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The Healthy Project Podcast

The Healthy Project Podcast

Written by: The Healthy Project
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The Healthy Project Podcast explores the powerful intersection of health, society, and equity through real conversations with changemakers on the front lines of social impact. Each episode features thought leaders, researchers, and advocates who unpack how social structures — from policy to culture — shape the health of communities. Topics we explore include: Health equity and structural determinants Community-driven research and innovation Lived experiences of marginalized populations Public policy, systemic bias, and health outcomes Whether you're a public health professional, social science researcher, policymaker, or community advocate, this podcast brings you grounded insights, bold ideas, and practical tools to drive change where it matters most.© 2023 The Healthy Project Podcast Hygiene & Healthy Living Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Housing as Medicine: Why Homelessness is a Housing Crisis with Dr. Margot Kushel, UCSF
    Feb 2 2026
    Corey Dion Lewis sits down with Dr. Margot Kushel, a practicing general internist with over 30 years of experience at San Francisco General Hospital and Director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, to explore why homelessness is fundamentally a housing problem—not a healthcare problem—and what this means for medical professionals and communities.Dr. Kushel shares compelling insights from her three decades of clinical practice and research, revealing how the lack of affordable housing creates impossible situations for healthcare providers trying to treat patients experiencing homelessness. From managing diabetes in a tent to storing insulin without refrigeration, she illustrates why "there is no medicine as powerful as housing."What You'll Learn:Why regions with high homelessness rates are defined by housing affordability, not mental health prevalenceHow structural racism and redlining created the current crisis, with Black Americans 4-5 times overrepresented in homeless populationsThe stark reality: only 36 affordable housing units exist for every 100 extremely low-income households in AmericaWhy Housing First policies work better than Treatment First approaches, backed by evidence from veteran homelessness reductionThe hidden homeless population: workers living in cars, college students couch-surfing, and older adults losing housing for the first timeHow the politicization of Housing First policies threatens progress and patient outcomesPractical ways healthcare providers can advocate for housing as a health interventionKey Clinical Insights:Dr. Kushel explains why treating chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and mental health disorders becomes nearly impossible when patients lack stable housing. She shares real stories from her practice, including a 63-year-old patient who hadn't eaten in four days while fighting eviction, and discusses how readmission penalties unfairly penalize hospitals serving homeless populations.The Evidence for Housing First:Learn about the dramatic 85% housing retention rate of Housing First approaches compared to 5-10% success rates of traditional Treatment First models, and why the George W. Bush administration adopted this evidence-based policy. Dr. Kushel also shares findings from California's comprehensive statewide homelessness study, debunking myths about people traveling from other states.For Medical Professionals:This episode is essential listening for physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical students, residents, community health workers, social workers, case managers, and anyone in healthcare who treats patients experiencing housing instability. Dr. Kushel provides a framework for understanding how to advocate beyond the clinic walls.About Dr. Margot Kushel:Dr. Kushel is a physician and researcher who has dedicated her career to understanding and ending homelessness. She directs the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative and the Action Research Center for Health at the University of California, San Francisco. Her research informs policy at local, state, and federal levels.Resources Mentioned:UCSF Benioff Homelessness Initiative: homelessness.ucsf.eduCalifornia Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness"There Is No Place" by Brian GoldstoneEpisode Takeaway: "There is no medicine as powerful as housing. Homelessness is a housing problem."Whether you're a healthcare provider frustrated by social determinants of health, a medical student learning about population health, or a community advocate, this conversation will change how you think about the intersection of housing and health.SHOW NOTESEpisode: Housing as Medicine: Why Homelessness is a Housing Crisis Guest: Dr. Margot Kushel, MD Host: Corey Dion Lewis Category: Medicine Duration: ~49 minutesABOUT THIS EPISODEDr. Margot Kushel, Director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative, explains why homelessness is fundamentally a housing crisis and how this understanding transforms medical practice and healthcare advocacy.GUEST BIODr. Margot Kushel, MDPracticing General Internist, San Francisco General Hospital (30+ years)Director, UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing InitiativeDirector, Action Research Center for Health, UCSFLeading researcher on homelessness and health outcomesPolicy advisor at local, state, and federal levelsKEY TOPICS & TIMESTAMPS[00:00] Introduction: The Housing-Health Connection[02:00] Homelessness is a Housing ProblemWhy mental health and substance use don't explain geographic variationsThe role of affordable housing shortagesComparing high vs. low homelessness regions[05:00] The Clinical Reality: Hands Tied Behind Our BacksTreating diabetes in patients living in tentsWhy standard medical care fails without stable housingThe frustration of healthcare providers[08:17] The Numbers: America's Affordable Housing Crisis36 units per 100 extremely low-income households nationallySan Francisco: 24 units ...
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    51 mins
  • ICE Killings in Minnesota: Why Silence Is a Choice | The Healthy Project
    Jan 26 2026

