Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast Medicare 101 after Trump says feds “can’t take care” of it
Apr 7, 2026
Maya Goldman, Axios healthcare reporter who covers Medicare, Medicaid, and federal health policy, breaks down how Medicare and Medicaid work. Short, clear segments explain who is covered and who pays. Conversations cover state versus federal roles, financing pressures, privatization debates, and policy options to control costs.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Medicare Trust Fund Faces Faster Insolvency Than Social Security
- Economists warn Medicare's trust fund faces insolvency sooner than Social Security due to aging population and rising medical costs.
- Goldman said insolvency could be only a few years away and would reduce payment levels and access for seniors.
State Control Would Make Medicare Look Like Medicaid
- Turning Medicare over to states would likely resemble Medicaid with wide state-by-state variation and funding challenges.
- Goldman said small states previously failed at single-payer attempts like Vermont because they lack a large tax base.
Trump Budget Cuts HHS But Not Major Medicare Benefits
- The Trump budget proposed large HHS cuts but spared most Medicare benefit cuts, targeting NIH and research agencies more heavily.
- Goldman noted a roughly 12.5% HHS cut in the budget, with limited immediate changes to Medicare benefits.