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)

Call to action
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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.

Support the Show
The Healthy Project newsletter
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How can families in under-resourced communities access timely, culturally responsive hearing care for infants who are deaf or hard of hearing?

Corey Dion Lewis is joined by Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP, and Dr. Lauren Ramsey to unpack the barriers that shape early hearing care and where teleaudiology can improve access.

You will hear:

• How health literacy, transportation, and mistrust delay early care
• How policy and insurance shape pediatric hearing access
• Why trusted relationships drive long-term engagement
• Where teleaudiology fits and where it does not
• Practical steps providers, advocates, and policymakers can take now

This episode is for professionals and advocates working in maternal and child health, health policy, early intervention, and community-based care.

Show Notes
0:00 – Welcome and why early hearing care is a health equity issue
1:10 – Meet Pamela Rowe and Dr. Lauren Ramsey
3:00 – The current landscape of early hearing care access
5:20 – Health literacy gaps and family navigation challenges
8:10 – Transportation and time barriers for follow-up visits
11:00 – Medical mistrust and why relationships matter
14:30 – Insurance and policy drivers of access
18:00 – What teleaudiology can solve for families
21:10 – Limits of virtual care and where in-person still leads
24:00 – Building culturally responsive systems and workflows
27:10 – Action steps for providers
30:00 – Action steps for policymakers and advocates
33:00 – What success looks like for infants and families
35:10 – Closing and how to connect

About the Guests
Pamela Rowe, MA, CCC-SLP

• Speech-language pathologist, public health consultant, and advocate for equitable access to communication services
• Founder of a private practice serving diverse populations

Dr. Lauren Ramsey

• Public health researcher and consultant with 20+ years of experience in maternal and child health, health equity, and disparities in care access

Links and Resources
Connect with Pamela Rowe on LinkedIn
Connect with Dr. Lauren Ramsey on LinkedIn
Contact: hello@healthyprojectmedia.com
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Share this episode with one person working in maternal and child health or early intervention.

In this episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, host Corey Dion Lewis talks with Pamela Oren-Artzi, COO and co-founder of GRIN, a digital oral health platform reimagining how care is delivered for underserved communities. Pam shares her journey from technology leader to health innovator, the challenges of addressing oral care deserts, and how GRIN’s accessible, affordable tools are transforming the way providers reach patients—no broadband required.

We explore why oral health must be recognized as a core social driver of health, the connection between oral disease and chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes, and the ripple effects that poor access to dental care can have on individuals, families, and the economy. Pam also offers valuable insights for health tech innovators on how to build equity into products from the ground up.

📌 Sponsored by GRIN – Learn more at https://www.get-grin.com/

Shownotes:
00:00 – Introduction & Welcome
00:45 – Meet Pam Orrin & the GRIN Mission
03:15 – Why Oral Health is Overlooked in Health Tech
06:35 – The Global Oral Health Crisis
09:00 – Early GRIN Impact Stories in Underserved Communities
12:20 – The Link Between Oral Health & Full Body Health
14:30 – Why Oral Health is a Social Determinant of Health
17:10 – Economic & Social Ripple Effects of Poor Oral Care
19:40 – Absenteeism, Malnutrition, and Hidden Impacts
23:30 – Building Equity into Product Design
25:15 – Serving Digitally Excluded Communities
26:40 – Measuring Equity, Efficiency & Behavioral Change
31:20 – Reducing Health System Burden
34:10 – Making Care Efficient for Patients & Providers
36:05 – Uplifting Communities Through Health Technology
38:25 – The Future of Digital Oral Health
43:20 – Advice for Health Tech Innovators
44:12 – How to Connect with GRIN
46:52 – Closing Thoughts

In this episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Stacy Wells, a purpose-driven leader and DEI practitioner working at the intersection of behavioral health, education, and public service. From her early days in the classroom to her current role leading health equity efforts in Minnesota’s direct care and treatment system, Stacy shares the challenges and lessons of navigating systemic racism, healthcare disparities, and the politicization of equity work.

Together, they explore how cultural humility, lived experience, and community input must shape our systems of care, and why staying committed to the work matters now more than ever.

Follow and subscribe to The Healthy Project Podcast for more conversations that push health equity forward.

🔗 For health information and resources, visit:
www.healthyproject.co

📌 Shownotes:
00:00 – Welcome and intro to Stacy Wells
01:10 – Stacy’s shift from PR to education to public health
03:45 – Minnesota’s persistent disparities in education and health
06:30 – The intersection of youth education and healthcare systems
09:15 – Supporting individuals with complex behavioral health needs
13:30 – Why cultural humility matters in direct care
18:00 – Including lived experience in designing care
22:15 – When community feedback challenges systems
28:00 – Speaking truth in professional spaces
30:50 – DEI backlash and its toll
36:15 – Holding space for joy and rest as a Black woman in the work
42:00 – Why staying curious and connected is key
43:30 – Final thoughts and how to connect with Stacy Wells

In this episode of The Healthy Project Podcast, host Corey Dion Lewis is joined by Sister Mary Haddad, President and CEO of the Catholic Health Association of the United States. Together, they get into the pressing issue of proposed Medicaid funding cuts and the far-reaching implications for millions of Americans, particularly those in underserved communities. Sr. Mary offers expert insight into what these changes could mean for access to care, the healthcare workforce, and the moral responsibility we share in supporting those who are vulnerable. This is a timely and vital conversation about healthcare, equity, and advocacy.

📌 Show Notes:

• Introduction to Sister Mary Haddad and her role at CHA (00:33)
• Overview of Medicaid and why it's essential (02:48)
• Details on proposed funding cuts and their potential impact (04:50)
• The urgency of the moment and why it matters now (08:51)
• Who is most at risk from these changes (10:53)
• Consequences for emergency rooms and healthcare access (12:23)
• Discussion on work requirements and policy misconceptions (13:07)
• Effects on state governments and local economies (15:30)
• Broader societal impact beyond Medicaid recipients (16:30)
• Consequences for healthcare providers and Catholic health systems (19:13)
• CHA’s advocacy efforts and how citizens can get involved (23:44)
• A message of hope and community resilience (27:36)
• Where to learn more and take action (29:48)