Podcasts about goodrx

Send us Fan MailHow to Stop Overpaying for Prescriptions: Cash Pricing, Coupons, and Smarter Pharmacy ShoppingDr. Angela explains why prescription costs can spike even with insurance, emphasizing that coverage depends on insurer formularies shaped by contracts among insurers, pharmacy benefit managers, and manufacturers, which can change midyear and trigger denials, step therapy, and prior authorizations. She offers practical strategies to lower costs: start with manufacturer websites for brand-name drugs to find savings cards, copay assistance, or direct-to-consumer cash programs (not typically for Medicare/Medicaid); use generics when possible and compare transparent cash options like Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs and GoodRx; ask direct primary care practices about at-cost dispensing; price-shop across pharmacies and ask pharmacists for the best cash price; and request a 90-day supply when stable, noting stricter rules for controlled medications but potential cash-pay options. For a list of websites for medication discounts, see the companion blog post: https://www.dpcwestmi.com/blog/why-your-medication-costs-so-much----and-7-ways-to-save-money-on-prescriptions00:00 Stop Overpaying Intro01:30 Why Insurance Denies02:54 Prior Auth Chaos03:45 Pricing Disclaimer04:15 Manufacturer Savings05:54 Generics And Cash07:21 Direct Primary Care07:47 Compare Pharmacy Prices09:30 Ask For 90 Days11:27 Final ChecklistSupport the showFollow me on Instagram @angelalifestylemd and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my podcast & SHARE this episode.

A patient finally decides to prioritize their health. They wait weeks for an appointment. We talk, we plan, and they leave with hope. Then the pharmacy calls with a price tag over $1,000 a month and that hope disappears. If that's happened to you, I made this episode for you. Because what most patients don't know is that there are real, legitimate ways to make this work and I'm breaking all of them down today. An insurance denial is not a verdict on your health or your worth. It just means we need to get strategic. Listen now!   Episode Highlights: Why I never let my patients stop at the first insurance "no" The Zepbound Lilly Direct self-pay program and what it actually costs The Wegovy NovoCare self-pay option and its introductory pricing Oral GLP-1 medications — who they're right for and why they may surprise you Manufacturer coupons, GoodRx, and savings tools most patients walk past How to appeal a denial and exactly what documentation can move the needle Why thinking long-term changes everything about affordability   Connect with Dr. Alicia Shelly: Website | drshellymd.com Facebook | www.facebook.com/drshellymd Instagram | @drshellymd Linked In | www.linkedin.com/in/drshellymd Twitter | @drshellymd   About Dr. Alicia Shelly Dr. Alicia Shelly was raised in Atlanta, GA. She received her Doctorate of Medicine from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, OH.  Dr. Shelly has been practicing Primary Care and Obesity medicine since 2014.  In 2017, she became a Diplomat of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is the lead physician at the Wellstar Medical Center Douglasville. She started a weekly podcast & Youtube channel entitled Back on Track: Achieving Healthy Weight loss,  where she discusses how to get on track and stay on track with your weight loss journey. She has spoken for numerous local and national organizations, including the Obesity Medicine Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons. She has been featured on CNN, Fox 5 News, Bruce St. James Radio show, Upscale magazine, and Shape.com. She was named an honoree of the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle's 40 under 40 award. She also is a collaborating author for the, "Made for More: Physician Entrepreneurs who Live Life and Practice Medicine on their own terms''.   Resources: FREE! Discover the 5 Reasons Your Weight-Loss Journey Has Gotten Derailed (And How To Get Back On Track!)

