Podcasts about Cigna

"The average marketplace deductible grew by about $1,000 per person in 2026. Premium payments increased by an average of 58%... We might be seeing the death throes of the fully insured market."Welcome back to Last Month in Healthcare! This month, Spencer, Nathaniel, and special guest Jonathan Lopez break down the most impactful healthcare headlines and regulatory shifts from May 2026.The episode kicks off with a discussion on the sudden resignation of FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary following reported clashes with the food, tobacco, and pharmaceutical industries. From there, the guys dive into the shocking 58% premium hikes and 37% deductible increases hitting the ACA marketplace as carriers like Cigna exit the space.Finally, Spencer and Jonathan play a World Cup-themed game guessing the cost of medical procedures across different North American cities and answer a listener question about Cost Plus Drugs and the rise of direct-to-consumer pharmacy models.If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.Thank you to our sponsor, Walk On Clinic. This month, we shared a tragic reminder to our listeners on the critical importance of early cancer detection and proactive primary care. To hear Chris's brother-in-law's music, tune in here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1SKw4DO9FNLjcZDb5Q81q4?si=Dwpuz2wOTRawhMDfR5NIsAEpisode Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro: The Importance of Early Detection & Walk-On Clinic(00:02:30) Dr. Marty Makary Resigns as FDA Commissioner(00:04:37) ACA Marketplace Premiums Skyrocket by 58%(00:07:51) HR 8163: Stopping the Squeeze on Physician Reimbursements(00:12:34) Harvard Study: AI Outperforms Doctors in ER Triage(00:14:53) The FDA's Push for Hospital-at-Home Devices(00:17:18) Game: Guess the Procedure Cost (World Cup Edition)(00:21:22) Ask Spencer Anything: Cost Plus Drugs & D2C Pharmacies

The land of Big Tech Therapy has been making headlines. I cover some of them in this episode.*The links shared below are a reference only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Marie Fang, Private Practice Skills, or its sponsors.If you'd like a great summary of all that I covered, check out ZynnyMe's article:https://www.zynnyme.com/blog/alma-headway-and-the-big-questionIf you feel compelled to do something, this r/therapists post links to several options at the systemic level:https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1tvzpov/support_and_advocacy_for_therapists/Build Better Health's Mental Health Insurance Reform Task Force's Petition (if you'd like to sign):https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/we-demand-a-system-that-reflects-the-true-value-of-mental-health-careThank you to Paubox for sponsoring this episode. Paubox makes HIPAA-secure email and forms easy and streamlined. Check them out here:⁠https://hubs.la/Q04k58tL0⁠*Get $250 off your first year with Paubox with coupon code "SKILLS"*Bonus Deal:* If you add the Paubox badge to your website you get an extra $100 off your first year - that means you can get your whole first year free if you apply both deals!Citations:Alma has investments from Cigna and Optum:https://cignaventures.com/alma-raises-130m-in-series-d-funding-led-by-thoma-bravo-to-advance-its-mission-to-simplify-access-to-high-quality-affordable-mental-health-care/Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), the parent company of several Blue Cross Blue Shield programs, invests in Headway:https://www.hcsc.com/newsroom/news-releases/2023/strategic-investment-headway-behavioral-healthReference: HCSC is parent company of Blue Cross Blue Shield:https://www.hcsc.com/who-we-areRula backed by Blue Venture Fund:https://bhbusiness.com/2024/09/17/digital-mental-health-platform-rula-health-expands-to-50-states/Reference: Blue Venture Fund invests on behalf of Blue Cross Blue Shield:https://blueventurefund.com/Headway and Alma announce 30 percent cut in Optum Rates, January 2025:https://clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2024/11/2-digital-mental-health-platforms-cut-pay-rates-for-therapists-with-unitedhealths-optum-stirring-anger/Aetna cuts rates with Alma-contracted therapists:https://bhbusiness.com/2026/05/21/aetna-cuts-rates-with-alma-contracted-therapists/r/therapists megathread on Aetna's rate cuts through Alma:https://www.reddit.com/r/therapists/comments/1tj1bl1/megathread_aetna_alma_reimbursement_changes_90837/APA urges Aetna to halt rate cuts:https://updates.apaservices.org/apa--american-psychiatric-association-urge-aetna-to-pause-reimbursement-rate-cuts-for-behavioral-health-cliniciansAetna Launches Aetna Mental Health on Demand:https://www.aetna.com/insights/news/aetna-launches-mental-health-on-demand.htmlCVS Announces Aetna Mental Health on Demand:https://www.cvshealth.com/news/condition-management/aetna-launches-aetna-mental-health-on-demand-to-provide-real-time-access-to-care-and-ongoing-support.htmlProof News Article: "Woman's Talkspace Therapy App Sessions Exposed in Court"https://www.proofnews.org/womans-talkspace-therapy-app-sessions-exposed-in-court/FTC Sues Amazon for Monopoly Power:https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/09/ftc-sues-amazon-illegally-maintaining-monopoly-powerClass Action Lawsuit Against Headway:https://www.classaction.org/news/headway-hit-with-class-action-over-alleged-disclosure-of-patient-info-to-googleClear Health Costs Article: "Therapists have misgivings on the platforms: Alma, Headway etc. and the business of therapy”https://clearhealthcosts.com/blog/2025/11/therapists-have-misgivings-on-the-platforms-alma-headway-etc-and-the-business-of-therapy/Website: www.privatepracticeskills.comThis podcast is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

"The average marketplace deductible grew by about $1,000 per person in 2026. Premium payments increased by an average of 58%... We might be seeing the death throes of the fully insured market."Welcome back to Last Month in Healthcare! This month, Spencer, Nathaniel, and special guest Jonathan Lopez break down the most impactful healthcare headlines and regulatory shifts from May 2026.The episode kicks off with a discussion on the sudden resignation of FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary following reported clashes with the food, tobacco, and pharmaceutical industries. From there, the guys dive into the shocking 58% premium hikes and 37% deductible increases hitting the ACA marketplace as carriers like Cigna exit the space.Finally, Spencer and Jonathan play a World Cup-themed game guessing the cost of medical procedures across different North American cities and answer a listener question about Cost Plus Drugs and the rise of direct-to-consumer pharmacy models.If you'd like your question answered on next month's episode, call/text 469-213-6381 and leave us a voicemail/text.Thank you to our sponsor, Walk On Clinic. This month, we shared a tragic reminder to our listeners on the critical importance of early cancer detection and proactive primary care. To hear Chris's brother-in-law's music, tune in here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1SKw4DO9FNLjcZDb5Q81q4?si=Dwpuz2wOTRawhMDfR5NIsAEpisode Chapters:(00:00:00) Intro: The Importance of Early Detection & Walk-On Clinic(00:02:30) Dr. Marty Makary Resigns as FDA Commissioner(00:04:37) ACA Marketplace Premiums Skyrocket by 58%(00:07:51) HR 8163: Stopping the Squeeze on Physician Reimbursements(00:12:34) Harvard Study: AI Outperforms Doctors in ER Triage(00:14:53) The FDA's Push for Hospital-at-Home Devices(00:17:18) Game: Guess the Procedure Cost (World Cup Edition)(00:21:22) Ask Spencer Anything: Cost Plus Drugs & D2C Pharmacies

The Layoff Tracker, Cigna's GLP-1 Cut & What Happens When Compliance FailsJune 8th, 2026. Bo and Luke break down three stories connected by the same thread: what happens when organizations wait too long to act.

Few physicians ever experience healthcare from the perspective of a health plan, but Jacob Asher, MD, is an exception. A former ENT surgeon with Kaiser Permanente, Asher shifted gears in 2008 to pursue a career in commercial health plan management. Over the next 14 years, he served as California Commercial Market Medical Director for Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare. Today, he shares his expertise by mentoring students in Stanford University's Master's Program in Medical Informatics. In this conversation with host Michael Sacopulos, Asher pulls back the curtain on commercial insurance — from how contracts are structured, to who holds pricing power, why behavioral health has been siloed, and what AI might finally be able to fix in a system long defined by friction and misaligned incentives. Asher also shares how serving on Kaiser Permanente's Medical Group Board of Directors helped prompt his move from surgery into health plan leadership. He also discusses the role of AAPL (then ACPE) in preparing physicians for non-clinical career paths. Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org.

Most TA leaders are measuring the wrong things. Victor Gaines has spent 20 years fixing that.As AVP of Talent Acquisition at Wellstar Health Systems, where his team hires 14,000+ people annually, Victor has led recruiting innovations across healthcare, fintech, food service, and media.In this conversation, he shares the real work behind two of his proudest career wins: cutting turnover by 60% at Comcast using a validated assessment tool, and rebuilding clinical hiring at Aveanna from scratch during COVID by going fully digital and improving efficiency by 200%.But none of it works if you're solving the wrong problem.Listen in as Victor breaks down how to identify what your business actually needs, why most TA dashboards are "decoration," and how to build the credibility that earns you a seat at the table.Key Takeaways:[01:59] What shaped Victor's approach to solving TA problems at scale.[04:25] How a validated assessment at Comcast reduced turnover by 60%.[08:10] Building a fully digital hiring engine at Aveanna during COVID.[13:32] The framework Victor uses to identify business priorities.[18:51] The ‘5 Whys' to identify the root cause of business pain.[20:40] How a phased adoption strategy is making Phenom CRM stick at Wellstar.[25:39] How to safeguard your priorities and say no without being seen as difficult.[29:00] ROI, sunk cost fallacy, and smarter HR tech decisionsResources Mentioned:Victor Gaines: LinkedInRyan Dull: LinkedIn | ryan.dull@sagemarkhr.comWellstar Health SystemAveanna HealthcarePhenomICIMSHighMatchParadoxWorkday USIdeas Worth Sharing:"You can spend millions of dollars trying to solve the wrong problem. Once you understand the problem, your success becomes much easier." - Victor Graines“You also have to know where the real issues often are. And I think… 80+% of the time, it's something in the business. It might be comp. It might be hiring managers not doing the right thing…  And you find power in finding the truth and then speaking truth.” - Victor Graines“Having a meaningful strategy gives you leverage for saying yes where you need to say yes, and no where you need to say no.” - Victor GrainesAbout Victor Gaines:Victor P. Gaines, II is the AVP of Talent Acquisition at Wellstar Health System, where his team manages over 14,000 hires annually. With nearly two decades of executive TA experience across healthcare, fintech, telecommunications, and consumer goods, he has led high-volume recruiting transformations at companies including Comcast, Fiserv, Cigna, Aveanna Healthcare, and Papa John's. He holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Kentucky and a Master's in Organizational Psychology from St. Joseph's University.This episode is brought to you by SageMark HR.SageMark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.✔ Identify opportunities to improve your talent practices and deliver tangible business results.✔ Bridge the gap from "traditional" to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.Learn more at www.sagemarkhr.com#Talent #Recruiting #HRTech

Transform your thinking, transform your insurance business. Find out how daily affirmations can be a gamechanger for your agency and yourself, personally!   Read the text version   Get Connected:

In this episode, Jakob Emerson, Associate News Director, Becker's Healthcare, discusses Cigna's decision to drop GLP-1 weight loss drug coverage for employees, the financial pressures facing health insurers, the challenges of implementing new Medicaid work requirements, and the ongoing retreat of provider-sponsored health plans.