    Today’s episode is not the one I planned to release. I was supposed to share an interview I was excited about, but it didn’t feel right to move forward after the tragic killings by ICE agents in Minnesota. Families are grieving. Communities are scared. And pretending everything is normal felt like the wrong move.

    In this solo emergency episode, I speak honestly about not having the right words, but choosing to not stay silent. The Healthy Project was created to shine a light on the systems that harm people, and what happened in Minnesota is not just a headline. It is state violence. It is the predictable result of a system built on fear and enforcement.

    This episode is about sitting with discomfort, naming what’s happening, and turning awareness into action. I share why immigration enforcement has always been violent, why no human being deserves to die because of documentation status, and what you can do right now to support impacted communities.

    We talk about:

    • The ICE killings in Minnesota and why this matters to all of us
    • How silence protects harmful systems
    • The human cost behind immigration enforcement
    • Ways you can take action through education, mutual aid, and community support

    This is a heavy episode. But it’s a necessary one. You don’t need perfect words to show up. You just need to refuse to look away.

    ★ Support this podcast ★
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    8 mins
  • Healthcare at the Coverage Cliff: Sr. Mary Haddad on Medicaid Cuts and ACA Subsidy Expiration
    Nov 24 2025

    Sister Mary Haddad, President and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, returns to The Healthy Project as 2025 ends with a major coverage threat ahead.

    In July 2025, Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act with major Medicaid changes that analysts warn will reduce access for millions.
    American Medical Association+1 At the same time, enhanced ACA premium tax credits are set to expire on December 31, 2025, which could raise premiums sharply and leave roughly 4 to 5 million more people uninsured in 2026 without an extension.
    KFF+2
    Thomson Reuters Tax+2

    Sister Mary explains what this means for working families, rural hospitals, emergency departments, and telehealth access. Many Medicare telehealth flexibilities are extended only through January 30, 2026, adding pressure for rural patients and health systems.
    telehealth.hhs.gov+1

    You will hear:

    • How Medicaid cuts and expiring ACA subsidies collide
    • Why rural communities face higher risk
    • What happens to EDs when coverage drops
    • Why telehealth policy still feels temporary
    • What Congress must do now
    • How you can take action beyond awareness

    Show Notes
    0:00 – Welcome and why this episode matters right now
    2:10 – What changed with Medicaid in July 2025
    American Medical Association+1
    6:30 – The ACA subsidy deadline and what families are seeing in open enrollment
    KFF+1
    11:20 – The size of the coverage risk for 2026
    Thomson Reuters Tax+1
    16:10 – Why rural markets and lower incomes create a sharper cliff
    20:40 – Hospital strain, closures, and service reductions
    25:15 – Emergency departments as the fallback system
    29:50 – Telehealth lessons from COVID and what the January 30, 2026 deadline means
    telehealth.hhs.gov+1
    34:10 – Healthcare as dignity and economic justice
    38:25 – What Congress can do immediately
    41:30 – What you can do as a citizen and advocate
    45:00 – Closing and where to learn more

    Guest
    Sister Mary Haddad, RSM
    President & CEO, Catholic Health Association of the United States

    Resources

    Catholic Health Association: chausa.org

    Related Episode
    June 2025 – Medicaid at a Crossroads: A Conversation with Sr. Mary Haddad (Part 1)

    Call to action
    Follow The Healthy Project Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
    Share this episode with one person who cares about coverage, rural health, and health equity.

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    30 mins
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