Advertise on podcast: Prognosis Ohio

Dan talks with two public health experts and veterans of the Smoke Free Ohio campaign of the early 2000s, Susan Jagers, who was co-chair of the Smoke Free Ohio campaign, and Professor Micah Berman, who was at the time of the campaign Executive Director of the Tobacco Public Policy Center at Capital Law School. Topics include the lead up to the Smoke Free Ohio vote in 2006, tactics of the tobacco industry in the Ohio Statehouse, the state of tobacco and related legislation today, and the sad paucity of prevention and cessation funding in Ohio today. Susan Jagers is Executive Director  of the Ohio Association of Health Commissioners and Micah Berman is Stephen F. Loebs Professor in Health Services Management and Policy & Professor of Law at Ohio State University. Subscribe, visit our archives, and support Prognosis Ohio at prognosisohio.com.

Dan talks with Dr. Nathaniel Overmire, Franklin County Coroner and Assistant Clinical Professor at Ohio University, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. In a far reaching conversation, Dan and Nate discuss the nature of the coroner office's work, issues including overdose deaths, suicide, violent homicide, and more. In addition, what is the present state of support for harm reduction approaches to public health? The conversation concludes with a discussion of the Ohio State Medical Association PAC's controversial endorsement of Vivek Ramaswamy and Dr. Overmire's support for Dr. Amy Acton. Stream and support the show at prognosisohio.com.

Dan talks with sustainability expert and All Aboard Ohio board member, Liz Quigley, about the history of passenger rail in Ohio and the prospect of getting it back again. Topics include the value of rail to Ohio's quality of life (and mental health), the current politics of trains, and drag on economic development in Ohio, which currently serves as a barrier to regional and even national access points. Subscribe and contribute to Prognosis Ohio at prognosisohio.com.

Dan talks with Stephanie Hightower, President and CEO of the Columbus Urban League, about equity, fairness, and access to the economic boom in Central Ohio. Topics include jobs, housing, and how a conversation about justice and fairness can be infused into conversations about economic development in Ohio, especially to ensure that all Central Ohioans benefit from the employment and other opportunities the state is touting in the region. Throughout, Dan and Stephanie also emphasize the importance of being civically and politically engaged. For show notes and links, visit PrognosisOhio.com.

On episode 145, Dan has a wide-ranging conversation with Greg Lawson of the Buckeye Institute, a think tank whose mission is to advance free-market public policy in Ohio and beyond. Topics include economic development in Ohio, home rule, transparency and fraud, Medicaid work requirements, and much more. Additional information at prognosisohio.com. Greg Lawson is a senior research fellow at The Buckeye Institute with expertise on Ohio’s budget, local government, state and local taxes, education and education funding, transportation funding, and occupational licensing.

On episode 144, Dan talks with Hailey Akah and Brian O’Rourke of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio about the major findings in their 2026 Health Value Dashboard, a collection of tools and resources that compare Ohio’s performance to all other states on measures of population health, healthcare spending and the factors that influence health. Topics include the three key findings of the 2026 Dashboard, how we should interpret progress in these findings, and how these findings might play in the 2026 electoral year when candidates will be laying out their priorities for Ohio should they be elected. The guests: Haley Akah is Vice President of Operations and Strategy at HPIO and Dr. Brian O’Rourke is a health policy analyst. The host: Dan Skinner is Professor of Health Policy at Ohio University. For more info and to support the show: prognosisohio.com

In this episode, Dan Skinner talks with State Rep. Justin Pizzulli, Republican from Scioto County, and Rep. Anita Somani, Democrat from Dublin, about the bill they are sponsoring to cap taxpayer funded vouchers for private schools at $500,000. As the discussion reveals, the issue is about fairness, fiscal responsibility, but also opens larger questions such as: should public money be transferred to private schools at all?

Dan talks with Dr. Zach Rossfeld, who is running for State Representative in the 7th House district. A hospice and palliative care physician, Zach talks about what his experience as both a physician and at the Ohio Department of Medicaid has taught him about what Ohio needs on the policy level, not only health policy, but housing, education, and beyond. Above all, Rossfeld calls for a radical recentering in the Statehouse of Ohioans' immediate needs even as we build longer term capacity. Two items mentioned in the conversation: Fleishman, What is the Relative Value of a Baby? (registration required) Health Policy Institute of Ohio - 2026 Value Dashboard.

