26! How will the upcoming National Day of Action on May 31st keep the need for healthcare reform in the spotlight? And how do physicians feel about single payer today, 60 years after the American Medical Association’s infamous ‘stealth campaign’ against socialized medicine (featuring none other than Ronald Reagan)? To find out, we recently talked to Dr. Ana Malinow, who spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children before retiring as clinical professor of Pediatrics from UC San Francisco School of Medicine. The past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, she is on the steering committee of National Single Payer. She’s also a lead organizer for The Movement to End Privatization of Medicare. This is the second episode in a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! Why is National Single Payer organizing a National Day of Action on May 31 amid cuts and freezes to public health programs? How has an incremental approach to universal health care in America made comprehensive healthcare reform more difficult? To find out, we recently talked to Dr. Ana Malinow, who spent three decades working as a pediatrician with immigrant, refugee and underserved children before retiring as clinical professor of Pediatrics from UC San Francisco School of Medicine. The past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, she is on the steering committee of National Single Payer. She’s also a lead organizer for The Movement to End Privatization of Medicare. This is the first episode in a two-part series. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! The Wyoming legislature effectively shut down the only surgical abortion clinic in the state. How did it use "TRAP" (Targeted Regulations Against Abortion Providers) as its legislative strategy? And how does this make getting an abortion even more challenging for residents in Wyoming and nearby states that have abortion bans? We recently spoke to Julie Burkhart, longtime reproductive rights advocate, founder and CEO of Trust Women Foundation, which works to expand access to abortion care in underserved communities. Julie is president of Wellspring Health Access, in Caspar, Wyoming and a protégé of Dr. George Tiller, who was murdered for providing abortion care in 2009. This is the second episode in a two-part series. We interviewed Julie just before the Wyoming legislature passed a bill that effectively shut down her women’s health clinic in Casper, Wyoming. Since this interview, the clinic has put a pause on performing abortions and is awaiting further guidance from a regulatory body. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on CodeWACK! What’s it like operating an abortion clinic in Wyoming, one of the most anti-abortion states in the nation? Meet Julie Burkhart — longtime reproductive rights advocate, founder and CEO of Trust Women Foundation, which works to expand access to abortion care in underserved communities, and protégé of Dr. George Tiller, who was murdered for providing abortion care. Hear how Dr. Tiller’s legacy lives on through her work. Why are patients traveling hundreds of miles for abortion care, post-Roe? What’s it been like to offer care in as state where arson, litigation, and political threats against reproductive care providers are part of daily life. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! Can our local health departments counteract the mixed messages given by RFK, Jr. the secretary of Health and Human Services, about vaccine safety and efficacy? What about us? How can we combat disinformation and highlight the benefits of vaccinating our children and ourselves? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit. As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! What could Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s appointment as Secretary of Health and Human Services mean for the public health of everyday Americans, given his history of vaccine misinformation? With measles already on the rise and deadly, and the looming threat of future pandemics, how might his leadership shape the nation’s response to infectious diseases? To find out, we spoke with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed—physician, epidemiologist, author, and county health commissioner. He is formerly the health director for the city of Detroit. As the host of the award-winning America Dissected podcast, he breaks down the forces shaping public health for tens of thousands of listeners each week. This is the first of two episodes with Dr. El-Sayed. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! How is Ireland’s plan for single-tier, universal health care, known as Sláintecare, funded? Is it sustainable long term? What improvements has the nation’s healthcare system seen so far – and what can America learn from this? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Sara Burke, associate professor and director of the Centre for Health Policy and Management in Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine. She is the Principal Investigator of a research project entitled 'Health system foundations for Sláintecare implementation in 2020 and beyond …’ and Co-Director of SPHeRE, Ireland’s national research training program for population health, policy and health services research. Her research interests include health policy, inequities in health, healthcare access and the politics of health reform. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. Burke. And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re featuring Ireland’s healthcare reform agenda known as Sláintecare. What healthcare challenges have plagued the country – and how will Sláintecare help? To find out, we interviewed Dr. Sara Burke, associate professor and director of the Centre for Health Policy and Management in Trinity College Dublin’s School of Medicine. She is the Principal Investigator of a research project entitled 'Health system foundations for Sláintecare implementation in 2020 and beyond …’ and Co-Director of SPHeRE, Ireland’s national research training program for population health, policy and health services research. Her research interests include health policy, inequities in health, healthcare access and the politics of health reform. This is the first of two episodes with Dr. Burke. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more! And please keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This time on Code WACK! How did desegregation impact Black patients in America? What hasn’t changed? What does racism in medicine look like today? And what should we do when we see it? To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. Berney. Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate

This time on Code WACK! What did segregation look like in hospitals and medical facilities in America, and did it only extend to the South? What finally brought an end to the deadly practice that cost countless Black and Brown lives? To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She’s also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system. This is the first of two episodes with Dr. Berney. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! What would cutting off or limiting Social Security benefits – or privatizing Social Security – mean for the roughly 68 million retirees who rely on such benefits? And what could that mean for those who receive disability benefits? To break it down, we spoke with Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, an organization fighting to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; lower drug prices; and ensure health care as a human right. This is part two of a two-part series. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! What’s at stake for Medicaid—the lifeline for millions of low-income Americans—under President Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress determined to slash spending? How would cutting Medicaid affect the more than 72 million people who rely on it for health care? And is Social Security next on the chopping block? To break it down, we spoke with Alex Lawson, executive director of Social Security Works, an organization fighting to protect and expand Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; lower drug prices; and ensure health care as a human right. This is part one of a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK! Why are some 200,000 Americans dying each year due to issues with their health insurance and access to care? Would a single payer healthcare system put a stop to this? To find out, we interviewed Dr. James G. Kahn, an expert in health policy and economics, and advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Justice Monitor. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!

This time on Code WACK! The strong reactions to the tragic murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by alleged killer Luigi Mangione are bringing renewed attention to the abuses of for-profit health insurance. How does our complex, costly, and callous for-profit healthcare system contribute to America's high mortality rate and how many people are believed to die each year as a result? To find out, we interviewed Dr. James G. Khan, an expert in health policy and economics, and advisor to Code WACK! and editor and primary blogger of Health Justice Monitor, a health policy blog.

This time on Code WACK! For the second episode in our two-part series on racism in medicine, in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr, we’re asking the question: What is racially concordant care and how does it help save lives? What else can be done to reduce deadly disparities in medicine? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Uché Blackstock. Blackstock, author of the New York Times best-selling book “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine,” which is now available in paperback. She’s also the founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, an organization that aims to dismantle racism in healthcare and narrow racial health inequities. Blackstock was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in Global Health and one of the Top 13 Innovators Shaping the Future of Health by Fortune Magazine.

This time on Code WACK! In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy of equality and justice for all, we welcome Dr. Uché Blackstock, author of the New York Times bestselling book “Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine.” Trained as an ER physician, the Harvard Medical School graduate is founder and CEO of Advancing Health Equity, an organization that aims to dismantle racism in healthcare and narrow health inequities.

This time on Code WACK! How is the Department of Veterans Affairs becoming increasingly privatized and what could this mean for those who have served and sacrificed for our country? Is corporate health insurance better than the VA healthcare system - or not? How is privatization affecting the financial viability of the VA -- and what can be done to stop it? To find out, we recently spoke to Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Center for Health and Democracy. He’s also the author of the Substack newsletter HEALTH CARE un-covered where he recently penned a post entitled “Privatizing the VA: The Unseen Costs to Veterans and Taxpayers Alike.”

This time on Code WACK! Why have U.S. administrations from both sides of the aisle chosen to privatize Medicare and how has that complicated health care for patients? How do mega insurance companies benefit as a result? How much is all this costing us, anyway? And what can we do about it? To find out, we spoke with Wendell Potter, a former health insurance industry executive turned whistleblower, the New York Times bestselling author of Deadly Spin and the president of the Center for Health and Democracy. He’s also the author of the Substack newsletter HEALTH CARE un-covered which chronicles out-of-control profiteering in U.S. health care, its impact on everyday Americans, and potential policy solutions.

THIS TIME ON CODE WACK! In the wake of the recent presidential election, we’re revisiting one of our favorite podcast episodes from 2023 about the hurdles America's Indigenous peoples face in accessing health care. What’s being done to help elder Native Americans receive culturally competent long term care? Would it surprise you to learn that relying on the Indian Health Service may not be enough to meet their needs? Why are some members of this highly vulnerable population buying health insurance too? To find out, we spoke to Elder Billie Tohee, executive director of the Albuquerque-based National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) and former chair of the board.

This time on Code WACK! What could another Trump presidency mean for the rise in Medicare private plans and what would that mean for patient care and financial waste in our healthcare system and for the Medicare Trust Fund? To find out, we recently interviewed Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and incoming president of Physicians for a National Health Program [PNHP]. With more than 25,000 members across the United States, PNHP advocates for a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program. This is the second episode in a two-part series.

This time on Code WACK! Why are seniors between a rock and a hard place when choosing between various Medicare options? How do private Medicare plans, known as Medicare Advantage, limit patients’ options and why are they considered riskier than traditional Medicare? And what's the ‘Medigap Trap?’ To find out, we spoke to Dr. Diljeet Singh, an integrative gynecologic oncologist and the incoming president of Physicians for a National Health Program [PNHP]. With more than 25,000 members across the United States, PNHP advocates for a universal, comprehensive, single-payer national health program.

This time on Code WACK! What questionable justifications did a major insurance company give to repeatedly deny coverage to treat a baby’s brain tumor? What would have been the financial impact on the family if they had to pay for their baby's treatment out-of-pocket? What specific health policies could we implement to avoid situations like this? To find out, we spoke to Dr. Eunice Stallman, a psychiatrist in Idaho and mother of two-year-old Zoey, who has suffered seizures and developmental delays because of a brain tumor discovered when she was an infant. This is the second episode in a two-part series.