S9, Ep 5- Congress Funds Health Care: What This Means for Patients

Congress has passed, and President Trump has signed, a major government funding bill that includes a wide range of health care policies, from telehealth extensions and hospital-at-home programs to long-sought reforms targeting pharmacy benefit managers. But alongside those wins, the legislation als…

S9, Ep 4- Redefining Care Through Lived Experience: Cynthia Overton on Person‑Centered Care

In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark sits down with Dr. Cynthia Overton to explore what person‑centered care truly looks like, through the eyes of someone who has lived it. At age 26, Cynthia experienced a sudden spinal cord injury that left her temporarily paralyzed—an event th…

S9, Ep 3- Congress Reaches Rare Bipartisan Health Deal: What’s In It for Patients

In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark breaks down a surprising moment of bipartisan agreement in Congress: a new Health and Human Services funding bill that includes meaningful wins for patients and public health. From protecting CDC and NIH funding to extending telehealth flexib…

S9, Ep 2- Championing Public Health in Politics: A Conversation with State Rep. Michele Grim

In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark speaks with Ohio State Representative Michele Grim, the only public health professional currently serving in the Ohio legislature. Rep. Grim shares how her background in public health advocacy led her to politics, where she now champions legis…

S9, Ep 1- The Pediatric Vaccine Rollback: What ACIP Changed and Why It Matters

In this episode of The Health Advocates, we break down one of the most pivotal and controversial ACIP meetings in recent history. The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee voted to roll back the universal hepatitis B birth dose, a policy that has protected newborns from chronic liver disease for more th…

S8, Ep 43- 2025 Year-End Public Health Recap

In this special year-end episode of The Health Advocates, host Steven Newmark takes a step back to review several of the most significant public health developments of 2025. The episode covers major leadership changes at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, key meetings and votes of t…

S8, Ep 42- ACIP Meeting Recap: What Happened and What It Means for Patients

In this episode of The Health Advocates, we break down one of the most pivotal and controversial ACIP meetings in recent history. The CDC’s vaccine advisory committee voted to roll back the universal hepatitis B birth dose — a policy that has protected newborns from chronic liver disease for more t…

S8, Ep 41- Building Trust in Health: A Texas Lawmaker’s View on Prevention, Access, and Equity

How can lawmakers rebuild public trust in health, and make prevention a shared priority? In this episode of The Health Advocates, Steven Newmark speaks with Texas State Representative Nicole Collier, a leading voice on health equity, women’s health, and preventive care. From her work on the Select…

S8, Ep 40- Turkey Day Conversations: How to Talk About Vaccines With Your Family

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Steven helps our community prepare for the conversations that matter most. Every year, GHLF shares its “Turkey Day Talking Points” to support people living with chronic illness or who are immunocompromised as they navigate discussions about vaccines with family…

S8, Ep 39- Government Shutdowns & IgG4-RD: What Patients Need to Know

In this episode of The Health Advocates, host Steven Newmark breaks down what the recent federal government shutdown means for health care access and vulnerable patients. Then, he’s joined by Mahsa Pazokifard, a passionate patient advocate living with IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), a rare and ofte…