Fresh off the Committee to Protect Healthcare’s first National Organizing Summit in Chicago, Miles Baker and Dr. Rob Davidson break down a chaotic week in American health policy where ideology is colliding head-on with public health reality.
First, the hosts dive into explosive reporting exposing an absentee RFK Jr. at HHS, whose single-minded fixation on conspiracy theories has left critical public health infrastructure unattended during active global outbreaks. While he might be checked out of day-to-day management, his team is actively hunting for access to Americans’ private medical records, raising massive HIPAA, privacy, and political weaponization alarms.
Plus, a look at the very real, very dangerous consequences of the anti-pasteurization movement as Idaho tackles a massive raw milk bacterial outbreak.
And we dissect Speaker Mike Johnson’s “secret plan” to alter entitlement programs post-election and look at the fracturing political momentum of the MAHA movement in key midterm battlegrounds.
In the second half of the show, Miles and Dr. Rob discuss the newly released interim final rule on Medicaid work requirements, a policy shift projected to strip health insurance from upward of 5 million Americans by 2034. They are joined by two expert guests to cut through the disinformation and lay out the ground reality:
Alice Miranda Ollstein (Senior Health Care Reporter, Politico) breaks down the national policy landscape, the administrative hurdles designed to trigger coverage losses, and the unexpected political fallout.
Anusha Thadakura (Health Care Advocate, Illinois) zooms in on the state level to share what these sweeping changes actually mean for working-class families on the ground.
Take Action: The “interim final rule” on Medicaid work requirements is open for public feedback. Submit a public comment and ensure your voice is part of the legal and public record before the January 1 deadline HERE
LINKS
The New York Times: Kennedy Shows Minimal Engagement With Vast Health Portfolio
CNN: RFK Jr. seeks to peek at Americans’ medical records for clues on autism and vaccines
Idaho Capital Sun: Nearly 60 Idahoans sick after drinking raw milk in past two weeks, officials say
ProPublica: The Milkman
POLITICO: RFK Jr.’s movement was supposed to save the GOP’s majorities. It’s not even in the game.
The Washington Post: Social Security shortfall expected to accelerate, with funds at critical low in 2032
MSNOW: Speaker Johnson eyes a new ‘plan’ for Social Security and Medicare to be shared in 2027
NBC News: Trump admin outlines who would be exempt from Medicaid work requirements
Healthcare Dive: Over half of Medicaid enrollees say they’re unaware of upcoming work requirements
POLITICO: How sick is sick enough? New Medicaid work rule worries patient advocates, states.
Alice Miranda Ollstein on Bluesky
Alice Miranda Ollstein on Instagram
Anusha Thotakura at Citizen Action - Illinois
Citizen Action - Illinois on X
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