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“Imagine a COVID-esque pandemic now taking shape when people have less access to doctors, less access to medicine, less access to care.” —Jennifer Wells
Think Trump’s Medicaid Cuts
Won’t Hit You? Think Again.
Featuring
Jennifer Wells
Community Change Action
Find us on Apple podcasts, our website or your favorite podcast platform.
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Breaking News in Healthcare Reform
“One of Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s marquee mental health programs may broaden its reach despite persistent questions about the number of people it’s helping and whether it’s achieving the goals he set out for it when it launched.”
New California Law Expands Newsom’s Mental Health Court. Will It Help More People?
CalMatters | Jocelyn Wiener, Marisa Kendall | October 10, 2025
“Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 1,563 measles cases in 2025 as of Oct. 7, with the majority linked to outbreaks within the U.S….”
Hundreds of U.S. Students Quarantined Amid Measles Outbreaks
NBC News | Erika Edwards | October 10, 2025
“…consumers across the country are already confronting skyrocketing premiums and difficult choices….”
Shoppers of Affordable Care Act Coverage Are Already Being Hit With Sticker Shock
Center for American Progress | Natasha Murphy, Neda Ashtari | October 9, 2025
“…this is not about abortion funding, but rather the denial of access to health centers that provide essential, lifesaving care….”
Judge Denies Trump Admin Attempt to Pause Medicaid Case Amid Shutdown
Newsweek | Lauren Giella | October 9, 2025
“Insurance companies … automatically downgrade the claims a doctor sends them to a lower tier of reimbursement, without actually reviewing details about the visit itself.”
‘Guilty Until Proven Innocent’: Inside the Fight Between Doctors and Insurance Companies Over ‘Downcoding’
NBC News | Kenzi Abou-Sabe | October 9, 2025
“The likely mass exodus comes after health insurance plan Health Net terminated its contract with Soul Housing, which was — until recently — L.A. County’s largest recuperative care provider, with more than 1,300 beds across 16 facilities.”
Hundreds of Angelenos in Recuperative Care Facilities Face Homelessness After Health Net Ends Contract
LAist | Aaron Schrank | October 8, 2025
“Experts have attributed the increased rate of closures to a number of factors, including demographic shifts, workforce shortages and financial reasons. Advocates say closures mean patients have to travel further to deliver a baby.”
Another Hospital in Southern California Will Close Its Maternity Ward. Here’s Where Things Stand
LAist | Elly Yu | October 8, 2025
“Such practices, referred to as indirect tax arbitrage, generated nonprofit hospitals and health systems an estimated $9.4 billion in profit during 2022…. About $2.9 billion of that return … was generated by the largest 1% of nonprofits — 23 organizations out of more than 2,200 nationwide.”
Large Nonprofit Hospitals Taking Full Advantage of Low-Interest Debt, Untaxed Investments, Researchers Say
Fierce Healthcare | Dave Muoio | October 7, 2025
“In the end, it’s up to Congress to decide not only whether these subsidies continue, but whether big social policies like this should be settled through last-minute budget showdowns.”
Health Insurance Subsidy Standoff Pits Affordable Care for Millions Against Federal Budget Constraints
The Conversation | Wendy Netter Epstein, Christopher Robertson | October 6, 2025
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Shining a light on ongoing inequities in health care
and the impact they have on vulnerable individuals and communities.
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