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Baker Briefing

Baker Briefing

Written by: Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
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Hosted by former U.S. Ambassador David Satterfield, “Baker Briefing” makes news make sense by bringing together experts from Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and beyond to break down the most important foreign and domestic policy issues of the day. New episodes weekly.

© 2025 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • 37: One Year In, How Trump and RFK Jr. Reshaped Federal Health Policy
    Jun 11 2026

    How is the Trump administration reshaping American healthcare? Ambassador David M. Satterfield sits down with Heidi Russell, director of the Baker Institute Center for Health Policy, to discuss a new report examining major health policy changes during the administration’s first year — from Medicaid cuts and federal agency restructuring to vaccine policy and public health priorities. What do these changes mean for patients, providers, states, and the future of public health in the United States?

    This conversation was recorded on May 28 2026.

    Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

    You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

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    38 mins
  • 36: Why Health Insurance Costs Vary So Dramatically
    Jun 3 2026

    Americans know healthcare is expensive, but what’s less understood is why the cost of coverage can vary so dramatically, even for people doing similar jobs in the same state. Host David M. Satterfield talks with Baker Institute fellows Vivian Ho and Marah Short about a new report examining health insurance premiums across Texas universities. The findings reveal striking differences in what institutions and employees pay for comparable coverage, with gaps that can reach thousands of dollars per year.

    This conversation was recorded on May 28, 2026.

    Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

    You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

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    28 mins
  • 35: The Human Cost of Escalating Conflict in the Middle East
    May 29 2026

    Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), escalating conflicts have forced millions of people from their homes — often not just temporarily, but for years or even generations. As wars drag on and humanitarian resources shrink, what happens when there are few clear paths home and millions are left navigating the lasting human costs of displacement?

    Ambassador David M. Satterfield speaks with Baker Institute experts Kelsey Norman and Ana Martín Gil about the realities of protracted displacement across the region. Norman and Martín Gil are series editors of a new Baker Institute compilation report on protracted displacement in the MENA, which is particularly acute in the region and driven by complex political, security, and climate dynamics.

    This conversation was recorded on May 14, 2026.

    Listen and subscribe to “Baker Briefing” on Apple, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform.

    You can follow @BakerInstitute on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

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    30 mins
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