A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised. 

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them.

Read more: A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up Obamacare

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn&rsquo;t what they were promised.&nbsp;
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them.
Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-health-care-plans-fake-jobs/">A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up Obamacare</a>

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

Big Take

Telemarketers’ New Trick to Sell Bare-Bones Health Plans

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/082585cc-e991-49c8-ac02-b2d6013b9792/transcript

The Federal Open Market Committee announced this afternoon that it would hold interest rates steady. The decision comes in spite of spiking oil prices and new market uncertainty driven by the Iran War.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg Federal Reserve reporter Amara Omeokwe and Wharton professor and historian Peter Conti-Brown to discuss how the Fed is thinking about the Iran War and its impacts on the US economy — and what could shift its calculus in the months ahead.

Read more: Fed to Hold Interest Rates Steady as Iran War Scrambles the Economic Outlook

Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Amara Omeokwe; Edited by Tracey Samuelson.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Federal Open Market Committee announced this afternoon that it would hold interest rates steady. The decision comes in spite of spiking oil prices and new market uncertainty driven by the Iran War.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host David Gura sits down with Bloomberg Federal Reserve reporter Amara Omeokwe and Wharton professor and historian Peter Conti-Brown to discuss how the Fed is thinking about the Iran War and its impacts on the US economy &mdash; and what could shift its calculus in the months ahead.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-16/fed-to-hold-interest-rates-steady-as-iran-war-scrambles-the-economic-outlook?srnd=undefined">Fed to Hold Interest Rates Steady as Iran War Scrambles the Economic Outlook</a>
Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Amara Omeokwe; Edited by Tracey Samuelson.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

The Iran War Is Complicating How the Fed Makes Rate Decisions

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8ce3721f-2086-4441-b794-b41101461f9a/transcript

From soaring fuel prices in Pakistan to a shortage of cooking gas in India, Asia is bearing the brunt of the energy crunch sparked by the Iran War.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast we look at how war in the Middle East has pushed Asia to the forefront of a global crisis. Host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Faseeh Mangi about the impact of soaring fuel prices in Pakistan and Clara Ferreira Marques about how the least economically resilient countries are feeling the most pain. 

Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang, Naomi Ng;  Reported by Faseeh Mangi, Clara Ferreira Marques;  Edited by Paddy Hirsch.

Fact-checking by Naomi Ng, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate;  Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

From soaring fuel prices in Pakistan to a shortage of cooking gas in India, Asia is bearing the brunt of the energy crunch sparked by the Iran War.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take Asia podcast we look at how war in the Middle East has pushed Asia to the forefront of a global crisis. Host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg&rsquo;s Faseeh Mangi about the impact of soaring fuel prices in Pakistan and Clara Ferreira Marques about how the least economically resilient countries are feeling the most pain.&nbsp;
Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Yang Yang, Naomi Ng;&nbsp; Reported by Faseeh Mangi, Clara Ferreira Marques;&nbsp; Edited by Paddy Hirsch.
Fact-checking by Naomi Ng, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate;&nbsp; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Asia Is Bearing the Brunt of the Iran War Energy Crisis

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c1bed506-227f-42bc-9e5c-b410014fd8d7/transcript

As the war in Iran draws in more countries, it’s had unlikely benefits for one of Iran’s key allies: Russia.

President Trump has eased some sanctions on Russian oil in his efforts to alleviate the oil squeeze created by the conflict. Meanwhile, the allyship between Russia and Iran has deepened as both countries have shared battlefield intelligence.

On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with US defense and intelligence reporter Natalia Drozdiak about how Russia could benefit from the Iran War — and what it could ultimately mean for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Read more: Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ Guides Iran’s Strikes in Widening War

Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Natalia Drozdiak; Edited by Naomi Shavin.

Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Katie McMurran.

Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

As the war in Iran draws in more countries, it&rsquo;s had unlikely benefits for one of Iran&rsquo;s key allies: Russia.
President Trump has eased some sanctions on Russian oil in his efforts to alleviate the oil squeeze created by the conflict. Meanwhile, the allyship between Russia and Iran has deepened as both countries have shared battlefield intelligence.
On today&rsquo;s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks with US defense and intelligence reporter Natalia Drozdiak about how Russia could benefit from the Iran War &mdash; and what it could ultimately mean for Russia&rsquo;s war in Ukraine.
Read more: <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-12/putin-s-hidden-hand-guides-iran-s-strikes-in-widening-conflict?srnd=undefined">Putin&rsquo;s &lsquo;Hidden Hand&rsquo; Guides Iran&rsquo;s Strikes in Widening War</a>
Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Natalia Drozdiak; Edited by Naomi Shavin.
Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Katie McMurran.
Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.

Will Russia Be the Biggest Winner of the Iran War?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fa15f24b-1443-4847-abd4-b40f01541e2f/transcript

Telemarketers’ New Trick to Sell Bare-Bones Health Plans

In 1 playlist(s)

Big Take

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips