Next Question with Katie Couric

Katie’s One-on-One with Senator Bill Cassidy

Next Question with Katie Couric

Show Notes

Public health remains one of this country’s most politically charged issues. Six years after the COVID pandemic upended everyday life, Americans are still divided over vaccines, scientific expertise, and the role of our nation's top health agencies. Meanwhile, the U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in decades, underscoring just how high the stakes remain. Few senators have spent more time thinking about these issues than Bill Cassidy. The Louisiana Republican is not only a physician, but has spent much of his life improving public health for the residents of his state. He is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and one of the key lawmakers overseeing the nation's health agencies during this particularly turbulent time. In this wide ranging conversation, Katie speaks with him about the measles outbreak, the challenge of rebuilding trust in public health, his ideas for lowering healthcare costs, and why he believes Congress still has time to save Social Security.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from Next Question with Katie Couric

Oct 22, 2026

Kyle MacLachlan has spent four decades disappearing into other people. He’s been Paul Atreides in Dune, Special Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks, and Trey MacDougal in Sex and the City. Now, in his new memoir Fictional Selves, he’s turning the lens on himself.

Oct 21, 2026

When we talk about aging well, we focus on our hearts, our brains, and our muscles, but we almost never talk about our mouths. After this conversation, I think that’s a big oversight.

Oct 20, 2026

A breast cancer diagnosis doesn’t just affect the person diagnosed. It can change the lives and relationships of everyone around them. In this episode of Next Question, I spoke with two mothers and their daughters about how breast cancer interrupted their lives and changed their relationships with one another. They share what it was like to navigate a diagnosis together, the emotional toll cancer can take on an entire family, and how their relationships evolved through it all. We’re sharing their stories to shed light on the impact breast cancer can have on patients and the people who love them. Presented in partnership with @EliLillyandCompany .

Oct 16, 2026

The “I’ve Had It” ladies–Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan–have taken social media by storm. The two progressive women from Oklahoma who have, well, had it with the politics of today. Jennifer has written a new book called Not Today, Fascists all about her upbringing surrounded by conservative evangelicals and the connections she’s made between the ultra-religious and the MAGA movement. Katie spoke with Jennifer about her new book, Jennifer’s hopes for the Democratic party, and about the latest moves from the Trump administration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 15, 2026

Gloria Steinem was more than a feminist icon. She was a pioneering journalist, a tireless activist, and a driving force behind a movement that transformed the lives of generations of women. Following her death at 92, Katie gathered with two of Gloria's closest friends, actress and activist Marlo Thomas and feminist organizer Amy Richards, for a special tribute recorded live at New York's 92nd Street Y. Together, they reflect on Gloria's extraordinary life, from the early days of the women's liberation movement and the founding of Ms. magazine to the friendships and experiences that shaped her deeply held beliefs. They share intimate memories of the woman behind the public figure, discuss her posthumous memoir, An Unexpected Life, and reflect on her commitment to women's rights at a time when many of the gains she fought for are under threat. It's a moving, personal, and at times funny celebration of a woman who never stopped fighting for equality, never lost her sense of humor, and always believed in the power of hope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

See all episodes →