In the Senate Banking Committee room, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) weigh in on Todd Blanche as acting Attorney General and Bill Pulte's new appointment as acting Director of National Intelligence, and the concept of taxes on AI. Senator Warren does the math on wealth taxes, and Senator Tillis underscores his position with the President. Gearing up for retirement, Sen. Tillis is saying the quiet part out loud–directly to his own party. Plus, Cigna has dropped coverage of GLP-1s for its own employees, CBS has fired veteran correspondent Scott Pelley after a heated meeting about the direction of the network under Bari Weiss, and President Trump has signed an executive order on AI.    Emily Wilkins - 12:42 Sen. Thom Tillis - 17:44 Sen. Elizabeth Warren - 32:23   In this episode: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, @SenWarren Sen. Thom Tillis, @SenThomTillis Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Real Hernando podcast, presented by Thrive Entertainment and produced by SRP Studios Podcasting, spotlights Angela Kidd of Angela Kidd Insurance, specializing in Medicare, under-65 health insurance/healthcare.gov plans, and life insurance. Angela discusses how her Southaven brick-and-mortar office (8830 Center Street, Suite 1) has helped clients—especially seniors—by providing trusted, in-person guidance, while still offering phone and home visits. She explains annual enrollment timelines (Medicare Oct 15–Dec 7; marketplace Nov 1–Dec 15), warns about carrier changes like Cigna leaving the marketplace in 2027, and describes how income updates can prevent subsidy payback at tax time. Angela shares stories of correcting Medicare Advantage network mistakes, navigating claims, avoiding Medicare enrollment penalties, and offering final expense and supplemental protections for costs insurance doesn't cover.The Real Hernando is on YouTube, Apple, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and TikTokThis episode was recorded at SRP Studios and Produced by Shelby Row Productions LLCSRPStudiosLLC.com

What if the smallest act of vulnerability… could completely change someone's life? In this deeply heartfelt solo episode, Darin explores a simple but radically transformative idea: go first. In a world where people are more digitally connected yet emotionally isolated than ever before, Darin breaks down the neuroscience, psychology, and human power behind making eye contact, giving genuine compliments, expressing appreciation, and risking authentic connection. From oxytocin and nervous system regulation to loneliness research and real-life stories of spontaneous connection with strangers, this episode is a reminder that healing doesn't always begin in a therapist's office—it can begin in a coffee shop, a grocery line, or a brief moment where one human being chooses to truly see another.     What You'll Learn Why modern society is experiencing a crisis of disconnection and loneliness The hidden psychological cost of avoiding vulnerability Why brief positive interactions with strangers improve mental health The neuroscience behind social rejection and fear of connection How oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin are activated through authentic interaction Why vulnerability is a trainable "muscle" that rewires your nervous system The power of eye contact, compliments, and acknowledgment Why meaningful human interaction lowers stress and inflammation How small moments of courage create ripple effects for others Practical ways to "go first" and create more connection every day Chapters 00:00:32 – Sponsor: Fatty15 and the science of cellular health 00:01:03 – C15:0, mitochondrial function, and healthy aging 00:02:12 – Why many people may be deficient in C15 00:03:19 – "Celebrate science": discovering new essential fatty acids 00:04:13 – Opening reflection: noticing strangers in everyday life 00:04:52 – The moment we stop ourselves from speaking 00:05:10 – How many genuine moments do we suppress every day? 00:05:33 – Why these "tiny swallowed moments" matter deeply 00:06:02 – Humanity starving for real human connection 00:06:23 – "I see you. You are real to me." 00:06:51 – Vulnerability begins in ordinary daily moments 00:07:18 – The central thesis: "Go first" 00:07:37 – More surrounded and more isolated than ever before 00:07:57 – Research: meaningful interactions with strangers rarely happen 00:08:07 – Loneliness and lack of belonging in modern society 00:08:27 – Gen Z and Millennials: digitally connected yet emotionally isolated 00:08:47 – The silent routines of everyday life 00:09:16 – Why engaging with strangers feels risky or intrusive 00:09:47 – The cost of avoiding connection 00:10:12 – University of British Columbia study on strangers and belonging 00:10:48 – Positive interactions reducing loneliness and increasing happiness 00:11:03 – People predict interactions will be awkward—and are wrong 00:11:15 – Darin's recent experiments talking to strangers 00:11:38 – "Everyone wants connection" 00:12:00 – The emotional lives strangers are carrying invisibly 00:12:22 – One sentence can remind someone they matter 00:12:38 – Why vulnerability feels biologically terrifying 00:13:05 – Social rejection activating the same pathways as physical pain 00:13:20 – Ancient survival wiring and fear of exclusion 00:13:49 – "Your brain is firing a lion alert" 00:14:05 – What happens biologically when you push through fear 00:14:17 – Dopamine and meaningful social interaction 00:14:53 – Why real connection feels different from notifications 00:14:59 – Oxytocin as an anti-inflammatory bonding hormone 00:15:26 – Genuine interactions changing biology in seconds 00:15:43 – Polyvagal theory and nervous system safety states 00:16:17 – Vulnerability as a practice and a muscle 00:16:37 – Darin's valet story: "Bring the cash back!" 00:17:10 – How small interactions can shift someone's entire day 00:17:20 – Going deeper with loved ones and emotional openness 00:17:53 – Vulnerability rewiring the nervous system 00:18:07 – "If you want love, be love" 00:18:24 – Small acts of kindness shifting your heart and brain 00:18:53 – Sponsor: Shakeology and nutrient density 00:20:40 – Six practical ways to practice vulnerability 00:21:05 – Action #1: make eye contact and say hello 00:21:25 – Stop swallowing genuine compliments 00:21:46 – Asking deeper, more meaningful questions 00:22:05 – Giving honest answers instead of autopilot responses 00:22:28 – Seeing and acknowledging "invisible" people 00:22:50 – Gratitude toward workers, attendants, and strangers 00:23:04 – Reaching out to someone who changed your life 00:23:30 – "Going first" is about willingness, not fearlessness 00:23:59 – Stop hiding behind your phone and look around 00:24:16 – Human connection as medicine and nervous system healing 00:24:35 – Tell someone they made you smile today 00:24:50 – Calling loved ones and expressing appreciation 00:24:59 – "Don't let another moment go by without fully engaging in your life" 00:25:07 – Closing reflections: "This is SuperLife"     Thank You to Our Sponsors Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout. Shakeology: Get 15% off with code DARINO1BODI at Shakeology.com.     Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien     Find More from Darin Olien: Instagram: @darinolien Podcast: SuperLife Podcast Website: superlife.com Book: Fatal Conveniences New Show: Roadmap to Happiness      Key Takeaway "Vulnerability isn't weakness, it's willingness. The willingness to go first. To smile first. To speak first. To love first. Because every time you choose connection over fear, you're not only changing someone else's day… you're rewiring your own biology, your nervous system, and your relationship to the world around you."     Bibliography/Sources: Public Health & Loneliness Data American Psychological Association. (2023). Stress in America 2023: A nation in crisis. https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress British Red Cross. (2022). Tackling loneliness: From awareness to action. https://www.redcross.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/action-on-loneliness Cigna. (2023). Cigna U.S. loneliness index. Evernorth Health Services. https://newsroom.cigna.com/loneliness-epidemic-continues-to-rise-cigna-study The Science of Micro-Connections & Strangers Barlow, J., & Møller, C. (1996). A complaint is a gift: Recovering customer loyalty when things go wrong. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. https://www.bkconnection.com/books/title/A-Complaint-Is-a-Gift Epley, N., & Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980–1999. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037323 Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014a). Is efficiency overrated? Minimal social interactions lead to belonging and positive affect. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5(4), 437–442. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550613502990 Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014b). Social interactions and well-being: The surprising power of weak ties. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(7), 910–922. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167214529799 Neuroscience of Social Rejection & Vulnerability Eisenberger, N. I. (2012). The neural bases of social pain: Evidence for shared representations with physical pain. Psychosomatic Medicine, 74(2), 126–135. https://doi.org/10.1097/PSY.0b013e3182464dd1 Eisenberger, N. I., & Lieberman, M. D. (2004). Why rejection hurts: A common neural alarm system for physical and social pain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 8(7), 294–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2004.05.010 Gross, J. J., & Levenson, R. W. (1997). Hiding feelings: The acute effects of inhibiting negative and positive emotion. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106(1), 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.106.1.95 Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. W. W. Norton & Company. https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393707007 Gratitude, Disclosure & Emotional Expression Algoe, S. B. (2012). Find, remind, and bind: The functions of gratitude in everyday relationships. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(6), 455–469. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00439.x Algoe, S. B., Haidt, J., & Gable, S. L. (2008). Beyond reciprocity: Gratitude and relationships in everyday life. Emotion, 8(3), 425–429. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.8.3.425 Frattaroli, J. (2006). Experimental disclosure and its moderators: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(6), 823–865. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.132.6.823 Pennebaker, J. W. (1997). Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science, 8(3), 162–166. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1997.tb00403.x Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.60.5.410 Relationship Building, Oxytocin & Health Aron, A., Melinat, E., Aron, E. N., Vallone, R. D., & Bator, R. J. (1997). The experimental generation of interpersonal closeness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(4), 363–377. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167297234003 Brown, B. (2012). Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, love, parent, and lead. Gotham Books / Penguin. https://brenebrown.com/book/daring-greatly/ Canevello, A., & Crocker, J. (2010). Creating good relationships: Responsiveness, relationship quality, and interpersonal goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 99(1), 78–106. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018186 Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Turner, R. B., Alper, C. M., & Skoner, D. P. (2003). Sociability and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychological Science, 14(5), 389–395. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.01452 Szeto, A., Sun-Suslow, N., Mendez, A. J., Hernandez, R. I., Wagner, K. V., & McCabe, P. M. (2017). Regulation of the macrophage oxytocin receptor in response to inflammation. American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism, 312(2), E183–E189. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpendo.00424.2016 Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2003). The oxytocin factor: Tapping the hormone of calm, love, and healing. Da Capo Press. https://books.google.com/books?id=b-aKjQoB_nQC

