New data from the New York Times reveals a healthcare crisis unfolding faster than almost anyone predicted. Miles and Dr. Erin Stevens break down the fallout from Congress’s failure to extend enhanced ACA premium subsidies. We’ve seen a 13% drop in Obamacare enrollment and roughly one in eleven Americans now uninsured, reversing years of historic progress.
They dig into who’s really absorbing the cost: safety-net and rural hospitals, many already teetering on closure, are seeing deficits balloon as uninsured patients still show up needing (and legally guaranteed) care. Dr. Stevens shares an on-the-ground look at Minnesota’s own near-miss with a major safety-net hospital closure, and explains why labor and delivery units, which are often the first services cut, are driving a growing maternal care crisis in rural communities.
The conversation also turns to politics: Donald Trump’s approval ratings has fallen into the low 30s in some recent polls. Miles and Dr. Stevens explore whether healthcare pain is starting to catch up with public opinion and what it might mean heading into the midterms.