Can you lean into AI advancements without losing human connection? Find out on a new Media Roundtable.At SXSW, Will Pearson (President, iHeartPodcasts) hosted “The Guaranteed Human In An Artificial World.” Will took the stage with some of the sharpest thinkers in podcasting: Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn), Gladwell Mwangi (Paid Media Enablement Lead, Whole Foods Market), and Richard Case (VP, Growth Marketing, GoodRX).Join us as they cover: The Guaranteed Human, Finding your Center, AI-Augmented, and more. Let's dig in." We want to create AI-augmented creators, not AI-generated creators.” -Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3533: Melissa Lobo breaks down practical, low-effort strategies to save money even when your budget feels stretched thin. From leveraging “extra” paychecks to turning everyday discounts into real savings, these tips show how small, consistent actions can quietly build financial stability over time. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://moneyminiblog.com/save-money/common-money-saving-tips/ Quotes to ponder: "A good way to save money is to treat these third paychecks as a bonus." "When you eat outside, you also pay for the service provided and the convenience." "Remember that any progress is progress, no matter how slow." Episode references: GoodRx: https://www.goodrx.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3533: Melissa Lobo breaks down practical, low-effort strategies to save money even when your budget feels stretched thin. From leveraging “extra” paychecks to turning everyday discounts into real savings, these tips show how small, consistent actions can quietly build financial stability over time. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://moneyminiblog.com/save-money/common-money-saving-tips/ Quotes to ponder: "A good way to save money is to treat these third paychecks as a bonus." "When you eat outside, you also pay for the service provided and the convenience." "Remember that any progress is progress, no matter how slow." Episode references: GoodRx: https://www.goodrx.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3533: Melissa Lobo breaks down practical, low-effort strategies to save money even when your budget feels stretched thin. From leveraging “extra” paychecks to turning everyday discounts into real savings, these tips show how small, consistent actions can quietly build financial stability over time. Read along with the original article(s) here: http://moneyminiblog.com/save-money/common-money-saving-tips/ Quotes to ponder: "A good way to save money is to treat these third paychecks as a bonus." "When you eat outside, you also pay for the service provided and the convenience." "Remember that any progress is progress, no matter how slow." Episode references: GoodRx: https://www.goodrx.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly one billion prescriptions are abandoned at the pharmacy counter every year, often because patients are blindsided by the cost.This week, co-host Halle Tecco is joined by Wendy Barnes, President and CEO of GoodRx, to discuss the chaos of prescription drug pricing, the murky world of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), and how digital tools are changing patient affordability. They break down the layered system of manufacturers, payers, and pharmacies that creates inconsistent pricing, and explore the current push for greater transparency.We cover:The cascade of drug pricing: from initial manufacturer costs and rebates to payer and pharmacy contracts, which results in vast price variability for consumersWhat it would take to get to price transparency in drug pricingThe current pressures on PBMs, including efforts to ban "spread" and the practice of offshoring rebate contracting for tax advantagesWhy pharmacies haven't gone online like other areas of consumer goodsThe future of medication access, including the growth of pharma's direct-to-patient programs and the low current adoption of home delivery despite widespread retail pharmacy closures— About our guest:Wendy Barnes is the President and CEO of GoodRx. She has over 30 years of leadership experience across the pharmacy and medical benefit industry. Most recently, Wendy served as CEO of RxBenefits, where she led the company in providing pharmacy benefit support to more than 2,000 self-insured clients, representing over 3 million lives. Prior to that, she served as President of Express Scripts Pharmacy, overseeing operations for 100 million beneficiaries. Her leadership spans roles at Rite Aid, Premier Inc., and the U.S. Air Force, where she served as a Medical Service Corps Officer. She holds a B.S. degree in Biochemistry from the United States Air Force Academy and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage.—

Here at pharmaphorum we tend to focus on the latest developments in the pharmaceutical space. And to be fair, that's quite a lot to keep us busy. But the history of pharma is full of incredible stories that might just be new to a lot of people, even those inside the industry. On today's episode of the pharmaphorum podcast, host Jonah Comstock speaks with Thomas Goetz, former executive editor of Wired; co-founder of Iodine, a drug data company that was acquired by GoodRx; and, most recently, creator and host of the Drug Story podcast. Each episode of Drug Story dives into the story behind a particular drug and the condition that it treats, unlocking fascinating morsels of history and, indeed, current controversies along the way. Goetz discusses the inspiration for the show and what he hopes listeners will take away from it. He also talks about how his perspective is neither pro- nor anti-pharma, but about recognising pharmaceutical medicine as the socially and morally complex market that it is. Take a listen for a taste of how every drug contains a multitude of stories, and then check out season 1 of Drug Story if you want a little more.

Dr. Aleea Gupta of Family First Direct Primary Care in the western suburbs of Chicago returns to My DPC Story four years after her first appearance, and a lot has changed. Her Instagram following has grown to over 12,000 organic followers, she has partnered with national brands including GoodRx and the AAFP, and her solo practice has evolved into a model of physician entrepreneurship built on authenticity rather than advertising dollars.In this episode, Dr. Gupta and Dr. Maryal Concepcion dive deep into what so many listeners have been asking between seasons: How do you make your DPC practice visible without feeling salesy or icky? How do you show up online authentically and actually get patients to find you? And what does a realistic social media strategy look like for a physician who is also a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a solo practice owner?Whether you are just starting your DPC journey or you have been in practice for years and want to grow your presence, this episode is packed with actionable strategy, hard-won lessons, and a refreshingly honest take on what actually works.What You'll Learn in This EpisodeHow Dr. Gupta pivoted her Instagram from patient acquisition to inspiring the next generation of physicians, and why that shift organically grew her platformThe key difference between Instagram and Google for DPC visibility, and how to leverage both without spending hours on eitherWhy human connection, not content, is what converts a curious follower into a committed patientThe "Macedonian truck driver" niche story: how one patient connection became her largest demographic, and what it teaches us about community outreachHow to identify niche groups in your own community and approach local businesses to present DPCA minimum viable visibility strategy for physicians starting from zero in 2026Content pillars every DPC physician should post about, broken down by audience typeThe essential equipment for quality content creation: lighting, audio, and your smartphoneHow to balance content creation with clinical care, family life, and solo practice managementWhat Dr. Gupta learned about brand partnerships and why you should never underestimate a contractHow to handle negative comments and critics online, professionally and without losing your sanityWhy cross-posting the same content to Instagram and TikTok does not work, and what each platform rewardsUsing Instagram analytics and trial reels to understand what resonates with your audienceHow to gracefully handle being at capacity and Find a My DPC Story Event near you! State Summits in CA, IL, a My DPC Story LIVE event and the DPC Women's Summit are all coming! Learn more at mydpcstory.com/upcoming-events! Earn money WHILE running your DPC! Join SERMO for FREE today!Support the showGET your FREE MONTHLY BUSINESS TOOL DOWNLOADBecome A My DPC Story PATREON MEMBER! SPONSOR THE PODMy DPC Story VOICEMAIL! DPC SWAG!FACEBOOK * INSTAGRAM * LinkedIn * TWITTER * TIKTOK * YouTube