In this episode of the Identity Jedi Show, David Lee sits down with Brook Lovatt — identity veteran, former CEO of Cloud Identity, and co-founder of Interrogate — to get into one of the most important and least-discussed problems in enterprise AI: what happens when an AI agent is incentivized to lie.Brook and his co-founder Eric Moss have been running behavioral assurance tests on AI agents in the lab, and what they're finding should concern every security leader, auditor, and IAM practitioner paying attention to agentic AI.What we get into:The healthcare claims adjudicator demo — why an AI agent denied a legitimate $72,000 treatment claim, blamed the doctor, and changed its story every time it was interrogatedIn-context scheming: what the Apollo Research paper revealed about AI agents scheming post-training when placed in a conflict of interestThe Ship of Theseus problem applied to agentic identity — if you replace the LLM, the tools, or the context, is it still the same agent?Why non-human identity controls don't account for agents that change capability over timeThe ZIP code redlining demo: two identical mortgage applications, one ZIP code difference, denied every single timeWhat Interrogate is actually building: interrogation + ablation testing, immutable audit trails, and compliance mapping to the EU AI ActWhy the legal community is already saying if you're not collecting behavioral evidence, you're exposedAir Canada, Cigna, Workday — the AI lawsuits that are setting the precedent right nowDavid's upcoming Identiverse talk on bias in AI — and why this conversation is part of itReferenced in this episode:Apollo Research — In-Context Scheming paper https://arxiv.org/pdf/2412.04984Interrogait - https://www.interrogait.com/OIDF AI Identity Management Community Group — https://openid.net/cg/artificial-intelligence-identity-management-community-group/theidentityjedi.com — subscribe to the newsletter

The Friday Five for May 8, 2026: Quick Hits & Headlines CMS Admin Dr. Oz on Prior Auth Audio to Help You Sleep Cigna to Exit ACA for CY 2027 AHIP & NABIP Dates for CY 2027   Get Connected:

What if loneliness isn't just an emotion… but one of the most dangerous biological threats to your health? In this deeply personal and scientifically explosive solo episode, Darin opens up about something he recently realized in his own life: despite being surrounded by people, he was lonely. But what began as an emotional realization quickly became a deep dive into some of the most shocking research he's ever uncovered, showing that chronic loneliness may increase the risk of heart disease, dementia, cancer, autoimmune dysfunction, accelerated aging, and early death. From inflammatory gene expression and cortisol dysregulation to oxytocin, vulnerability, and the collapse of real human connection in the digital age, this episode reveals why loneliness may be the most overlooked "fatal convenience" of modern life, and how vulnerability may be the medicine. What You'll Learn Why loneliness is a biological crisis, not just an emotional feeling The shocking link between loneliness and heart disease, dementia, and early death Why the quality of your relationships is the #1 predictor of long-term health How loneliness activates inflammatory genes inside your body The role of cortisol, sleep disruption, and chronic stress in social isolation Why social media and "surface-level connection" are replacing real intimacy The connection between loneliness and Alzheimer's disease How oxytocin and genuine connection reduce inflammation Why vulnerability is the gateway to meaningful relationships Practical ways to create deeper connection starting today Chapters 00:00:33 – Sponsor: the truth about the exploding NAD supplement market 00:01:04 – Why supplement verification and transparency matter 00:02:17 – Opening: Darin admits something deeply personal 00:02:30 – "I realized recently… I'm lonely" 00:02:37 – The difference between being surrounded by people vs being truly known 00:03:06 – Loneliness as a biological experience, not just an emotional one 00:03:27 – The hidden risks: heart disease, dementia, cancer, early death 00:03:45 – Why this is not fringe science 00:04:13 – The most important predictor of long-term health 00:04:34 – Why relationship QUALITY matters more than quantity 00:05:06 – The global loneliness epidemic 00:05:11 – U.S. Surgeon General advisory on loneliness 00:05:39 – Loneliness declared a public health crisis 00:06:02 – 50% of Americans report measurable loneliness 00:06:22 – "A generational collapse of connection" 00:06:30 – 29% of adults have no close friends 00:06:40 – Face-to-face interactions dramatically declining 00:07:01 – The UK, Japan, and Australia loneliness crisis initiatives 00:07:32 – The paradox: hyperconnected but deeply isolated 00:08:04 – Loneliness as a biological alarm signal 00:08:31 – What loneliness actually looks like in modern life 00:08:42 – The lonely CEO, the unseen mother, the isolated social media addict 00:09:31 – "Perceived social isolation" and why the brain can't tell the difference 00:10:21 – Meta-analysis of 3.4 million people 00:10:55 – Loneliness vs obesity and smoking risk comparisons 00:11:18 – The biology of loneliness begins 00:11:50 – NF-kB: inflammatory gene activation explained 00:12:33 – How loneliness changes gene expression 00:13:02 – Chronic inflammation and disease pathways 00:13:21 – Cortisol, sleep disruption, and immune dysfunction 00:14:00 – How loneliness affects brain repair and amyloid plaque clearing 00:14:21 – Sponsor: Fatty15 and cellular health 00:18:02 – The Alzheimer's and dementia connection 00:18:25 – Loneliness as a major modifiable dementia risk factor 00:18:57 – Cortisol, neuroinflammation, and brain degeneration 00:19:16 – The hippocampus physically shrinking in lonely people 00:19:27 – Social media as a "fatal convenience" 00:19:57 – The oxytocin economy: connection as medicine 00:20:15 – Oxytocin as one of the body's strongest anti-inflammatory molecules 00:20:30 – HeartMath research: emotional synchronization between people 00:20:48 – "You regulate each other's biology" 00:21:07 – The real barrier: vulnerability 00:21:32 – Darin's recent experiences with radical vulnerability 00:21:54 – Conversations with family, ex-partners, and loved ones 00:22:35 – Brené Brown's research on connection and worthiness 00:23:14 – The "depth audit" exercise 00:23:42 – Reaching out, expressing appreciation, and owning your emotions 00:24:01 – Sacred hours: spending time without phones 00:24:13 – Questions that create real intimacy 00:24:30 – Darin's emotional conversation with his brother 00:25:03 – Protecting yourself from social media disconnection 00:25:20 – Becoming a source of joy and connection in everyday life 00:25:25 – Darin reflects on seven years of subtle loneliness 00:25:48 – The shift from surface conversations to meaningful connection 00:26:01 – "If you want love, give love" 00:26:19 – Final message: generate the connection you want to receive 00:26:22 – Closing thoughts and outro Thank You to Our Sponsors Truniagen: Go to www.truniagen.com and use code DARIN20 at checkout for 20% off Fatty15: Get an additional 15% off their 90-day subscription Starter Kit by going to fatty15.com/DARIN and using code DARIN at checkout. Join the SuperLife Community Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions: Weekly voice notes Ingredient deep dives Wellness challenges Energy + consciousness tools Community accountability Extended episodes Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien Connect with Darin Olien: Website: darinolien.com Instagram: @darinolien Book: Fatal Conveniences Platform & Products: superlife.com New Show: Roadmap to Happiness Key Takeaway "Loneliness isn't weakness. It isn't failure. It's a biological signal telling you that something essential is missing. And in a world addicted to surface-level connection, the real medicine may simply be this: vulnerability, presence, eye contact, honesty, and the courage to let yourself truly be seen." Bibliography/Sources The Loneliness Epidemic & Public Health Data Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2023). American time use survey. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/tus/ Cigna. (2023). Cigna U.S. loneliness index. Evernorth Health Services. https://newsroom.cigna.com/loneliness-epidemic-continues-to-rise-cigna-study Murthy, V. H. (2023). Our epidemic of loneliness and isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's advisory on the healing effects of social connection and community. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf Survey Center on American Life. (2021). The state of American friendship: Change, challenges, and loss. American Enterprise Institute. https://www.americansurveycenter.org/research/the-state-of-american-friendship-change-challenges-and-loss/ Mortality & Systemic Health Risk Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Skoner, D. P., Rabin, B. S., & Gwaltney, J. M. (1997). Social ties and susceptibility to the common cold. JAMA, 277(24), 1940–1944. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9200634/ Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2010). Loneliness matters: A theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 40(2), 218–227. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20396846/ Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691614568352 Valtorta, N. K., Kanaan, M., Gilbody, S., Ronzi, S., & Hanratty, B. (2016). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke. Heart, 102(13), 1009–1016. https://heart.bmj.com/content/102/13/1009 Genetics, Inflammation & The Immune System Cole, S. W. (2013). Social regulation of human gene expression: Mechanisms and implications for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 103(S1), S84–S92. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3786756/ Cole, S. W., Hawkley, L. C., Arevalo, J. M. G., Sung, C. Y., Rose, R. M., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2007). Social regulation of gene expression in human leukocytes. Genome Biology, 8(9), Article R189. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2375027/ Sleep & Cognitive Decline Cacioppo, J. T., Hawkley, L. C., Berntson, G. G., Ernst, J. M., Gibbs, A. C., Stickgold, R., & Hobson, J. A. (2002). Do lonely days invade the nights? Potential social modulation of sleep efficiency. Psychological Science, 13(4), 384–387. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12137144/ Holwerda, T. J., Deeg, D. J. H., Beekman, A. T. F., et al. (2014). Feelings of loneliness, but not social isolation, predict dementia onset. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 85(2), 135–142. https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/85/2/135 Oxytocin & The Biology of Connection Szeto, A., Sun-Suslow, N., Mendez, A. J., Hernandez, R. I., Wagner, K. V., & McCabe, P. M. (2017). Regulation of the macrophage oxytocin receptor in response to inflammation. American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism, 312(2), E183–E189. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.00424.2016 Uvnas-Moberg, K. (2003). The oxytocin factor: Tapping the hormone of calm, love, and healing. Da Capo Press. https://books.google.com/books?id=b-aKjQoB_nQC Psychology, Vulnerability & Relationship Science Aron, A., Melinat, E., Aron, E. N., Vallone, R. D., & Bator, R. J. (1997). The experimental generation of interpersonal closeness. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(4), 363–377. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167297234003 Brown, B. (2010). The gifts of imperfection: Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are. Hazelden Publishing. https://brenebrown.com/book/the-gifts-of-imperfection/ Cacioppo, J. T., & Patrick, W. (2008). Loneliness: Human nature and the need for social connection. W. W. Norton & Company. https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393335286 Dunbar, R. I. M. (2012). Bridging evolutionary approaches to the social brain and social bonding. In F. B. M. de Waal & P. F. Ferrari (Eds.), The primate mind. Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674063104 Dunbar, R. I. M. (2021). Friends: Understanding the power of our most important relationships. Little, Brown and Company. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/robin-dunbar/friends/9781408711736/ Waldinger, R., & Schulz, M. (2023). The good life: Lessons from the world's longest scientific study on happiness. Simon & Schuster. https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Good-Life/Robert-Waldinger/9781982166694

Get call-verified leads at unbeatable prices—keep your pipeline full and stay ahead. Don't miss this month's exclusive deal from Lead Heroes : https://leadheroes.com/ In this episode of the Seven Figures or Bust Podcast, the hosts cover everything from trending headlines and wild real-world stories to actionable strategies for new agents breaking into the insurance industry. They dive into the fundamentals of getting started—emphasizing the importance of mentorship, keeping things simple, avoiding costly beginner mistakes, and focusing on consistent action over perfection. The episode also highlights industry news like Cigna's ACA exit, market opportunities, and how agents can position themselves for long-term success while navigating uncertainty. 

