The Increasing Use of AI to Deny Health Insurance Claims
EMS #NewsBriefing Podcast | The Increasing Use of AI to Deny Health Insurance Claims
The killing of #UnitedHealthcare CEO #BrianThompson in New York sparked a national debate over Americans’ profound frustration with the #healthcare industry. Even while decrying Thompson’s killing, many people fault insurers like UnitedHealth for the high price of healthcare and for denying care to those in need.
An investigation by ProPublica this year revealed that insurers now routinely deny millions of claims with the use of #AI. Critics note healthcare AI is often riddled with racial and economic biases, which increasingly determines who gets treated versus who does not. Millions of claims are increasingly rejected without a doctor ever opening a patient’s file.
Speakers this week will discuss growing consumer dissatisfaction with health insurance providers, and the impact of AI on health #insurancecoverage and the high rate of denials.
Guest Speakers:
- Dr. Katherine Hempstead, senior policy officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Dr. Miranda Yaver, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Yaver’s new book “Coverage Denied: How Health Insurers Drive Inequality in the United States” will be released in the spring of 2026
- California State Senator Josh Becker, author of SB 1120, the Physicians Make Decisions Act, which limits the scope of AI by requiring doctors to make final decisions
What’s Next for Education under a Trump Presidency
EMS News Briefing Podcast | What’s Next for Education Under a Trump Presidency
The new administration aims to cut the Department of #Education, promoting school vouchers for private institutions. In higher education, experts foresee efforts to dismantle #DEI programs, while stricter #immigration policies may reduce international students.
Guest Speakers
Pedro Noguera, Dean, USC Rossier School of Education
Thomas Toch, Director, FutureEd, Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy
Thomas A. Saenz, President and General Counsel, MALDEF, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Federal Health Safety Nets Are at Risk Under Trump
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Federal Health Safety Nets Are at Risk as New Administration Leads White House
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, several federal health programs may face budget shortages as the new administration aims to reduce inflation and debt. The cuts are likely to take aim at #Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program — CHIPS — and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. These programs collectively serve over 85 million people in the US.
Speakers this week will discuss the impact of budget cuts to these critical health safety nets. They will also discuss the consequential #impoundment process, which allows the President to simply stop the flow of funds to programs authorized by Congress.
Guest Speakers:
- Joan Alker, Executive Director of the Center for Children and Families and Research Professor at the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy Foundation
- Mayra Alvarez, President of the Children’s Partnership
- Richard Kogan, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The California Forestry Sector Jobs Initiative--Cultivating Diverse Leaders and Environmental Sustainability
EMS News Briefing Podcast | The California Forestry Sector Jobs Initiative — Cultivating Diverse Leaders and Environmental Sustainability
The #California #Forestry Sector Jobs Initiative is dedicated to promoting careers in forestry, with a focus on forest management, wildfire prevention, and sustainability.
This initiative not only aims to address workforce gaps but also actively works to engage traditionally underrepresented communities, including women, minorities, and veterans. By providing resources on education, training, and career pathways, the initiative ensures more equitable access to forestry jobs, contributing to both community resilience and environmental stewardship across California. This initiative is funded by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Learn more at caforestryworkforce.com.
Guest Speakers
- Matt Dias, President and CEO, California Forestry Association (Calforests)
- Chief Matthew Reischman, Deputy Director of Resource Management, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
- Brita Goldstein, Community Affairs and Communications Representative, Green Diamond Resource Company
- J. Lopez, Public Member, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Ballot Measures Are a Key Tool to Achieving Health Equity--But They’re Under Attack
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Ballot Measures Are a Key Tool to Achieving Health Equity — But They’re Under Attack
#Ballotmeasures have proven themselves to be a powerful way for voters to make decisions about improving their #health, from #abortionrights and #paidsickleave, to #minimumwage and #cleanwateraccess.
It is no coincidence that efforts to restrict ballot measure access are increasing at the same time that advances for equity are passing at the ballot box. Seventy-five bills were introduced in state legislatures in 2023 to change the rules and make the ballot measure process harder for voters to use to make progress on the issues they care about. So far in 2024, there have been 103 bills attacking the ballot measure process, and we expect more bills to come in the next year.
Join us as speakers discuss how we protect this vital form of direct #democracy and build toward a future where health is not just a privilege for some, but a right for all.
