The Health Advocates
Global Healthy Living Foundation
A podcast that breaks down major health news of the week to help you make sense of it all. Our goal is to help you understand what’s happening in the healthcare world to help you make informed decisions to live your best life.
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Top 10 The Health Advocates Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Health Advocates episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Health Advocates for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Health Advocates episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
S3, Ep 12- COVID Subvariant: Stay Vigilant My Friends
The Health Advocates
03/25/22 • 13 min
The new Omicron subvariant BA.2 hasn’t stopped the majority of people from lowering their guard against the virus. Cities are opening, businesses are returning their workers, and even New York City unvaccinated athletes and performers are allowed back.
“I'm trying to stay calm and I'm really grateful for these at-home tests because I had a COVID exposure last week,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at the Global Healthy Living Foundation. “I was able to keep testing and I just felt so reassured to have the test on hand and not freak out like I did in Omicron.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:25: Listener comment
2:06: Special enrollment opens to sign up for Obamacare
2:50: COVID-19 Patient Support Program Quick Poll: over 90% plan to wear masks in indoor spaces
3:30: Steven receives new duckbill N95 masks
4:35: New Omicron subvariant BA.2 is impacting people’s mental health
5:16: Viruses appearing in wastewater more than in PCR tests
5:50: Congress fails to approve more COVID funding
7:27: “I'm personally just too worried that too many Americans love the phrase, "I'm over COVID. I'm over COVID. It's done," fears Steven
8:28: “Hopefully we won't see a surge,” says Dr. Anthony Fauci
9:06: Researchers say vaccines remain effective at preventing hospitalizations for BA.2
9:45: “I'm trying to stay calm,” says Zoe
12:06: What did our co-hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S3, Ep 17- “We Grieve Who We Once Were”
The Health Advocates
04/28/22 • 15 min
The majority of Americans are now believed to have had COVID. So as communities lower their guard, the strategy to fight the virus is as much rooted in vaccines and masking as it is with new drugs that are being approved. But for our immunocompromised community, the fear of contracting COVID keeps them isolated while they long for that time when they were once free from chronic illness.
“We're all just one chronic disease away from being chronically ill,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at the Global Heathy Living Foundation. “I was once young and healthy before I got the diagnosis. We grieve who we once were and what we used to be able to do.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:17: Listener comment
1:43: Plans to expand availability of the COVID drug Paxlovid, which reduces COVID hospitalizations by 90 percent
4:05: The FDA approves the COVID treatment Remdesivir for young kids
5:06: More people are testing positive for COVID
6:04: The CDC believes that 60 percent of Americans and 75 percent of children have been infected with COVID
7:00: Hospitalization rates are stable to declining
7:32: Whatever happened to herd immunity to fight COVID?
9:08: Correlation to methods to contain measles outbreaks
9:49: World Health Organization: measles could become endemic again as a result of vaccine hesitancy
10:18: How the measles vaccine and the COVID vaccine differs
12:51: Steven offers a list of hopeful signs ahead
14:42: What our hosts Steven and Zoe learned from this episode
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5, Ep 10- Talking Turkey Day and COVID
The Health Advocates
11/22/22 • 9 min
While COVID-19 vaccines and medications are largely available, this year’s celebrations will not be without risks, especially for the chronic disease community.
Our hosts discuss their plans for Thanksgiving and share their tips to stay healthy and to help advocate for communities that are at higher risks from COVID. “If you have loved ones or you're surrounded by folks who may not be as sympathetic or as understanding to getting the vaccine or wearing masks, the best way to listen is to listen with empathy. It may be difficult to listen if you hear loved ones repeating false claims about the vaccine, masking or COVID, but if you immediately shut down their concerns, they may not listen to you in return,” says Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF.