This week on Healthcare Now we've got a special guest! Larry Jones is joined by Harriet Wallsh! She's not just a nurse, she's also Director of Clinical Enablement at Cigna! We talk about her taking her knowledge about patient care and bringing it to the business side of the house! What's the importance of preventative care? What happens when care is fragmented? Processed foods? Ultra-Processed foods? Harriet walks us through some of the payment methods in the world behind health care now! And what's the latest about that burger joint! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Healthcare Now we've got a special guest! Larry Jones is joined by Harriet Wallsh! She's not just a nurse, she's also Director of Clinical Enablement at Cigna! We talk about her taking her knowledge about patient care and bringing it to the business side of the house! What's the importance of preventative care? What happens when care is fragmented? Processed foods? Ultra-Processed foods? Harriet walks us through some of the payment methods in the world behind health care now! And what's the latest about that burger joint! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 4-09-2026: Dr. Dawn shares a follow-up from an emailer in Switzerland providing seven functional medicine practitioner addresses near Zurich and Aargau, noting that Switzerland uses different terminology but is actually an "epicenter of functional medicine." Dr. Dawn calls for support of the bipartisan Break Up Big Medicine Act, modeled on Glass-Steagall, which would prohibit common ownership of medical providers with insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, or drug wholesalers. She explains how vertical integration by companies like UnitedHealth, CVS/Aetna, and Cigna allows them to game medical loss ratio requirements through self-dealing while driving up costs. A European clinical trial implanted 2mm x 2mm light sensors beneath the retinas of 38 people with advanced macular degeneration, with 80% gaining clinically meaningful improvement (two lines on the vision chart) after one year. The device bypasses damaged rods and cones, sending camera images from glasses directly to the optic nerve. Dr. Dawn explains that air temperature warnings are measured in shade, but direct sunlight can add 20°C to heat exposure. Heat stroke triggers gut permeability, releasing lipopolysaccharides that cause cytokine storms and organ failure. She advises fans over air conditioning when possible, shade, hydration, and loose natural-fabric clothing. An emailer asks if low-dose oral strontium supplementation has the same problem as pharmaceutical strontium. Dr. Dawn confirms it improves bone density scores without reducing fracture risk, and recommends telopeptide testing to monitor actual bone loss after discontinuing. An emailer's doctor wants to prescribe high-dose dexamethasone for low platelets. Dr. Dawn advises against rushing to steroids since platelets of 40 are adequate for clotting, recommending a hematology consultation and repeat testing with citrated blood. Dr. Dawn reviews fiber types: wheat dextrin (Benefiber) is fermentable but technically gluten-free; guar fiber (Sunfiber) ferments slowly and works for low-FODMAP diets; inulin feeds bifidobacteria and produces anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids; methylcellulose (Citrucel) is non-fermentable; and psyllium (Metamucil) is facing a class action lawsuit over undisclosed lead contamination. An emailer with varicose veins reports recurring superficial blood clots. Dr. Dawn explains these don't travel to lungs like deep vein clots, but repeated clotting suggests possible thrombophilia requiring workup. She recommends consulting a vascular surgeon about superficial venous ligation under local anesthesia. Analysis of 25,000 wearable users found that three daily "exercise snacks" of just 1-2 minutes of vigorous activity (stairs, running for a bus) reduced all-cause mortality by 38-40%. Benefits plateau around 7,500 steps daily, and simply standing up every couple of hours dramatically reduces sedentary risks.

Trust Is the Operating System of the Agentic Enterprise   In this episode, Sabine VanderLinden is joined by Franklin Manchester, Global Insurance Strategic Advisor at SAS, and Steven Abel, Global Technology Partner and Deputy Global Head of AI & Transformation at Oliver Wyman. Together, they unpack the concept of "trust by design" in the context of agentic enterprises and AI adoption.    The conversation pivots from traditional risk frameworks and compliance-based approaches to trust, to the urgent need for architectural and cultural transformations in which trust is embedded in every system and decision. They explore why organisations often confuse expanding AI tools with genuine readiness for autonomy, discuss why "human in the loop" is no longer sufficient, and offer perspectives on scaling trust, managing risk, and redefining organisational roles.    The trio debates actionable leadership moves for CEOs and boards, the evolving skills for insurance professionals, and how the frontier firm of the future will distinguish itself through intentional trust-building—not just AI deployment.   KEY TAKEAWAYS   Many organisations treat AI trust as a compliance issue, which hinders safe scaling. The fundamental shift involves deploying autonomous decision-makers, making trust by design an architectural and leadership mandate.   We, as an industry, over-invest in AI models and technology while under-investing in people and trust. Simply using more models or data doesn't guarantee higher trust, especially without architectures built for transparency and governance. Franklin noted a disconnect where insurers use AI but lack trustworthy systems, surprisingly favouring newer generative AI over established machine learning.   I question the efficacy of "human in the loop" controls in high-stakes industries, while Steven advocates embedded, infrastructure-level trust solutions. Franklin identified processes as primary failure points, particularly when tacit knowledge is overlooked (citing Cigna's mass claim denials).   The discussion explores the need for new AI risk and governance roles, akin to past actuarial practices. While human-centricity should drive design, scalability is challenging as organisations move toward agentic systems in which humans supervise, rather than directly control, risking brand integrity if governance fails.   For leaders, I urge you to shift focus from technology hype to foundational trust. Steven prioritises "under the water" capabilities, such as risk and regulatory expertise. Franklin recommends three people-centric actions: embracing new skills, breaking data silos, and protecting the brand.   The truly future-ready firm embeds trust into every decision system—a practice rooted in culture, governance, and leadership, not just technology. Scaling AI without trust is merely scaling risk; organisations must engineer trust as a core operating principle.   BEST MOMENTS   "Trust isn't what you say, it is what your system does." — Sabine VanderLinden   "The architecture of these models themselves don't lend themselves to a high trust environment." — Steven Abel   "We trust generative AI 200% more than machine learning. Which is bonkers to me because machine learning has been around for like 30 years." — Franklin Manchester   “There's still no more sophisticated sensor than a human being and a more powerful computer than the human brain.” — Franklin Manchester   “Auditability, transparency, and a connection with the human ecosystem and judgment—these things are non-negotiable.” — Steven Abel   "It is clear that the adoption is moving fast, and we need to make sure within regulated industry that we apply trust in everything we do. Otherwise, we are going to shun both customers." — Sabine VanderLinden   ABOUT THE GUEST   Franklin Manchester Prior to joining SAS, Franklin served as a Global Insurance Strategic Advisor at SAS Institute, bringing over 20 years of experience in insurance underwriting and analytics. Known for his deep industry insight and passionate advocacy for trustworthy AI, Franklin is currently focused on linking insurance expertise with AI-driven transformation, highlighting the importance of governance, ethical frameworks, and human-centricity in future-ready companies.   Steven Abel Global Technology Partner at Oliver Wyman and Deputy Global Head of AI and Transformation, Steven leverages his extensive background in tech innovation and large-scale enterprise change. As a self-proclaimed technology enthusiast, he offers critical perspectives on the infrastructural and professional challenges organisations face in scaling agentic AI responsibly and with embedded trust, urging leaders to rethink assumptions and prioritise under-the-surface architectural investments.   ABOUT THE HOST   Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.   If this episode sparked your thinking, follow Sabine VanderLinden on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram for more insights.   And if you're interested in sponsoring the podcast, reach out to the team at hello@alchemycrew.ventures

In this exciting episode of Win the 16, we are thrilled to welcome Willie Diefenbach-Jones as our guest. Willie has built a remarkable corporate career with industry giants such as United Health Group and Cigna. She is a true Legacy Creator and Gratitude Consultant, as well as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Additionally, she is the co-author of the thought-provoking book, Mindset Matters.Join Dave and Willie as they delve into insightful discussions surrounding her innovative company that focuses on the power of gratitude. They will explore how gratitude can transform lives, the importance of resilience on tough days, the courage to embark on new ventures, and strategies for building impactful referral ecosystems.Don't miss this enriching interview and conversation that promises to inspire and empower!

In this episode, host Sandy Vance sits down with Dan Shur, Chief Product Officer at Carenet Health, to talk about what it really takes to guide patients and members through one of the most frustratingly fragmented systems in the world. With over 30 years in the healthcare industry spanning payers, providers, and health tech & services companies, Dan brings a grounded, pragmatic perspective to the AI conversation. From the myth that everyone wants to talk to a chatbot to the importance of letting humans be human, their conversation is a must-listen for healthcare leaders who want to use AI to drive real outcomes without losing the empathy that puts the “care” in healthcare. In this episode, they talk about: Healthcare is the last industry where friction is still considered normal Carenet combines nurses, operations, data, and technology to navigate care at scale AI is best used for flagging risk, prioritizing queues, and gathering context before a human steps in Chatbots are not good at empathy, and healthcare interactions require a whole-person approach Not every problem needs AI; sometimes you just need a PDF to open Payers measure engagement, retention, and closed gaps in care; providers measure acquisition and leakage prevention Fragmentation is getting worse, not better, and navigation solutions have to account for the whole ecosystem Proactive, precise outreach beats education-only programs that leave patients to figure it out alone The clinical and administrative sides of care cannot be separated, and solutions need to address both Dan Shur leads product strategy and innovation at Carenet Health, where he helps healthcare organizations use smarter technology to improve outcomes. With over 30 years in healthcare and health tech, Dan has worked across health plans, provider systems, and startups. He is always focused on turning big ideas into practical solutions. Before Carenet, he founded Aloha Value Advisory, helping early-stage companies find their footing, and previously served as Chief Product Officer at Quantum Health, where he helped scale and modernize the business. Throughout his career, including roles at Cigna, EmblemHealth, Progyny, Cloudbreak Health, and GuideWell's Venture Group, Dan has built a reputation for driving innovation that delivers results.