Guest Speakers
- Avenel Joseph, Interim Executive Vice President, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, Executive Director, Ballot Initiative Strategy Center Foundation
- Richard Von Glahn, Political Director, Missouri Jobs for Justice
What a Trump Win Means for Immigrants—and What Could Happen Next
EMS News Briefing Podcast | What a Trump Win Means for Immigrants — and What Could Happen Next
President-elect Donald #Trump's early cabinet appointments signal that #BorderSecurity and #immigration restrictions will be a central focus of his administration. But what does this mean for #immigrants and the families of immigrants, their communities? What could “#massdeportations” look like? And what is the potential effect of some of his policies on legal immigrants and naturalized citizens?
In this discussion, immigration experts will break down Trump's immigration priorities and explore the potential consequences for immigrants and the nation as a whole.
Guest Speakers
- Jeremy Robbins, Executive Director, American Immigration Council
- Greg Chen, Senior Director of Government Relations, American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- Elizabeth Taufa, Policy Attorney & Strategist, Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC)
- Julia Gelatt, Associate Director of our U.S. immigration policy program, Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
One Week Later - Reflections and Insights on the 2024 Elections
Join us for an analysis and discussion of the recent election results and what they may signify for us moving forward, both locally and nationally.
Insights on 2024 Elections—Who Voted, Why, What Results Could Mean?
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Insights on 2024 Elections — Who Voted, Why, What Results Could Mean?
It will likely take some time to fully understand the events of November 5th and the factors that shaped the results. This week’s panel offer a range of expert perspectives to help contextualize the election outcome, including discussions on political violence, the women’s vote, the impact of immigration issues on voter motivation, and the role of communities of color. #Election2024
Guest Speakers
- Kelly Dittmar, Director of Research, Center for American Women and Politics, Rutgers University
- Professor Robert Pape, Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago and Founder and Director, Chicago Project on Security and Threats (CPOST)
- John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice - AAJC
- Vanessa Cardenas, Executive Director, America's Voice
- Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club. Former President and Chief Executive Officer, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Climate Change is Consequential -- Do Voters Care?
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Climate Change is Consequential — Do Voters Care?
Speakers this week will discuss what’s at stake and how to mobilize communities to think about #climatechange.
Guest Speakers:
- Erik Bendix, a resident of Asheville, North Carolina, will share his experience of battling the tornadoes that accompanied Hurricane Helene and the devastation his community still faces six weeks after.
- Sharon Lavigne, Founder of Rise St. James, will talk about how she mobilized her community to fight against a petrochemical factory being built in her neighborhood, known as Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley.” Ms. Lavigne is the 2021 recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize and was named as Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People this year.
- Bill McKibben, Founder of Third Act, which organizes people over the age of 60 for action on climate and justice. Mr. McKibben, one of the US’s pre-eminent environmentalists, will discuss what’s at stake for climate change in this election, and how this election could shape climate for the next 1 million years.
- Sissy Trinh, Executive Director at Southeast Asian Community Alliance. Ms Trinh mobilized low-income communities in Southern California to reclaim the Los Angeles River.
More Days — More Ways to Vote
EMS News Briefing Podcast | More Days — More Ways to Vote
Joe Kocurek, Deputy Secretary of State for Communications presents a brief presentation and answer any questions about key voting tools and options. #Elections2024
Guest Speaker:
Joe Kocurek, Deputy Secretary of State for Communications
The briefing will cover essential voter resources, including:
- Where’s My Ballot sign-up and tracking
- Checking Your Voter Status
- Voter Hotline and Know Your Rights resources
- Strategies to help voters Plan to Vote
- Details on Voting Options
Special News Briefing With Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner--Global Threats to US Elections
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Conversation with Senator Mark Warner on Global Threats to US Elections
#Deepfakes, and vastly improved #disinformation is being used by #Russia, #China, #NorthKorea, and #Iran, among other countries, to interfere in the results of US elections. #Election2024
Senator Mark Warner, D-Virginia, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, talks with reporters on how #artificialintelligence is being used by foreign actors to manipulate messaging to US voters. He believes the US is more vulnerable to global election interference than it was in 2020.
Ensuring Our Vote Counts Amid Election Threats
EMS News Briefing Podcast | Ensuring Our Vote Counts Amid Election Threats
This briefing gathers top national and local election experts to discuss voter registration, highlight new state voting laws that may affect participation, and address key threats to election security.
Guest Speakers:
- Celina Stewart, CEO, League of Women Voters of the US
- Andrew Garber, counsel, Voting Rights and Elections Program
- Robert A. Pape, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago
- May Tiwamangkala, Democracy Defender Director at @Arizona Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander for Equity