Among the highlights in this episode:
2:35: “It feels like a lot of the general public is ‘back [to] normal life.’ Mask mandates have been lifted, work from home employees returned to offices, and many just resumed pre-pandemic ways generally. And I'll say it... things aren't cut and dry for those of us living with chronic illness,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director of Community Outreach at GHLF
2:55: “It's a great idea whether you're over zoom or in person to start a conversation about your health and why it is important to stay safe from infectious diseases like COVID-19, and the flu,” says Steven Newmark
3:22: Steven Newmark shares helpful ways to initiate conversations at the table about health risks posed by COVID-19 and other infectious diseases
5:00: More on how to establish productive conversations about the importance of vaccination with family and friends
6:47: The importance of being an advocate
Become a 50-State Network advocate: https://www.50statenetwork.org/become-a-50-state-network-advocate/
7:13: Zoe Rothblatt shares her plans for the holidays
7:32: Steven Newmark shares his plans for the holidays
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S3, Ep 11- COVID at 2: How We’ve Changed
The Health Advocates
03/17/22 • 12 min
We’ve passed a dubious anniversary we’d all rather forget. This month marks two years since COVID forced the world into a pandemic. In this episode, we look back at how life changed, and what changes may become permanent.
“Folks are really struggling with mental health issues two years in the pandemic,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at the Global Healthy Living Foundation. “Even more so for our community with underlying conditions.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:21: Listener comment
2:08: COVID down in the U.S., up in China
3:16: Marking two years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic
3:40: What we’ve learned in the two years of COVID
3:48: COVID fueled a growth in telehealth
5:34: Telehealth made it easier to advocate to elected officials
6:03: COVID reveals racial disparities in health care
7:10: COVID led to a new vocabulary, from the “bubble” to “Zoom fatigue”
8:15: COVID brought a rise in outdoor dining
9:04: COVID led to the adoption of wearing masks
9:35: Three COVID vaccines manufactured in one year
9:45: Antiviral therapy created to protect against COVID
10:04: COVID created a dramatic increase in mental health issues
10:20: “It really does feel like people are moving on and don't care,” says Zoe. “And I want to move on and not to care too. But when you're immunocompromised, you really just don't have that luxury.”
10:42: Some formed stronger bonds during COVID, with people and pets
11:22: What did our co-hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S4, Ep 5- Methotrexate: Confusion and Controversy
The Health Advocates
07/07/22 • 21 min
If you’re immunocompromised, you’re tired of having to fight for basic health care. But after the U.S. Supreme Court issued Dobbs vs. Jackson which overturned Roe vs. Wade, access to the drug methotrexate, which prolongs the lifespan of people with rheumatoid arthritis, is being denied in some states due to its connection to abortion.
“There's so much confusion and overwhelm with managing such a dynamic fluctuating condition like inflammatory arthritis, that when you finally find through trial and error, a medication regimen that works for you, it's like striking gold,” says Cheryl Crow, founder of Arthritis Life. “So, to know that suddenly that's going to be taken away from you, it's really scary to a lot of patients.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:25: Listener comment
1:41: Rising COVID cases force some counties in Washington State to require masks
2:40: Aetna drops prior authorization for most cataract surgeries, allowing patients to bypass the pre-approval process
3:29: Progress for IBD patients as New York City plans to increase the number of public restrooms
5:36 What is methotrexate
5:55: Some pharmacists are nervous to fill methotrexate prescriptions because after Roe vs. Wade was overturned, the law states that it's a felony if you're dispensing this medication for an abortion
6:42: Cheryl describes why she started “Arthritis Life”
9:03: Cheryl talks about her advocacy for methotrexate
10:40: “I think it's really an example of insult to injury” for patients to be denied methotrexate, says Cheryl
13:25: Methotrexate improves people’s quality of life, says Zoe
15:15: Cheryl’s advice to help patients advocate for their medication
17:25: “We always say, having chronic illness is a full-time job. This is like adding another internship to that job. It's too much,” says Zoe
20:32: What our hosts Steven and Zoe learned from this episode
Learn more about Cheryl and her organization Arthritis Life
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S5, Ep 6- Copay Accumulators Explained: Why Advocacy Matters
The Health Advocates
10/27/22 • 17 min
The impact of copay accumulator policies can create additional financial difficulties for patients by limiting payments that count toward their annual deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. As a result, millions of patients who are already struggling with the financial and physical toll of their condition may delay care or stop taking their medication altogether leading to worsening health.
“Copay accumulator adjusters are a program used by insurance companies to force patients to take medications that they determine are cheaper for them. And, in reality, it's actually just cheaper for the insurance company,” says Corey Greenblatt, Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy at GHLF.