Host John Beckner sits down with Stephen Giroux, NCPA's past president and current PAC chairman and NCPA's political affairs manager, Jack Koltisko, to celebrate the Federal Trade Commission settlement with Cigna and PBM reforms included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. They discuss NCPA's ongoing advocacy priorities and the role our members play in the NCPA PAC and LDF. Listeners are encouraged to register for NCPA's Congressional Fly-In, April 15-16, 2026.

How do we fix the American healthcare system? On this episode of Bold Names, we ask David Cordani, the chairman and CEO of one of America's biggest health insurers – the Cigna Group. He says rising healthcare costs are driven by two powerful forces: growing demand for care and increasingly expensive new drugs and treatments. But Cordani is still optimistic. He joins WSJ's Tim Higgins and David Wainer to explain what role insurers play in bringing down costs and how the U.S. can make healthcare more affordable. To watch the video version of this episode, visit our WSJ Podcasts YouTube channel or the video page of WSJ.com. Check Out Past Episodes: Inside Visa's Tech-Charged Future: From Crypto to AI This Company Has a Plan to Beat Neuralink at the Brain-Computer Interface Game What This Former USAID Head Had to Say About Elon Musk and DOGE Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Tim Higgins's column. Read David Wainer's column. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Monday News Drop covers three developments that should be squarely on every healthcare HR leader's radar.

In this episode, Scott Becker breaks down 9 key healthcare stories, including Cigna's 2,000 job cuts, a sharp profit decline at CVS Health, hospital bankruptcies, and more.

What if the key to saving lives in maternal health wasn't more hospital visits—but smarter, connected care at home? In this episode of Med Tech Gurus, we sit down with Anish Sebastian, Co-Founder and CEO of BabyScripts, the leading virtual care platform transforming how mothers and providers navigate pregnancy. Built from both analytics and empathy, BabyScripts bridges one of healthcare's most critical gaps—access to consistent, quality prenatal and postpartum care Under Anish's leadership, BabyScripts has raised over $30 million in funding from partners like Philips and Cigna, now managing over 300,000 pregnancies across more than 70 health systems. From detecting preeclampsia early to supporting mental health and postpartum recovery, the platform delivers measurable results—proving that technology and teamwork can make pregnancy safer for every mother. Anish shares his insights on scaling digital health, building strategic partnerships, and leveraging AI to expand maternal care equity. Whether you're an entrepreneur, innovator, or clinician, this episode reveals how connected technology can deliver life-changing outcomes at scale.

Kapil Gupta, former Enterprise AI Product & Platform Leader at Cigna, shares insights from more than two decades of turning cutting-edge technology into enterprise-ready products. He unpacks the difference between generative AI and agentic AI, and why governance, user choice, and thoughtful design matter just as much as innovation. Learn how enterprises can scale responsibly and why the best technology often feels invisible to the people using it. Key Takeaways:  The tangible difference between generative AI and agent-based workflows Why adoption depends on fitting into existing workflows, rather than forcing behavior change The challenge of legacy systems and disconnected data How companies can innovate quickly without introducing unnecessary risk How pushing back, probing, and questioning AI can unlock more value Why listening to users matters more than building flashy features Guest Bio: Kapil Gupta is an executive product leader specializing in leveraging emerging technologies to solve complex business problems at scale. As a leader of AI product and platform teams at Cigna and previously at industry leaders like Capital One, Deloitte, and IBM, he has turned breakthrough innovations like Generative AI into practical enterprise solutions.  Kapil is driven by a focus on crafting AI-driven product experiences that solve real problems and ensure high adoption, bridging the gap between sophisticated technology and business value. He balances high-level strategic vision with a passion for staying hands-on, often vibe coding prototypes to prove out new concepts. Kapil holds an MS in Computer Science and an MBA from NYU Stern. He shares his work at kapilgupta.me and lives in New York. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this Show: The Brave Technologist is here to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of emerging tech. To make it digestible, less scary, and more approachable for all! Join us as we embark on a mission to demystify artificial intelligence, challenge the status quo, and empower everyday people to embrace the digital revolution. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a curious mind, or an industry professional, this podcast invites you to join the conversation and explore the future of AI together. The Brave Technologist Podcast is hosted by Luke Mulks, VP Business Operations at Brave Software—makers of the privacy-respecting Brave browser and Search engine, and now powering AI everywhere with the Brave Search API. Music by: Ari Dvorin Produced by: Sam Laliberte

