Sister Mary Haddad, President and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, returns to The Healthy Project as 2025 ends with a major coverage threat ahead.

In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with major Medicaid changes that analysts warn will reduce access for millions.
American Medical Association+1 At the same time, enhanced ACA premium tax credits are set to expire on December 31, 2025, which could raise premiums sharply and leave roughly 4 to 5 million more people uninsured in 2026 without an extension.
KFF+2
Thomson Reuters Tax+2

Sister Mary explains what this means for working families, rural hospitals, emergency departments, and telehealth access. Many Medicare telehealth flexibilities are extended only through January 30, 2026, adding pressure for rural patients and health systems.
telehealth.hhs.gov+1

You will hear:

• How Medicaid cuts and expiring ACA subsidies collide
• Why rural communities face higher risk
• What happens to EDs when coverage drops
• Why telehealth policy still feels temporary
• What Congress must do now
• How you can take action beyond awareness

Show Notes
0:00 – Welcome and why this episode matters right now
2:10 – What changed with Medicaid in July 2025
American Medical Association+1
6:30 – The ACA subsidy deadline and what families are seeing in open enrollment
KFF+1
11:20 – The size of the coverage risk for 2026
Thomson Reuters Tax+1
16:10 – Why rural markets and lower incomes create a sharper cliff
20:40 – Hospital strain, closures, and service reductions
25:15 – Emergency departments as the fallback system
29:50 – Telehealth lessons from COVID and what the January 30, 2026 deadline means
telehealth.hhs.gov+1
34:10 – Healthcare as dignity and economic justice
38:25 – What Congress can do immediately
41:30 – What you can do as a citizen and advocate
45:00 – Closing and where to learn more

Guest
Sister Mary Haddad, RSM
President & CEO, Catholic Health Association of the United States

Resources

Related Episode
June 2025 – Medicaid at a Crossroads: A Conversation with Sr. Mary Haddad (Part 1)

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This episode explores how technology and healthcare intersect. We talk with Jhonatan Bringas Dimitriades, MD, CEO of Lapsi Health, about Keikku, the first FDA-cleared smart stethoscope with an AI scribe. You will hear how this tool impacts clinical workflows, patient communication, and the broader healthcare system.

Key points covered
• How clinicians use AI during real-world visits
• Measurable time savings in documentation
• Data privacy and HIPAA/GDPR compliance
• Effects on clinician burnout and emotional fatigue
• Future applications of AI in public health and care settings
• Skills health professionals need as tech advances

Why it matters
• You see how AI tools shape medical decision-making and patient engagement
• You get insight into how tech adoption fits into social systems and workplace culture
• You hear practical examples that support ongoing conversations in public health and social science

Think about this
• How does technology influence trust in the patient-provider relationship?
• What skills will workers need as AI expands in healthcare?
• What policies should protect patients and providers as these tools grow?

Listen and reflect on how innovation, behavior, culture, and care systems interact.

Resources Mentioned:

• Website: https://www.keikku.health/
• Connect with Jhonatan: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter/X
• Physician burnout research

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Dr. Philip Alberti joins Corey Dion Lewis to unpack what organizations risk when they remove words like equity and justice overnight without community input. The conversation focuses on trust, decision-making speed, and the difference between changing language and changing relationships.

You will hear:

• Why fast brand shifts can damage credibility
• What authentic community engagement requires
• How to talk about equity for all communities without creating a zero-sum story
• What leaders can protect when the environment turns hostile
• A practical path to rebuilding trust through process, not slogans

This episode is for health equity leaders, communicators, and community partners who want strategy that keeps values and trust intact.

Show Notes
0:00 – The post that sparked the conversation and the trust problem
3:10 – The pressure behind rapid language changes
5:29 – Why speed sent the wrong signal
8:18 – Who exited the work and what that reveals
9:09 – Why equity messaging became more contested in 2025
11:25 – Equity for all communities and why that framing matters
13:10 – The myth that equity creates winners and losers
16:30 – The burden of bridge-building and a fresh way to share it
18:09 – What should stay non-negotiable in public messaging
19:00 – Core principles for real community engagement
22:01 – How to begin partnerships by listening first
24:43 – The internal systems that make engagement real
27:57 – Public opinion signals that point to shared ground
31:49 – Example of cross-community relationship building
32:14 – Health justice as a practice that treats process as the outcome

Key Resources Mentioned

Guest Bio
Dr. Philip Alberti is the founding director of the AAMC Center for Health Justice. He focuses on community engagement, health equity research, and policy change, with an emphasis on partnerships that respect community expertise.

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