You can create the greatest content in the world, but if it shows up on the wrong channel at the wrong time, it still falls flat. In this episode, lifecycle marketing expert Leslie Bartley makes the case for treating content as guidance rather than just marketing. She walks through how to match message urgency to the right channel, how to keep the human touch while scaling through automation, and her "core four" metrics framework for knowing whether your content is actually landing. If you're blasting and hoping for the best, Leslie's approach will sharpen everything about your distribution strategy.Leslie Bartley is a lifecycle and customer marketing expert with over 15 years of experience spanning e-commerce, advertising, luxury hospitality, healthcare, and SaaS. She has held roles at Amazon, GoodRx, and early-stage startups, working across demand generation, marketing automation, product marketing, and product management. Now at Squire, Leslie focuses on behavior-based content delivery across owned channels, building systems that guide customers rather than just market to them. Connect with Leslie on LinkedIn.Text us what you think about this episode!

Deb (00:03.606)Within the next seven months, up to 1.5 million Americans could lose access to a medication that they’ve relied on for decades. Not because it’s dangerous, but because a pharmaceutical giant may have lobbied the FDA to eliminate their competition. And if you’re one of them, your doctor may already have told you about this issue and stopped prescribing it.This isn’t a conspiracy theory. This is documented in federal court filings. This is happening right now. And the company that stands to profit, well, they’re the same ones manufacturing the only product that might survive.Today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now, we’re exposing the desiccated thyroid extract crisis, the corporate manipulation behind it, and what you need to do right now to protect your health. Stay with me because I’m about to share what could save your access to the medication keeping you alive.Welcome back to Let’s Talk Wellness Now, the show where we uncover the root causes of chronic illness, expose regulatory capture in healthcare, and empower you with the tools to advocate for yourself. I’m Dr. Deb, naturopathic doctor, your medical detective, and today we’re diving into one of the most consequential and corrupt healthcare decisions affecting patients right now. If you or someone you love takes Armour thyroid, NP thyroid, or any desiccated thyroid extract,for hypothyroidism or if you’ve struggled to find a thyroid medication that actually works for your body, this episode is absolutely critical. And if you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or corn allergies, what I’m about to reveal will make your blood boil. Now grab your cup of coffee, don’t forget your notebook and settle in because what’s happening to this medication right now is a masterclass in how pharmaceutical companies use regular Deb (02:06.544)agencies to eliminate competition, control markets, and price gouge patients. And I have all the receipts. Deb (02:20.982)Let me start with what might surprise you. Desiccated thyroid extract, or DTE as we call it, is actually one of the most oldest thyroid medications in the world. And I mean old. From the 1890s through 1970, this was the standard treatment for hypothyroidism.Now let’s really dive into that. From the 1890s to the 1970s, this was standard hypothyroidism treatment.In 1965 alone, and this is documented in peer-reviewed literature published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, approximately four out of every five prescriptions for thyroid hormone in the United States were of natural desiccated thyroid preparations.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism is a very high-end journal. Now think about that. This wasn’t some fringe therapy. This was mainstream medicine. Armour Thyroid, the most recognizable brand name, has been manufactured since the early 1900s, well over a century ago.and this is cited again in NIH bookshelf. When the FDA was officially established in 1938, Arbor thyroid was already on the market. And this is important and I want you to understand why. Under the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, any drug that was already being marketed before 1938 was automatically grandfathered into the system. That means it didn’t have to Deb (04:08.112)go through the formal FDA approval process. And this again is cited under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, grandfathered drugs and exemptions. And this is crucial to understanding what happens next. By the 1970s, synthetic levothyroxine, brand name Synthroid and generics became the preferred treatment. Hmm, wonder why?It was easier to standardize, came into consistent doses, and worked well for most patients, and could be mass manufactured. By the 1980s, levothyroxine had largely replaced desiccated thyroid in clinical practice, according to the American Thyroid Association 2014 guidelines for the treatment of hypothyroidism. But here’s what matters. Some patients…a very significant minority of them, never felt right on levothyroxine alone. Despite their lab work looking normal, they still had fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, cold intolerance, and depression.These patients often found relief when they switched