It's In the News.. a look at the top headlines and stories in the diabetes community. This week's top stories: T1D in the Olympics & Superbowl, Trump RX goes live, Ozempic pill available soon, tech updates from Medtronic, Beta Bionics, Eversense 365 and more! Announcing Community Commericals! Learn how to get your message on the show here. Learn more about studies and research at Thrivable here Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Omnipod - Simplify Life All about Dexcom  T1D Screening info All about VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Episode transcription with links: Welcome! I'm your host Stacey Simms and this is an In The News episode.. where we bringing you the top diabetes stories and headlines happening now. A reminder that you can find the sources and links and a transcript and more info for every story mentioned here in the show notes. Quick reminder: We are just over one week from our first Moms' Night Out event of the year. While the plans are all set – the speakers, the vendors, the raffles and the fun is ready to go, it's always amazing how many people hear of these event last minute. That's fine, they're welcome! But if you're thinking of attending a future event – registration is open for We're going to Nashville next March 6-7 and Detroit in September – no need to wait. And we've got Club 1921 events for health care professionals and patient leaders in 6 cities this year! All the info is over at diabetes-connetionss.com events/   Okay.. our top story this week: XX Gotta be a quick shout out to some incredible T1D athletes – we had TWO in the super bowl this past weekend – Chad Muma of the New England Patriots and Logan Brown of the Seattle Seahawks AND there are at least two athletes with type 1 competing at the Winter Olympics. Hannah Schmidt competes in ski cross for Canada – she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 12 years old.  Anna FarnSchadt Fernstäd a Czech skeleton racer diagnosed in 2022 after she'd already been to several Olympics. We wish them all the best!   https://english.radio.cz/skeleton-racer-anna-fernstadtova-overcoming-adversity-headfirst-down-ice-8876699 XX The government website TrumpRx.gov is live..  the website does not sell prescription drugs. Instead, it allows people to look up their drugs and then navigate to buy them elsewhere, either from a major drug company or a pharmacy. The 43 drugs listed on the site have prices ranging from $3 to over $5,500. TrumpRx does include warnings that the site may not be the best option to save money on prescriptions. Each product page advises: "If you have insurance, check your co-pay first — it may be even lower." For now, the website says its prices are for people paying with their own money, rather than going through insurance. The only insulin listed right now is Lilly's insulin lispro – and it's the same price as you'd find through Illy's insulin value program. I looked up diabetes meds.. For example, if you have an insurance co-pay of $25 a month for Farxiga, a drug often used for diabetes, you would be paying $182 on TrumpRx. As you can imagine, though ,this is complicated and as with most of our healthcare system, it may be good in some cases and not much help in other.  I'd suggest calling your local pharmacist or checking with your human resource dept. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/health/trumprx-prescription-drug-prices-consumers.html XX Novo Nordisk will launch some doses of its oral semaglutide for diabetes under the brand name Ozempic pill in the second quarter of this year. The company said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Ozempic tablets in three different doses. Novo says The new Ozempic name is intended to help patients and health care professionals more easily recognize the available treatment options for type 2 diabetes Semaglutide tablets have been available under the brand name Rybelsus Ruh BELL sis for diabetes since 2019 but with different dosing. The pill is also approved to reduce the risk of certain cardiovascular conditions in adults with type 2 diabetes who are at high risk for these events. The FDA had approved the new doses based on a bioequivalence study and the clinical trial data for Rybelsus, Novo said. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/novo-launch-ozempic-pill-diabetes-second-quarter-this-year-2026-02-04/ XX https://www.contemporarypediatrics.com/view/early-screening-for-type-1-diabetes-found-effective-in-children XX Possible new way to identify and track the progress of type 1 diabetes before clinical onset. A recent study published in Science Advances described the application of subcutaneous microporous scaffolds. These are inserted and have been shown to  identify changes in cancer, multiple sclerosis, and T1D by capturing changes of immune cells over the course of a disease. This is a proof of concept study in mice.. so very early days. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260204/Implantable-immune-scaffold-predicts-type-1-diabetes-weeks-before-symptoms.aspx XX A large global genetics study shows that many key drivers of Type 2 diabetes operate outside the bloodstream. In a major international project led in part by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Helmholtz Munich in Germany, researchers linked hundreds of genes and proteins to the disease. The work, published in Nature Metabolism, points to a key challenge in diabetes research: the biology behind rising blood sugar does not play out the same way in every part of the body. It also shows why including people from many backgrounds matters, since genetic clues that stand out in one population may be faint or invisible in another. Huge study, 2.5 million people worldwide comparing patterns across seven tissues tied to diabetes and four global ancestry groups, then asked a simple question: what do you miss if you only measure blood? Across the seven tissues, the researchers found causal evidence pointing to 676 genes. Yet overlap with blood was limited: only 18% of genes with a causal effect in a primary diabetes tissue, such as the pancreas, showed a matching signal in blood. At the same time, 85% of genetic effects observed in diabetes-relevant tissues were completely absent from blood-based analyses. The findings lay out a roadmap for future research aimed at understanding the biological pathways underlying Type 2 diabetes and developing more effective treatments. https://scitechdaily.com/massive-global-study-rewrites-the-biology-of-type-2-diabetes/ XX Express Scripts settled the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's claims its insulin pricing practices violated antitrust and consumer protection laws, and agreed to changes aimed at lowering costs for patients, insurers and small pharmacies The settlement, first reported by Reuters, fits with that goal, and allows the FTC to pare down a case brought by the former Biden administration against Cigna's Express Scripts, UnitedHealth Group Inc's (UNH.N), Optum unit and CVS Health Corp's (CVS.N), CVS Caremark. The case against Optum and Caremark is ongoing. Pharmacy benefit managers, which set how drugs are covered by health insurance, have faced a decade of scrutiny from regulators and lawmakers over pricing practices. While the industry has already made reforms, the settlement gives the FTC power to enforce broader changes at Express Scripts. The 10-year agreement restricts Express Scripts' ability to engage in practices critics say contribute to high costs, like pocketing rebate payments from drugmakers based on the list price of drugs. The FTC estimates the agreement could save patients as much as $7 billion over a decade. https://www.reuters.com/world/cigna-settles-ftc-insulin-case-commits-overhauling-drug-pricing-2026-02-04/ XX Audio? Congress has passed bipartisan legislation to extend and strengthen the Special Diabetes Program (SDP), a cornerstone of Federal investment in type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. The President signed the legislation and it is now law. Extends the SDP through December 31, 2026, and increases funding from $160 million to $200 million annually. Strengthens overall funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $415 million. Increases diabetes research funding at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) by $10 million. Created by Congress and administered by the NIH, the SDP has contributed nearly $3.6 billion to T1D research and has played a role in nearly every major breakthrough in the field. A recent study conducted by Avalere Health shows that of the nearly 3.6 billion invested into the SDP by Congress since the establishment of the program, the Federal Government has realized $50 billion in healthcare savings through improved health outcomes from the use of SDP driven therapies and devices https://www.breakthrought1d.org/news-and-updates/congress-passes-bipartisan-extension-of-the-special-diabetes-program-securing-critical-t1d-research-funding/ XX Dexcom is rolling out what they're calling AI-enabled enhancements to Stelo, further transforming how users track and understand their glucose health. Expanded Smart Food Logging including a comprehensive nutrition database of more than 1M meals that provides a breakdown of calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, dietary fibers, and more. More ways to meal track including text search, barcode scanning or taking a photo of the meal, creating a seamless and intuitive meal tracking solution. A redesigned Daily Insights feature which will introduce a new interface with more personalized recommendations. The newest features will launch nationwide in the coming weeks.  XX Beta Bionics has received a warning letter from the Food and Drug Administration following an inspection last year, the company disclosed on Friday. The diabetes technology company said in a securities filing that the warning letter concerns non-conformities with the company's quality management system, medical device reporting, and correction and removals. The warning letter has not yet been posted by the FDA.   The company said in the filing that it has already taken actions to improve the processes described in the warning letter, and it is working on a written response to the FDA.   The firm does not expect the warning letter to affect the planned launch of a new insulin patch pump by the end of 2027. Beta Bionics unveiled a prototype of the device, called Mint, last year at the American Diabetes Association's Scientific Sessions. The company also does not expect the warning letter to affect its financial results. https://www.medtechdive.com/news/beta-bionics-receives-fda-warning-letter/811140/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue%3A+2026-02-04+MedTech+Dive+%5Bissue%3A81423%5D&utm_term=MedTech+Dive&fbclid=IwY2xjawPwhDZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFaUUcyYmNQWldjZ2xudElic3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHouF8M3IstTyslPRgeHWUWVVdOAGOtzPWt_yNFcj9eYruqSPz3e86Iwcbpt8_aem_7q4D97vJVjHKfEwvoyUpgw XX Sequel Med Tech is reviewing co-founder Dean Kamen's ties to Jeffrey Epstein after recently released documents revealed new details about the longstanding relationship between the two men. The documents show that Kamen visited Epstein's island, and remained in contact with him for years after Epstein was convicted of sex crimes involving minors. Kamen has not been accused of any wrongdoing. In a statement, Sequel Med Tech said the Manchester-based company is aware of the documents pertaining to Kamen and – quote - "Sequel's Board of Directors has unanimously decided to engage an external law firm to review these disclosures and provide recommendations aligned with our mission to serve people living with diabetes," Kamen has not issued a statement regarding his reported connection to Epstein.   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/04/metro/nh-dean-kamen-jeffrey-epstein-review/ https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/02/04/metro/nh-dean-kamen-jeffrey-epstein-review/ https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/nh-inventor-placed-on-leave-after-epstein-messages-surface-report-says/3888569/ XX Abbot reports 860 serious injuries linked to the recall of some of its glucose monitoring sensors. We told you about this recall late last year, these numbers are an FDA update.     Abbott said the sensors can provide incorrect glucose readings over extended periods, which could lead to users making dangerous treatment decisions, including eating excessive carbohydrates along with skipping or delaying insulin doses, potentially leading to serious health risks. The company said it has identified and resolved the cause of the issue, which relates to one production line among several that make Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors.   https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/abbott-recalls-glucose-sensors-after-seven-deaths-linked-faulty-readings-2026-02-04/ XX Updates from Medtronic & Senseonics – and a first from Nick Jonas.. right after this..   I'm excited to share that the FDA has cleared the MiniMed 780G system with the Instinct sensor, made by Abbott, for people with type 2 diabetes.  Medicare has also now approved coverage for the Instinct sensor for use with the MiniMed 780G system. This clearance and expanded coverage mean more people will have access to pairing our most advanced automated insulin delivery technology with the Instinct sensor, that offers a smaller, 15-day sensor experience.  They're also launching the MiniMed 780G system Pump Evaluation Program.  This program gives individuals living with diabetes the ability to try the full MiniMed 780G system at no cost for 30 days.† This includes the pump, the sensor of their choice, one month of infusion sets and reservoirs, everything but the insulin. They'll contact your doctor for you to get a prescription and get the process rolling. https://www.medtronicdiabetes.com/pump-evaluation-program XX Senseonics announced today that its Eversense 365 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) system received CE mark approval – that's European clearance.  This comes on the heels of the launch of Eversense 365 with Sequel Med Tech's twiist pump, marking the first pump integration for the CGM. Senseonics plans to launch Eversense 365 in Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden in the coming months. Meanwhile, Senseonics continues to work toward an FDA investigational device exemption (IDE) submission for its next-generation Gemini transmitter-less CGM by the end of this year. https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/senseonics-ce-mark-eversense-365-cgm/ XX A huge shout out to Dr. Emily Blum, who just accomplished riding 100 miles in Antarctica for Breakthrough T1D! Despite having no direct connection to Type 1 Diabetes, Emily has been riding and fundraising for BreakthroughT1D for 10 years now. She is an integral part of the Georgia Ride team, training and riding many miles, and most importantly has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the cause of ridding the world of T1D. She is surgeon and deeply involved with medical innovation, with an incredibly busy schedule, but jumped at the chance to take on the challenge of riding a century on every continent. Having already completed North America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and now Antarctica, only Africa and South America remain. Emily rides on and continues to be an inspiration to everyone who meets her. XX   https://diabetes-connections.com/t1d-connection-and-people-magazine-elise-zach-share-their-story/ XX Nick Jonas's becomes the first artist ever to wear a CGM on an album cover - new upcoming solo album Sunday Best, releasing Feb. 6.  The release says: This marks a powerful step forward in normalizing diabetes and raising awareness for the condition on a global scale. This moment adds to the growing visibility of diabetes in pop culture, alongside milestones like a Type 1 diabetes Barbie and Pixar characters wearing diabetes technology.

Generative AI has changed how conversations are built and experienced. Georgios Tserdanelis, VP of Conversation Design at JPMorganChase, draws on 15 years of designing voice and chat systems to explain what still holds up, what breaks and why conversation design matters more than ever.Georgios brings years of hands-on experience designing voice and chat experiences across startups and global enterprises, including JPMorganChase, Cigna and Walgreens. With a background in linguistics, he offers a grounded perspective on how human conversation actually works and why those fundamentals still matter in a world of generative AI.We explore how conversational AI has evolved from scripted IVR and NLU systems to large language models and agentic experiences. Georgios explains why many current generative AI deployments struggle with basic conversational principles such as turn-taking, acknowledgement, and context management. Georgios shares practical insights on designing effective voice and chat experiences at a massive scale in highly regulated industries, where small error rates translate into real-world risk.One of the key themes that emerges during our discussion is the changing role of the conversation designer, the balance between deterministic flows and generative systems, voice versus chat design constraints, and why silence, timing and modality choice matter as much as language itself.We also cover fraud, voice cloning, brand identity in AI assistants and how customer expectations are shifting as people get used to talking to increasingly capable machines.Show notesFollow Georgios on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tserdanelis/Follow Kane Simms on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanesimmsDownload our exclusive report on how AI agents keep CX stable when volume explodes: https://vux.world/how-ai-agents-keep-cx-stable-when-volume-explodes/?utm_source=podcast&utm_campaign=SurgeHappensTake our updated AI Maturity Assessment: https://vuxworld.typeform.com/to/a26bf9Rr?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=audio&utm_campaign=vuxconsulting25Subscribe to VUX World: https://vuxworld.typeform.com/to/Qlo5aaeWSubscribe to The AI Ultimatum Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/kanesimms Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

APAC stocks were mostly lower following the continued tech selling stateside and flip-flopping regarding US-Iran talks, while commodities were pressured overnight with silver prices dropping by a double-digit percentage.Earnings saw Alphabet shares fall 2.0%, ARM Holdings slip 8.6%, and Qualcomm slump 10.3% after market.US President Trump said not much doubt that interest rates will be lowered and thinks that Warsh wants to cut rates anyway.US BLS rescheduled the January employment report for Feb. 11th, while it rescheduled December job openings and labour turnover report for February 5th, and rescheduled January CPI to February 13th.Looking ahead, highlights include German Factory Orders (Dec), EZ Retail Sales (Dec), US Challenger (Jan), Weekly/Continuing Jobless Claims, Revelio PLS, ECB Announcement, BoE Announcement & MPR, Banxico Announcement, CNB Announcement. Speakers include BoE's Bailey, ECB's Lagarde, Fed's Bostic, BoC's Macklem & RBA's Bullock. Supply from Spain & France.Earnings from Amazon, Strategy, Roblox, Reddit, Bloom Energy, ConocoPhillips, Bristol Myers Squibb, Barrick Mining, Cigna, Linde, Shell, Unilever & UniCredit.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

European bourses are broadly on the backfoot; US equity futures mixed, but the NQ outperforms, as chip names benefit from Alphabet boosting AI spending.DXY is mildly firmer, with G10s lower to varying degrees; Aussie hampered by pressure in metals, GBP lags into BoE.Fixed income benchmarks are mixed; USTs incrementally firmer, whilst Gilts underperform on political woes.Crude benchmarks slip with US-Iran meeting confirmed, Spot gold moves lower, silver -10.5%.Looking ahead, highlights include US Challenger (Jan), Weekly/Continuing Jobless Claims, Revelio PLS, ECB Announcement, BoE Announcement & MPR, Banxico Announcement, CNB Announcement. Speakers include BoE's Bailey, ECB's Lagarde, Fed's Bostic, BoC's Macklem & RBA's Bullock.Earnings from Amazon, Strategy, Roblox, Reddit, Bloom Energy, ConocoPhillips, Bristol Myers Squibb, Barrick Mining, Cigna.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

We're excited to welcome Mark Dunahoo, President & COO of TruHu, into the studio for a thoughtful conversation on employee engagement and feedback.In this episode, we dive into TruHu's mission, how organizations can better listen to their people, and what HR leaders should be thinking about as they look to strengthen culture, communication, and trust across their teams.We cover:Practical approaches to employee engagementWhy feedback systems often fail—and how to improve themWhat HR leaders should prioritize right nowTools and strategies that actually work in the real worldThis episode is a great watch for HR professionals who care about culture, connection, and building workplaces where people feel heard.Special thanks to our sponsors:TruHu, Excel Health, Cigna, KLB, and Rula#HR #HumanResources #HRPodcast #EmployeeEngagement #HRTechnology #EmployeeFeedback #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeBenefits

Cigna is reshaping the healthcare system by tackling affordability through innovation, transparency, and patient-first solutions. President and COO Brian Evanko goes Inside the ICE House to discuss the forces driving higher healthcare costs, from demographic shifts to drug pricing, and how Cigna is working to realign incentives across the system. He also explains how data, AI, and pharmacy benefit reform are positioning the company to deliver better outcomes as healthcare enters its next phase of change.