Dan talks with Rob Moore of Scioto Analysis about the recent surge in "affordability" talk. Is it economically meaningful, politically opportunistic, or a real sign that Americans and Ohioans are starting to ask deeper questions about inequality, poverty, and beyond?

Dan Skinner interviews Dr. Bryan Hambley, a Cincinnati-based oncologist who is running in the Democratic primary for Ohio Secretary of State. Dan and Bryan discuss the relationship between fair elections and better representation in Ohio, including how a more democratic system will help Ohio improve its poor health outcomes.

On episode 139, Dan Skinner talks with Emily Campbell, who recently began her service as President and CEO of the Center for Community Solutions after 16 years with the organization. Dan and Emily talk through the extensive (88--one for each Ohio county) fact sheets CCS recently released with data about the status of women in Ohio. Topics include economic barriers such as pay inequity, maternity deserts, policy hurdles to making Ohio an attractive state for aging in place, and more. Streams/notes/subscribe: www.prognosisohio.com/episodes/campbell.

Smoking is not only one of the top causes of death in Cleveland, but is a function of years of inequitable and racist policy, with devastating consequences for communities of color. Dan talks with Dr. David Margolius, Director of Public Health for the City of Cleveland, about his and others' efforts to get Cleveland’s horrendous smoking rates under control, especially by addressing flavored tobacco. Topics include the origins of Cleveland's extremely high smoking rates; the racial dimensions of the debate over menthol cigarettes; regulating tobacco after passage of Issue 2, which legalized cannabis in Ohio; and political barriers, in the Cleveland City Council and in the Ohio Statehouse to putting meaningful anti-smoking public health policies in place. Show notes, streams, and ways to support at prognosisohio.com. Hosted and produced by Dan Skinner. Social media and production support by Nathaniel Powell. Prognosis Ohio is a member of the WCBE Podcast Experience and the Health Podcast Network. Prognosis Ohio is a production of Prognosis Ohio, LLC.

Rick Neal is a well-known progressive advocate in Central Ohio, but his political conscience has long been driven by his passion for and professional experience in humanitarian relief, especially in Asia and Africa. On Episode 137, taking a few weeks off from challenges here in Ohio, Dan Skinner talks with Rick about his experience as a humanitarian relief worker with Peace Corps, Oxfam, and Refugees International. Topics include the challenges of securing adequate funding, geopolitical complexities, and how to ensure Ohioans don't forget the serious crises that exist around the world, even as we tend to our own challenges here at home. Listen, as well, as Rick explains why medical and public health professionals in Ohio might consider jumping in to do this important work. Show notes and stream at prognosisohio.com/episodes/neal

Dan Skinner talks with Dr. Ayaz Hyder of Ohio State University’s College of Public Health and Gavin French of Columbus Public Health about their article, published in the Ohio Journal of Public Health, "Real-time Monitoring and Evaluation of the Vax Cash Program: A Case Study from Columbus, Ohio." Dan, Ayaz, and Gavin discuss the idea behind incentive programs such as Vax Cash, which provided cash to help individuals get vaccinated in the early months when COVID-19 vaccinations became available. Show notes at prognosisohio.com.

Just two weeks from November 7, the last date Ohioans can vote on Issue 1, a ballot initiative that will enshrine abortion rights in the Ohio constitution, Dan Skinner talks with Marcela Azevedo, MD, Co-Founder of Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights (OPRR) about the state of the “Yes on Issue 1” movement. Topics include whether OPRR and issue 1 supporters have been able to cut through the noise and misinformation that have clouded voters’ understanding of what Issue 1 will do; the health stakes of Issue 1, including what we learned from the 82 days after Dobbs when abortion was illegal in Ohio; the significance of physician leadership on the issue of reproductive freedom; and more. Show notes: www.prognosisohio.com/episodes/oprr Hosted and produced by Dan Skinner. Social media and production support by Nathaniel Powell. Prognosis Ohio is a member of the WCBE Podcast Experience and the Health Podcast Network. Prognosis Ohio is a production of Prognosis Ohio, LLC.