Our guests, JP Summers, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF, and Corey, tell us more about their advocacy efforts and about their support for the bipartisan bill called the HELP Copays Act.
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:24: Listener comment
1:56: H.4929, a step therapy protection law, was passed by both the Massachusetts House and Senate in October after being introduced for the first time over five years ago
2:37: “Governor Baker has 10 days to sign this bill; otherwise, it will die and it would need to be repassed next year,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director of Community Outreach at GHLF
2:50: Results from a recent GHLF COVID-19 Patient Support Program quick poll shows that most respondents will be celebrating the holidays in person with only 5 percent canceling plans or celebrating virtually
3:30: Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF, gives some tips to stay safe this holiday season
5:42: JP Summers describes her – and Corey Greenblatt’s – participation to the virtual advocacy event: All Copays Count Coalition Hill Day
6:54: What are copay accumulators?
8:47: The HELP Copays Act explained
9:27: A look back at JP Summers’ chronic illness journey and how the HELP Copays Act could impact her and other patients if passed
11:35: Are there bills similar to the HELP Copays Act at the state level?
12:18: How patients can get involved and advocate for themselves
12:59: What goes through an advocate’s mind when meeting with elected officials?
15:38: What our hosts learned from this episode
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments in the form of an email, video, or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S3, Ep 16- "Wear the Damn Mask"
The Health Advocates
04/21/22 • 14 min
Not everyone is cheering the news that the mask mandate on planes and trains has ended. While the Justice Department is appealing that ruling, those most susceptible to contracting COVID fear for their health and safety. In this episode, our hosts can’t contain their frustration and anger at those adults unwilling to wear masks for the common good.
“I don't understand all these adults that act like children. For the good of people who are suffering; from immunocompromised, elderly, or whatever the case may be, just like wear the damn mask for a little bit longer,” says Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at the Global Heathy Living Foundation.
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:08: Listener comment
1:35: Federal mask mandate on planes and trains ends
1:56: “The CDC doesn't have the authority over disease prevention,” laments Zoe
2:06: Repealing the mask mandate frustrates Steven
2:29: The hosts walk us through the last two years, from the virus to masks to vaccines to variants
3:42: “All the lessons feel like they've been unlearned by everybody,” says Zoe
3:59: Amid cheers from passengers, a Delta flight attendant announces the mask mandate is over
4:40: “It makes my heart break that that's where society is,” says Zoe
4:44: “I don't understand how all these adults act like children,” says a frustrated Steven
5:52: Lifting the mask mandate hurts immunocompromised people
6:34: Airlines still recommend passengers wear masks
7:49: COVID-19 Patient Support Program Quick Poll results: 20% of respondents had COVID
9:33: FDA authorizes the first COVID breath test
10:56: Finding tailored solutions for the immunocompromised, starting with safety in the workplace
12:44: What our hosts Steven and Zoe learned from this episode
Read more on this topic: "Immunocompromised? What to Do If You Get Pushback for Wearing a Mask in Public": https://creakyjoints.org/living-with-arthritis/coronavirus/daily-living/handle-pushback-for-wearing-mask-immunocompromised/
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S4, Ep 1- Guess What We Learned at a Medical Conference?
The Health Advocates
06/09/22 • 10 min
The Health Advocates share several takeaways from attending a medical conference on rheumatology. One was a “bombshell finding” that chronic pain is now identified as its own disease. Another is that people’s level of anger and social isolation have declined after COVID vaccines became widely available.