In a major blow to American healthcare, Congress has let the ACA subsidies expire. This means higher premiums and, as a result, fewer Americans enrolling. We are joined by Wendell Potter, former VP of Corporate Communications for Cigna turned whistleblower and healthcare reform advocate. Since 2009, Wendell has pulled back the curtain on how insurance giants game the system to prioritize profits over patients.Wendell shares the two stories demonstrating the inhumanity of the American healthcare system that pushed him to speak out. He also talks about the impact of the expiring subsidies and why it could be what he calls a "death spiral." But don't worry! Donald Trump has a plan... or at least concepts of a plan.Al and Wendell talk about the accomplishments of the ACA, while also acknowledging that Democrats should have done more to strengthen it during the Biden administration. Now with Trump and the Republicans in charge, any chance at meaningful reform is out the window.Plus, we revisit the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and why that struck a nerve with so many Americans.READ Wendell's substack, HEALTH CARE un-covered: https://healthcareuncovered.substack.com/SUPPORT THE SHOW BY VISITING OUR SPONSORA smarter way to handle your shipping needs! Try ShipStation free for 60 days at https://www.shipstation.com and enter the code FRANKEN.

Five health insurance CEOs faced a historic grilling on Capitol Hill this week, and the fallout affects every healthcare provider in America.In this episode, Conrad Meyer and Rory Bellina break down the January 2026 congressional hearings where lawmakers from both parties hammered executives from UnitedHealth, CVS, Cigna, Elevance, and Ascendiun over skyrocketing premiums, claim denials, and the use of AI to reject patient care.We cover:→ Why premiums are doubling after the ACA subsidy expiration→ The new Medicare AI pilot program (WISeR) and what it means for your practice→ How AI-driven prior authorization is linked to denial rates 16x higher than human review→ New state laws in Texas and California requiring AI disclosure→ What Louisiana providers need to know right now→ Six practical steps to protect your patients and your practiceWhether you're a physician, hospital administrator, compliance officer, or healthcare attorney, this episode gives you the legal context and actionable takeaways you need.This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.Contact: 504-833-5600 | chehardy.com#HealthLaw #PriorAuthorization #HealthcareAI #PhysicianAdvocacy #HealthcareCompliance #Louisiana

On this episode of Managed Care Cast, The American Journal of Managed Care® spoke with David Muhlstein, PhD, JD, founder and CEO of Simple Healthcare, about his recent articles highlighting Transparency in Coverage (TIC) files and ghost rates from 119 insurers, including 3 national commercial payers. Aetna, Cigna, and United Healthcare TIC files were more than 90% ghost rates—billing codes for procedures that would never be performed by a specific physician. For example, there were billing codes for heart surgery performed by a psychiatrist, Muhlstein said. These ghost rates increase the size of TIC files, making them difficult to evaluate for consumers, researchers, and analysts. Data files of this size muddle the true aim of the TIC files to provide actual transparency that would allow consumers to compare the prices of health care services and choose more affordable options.

Health insurers are facing urgent challenges related to affordability, access, and how to safely and effectively leverage AI and emerging technologies. In this episode, McKinsey senior partner Celia Huber is joined by Brian Evanko, president and chief operating officer of The Cigna Group. In this role, Brian oversees all of the company's business units, including its two growth platforms: Cigna Healthcare, a health benefits business, and Evernorth, a health services business. Together, these business units serve customers in more than 30 countries. From here, Brian has a unique view of the challenges facing the industry and the people it serves—including the fact that the vast amount of US healthcare spending goes toward chronic care. In their conversation, Brian shares his perspective on the innovation needed, such as through the adoption of AI, to improve affordability and support prevention. Related Insights Future of US healthcare: Gathering storm 2.0 or a golden age? Tackling healthcare’s biggest burdens with generative AI The race to create a vaccine: A conversation with Frank D’AmelioSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In der heutigen Folge sprechen die Finanzjournalisten Anja Ettel und Holger Zschäpitz über einen Ritterschlag für Intel, Rebound bei Rüstung und einen Branchen-Deal der Superlative. Außerdem geht es um Apple, Garmin, Thermo Fisher, Boston Scientific, Johnson Health Tech, Planet Fitness, Life Time, Gym Group, Basic Fit, Xponential Fitness, Technogym, Nike, Adidas, Puma, Lululemon, Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, Kratos Defense, Nvidia, Oracle, Apple, Palantir, Bayer, Puma, Tilray Brands, General Motors, Elevance Health, Centene, Cigna, UnitedHealth und Molina Healthcare, Rio Tinto, Glencore, BHP Group, Siemens, Meta und Keller Group. Wir freuen uns an Feedback über aaa@welt.de. Noch mehr "Alles auf Aktien" findet Ihr bei WELTplus und Apple Podcasts – inklusive aller Artikel der Hosts und AAA-Newsletter. Hier bei WELT: https://www.welt.de/podcasts/alles-auf-aktien/plus247399208/Boersen-Podcast-AAA-Bonus-Folgen-Jede-Woche-noch-mehr-Antworten-auf-Eure-Boersen-Fragen.html. Der Börsen-Podcast Disclaimer: Die im Podcast besprochenen Aktien und Fonds stellen keine spezifischen Kauf- oder Anlage-Empfehlungen dar. Die Moderatoren und der Verlag haften nicht für etwaige Verluste, die aufgrund der Umsetzung der Gedanken oder Ideen entstehen. Hörtipps: Für alle, die noch mehr wissen wollen: Holger Zschäpitz können Sie jede Woche im Finanz- und Wirtschaftspodcast "Deffner&Zschäpitz" hören. +++ Werbung +++ Du möchtest mehr über unsere Werbepartner erfahren? Hier findest du alle Infos & Rabatte! https://linktr.ee/alles_auf_aktien Impressum: https://www.welt.de/services/article7893735/Impressum.html Datenschutz: https://www.welt.de/services/article157550705/Datenschutzerklaerung-WELT-DIGITAL.html

Joey got his kids Amazon Echos for their rooms, and they are excited about the new alarm clock possibilities on it. Johnston is waking up to a song from The Goofy Movie and Marvin is waking up to a Michael Jackson song. 130 sober drivers were arrested for DUIs in Tennessee last year. This is down from 400+ in 2024. We are confused about how that happens. Nancy has finally taken off her mega lashes (her eyelash extensions). She told her husband, and he said that the mega lashes had looked like Venus flytraps on her eyeballs. The kicker for the Baltimore Ravens is getting threats on social media because he missed a field goal. Hot Tea: Zach Brian got married and people are tired of hearing his ex talk about it. Kim K is being hated on by PETA for getting her kids puppies for Christmas. Mr. Bubble, the bath brand, is releasing a limited-edition bubble bath flavored soda. Thousands of people across East Tennessee may lose insured access to East TN Children’s Hospital. The insurance company Cigna is threatening to end coverage due to hospital costs being “too high.” Joey got his brother Jesse a Christmas gift, and Jesse basically told Joey it wasn’t a good gift. Lucky 7 for Dollywood tickets The Netflix show Stranger Things released the final episode on New Year’s Eve, but some fans have a conspiracy theory that there will actually be one more episode. They think it will come out tomorrow, based on clues they found on social media and on the show. Nancy went to a police officer pinning ceremony yesterday for her daughter’s boyfriend. It is supposed to be a serious event, but she kept laughing during it because of his funny uniform and shoes. What Makes You Special? I am Zeb Ross, the viral clog dancer! Karly’s brother has to say the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of meetings at his new job. Nancy is going to try leading the pledge in our staff meeting today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joey got his kids Amazon Echos for their rooms, and they are excited about the new alarm clock possibilities on it. Johnston is waking up to a song from The Goofy Movie and Marvin is waking up to a Michael Jackson song. 130 sober drivers were arrested for DUIs in Tennessee last year. This is down from 400+ in 2024. We are confused about how that happens. Nancy has finally taken off her mega lashes (her eyelash extensions). She told her husband, and he said that the mega lashes had looked like Venus flytraps on her eyeballs. The kicker for the Baltimore Ravens is getting threats on social media because he missed a field goal. Hot Tea: Zach Brian got married and people are tired of hearing his ex talk about it. Kim K is being hated on by PETA for getting her kids puppies for Christmas. Mr. Bubble, the bath brand, is releasing a limited-edition bubble bath flavored soda. Thousands of people across East Tennessee may lose insured access to East TN Children’s Hospital. The insurance company Cigna is threatening to end coverage due to hospital costs being “too high.” Joey got his brother Jesse a Christmas gift, and Jesse basically told Joey it wasn’t a good gift. Lucky 7 for Dollywood tickets The Netflix show Stranger Things released the final episode on New Year’s Eve, but some fans have a conspiracy theory that there will actually be one more episode. They think it will come out tomorrow, based on clues they found on social media and on the show. Nancy went to a police officer pinning ceremony yesterday for her daughter’s boyfriend. It is supposed to be a serious event, but she kept laughing during it because of his funny uniform and shoes. What Makes You Special? I am Zeb Ross, the viral clog dancer! Karly’s brother has to say the pledge of allegiance at the beginning of meetings at his new job. Nancy is going to try leading the pledge in our staff meeting today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is your sales page bleeding money? When you look at your website analytics, do you wonder why you have thousands of visitors and very few conversions? Join Brad Friedman and Trevor Levine as they chat about the mistakes you are making that are killing your conversions. Trevor Levine is a certified Conversion Optimization Specialist, advertising copy wizard, and a protégé of living legends like Ryan Deiss, Jon Benson, and Jeff Walker.  Over the years, he beat dozens of control letters, some of which were penned by famous copywriters. He improved email marketing campaigns and backend revenues for companies like Aweber and MyPoints. He tripled sales of Cigna insurance policies. His magalog for a Re/Max agent generated $250,000 per weekend. And one of his video sales letters generated over $1.2 Million. Today, Trevor boosts conversion rates at every step of a marketing funnel. He develops persuasive offers, collaborates with customers on "WOW" testimonials, and describes in detail the negative ripple effects of not taking action… or worse, choosing the wrong solution. By making the unique advantages of a client's solution more compelling, he multiplies their return on ad spend.   The Digital Slice Podcast is brought to you by Magai. Up your AI game at https://friedmansocialmedia.com/magai And if it's your first purchase, use BRAD30 at checkout to get 30% off your first 3 months. Visit thedigitalslicepodcast.com for complete show notes of every podcast episode.

