Care Talk with Laura Packard: American Health Care Explained

Hantavirus: Facts vs. Misinformation w/ Dr. Christina Madison, The Public Health Pharmacist

Hantavirus is dominating the news - but how much of what you're hearing is actually true? From the MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak to viral social media claims, misinformation is spreading almost as fast as the headlines. Dr. Christina Madison the Public Health Pharmacist [https://www.thepublichealthpharmacist.com/] cuts through the noise in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard [https://www.laurapackard.com/] from Health Care Voices [https://healthcarevoices.org/]. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org [https://www.healthinsurance.org/] and Diane Archer from Just Care [https://justcareusa.org/] answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about rule changes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) affecting health insurance plans next year, Medicare Advantage plans attached to a local hospital, do dental and vision insurance plans also have open enrollment periods, how to get a prescription for off-label use through Medicare. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk [https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk]

Prior Authorization: The Insurance Denial System Blocking Your Treatment w/ Miranda Yaver, PhD

Every year, tens of millions of Americans are denied the medical care they've already paid for - not by their doctors, but by their insurers. Miranda Yaver PhD, the author of the new book Coverage Denied, explains how insurers use "rationing by inconvenience", and what patients, advocates, and policymakers can do to fight back in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard [https://www.laurapackard.com/] from Health Care Voices [https://healthcarevoices.org/]. Get the book: https://amzn.to/4uCmN6z [https://amzn.to/4uCmN6z] Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org [https://www.healthinsurance.org/] and Diane Archer from Just Care [https://justcareusa.org/] answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about fighting prior authorization problems, losing essential health plan insurance in New York due to income, and how does employer-based health insurance work. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk [https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk]

The Fight to Lower Prescription Drug Prices in America w/ Vinny DeMarco, Maryland Health Care for All

How can Americans finally pay less for prescription drugs? Vinny DeMarco from Maryland Health Care for All [https://healthcareforall.com/] breaks down what's actually being done to lower prescription drug costs in states like Maryland and Colorado, what still needs to happen, and how YOU can take action in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard [https://www.laurapackard.com/] from Health Care Voices [https://healthcarevoices.org/]. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org [https://www.healthinsurance.org/] answers your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about new open enrollment data for the Affordable Care Act this year, what to do when a patient exam is coded as out of network, are there alternatives to the VA for veterans care, and how do ACA marketplace plans calculate income for subsidies. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk [https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk]

Patient Advocacy in Action: Talking to Your Legislators w/ Mollie Montague, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Learn how to be a patient advocate in healthcare and take your fight straight to your legislators. Mollie Montague of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network [https://www.fightcancer.org/] breaks down exactly how everyday people can lobby their legislators for better health care in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard [https://www.laurapackard.com/] from Health Care Voices [https://healthcarevoices.org/]. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org [https://www.healthinsurance.org/] and Diane Archer from Just Care [https://justcareusa.org/] answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about recent changes to the Medicare Advantage star-rating system, how to handle surprise medical bills from an out of network provider, why can't you switch from Medicare Advantage to traditional Medicare any time you want, and why doesn't dental insurance cover costly procedures. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk [https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk]

Don't Get Billed: Avoiding Surprise Medical Costs & Medical Debt w/ Patricia Kelmar, PIRG

Every year, millions of Americans are blindsided by surprise medical bills and crushing debt - not because they did anything wrong, but because the system is designed to be confusing. Patricia Kelmar of PIRG [https://pirg.org/] explains your rights under the No Surprises Act, how surprise medical billing has changed, and what you can do about it in this #CareTalk episode with show host, cancer survivor, and health care advocate Laura Packard [https://www.laurapackard.com/] from Health Care Voices [https://healthcarevoices.org/]. Plus Louise Norris from healthinsurance.org [https://www.healthinsurance.org/] and Rachel Madley from the Center for Health & Democracy [https://www.centerforhealthanddemocracy.org/] answer your American health insurance and health care questions on Medicare, the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, private insurance and more. This episode has more about proposed health care cuts to pay for the war in Iran, overview of 2026 open enrollment numbers for the Affordable Care Act, how to handle out of network medical bills, and the end of Medicare Advantage open enrollment. New episodes of Care Talk every Tuesday, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Text or call in your health insurance and health care questions in to (202) 838-6837 to get answers in future shows! Free or Low Cost Health Care Resources on our show page: https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk [https://healthcarevoices.org/caretalk]