Is gerrymandering a public health issue? (hint: yes) and a family facing cuts to medicaid waivers
Hoosier Health Matters Season 1, Episode 25 Date: 9/19/2025 Title:Â Is gerrymandering a public health issue? (hint: yes) and a family facing cuts to medicaid waiversIn this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss continued chaos at the CDC (evergreen topic). They then talk about the partisan effort to gerrymander and why it is a public health issue. They then interview Debby Holcombe, the mother of Michael who is on a home ventilator, about the medicaid waiver system, how it has helped her family and her son, and proposed changes that put that help in peril.00:00- Intro01:18- The state of Indiana has cut low income childcare voucher reimbursement rates, and many child care centers are closing as a result03:48- ACIP madness continues, as the committee meets (today!) and is voting on a lot of vaccines stuff, including COVID; but health insurers have said they are going to ignore what they say07:00- IDSA, ACP, and AAFP have called for RKF, Jr's removal as HHS secretary09:14- A primer on redistricting in the shadow of a threatened (likely unconstitutional) mid-decade gerrymander; is it a public health issue? Gabe and Tracey say yes14:29- Attendant care services medicaid waiver program and how it affects one family- an interview with Debby Holcombe and about her experience with the medicaid waiver program and proposed changes that threaten families with disabled members34:16- Little things- contact your state senator and representative, and State Senate majority leader Rod Bray and House Speaker Todd Huston and give them thoughts on the threatened gerrymander35:23- Wrap upThanks for listening!Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram
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BONUS episode: Questions answered about getting vaccines this fall
Hoosier Health MattersSeason 1, Episode 24Date: 9/12/2025Title:Â BONUS episode: Questions answered about getting vaccines this fallIn this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson are joined by infectious disease physician Haley Pritchard and pharmacist Veronica Vernon to untangle the massive confusion that is vaccine policy this fall and answer questions about who should get the shot, who can get it, and try to discern why HHS did it this way.00:00- Intro02:30- Flu vaccines (the simple part)04:05- Vaccine approval/recommendation process06:20- What to expect from COVID this winter (TL;DR: lots of disease, mostly very mild)8:31- new formulation of the COVID vaccine currently available09:00- Who should get the vaccine (ignoring the approval/guidelines)10:40- Confusion at pharmacies, and Gabe is pissed that he has to write prescriptions for this now13:18- Other medical groups make recommendations about vaccines14:31- in general, pregnant people benefit from the COVID vaccine15:43- Kids and the COVID vaccine16:16- Vaccines for Children program may not have COVID vaccine (this covers 50% of the kids in the country)17:00- Can I get a COVID vaccine at a pharmacy right now?18:13- It didn't have to be this way19:58- Will insurance cover COVID vaccines for everyone?21:17- wrap-upThanks for listening!Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram
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The enshittification of the CDC and (unrelated) all you want to know about school based health centers
Hoosier Health MattersSeason 1, Episode 23Date: 9/5/2025Title:Â The enshittification of the CDC and (unrelated) all you want to know about school based health centersIn this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss the continued systematic dismantling of expertise and value in the CDC, a form of enshittification (a real word). Then they talk with Dr. Meg Carlson about school-based health centers.00:00- Intro01:30- CDC director fired after being hired a month ago and then unsuccessfully fired and unsuccessfully asked to resign.04:25- James O'Neill has been named as new interim CDC director. The least qualified candidate in history.05:10- Enshittificaiton and how it applies to HHS.06:05- Indiana Department of Health gives milquetoast answer on its approach to respiratory season guidance.07:41- RFK, Jr. cosplays as a vitriolic scientist and requests Annals of Internal Medicine retract a study that doesn't tie aluminum to vaccine injury. They say no.11:46- State coalitions create health alliances in the face of CDC incompetence and Florida will try to eliminate school vaccine mandates.15:16- IDH emphasizes safe sleep in response to 10 infants dying to unsafe sleep practices17:18- Interview with Dr. Meg Carlson, Director of Health Services for Indianapolis Public Schools, about the role of School Based Health Centers in public health.33:54- Look at the trees as they change colors, and call your Senators to request they get rid of RFK, Jr. at HHS (phone numbers and script here)34;46- Wrap upThanks for listening!Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram
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Lived experience: an interview on the personal toll of Indiana's reproductive politics
Hoosier Health MattersSeason 1, Episode 22Date: 8/22/2025Title: Lived experience: an interview on the personal toll of Indiana's reproductive politicsIn this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss Indiana public health news and then talk with Amber and Michael Dowd, who share their story of navigating a devastating fetal anomaly diagnosis under Indiana’s abortion laws. Their experience highlights the emotional toll of reproductive politics, the urgency of compassionate care, and the impact of legislation on personal healthcare decisions.00:00- Intro2:00- Dr. Vinay Prasad rehired a week after being forced out as the vaccine head at the FDA, highlighting the chaos in HHS2:32- RFK, Jr. says "trusting experts is not a feature of either science or democracy"5:04- American Academy of Pediatrics releases vaccine recommendations that are different than that of the CDC (which never happens)6:56- Indiana abortion ban upheld by Indiana Court of Appeals8:06- Interview with Amber (Martin) and Michael Dowd about their experience navigating Indiana's abortion ban earlier this year when they received news of a fatal fetal anomaly at 21 weeks.38:58- Little things/Good vibes (1. develop your own story, and 2. email this episode to your lawmaker!)40:37- Wrap upA thanks to Eli Bosslet for editing assistance on this episode.Thanks for listening!Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram
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Climate change and public health, and some news
Hoosier Health MattersSeason 1, Episode 21Date: 8/8/2025Title: Climate change and public health, and some newsIn this episode of Hoosier Health Matters, hosts Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson discuss 00:00- Intro1:20- Tracey's state fair llama costume contest disappointment3:28- $500 million in mRNA vaccine research cancelled and ACIP kicks out medical societies6:48- New CDC director confirmed by the Senate7:45- JAMA article shows 35% of OB/GYN physicians have left Idaho since its abortion ban9:00- Indiana General Assembly interim study committees look at some public health issues13:11- Interview with Dr. Gabriel Filippelli, executive director of the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute31:48- Little things/Good vibes- Green energy options at the big Indiana utilitiesAES- green power optionDuke energy- GoGreen IndianaIndiana Michigan Power- GoGreenNIPSCO- green powerCenterpoint Energy- Green Energy RiderGet a purple air!33:53- Wrap upA huge thanks to Elijah Bosslet for his editing expertise in this episode.Thanks for listening!Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram
Hoosier Health Matters focuses on the pressing health policy issues in Indiana and tries to make this stuff not boring. Hosted by Gabriel Bosslet and Tracey Wilkinson, board members of the Good Trouble Coalition, this podcast brings together healthcare and public health stakeholders to discuss, educate, and advocate for patient-centered care, public health, and health equity. It will focus on state-level health policies, legislative updates, and expert interviews.
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