In our modern world of online “social” networking, we are in some ways more connected to one another today than ever before in human history. Yet the reported rates of loneliness are at an all time high: 60% amongst Gen X, 65% for Millennials, and as many as 67% of Gen Z report feeling lonely “often” (Cigna, 2025). Where can we turn for real connection? First, we go to God (Ps 73:23). But second, we turn to - and fold into - God's people, the Church, His prescription for our loneliness. We invite you to do just that during this sermon, and join us as we discover how “God's Community is the Cure for the World's Disconnection”.

Teenagers today are more "connected" than ever—and also more alone than ever. In this episode, I break down what researchers are calling a teenage loneliness epidemic and how it's quietly shaping our kids' emotional, social, and spiritual health. Large global studies show that about 1 in 9 adolescents worldwide report feeling lonely "most of the time" or "always." Long-term data also shows that by 2018, high loneliness levels in adolescents had nearly doubled compared to 2012. In the U.S., young people hold some of the highest loneliness rates of any age group, with one national report showing 61% of young adults experiencing "serious loneliness." We'll also get into the conversation around a "male loneliness epidemic." Some recent findings show men ages 15–34 report higher day-to-day loneliness than women the same age, even though overall, large-scale research suggests gender differences in loneliness are actually quite small. So what does that mean for your son—or your daughter? In this episode, I talk about: What's really driving the rise in teen loneliness (and why it's not as simple as "social media = bad"). How our parental habits—pace, expectations, emotional modeling—can unintentionally deepen the problem or help solve it. Practical, realistic ways to create connection with teens who seem withdrawn, prickly, or hard to reach. How boys and girls experience loneliness differently, and what each needs from the adults in their lives. How to offer yourself compassion as you learn new ways of showing up for your teen. This isn't about guilt. It's about naming what's real, supporting families with compassion, and giving you tools that bring connection back into the relationship. I'd love to chat with you about how this is playing out in your home. Book a free call HERE References 1. World Health Organization (WHO). (2021). Adolescent mental health: Global prevalence of loneliness in 13–17 year olds. https://www.who.int/publications 2. López Steinmetz, L. C., et al. (2021). Loneliness among adolescents across 37 countries: Trends from 2000–2018. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69(6), 993–1002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.08.009 3. Harvard Graduate School of Education: Making Caring Common Project. (2021). Loneliness in America: How the pandemic has deepened an epidemic of loneliness and what we can do about it. https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu 4. Cigna. (2020). U.S. Loneliness Index: Gen Z and young adults experience the highest loneliness levels. https://www.cigna.com 5. Gallup. (2023). Men report higher rates of daily loneliness than women in many age groups. https://news.gallup.com 6. Maes, M., Van den Noortgate, W., & Goossens, L. (2016). Gender differences in loneliness across the lifespan: A meta-analysis. European Journal of Personality, 30(1), 70–85. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2034

Sponsored by Berries: Use code TherapyShow50 for $50 off your first month - CLICK HERE.   If you are a therapist or counselor looking for continuing education, check out my NBCC Approved $5 Podcourses and other continuing education offerings. Plus, get your first Podcourse half off. I'm thrilled to welcome back my good friend and brilliant multi-passionate entrepreneur, Kym Tolson. If you've ever wondered how therapists can use AI to streamline their work, generate new income streams, or simply stop drowning in admin tasks, you're going to love this conversation. Kym and I dive deep into her newest creation, The Thera AI Hub, a growing collection of over 35 done-for-you AI tools built specifically for therapists. From custom GPTs, to newsletter-building agents, to niche-finding and scalable-offer creators, Kym shows how therapists can reclaim their time, reduce burnout, and finally move toward the ideas they've been sitting on for years. We also explore the evolving role of AI in mental health care including the big news about Cigna using AI as a first-line support tool, and talk candidly about what this means for the future of our field. Kym shares how therapists can stay relevant, adapt intentionally, and develop specialties AI can't replace. Plus, she gives us an exciting look at upcoming features inside Berries, the AI-powered therapy note scribe where she serves as Clinical Director. Think smart treatment plans, automatic session summaries, homework suggestions, and even telehealth and EMR capabilities on the horizon. If you're curious about leveraging AI to enhance your clinical work, build new offers, or simplify your business systems, this episode is packed with inspiration, practical tips, and plenty of "oh wow" moments. I can't wait for you to listen. Kym always brings so much clarity, creativity, and encouragement. I know you'll walk away with at least one idea you're excited to try. Links mentioned in the episode:  Get my CE Course Builder for Mental Health Clinicians for FREE Thera AI Hub + Clinical AI Club: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/AI-Tools-for-Therapists AI Newsletter Opt In/Mastering AI Prompts for Therapists: https://kymtolson.kartra.com/page/Join-AI-Newsletter AI Powered Private Practice Giveaway: https://kingsumo.com/g/m88558m/ai-powered-practice-giveaway Check out all my Counselor Resources. 

Join us for a deeply human and candid conversation with someone who has mental health experiences from every angle. Melissa Fors Shackelford is a healthcare executive and the author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller, Harnessing Purpose.While Melissa is known for building compelling brands and advising Fortune 100 leaders, her path to purpose was forged through personal adversity. In this episode, we normalize the conversation on family mental health and substance abuse as Melissa shares:The Impact of Family Adversity: How growing up with family members affected by substance abuse profoundly shaped her life choices, empathy, and career path.The Power of Experience: Her invaluable perspective gained from working at institutions like Hazelden Betty Ford and how it taught her about the complexity of mental health and recovery.The Vital Tool: The role of journaling as a non-negotiable practice for processing difficult emotions and finding clarity in the face of chaos.Making the Leap: What inspired her to leave behind a high-level corporate career (at Optum, Cigna, etc.) to bet on herself and build her own purpose-driven consulting practice, Shackelford Strategies.Breaking the Barrier: Why making yourself available to ask for help is the most crucial step in activating your support circle and fostering true mental resilience.Melissa brings a rare blend of corporate expertise and personal vulnerability, proving that leading with integrity requires you to first understand and embrace your own story. This episode offers essential encouragement for anyone seeking to blend their personal challenges into a foundation for meaningful impact.Support the showHave a question for the host or guest? Want their freebee? Are you looking to become a guest or show partner? Email Danica at PodcastsByLanci@gmail.com.This show is brought to you by Coming Alive Podcast Production.CRISIS LINE: DIAL 988

This week on That Entrepreneur Show, host Vincent A. Lanci sits down with Melissa Fors Shackleford, award-winning marketer, bestselling author of Harnessing Purpose, and founder of Shackleford Strategies. With over 20 years of experience leading marketing for powerhouse organizations like Optum, Cigna, and Hazelden Betty Ford, Melissa brings unmatched insight into what it means to build a brand with soul — one grounded in authenticity, purpose, and impact.In this inspiring episode, Melissa reveals how to: ✨ Build a mission-driven brand that goes beyond logos and taglines.

In this episode, Scott Becker discusses strong rebounds from CVS Health and Cigna, Michael Burry's shorts on Palantir and Nvidia, and his own lighthearted rule of thumb for spotting market highs.

This week, Traci welcomed Wendy Sherry, Chief Executive Officer for Global Health Benefits within International Health at Cigna Healthcare, overseeing healthcare delivery to more than 3,700 clients in over 250 countries.With 30 years at Cigna spanning multiple leadership roles, Wendy is a strong advocate for inclusion and the advancement of women in leadership. She also serves as an advisor to Hello Heart and supports healthcare equity angels.Spoiler alert: 50% of millennial women are experiencing perimenopause symptoms right now, and by 2030, three-quarters of the global workforce will be millennials or Gen Z—meaning this isn't a women's issue, it's a business imperative.What We CoverThe inclusive leadership philosophyWhat perimenopause actually does to your body50% of millennial women have perimenopause symptomsWhich states mandate menopause workplace protectionsWhy this is a business imperative, not a nice-to-haveThe hidden cost of perimenopause stigmaHow Cigna connects employees to menopause specialistsThe talent war you're losing without these benefitsWhat to ask your benefits provider tomorrowKey Quote"If all the good ideas come from me, we are in trouble. You need to have a team that in many ways is smarter than you in certain areas, because it's all about perspective." – Wendy SherryConnect with Wendy Sherry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendy-sherry/ Website: https://www.cignaglobal.com/employers/na Connect with Traci here: https://linktr.ee/HRTraciDisclaimer: Thoughts, opinions, and statements made on this podcast are not a reflection of the thoughts, opinions, and statements of the Company by whom Traci Chernoff is actively employed.Please note that this episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products or services. Individuals on the show may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to in this episode.

In this episode, Scott Becker discusses Cigna’s 15% stock decline despite strong quarterly revenues and profitability.

John discusses a collection of Trump-related stories. First, Trump says he had no knowledge of an Israeli attack on Hamas headquarters in Doha, Qatar where at least 5 lower level Hamas fighters were killed. Second, Trump and Kristi Noem's Hyundai ICE raid has cause major economic backlash. Third, Bill Gates, Tim Cook, and Mark Zuckerberg kissing up to Trump at his big Remodeled Rose Garden party. And fourth, Trump telling West Point to cancel Tom Hanks' military award event. Then, he interviews Ryan Clarkson, founder and managing partner of Clarkson Law Firm who is overseeing the firm's innovative AI litigation practice. Experts at Clarkson Law Firm have been representing numerous patients and their families in legal fights against insurers like UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and Humana, exposing how, due to AI's denial of claims, elderly patients have been unable to access and afford the very same care their doctors have ordered, leading to some even passing away due to being denied medical care. Then, John jokes with comedian Keith Price AKA Comedy Daddy and they take calls from listeners on RFK Jr, the Supreme Court, and much more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.