Medicare Advantage was designed to save the government money. But a Wall Street Journal investigation found that private insurers used the program to generate extra payments through questionable diagnoses. The investigation uncovered instances of potentially deadly illnesses like AIDS, where patients received no follow-up care, as well as diagnoses that were medically impossible. This happened in part when insurers sent nurse practitioners into Medicare Advantage recipients’ homes. Jessica Mendoza discusses the investigation with WSJ’s Christopher Weaver as well as a nurse who participated in the program.  Further Listening: -A Life-or-Death Insurance Denial  -Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special immigration status helped Mills Manufacturing, which makes parachutes for the U.S. military, keep its workforce fully staffed. But last week, an order from the Supreme Court allowed the Trump Administration to revoke temporary protections for about 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, and Nicaragua. WSJ’s Ruth Simon explains why companies like Mills are scrambling. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: - A New Phase in Trump’s Immigration Fight  - How Frog Embryos Landed a Scientist in ICE Detention  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Israeli-backed system meant to deliver aid and food into Gaza launched last week to scenes of chaos and violence. WSJ's Anat Peled breaks down the new system, and explains why getting aid to the region is difficult and dangerous. Jessica Mendoza hosts. Further Listening: - A Fragile Cease-Fire Deal in Gaza  - The UN Agency Accused of Links to Hamas  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christina Chapman presented herself as just another influencer on TikTok. In reality, she operated a “laptop farm” that allowed North Koreans to take jobs as U.S. tech workers and scam more than 300 U.S. companies out of millions of dollars. WSJ’s Robert McMillan breaks down the scam and Chapman’s crucial role in it. Annie Minoff hosts.   Further Listening: - North Korea's Propaganda Mastermind  - Your New Hire May Be a North Korean Spy  - Hack Me If You Can  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Minting one penny costs the United States nearly four cents. After 233 years, the Treasury Department has decided to phase out the coin. This will mean that businesses will have to round cash transactions up or down, and some fear it could lead to inflation. We reminisce about the cultural significance of the one-cent coin with WSJ’s Oyin Adedoyin and discuss the pro-penny stance with an advocate. WSJ’s Jessica Mendoza hosts.   Further Listening: - The Fight Over Your Credit Card Swipe  - The Coronavirus Cash Crisis  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are the Oscar winning director and producer behind some of Hollywood's most memorable movies like A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13 and The Da Vinci Code. The duo, who co-founded Imagine Entertainment in 1985, sat down with WSJ's Ben Fritz at the Future of Everything Festival to talk about longevity in Hollywood, AI in movie production and the future of movies. Further Listening:  - Why Hollywood Is Betting Big on ‘Wicked’ - With Great Power, Part 1: Origin Story Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, an obscure trade court dropped a bombshell ruling: President Trump did not have the authority to issue sweeping tariffs under a 1977 law. The government has appealed the court’s decision. WSJ’s James Fanelli and Gavin Bade dig into the ruling and what it could mean for the future of Trump’s trade agenda. Annie Minoff hosts. Further Listening: The Tariff Trade Off: Jobs vs. Higher Prices  A Tariff Loophole Just Closed. What That Means for Online Shopping  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May, President Trump signed an executive order cutting off federal funding for public broadcasters, including NPR and PBS. In his order, Trump said “neither entity presents a fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.” WSJ’s Joe Flint breaks down the decades-long fight over public media, and NPR’s CEO Katherine Maher explains why her network is challenging the Trump administration in court. Jessica Mendoza hosts.  Further Listening: -For Millions of Student-Loan Borrowers, It's Time to Pay  -Can the GOP Unite Around Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill'?  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Trump administration is starting to put millions of defaulted student-loan borrowers into collections and threatening to confiscate their wages, tax refunds and federal benefits. WSJ’s Oyin Adedoyin digs into what the restart could mean for borrowers and the economy. Annie Minoff hosts.  Further Listening: -Biden’s New Plan to Cancel Student Debt  -Breaking Down Student Debt Relief  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta has gone all in on chatbots. The bots are capable of giving advice, answering questions and playing games with users. Some feature the licensed voices of some celebrities. But after months of testing, the Wall Street Journal found Meta's chatbots were also capable of engaging in graphic romantic roleplay, even with young users. Some people inside the company are concerned. Jeff Horwitz reports and Kate Linebaugh hosts for the last time. Further Listening: - Does Meta Have a Social Media Monopoly?  - The Facebook Files  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're off for Memorial Day but with summer reading season just beginning, we wanted to share this episode.BookTok, the corner of TikTok that’s all about books, has shaken up the publishing world. Over the last few years, the platform has pulled in new readers, especially in the romance and fantasy genres. And now some of the largest publishers in the U.S. are finding new talent and rethinking their strategies because of TikTok. We hear from an author, a bookstore owner and a publisher about how TikTok has transformed the book industry. Jessica Mendoza hosts.This episode was first published in December 2024. Further Listening: -The Rise of the Tween Shopper  -Inside One Publisher’s Fight Against Book Bans  -Scholastic's Succession Drama  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Economists have long analyzed data to predict the next recession. They’ve also turned to more offbeat economic gauges like underwear sales and skirt lengths. But now, the TikTok generation is seeing recession indicators everywhere. WSJ’s Hannah Erin Lang explains what Gen Z’s fascination with harbingers of economic doom might actually mean for the economy. Jessica Mendoza hosts.  Further Listening: - Is the Economy… OK?  - Trump 2.0: Where Is The Economy Headed?  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some consumers and lawmakers upset over high egg prices believe they’ve found a villain: Cal-Maine. The little-known company produces one out of every five eggs sold in the U.S. And in the midst of a national egg shortage and a bird flu epidemic, Cal-Maine has been raking in the profits. But are the accusations against Cal-Maine fair? WSJ’s Patrick Thomas investigates. Annie Minoff hosts.   Further Listening: -An Eggspensive Dilemma  -Bird Flu and the High Price of Eggs Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blockbuster drugs. Rising profits. Strong sales. And yet, Novo Nordisk, the Danish company behind the GLP-1 drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, made a surprising move last week: It pushed out its CEO. WSJ's Peter Loftus charts the rise of Ozempic and the fall of CEO Lars Jorgensen. Jessica Mendoza hosts.  Further Listening: Trillion Dollar Shot  Why WeightWatchers Wants in on Drugs Like Ozempic   Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Donald Trump visited Capitol Hill today to urge passage of his multitrillion dollar tax and spending agenda. The bill is a complex piece of legislation that includes tax cuts, spending increases, spending reductions and some tax hikes. In total, it would increase budget deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade. WSJ’s Richard Rubin reports on the testy debate inside the GOP over the bill. Jessica Mendoza hosts.     Further Listening: -Trump 2.0: The First 100 Days  -Trump’s Tariffs Force a New Era in Global Trade  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was supposed to be the highlight of New York’s spring auction week: Sculptor Alberto Giacometti’s masterpiece “Large Thin Head” was this year’s most hotly anticipated piece up for sale. But when the bidding opened, collectors went silent. WSJ’s Kelly Crow explains what this unexpected auction week bust reveals about today’s art market. Annie Minoff hosts.  Further Listening: - The $6 Million Banana's Appeal  - Is This Painting a Masterpiece? AI Is On the Case  - The Basquiat Sisters on Managing One of Art's Hottest Brands  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A global team of betting whizzes hatched a scheme to take down the Texas Lottery. The plan was led by a London banker-turned-bookmaker and a mysterious professional gambler nicknamed ‘The Joker.’ The duo partnered with a Texas company and local retailers to print more than 99% of all the lottery tickets sold. And the jackpot was worth almost $100 million. The WSJ’s Brad Reagan explains how they pulled off the heist. Jessica Mendoza hosts.  Further Listening: - How an Antiques Dealer Uncovered a Massive Museum Heist  - Inside an iPhone Heist  - How Investigators Cracked a $3.4 Billion Crypto Heist  - Six Days of Chaos at MGM’s Casinos  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Air traffic controllers for Newark Liberty International Airport have recently experienced several frightening incidents. Their radars and radios have gone dark, potentially risking the lives of hundreds of passengers. The resulting chaos and delays are forcing government officials to address staffing shortages and outdated tech at the Newark facility, and nationwide. WSJ’s aviation reporter Andrew Tangel talks with one air traffic controller about the difficulties of the job. Annie Minoff hosts.     Further Listening: -Your Flight Delay Is Probably New York’s Fault  -The Life and Death of a Boeing Whistleblower  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Billions of health insurance claims are processed every year, and around 19% of them are denied. Very few people appeal, but those that do have a chance at a different outcome. Jessica Mendoza speaks to one family about the insurance denial that threw them into a life-or-death crisis, and WSJ’s Julie Wernau on the system they navigated. Further Listening: - Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance  - The Cyberattack That's Roiling Healthcare  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, to the surprise of global investors, the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day trade deal. The deal slashed tariffs between the two countries and sent stocks surging.  Leading the negotiations on the U.S. side was Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. WSJ’s Brian Schwartz, who covered the talks in Geneva, explains how Bessent became President Trump’s man on trade policy and got China to ‘yes’ on a temporary truce. Jessica Mendoza hosts.   Further Listening: -Made In America? Shoe Companies Already Tried That.  -Taking Stock of the ‘Sell America’ Trade  -China Unleashes A Trade War Arsenal  -Tariff Trade-Off: Jobs vs. Higher Prices  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices