Tradeoffs

05/28/2026

Every year, millions of people’s medical care runs into the roadblock known as prior authorization.

Who does this often onerous process help, who does it hurt and how could it work better for everyone?

Every year, millions of people’s medical care runs into the roadblock known as prior authorization, which requires a patient’s health insurer to sign off before chemotherapy, surgery or countless other services can proceed. Who does this often onerous process help, who does it hurt and how could...

05/27/2026

President Trump and other leading conservatives are pushing policies they hope will empower patients to shop more wisely for the health care they need.

In today's episode, we break down the pros, the cons and the evidence behind these policies.

Listen:

President Trump and other leading conservatives are pushing policies they hope will empower patients to shop more wisely for the health care they need.

05/26/2026

Economist David Cutler has advised multiple presidents on health policy and was a key voice in crafting Obamacare.

When he published a splashy new paper with The Brookings Institution, suggesting that America has actually saved money on health care, Tradeoffs' Dan Gorenstein had to give him a call.

Listen to their conversation:

New research from leading health economist David Cutler explores what’s behind a historic slowdown in health spending, even as millions of Americans struggle to afford their care.

05/25/2026

With Republicans in control of Washington and health costs on the rise, there’s new momentum behind an old conservative policy: Put more cash in patients’ hands and let them buy their own health care.

https://tradeoffs.org/2026/05/21/republicans-want-to-change-how-you-buy-health-care/ less

President Trump and other leading conservatives are pushing policies they hope will empower patients to shop more wisely for the health care they need.

05/21/2026

With Republicans in control of Washington and health costs on the rise, there’s new momentum behind an old conservative policy: Put more cash in patients’ hands and let them buy their own health care.

“The more connected you are to what you're spending, the more likely you are to care about the cost and the price and the value that you're getting,” said Avik Roy, who has advised multiple Republican presidential candidates on health policy.

Republican lawmakers are pushing all sorts of policies built around this idea: HSAs, HFAs, ICHRAs. It’s a supersized serving of acronyms — all designed to give patients more tools and incentives to shop around for their care.

In this week’s episode, we highlight two of the policies getting the most buzz right now and break down the pros, the cons and the evidence behind these ideas. Give it a read or a listen: https://tradeoffs.org/2026/05/21/republicans-want-to-change-how-you-buy-health-care/

05/19/2026

New research from leading health economist David Cutler explores what’s behind a historic slowdown in health spending, even as millions of Americans struggle to afford their care.

Listen:

New research from leading health economist David Cutler explores what’s behind a historic slowdown in health spending, even as millions of Americans struggle to afford their care.

05/15/2026

American Public Media's acclaimed mental health series, “Call to Mind,” is back with five new special reports for Mental Health Awareness Month in May.

Each episode features sound-rich stories from across the country that amplify the voices of people living with mental health challenges as they journey to live well.

Listen now: https://link.podtrac.com/KsTsulRh

05/14/2026

For more than a half century, health care spending in the U.S. has steadily gone up.

President after president has bemoaned that more and more of our tax dollars, paychecks and companies’ bottom lines went to pay for health care.

But, over roughly the last 15 years, something unprecedented has happened. Our health care spending slowed down.

"We have never seen a period that long where healthcare did not grow as a part of the economy. We just haven’t seen it at all. So it was just stunning," said David Cutler, one of the country's top health economists.

Today, Cutler joins Tradeoffs to explain how we slowed the health spending train and what it means at a time when so many of us struggle to afford their medical bills.

Listen to the episode or read the transcript: https://tradeoffs.org/2026/05/14/the-u-s-saved-1-trillion-on-health-care-why-doesnt-it-feel-like-it/

05/10/2026

American Public Media Group’s acclaimed mental health series, "Call to Mind," is now a podcast, with five news episodes released on Wednesdays throughout May for Mental Health Awareness Month.

Each episode will feature sound-rich stories from across the country that amplify the voices of people living with mental health challenges as they journey to live well, hosted by journalist Angela Davis.

Listen the first episode, which examines stress and the issues that can overwhelm us, how it impacts our mental health, and from experts about ways to manage the strain.

https://link.podtrac.com/KsTsulRh

05/08/2026

Over the past decade, police in America have shot and killed 1,939 people who were in the middle of a mental health crisis. That’s 20% of all police killings in that time.

Instead of armed police, more than half of the country’s largest cities now send specially trained social workers and EMTs. This new generation of first responders handle 911 calls involving mental illness, substance use disorders or suicidal thoughts.

Tradeoffs went Durham, North Carolina, to meet people who have reimaged the city’s crisis-response system. Listen to their stories:

A collaboration with American Public Media’s Call to Mind highlighting how Durham, North Carolina, has reimagined its mental health crisis response system — and what it has learned.

05/07/2026

Today's episode of Tradeoffs is a collaboration with American Public Media’s Call to Mind, highlighting how Durham, North Carolina, has reimagined its mental health crisis response system — and what it has learned.

Listen now or read the transcript: https://tradeoffs.org/2026/05/07/call-to-mind-the-fifth-branch/