Healthcare Triage is a series about healthcare hosted by Dr. Aaron Carroll who explains healthcare policy, medical research, and answers a lot of other questions you may have about medicine, health, and healthcare.
From Healthcare Triage. Conversations about health care in America tend to follow a predictable pattern: one side argues for a free-market system where competition is key, the other argues for a government-run system where regulation is key. You hear versions of this everywhere, from political speeches to news outlets to social media. None of this…
From Healthcare Triage. We hear a lot about how our diets can impact a wide array of health outcomes, from cancer to depression to hyperactivity. So, how much does artificial sweetener increase your risk of cancer? Is intermittent fasting going to give you a heart attack? Will ultra-processed foods make you depressed? This compilation of…
From Healthcare Triage. We’re back with our second episode in our new series with AcademyHealth on the stuff that drives us nuts about health care in the U.S.! In episode one we talked about how American healthcare is expensive by design because it’s a patchwork system with a lot of interacting layers. One of those…
From Healthcare Triage. The idea that “brain training” might lower the risk of dementia has been a popular topic for a long time, but the evidence has been sorely lacking. A recent publication of clinical trial data has the media claiming that the evidence is now in the room with us. Are they right? Does…
From Healthcare Triage. The healthcare system of the United States is unlike anything else in the world. It’s not purely government-run, and it’s not purely a free market, either. Instead, it’s a patchwork of public programs, private insurers, and government oversight. That Frankenstein design essentially results in a system of layers that makes American healthcare…
From Healthcare Triage. What is going on with Minnesota’s Medicaid program? A mix of fraud i nvestigations, funding freezes, and growing conflict between the state and the federal government have been all over my newsfeed lately. This might sound like just a bureaucratic dispute, but the effects are very real for the people who rely…
From Healthcare Triage. GLP-1 drugs have exploded in popularity for weight loss and have long been used for diabetes treatment, but now researchers are asking what they can do for aging. Related HCT episodes: A GLP-1 Discovery Study: https://youtu.be/B35G7a2UcDw Be sure to check out our podcast! Watch this playlist on YouTube Other Healthcare Triage Links:…
From Healthcare Triage. Over the past two years we’ve seen an unexpected trend: A significant drop in overdose deaths linked to fentanyl. Why? Changes in global supply. Related HCT episodes: A Fentanyl Vaccine Shows Promise Watch this video on YouTube. Be sure to check out our podcast! Watch this playlist on YouTube Other Healthcare Triage…
From Healthcare Triage. It’s the most wonderful time of the year – The Shkreli Awards! The Shkreli Awards shine a lot of some of the most notable cases of fraud, abuse, and disgraceful behavior in the Us healthcare system. We’ve covered these for a few years now because dysfunction is, like, the whole reason this…
From Healthcare Triage. Over the past few months, the United States has dramatically changed the official childhood vaccine schedule — something that affects millions of families, public health professionals, and communities. These changes are not minor tweaks: they reshape what vaccines are recommended routinely for all children and how families and doctors make decisions about…
From Healthcare Triage. A recent investigation by Consumer Reports tested 23 popular protein supplements and found that more than two-thirds of them contained concerning levels of lead. Lead is a pretty serious neurotoxin that can have serious effects on the brain and body if consumed at high levels. So, is your protein powder poisoning you?…
From Healthcare Triage. There’s a lot of misunderstanding surrounding the topic of suing vaccine manufacturers for vaccine-related injuries. Many people will tell you that you cannot sue for these injuries, and some will go further to say this is a major reason not to trust vaccines. Related HCT episodes: History and Science of Vaccines: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkfBg8ML-gImWWzdv3zO1_5wCRReliEQt…
From Healthcare Triage. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [1]recently announced a series of actions aimed at banning gender-affirming care for minors. This is a big deal. Banning access to gender-affirming care removes a key protective factor for a population already facing elevated vulnerability. Youth who are denied desired care may experience worsening…
From Healthcare Triage. A lot can go wrong around the holidays. Here’s what to look out for to avoid illness and injuries that are sometimes associated with the holiday season. Related HCT episodes: Holiday Myths CLASSIC EPISODE: https://youtu.be/BncyJxsI1yg Be sure to check out our podcast! Watch this playlist on YouTube Other Healthcare Triage Links: 1.…
From Healthcare Triage. The recent government shutdown hinged on a very specific health-care question: whether Congress should extend the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that help millions of Americans afford marketplace coverage. So, where are we at with that question now that the government is back open? Related HCT episodes: Government Shutdown:…
From Healthcare Triage. In September 2025, President Trump and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced multiple policy moves around autism. Among them: updating the drug label for leucovorin to include treatment of speech-related deficits in autism and encouraging Medicaid coverage in many states. So, what’s Leucovorin? Related HCT episodes: Tylenol and Autism: https://youtu.be/vx5xH1zs4Tc Be…
From Healthcare Triage. Dubious connection between pre-natal Tylenol use and autism are back, and this time they’re coming straight from the federal government. So, is this connection real? Related HCT episodes: Acetaminophen and Autism ad nausea: https://youtu.be/iYX7Y1lLZ78 Be sure to check out our podcast! Watch this playlist on YouTube Other Healthcare Triage Links: 1. Support…
From Healthcare Triage. Some people are saying ACA subsidies are behind the shutdown. Some are saying that’s not the case. Both parties have very different stories about what’s going on. What are they saying? Related HCT episodes: The Pitfalls of Cost-sharing in Health Insurance: https://youtu.be/DPHJV6tSpd0 Be sure to check out our podcast! Watch this playlist…
From Healthcare Triage. In February 2025, the New York Times reported the removal of more than 8,000 pages from federal websites, including content on vaccines, veterans’ services, hate crimes, and health research. Efforts to remove, restructure, or completely eliminate public health information from federal websites undermine the essential infrastructure that scientists, clinicians, health policy makers,…
From Healthcare Triage. The reconciliation legislation formerly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes numerous provisions that will lead to tens of millions of Medicaid beneficiaries being disenrolled, and may lead to the closure of over 300 rural hospitals, dramatically increasing the number of Americans who will lose access to health care. The…
From Healthcare Triage. The value of science is being challenged. Budgets for scientific research are being slashed and a lot of research has been deemed wasteful. Meanwhile, recent surveys show public trust in scientists has dropped sharply, particularly among conservative voters, compared to pre-pandemic levels. Unfortunately, the scientific community shoulders some of this blame, and…