What’s Different About Covering Health Policy in a Second Trump Term?
In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a sobering figure: 91,000 premature deaths in the U.S. each year are tied to air pollution from burning oil and gas—roughly 3% of all annual deaths. He then revisits a 2019 study that followed seniors with diabetes after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, finding a 40% spike in mortality in the month after the storms and lingering risk for years due to disrupted care. New York Times health policy correspondent Margot Sanger-Katz joins to reflect on what feels different about covering health policy under the second Trump administration: an unprecedented volume and pace of policy shifts, the challenge of helping readers navigate overwhelming change and the role of journalism as both analyst and explainer.Dr. Jha discusses:The health burden and racial-ethnic disparities of air pollution from the major oil and gas lifecycle stages in the United States — Science AdvancesLong-term Effects of Disasters on Seniors With Diabetes: Evidence From Hurricanes Katrina and Rita — Diabetes CareAbout the GuestMargot Sanger-Katz is a Domestic Correspondent for the New York Times who writes for The Upshot on how government influences the American health care system. Her reporting focuses on health care policy and public health, as well as the federal budget and efforts to change it.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky
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17:55
What Does It Mean to Start a Public Health Education Today?
In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights a major shift in U.S. food safety: federal surveillance of foodborne pathogens is being scaled back from eight to just two, raising concerns about missed threats from oysters, raw milk, and other emerging risks. He then examines a new BMJ study on the No Surprises Act, which finds patients’ out-of-pocket costs dropped by an average of $567 per year after the law took effect. Finally, Dr. Jha is joined by Melissa Ponce, a first-year MPH student at Brown University, who reflects on her path into public health, her commitment to health equity and what inspires her to pursue change through policy and practice.Dr. Jha discusses:The CDC quietly scaled back a surveillance program for foodborne illnesses — NBC NewsPatient healthcare spending after the No Surprises Act: quasi-experimental difference-in-differences study — BMJAbout the GuestMelissa Ponce is a first-year Master's of Public Health student at the Brown University School of Public Health. A first-generation college student, she graduated with a B.A. in Public Health with Honors from Brown University. She is passionate about translating research into practice to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. During her undergraduate studies, she worked extensively on research projects focused on Latinx behavioral health disparities.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky
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10:01
Can AI Unlock the Language of Biology — Safely?
In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha spotlights a striking new number: a 15% expected median increase in ACA health insurance premiums by 2026, with even steeper out-of-pocket costs if enhanced federal subsidies expire. He then reviews a study on California’s transition to zero-emission vehicles, showing real-world health benefits of electric cars. Dr. Shankar Sundaram, Director of the Bioresiliency Incubator at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, joins to explore the convergence of AI and biology, supercharged by advances in computing, as well as the associated benefits and risks.Dr. Jha discusses:Individual market insurers requesting largest premium increases in more than 5 years — Peterson-KFF Health System TrackerCalifornia's early transition to electric vehicles: Observed health and air quality co-benefits — Science of the Total EnvironmentAbout the GuestDr. Shankar Sundaram currently serves as the Director of the Bioresiliency Incubator at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was formerly the senior director of global health security and biodefense at the White House. In his current capacity, he leads the laboratory’s bioengineering strategy and technology development activities that address critical challenges in health and biosecurity. He also serves on the LLNL leadership team that oversees lab programs in biosciences and bioengineering.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky
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15:40
How Will BioRadar Help Us Detect the Unknown Unknowns?
In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha highlights increasing denial rates by health insurers for drug prescriptions, a sharp rise driven in part by expensive GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss. He then unpacks a JAMA study tracking U.S. healthcare spending by condition and county, with wide geographic spending variations driven as much by prices as by disease burden. Distinguished Senior Fellow Nikki Romanik joins to discuss the concept of a BioRadar system — city-level pilots integrating environmental, clinical, and behavioral data to establish biological baselines and detect unknown threats early. Dr. Jha discusses:Health Insurers Are Denying More Drug Claims, Data Shows — New York TimesTracking US Health Care Spending by Health Condition and County — JAMAAbout the GuestDr. Nikki Romanik is a Distinguished Senior Fellow in Global Health Security at the Brown University School of Public Health. She previously served as the former Special Assistant to the President, Deputy Director and Chief of Staff for the Inaugural Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy at the White House. With over 15 years of experience at the forefront of national and international public health initiatives, Dr. Romanik has been dedicated to mitigating biological threats, strengthening pandemic preparedness, responding to outbreaks and pandemics, and ensuring global resilience in the face of public health crises. Prior to her service at the White House, she held senior leadership positions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, and the World Health Organization.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky
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14:11
How Can Public Health Win Back the Public’s Confidence?
In this episode of A Moment in Health, Dr. Ashish Jha spotlights a major shift in Medicare Advantage: UnitedHealth Group plans to drop 600,000 enrollees amid financial pressures, raising questions about the program’s size, costs, and overpayments. He then examines a new JAMA study on the VA Mission Act and its effects on access and quality of care for veterans. Dr. Richard Besser, pediatrician and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who served as CDC Director during the H1N1 pandemic, joins to reflect on the once-bipartisan spirit of public health and the challenges of rebuilding trust after COVID-19’s politicization.Dr. Jha discusses:UnitedHealthcare to exit certain Medicare Advantage markets as costs balloon, impacting 600K enrollees — Fierce HealthcareImpact of the MISSION Act on Quality and Outcomes of Major Cardiovascular Procedures Among Veterans — JAMAAbout the GuestDr. Richard Besser is president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), a position he assumed in April 2017 following a long career at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at ABC News. A pediatrician by training, Dr. Besser leads the largest private foundation in the country devoted solely to improving the nation’s health. Before joining the Foundation, Dr. Besser served for eight years as chief health and medical editor for ABC News, and as a leader at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he worked for 13 years. He served as acting director of the CDC during the initial response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic.About the HostDr. Ashish K. Jha is the dean of the Brown University School of Public Health.Music by Katherine Beggs, additional music by Lulu West and Maya Polsky
Emerging research, data that shapes everyday health choices and insights into the systems meant to keep us well — all in under 20 minutes. Join Dr. Ashish Jha, Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, as he and guests unpack the key issues influencing your health right now, guiding you through this moment in personal and public health.
USA