“It was really powerful to come to this conference and realize that there's an abundance of research happening on chronic illness and COVID,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at Global Healthy Living Foundation. “And we really aren't being left behind. People are studying and are caring.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
1:11: Listeners’ feedback
1:36: Macintosh makes another cameo as we begin season 4 of The Health Advocates
1:57: By a vote of 21-0, experts recommend that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issue an Emergency Use Authorization for the Novavax vaccine
2:58: “A huge win” for the chronically ill community, says Zoe
3:08: Steven takes his first international trip since the start of the pandemic, a medical conference on rheumatology
3:45: The benefits of attending such conferences
4:28: The best way to be a health advocate is armed with information
4:38: At the conference, “there was a lot of discussion about anxiety and depression for patients, long COVID and its implications for autoimmune patients,” reports Steven
5:38: Bombshell finding: Chronic pain was identified as its own disease
6:28: Other discussions at the conference centered on sexual health, fatigue, diet and exercise, the role of your gut and inflammation overlapping with other conditions
7:09: GHLF research was presented
7:34: GHLF report: levels of anger and social isolation measured in people during the pandemic declined after vaccines became widely available
8:07: “It's very important for the medical providers... to hear the mental health plight that patients go through,” says Steven
8:48: What our hosts Steven and Zoe learned from this episode
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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S2, Ep 9- Should We Fear The Variant Omicron?
The Health Advocates
12/02/21 • 12 min
The majority of Americans have been vaccinated, including the millions of people who have already received an extra booster shot. But how will these vaccines protect us from the new variant Omicron?
“Take precautions, lets prepare ourselves by being calm and if we have to lose that calm and become crazy, we’ll deal with that when we have to deal with it,“ says Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.
Among the highlights in this episode:
:52- Listener comment
1:41- Steven’s Thanksgiving was “tested”
2:35- Concerns of the new variant Omicron
2:51- Will our current vaccines hold up against Omicron?
3:27- Macintosh The Dog makes the first of many cameos
4:04- Leaders are making balanced statements about the new variant
4:30- Does mainstream media create unnecessary anxiety?
4:52- “Anticipatory Anxiety” over Omicron
5:26- People with underlying conditions fear the new variant
6:12- How do we prepare for Omicron?
6:28- Steven- “Lets prepare ourselves by being calm and if we have to lose that calm and become crazy, we’ll deal with that when we have to deal with it.”
7:01- Encourage people you know to get vaccinated and the booster shot
7:30- Latest vaccination rates of Americans
8:25- Children’s vaccines are easing anxiety and fear among parents
8:48- Steve’s curiosity of whether his children’s classmates are vaccinated
10:14- A look back at the positives of vaccinating Americans in the last year
11:32- What did our hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at GHLF. [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes and our previous season at The Health Advocates.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
EXTRA Part 1- What’s the Cheat Code for Insurance Companies?
The Health Advocates
01/27/22 • 17 min
Insurance companies devise new ways to save and make money. One method is called utilization management, where insurers direct patients to treatments that are counter to what the patient’s doctor recommends. Utilization management is so important and controversial that we’re devoting two episodes to the topic, so patients are better informed and can better advocate for themselves.
“Imagine being in the exam room with me and my neurologist and then getting told by your insurance company that you're not eligible for the treatment that you both decided would work for you. That's what happened to me,” says Joe Coe, Director of Digital Education and Strategy at the Global Healthy Living Foundation and host of the Talking Head Pain Podcast. “And my neurologist needed to do a ton of paperwork called prior authorizations to get my medication approved.”
Among the highlights in this episode:
2:17: What is utilization management?
4:00: Physicians devote approximately $26.7 billion in time spent navigating utilization management
5:02: Calculating how much time and money patients waste dealing with their insurance companies
7:14: Joe Coe recalls his first migraine attack
8:36: “Utilization management, when I hear that term, it makes my skin crawl,” says Joe
10:34- The challenges patients face in dealing with their insurance companies during their workday
11:34:- Joe’s advice for dealing with insurance companies
12:04: What is a cheat code and why is it crucial for patients to know?
15:33: What did our co-hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?
Contact Our Hosts
Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: [email protected]
Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF: [email protected]
We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself, to [email protected]
Catch up on all our episodes on our website or on your favorite podcast channel.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Health Advocates have?
The Health Advocates currently has 139 episodes available.
What topics does The Health Advocates cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on The Health Advocates?
The episode title 'S4, Ep 5- Methotrexate: Confusion and Controversy' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Health Advocates?
The average episode length on The Health Advocates is 17 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Health Advocates released?
Episodes of The Health Advocates are typically released every 7 days, 1 hour.
When was the first episode of The Health Advocates?
The first episode of The Health Advocates was released on Oct 4, 2021.
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