back to their desiccated thyroid, which contains both T4 and T3 hormones, the way human thyroid naturally produces them. And this is not anecdotal. This is documented in randomized double-blind crossover studies published in Endocrine Practice.For decades, that was fine. Their doctors prescribed it, insurance sometimes covered it, patients were getting better, and the system worked really well. Until August 6th of 2025, just a short time ago, everything changed. On that date, the FDA sent letters to manufacturers, importers, and distributors of desiccated thyroid extract products stating that these medications would need an approval. Deb (06:04.654)a biologics licensed application, a BLA, to remain legally on the market. And this is cited in the FDA’s official statement, FDA’s actions to address unapproved thyroid medications. understand it says unapproved thyroid medications. However, desiccated thyroid, specifically Armour, has been approved since 1938. And this was dated August 6th through 7th, 2025.This wasn’t a guideline. This wasn’t a suggestion. It was an endorsement of action. And the timeline they gave them? Well, just 12 months to transition patients to another medication before enforcement action could begin.This was also cited by an FDA notice to the industry, animal derived thyroid products notice to industry, August 6th, 2025. Now do the math, that means August 2026, seven months from now, 1.5 million Americans currently taking this medication. And this number comes from the FDA official statement, citing that it’s an estimation of 1.5 million patients receiving prescriptions for these medications.could potentially lose their thyroid access. Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The FDA didn’t wake up in August of 2025 and decide to regulate desiccated thyroid after a century. This decision has a much longer backstory. And understanding that backstory is critical to understanding what’s really happening in this industry.The shift started in 2022. Back in September of 2022, over three years ago, an FDA branch chief sent a letter to the National Associations of Boards of Pharmacy noting that the agency had decided to designate DTE as a biological product, which would affect its eligibility for compounding. Deb (08:13.972)This also is cited in an FDA letter to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy September 2022.Then two months later, in November of 2022, the FDA’s Office of Compounding Quality and Compliance sent a softer letter acknowledging that many Americans take medication to treat hypothyroidism and some choose to take DTE products. The letter stated that the FDA would focus enforcement on cases that pose the greatest public health risks, such as serious adverse offense or serious product quality or adulteration.also is cited by an FDA letter from Francis G. Bromel, the director, Office of Compounding Quality and Compliance, November of 2022. Now, let me just think about this for a second. If this drug has been on the market since the 1800s, been FDA approved since 1938, would we not have seen a health crisis long before 2022?I honestly don’t know of any other drug that’s been around this long that’s used by this many people. Now granted, I haven’t done the research on it either, which I can do for you guys, but I’m just thinking if a drug is on the market today and it causes harm, it doesn’t make it three years, five years before you see lawsuits everywhere. Why are there no lawsuits on this drug? Why are there no major reactions that people are seen having?Hmm, just thought. But here’s the pattern. The FDA was already laying the groundwork back in 2022, testing the waters, signaling where this was headed. The August 2025 action. Then this came down. Deb (10:09.806)August 6, 2025, the FDA announced its position publicly and sent formal letters to all DTE manufacturers, importers, and distributors. This was cited by the FDA Enforcement Action August 6, 2025, letters to manufacturers, importers, distributions of DTE products. The agency stated several concerns. First, DTE products have experienced quality and dosing issues.The FDA cited, and I’m quoting directly from their statement, over 500 adverse events reported associated with DTE products from 1968 to 2025. From 1968 to 2025, we had 500 adverse reactions? What is that math equate to?A couple a year? Come on guys, this is insane! With a substantial increase, you, between 2019 and 2020 that the agency suggested was related to voluntary recalls of sub-potent or super-potent products.This was cited in the FDA statement, over 500 adverse events reported associated with ADT products from 1968 through 2025.Second, the agency expressed concern about batch inconsistency. According to the FDA’s official statements, tablets made from the same manufacturing batches may not always provide the same thyroid hormone levels. Okay, this was cited in the FDA statement, tablets made from the same manufacturing batches may not always provide the same thyroid hormone levels. Thirdly, and I want to actually let’s back up. I want you to remember I said that Deb (12:11.216)because further down in this podcast, we’re going to talk about this. This is an important point to remember. Thirdly, the agency raised concerns about potential impurities from animal source material, including potential for viral contamination due to the animal source and supraphysiological levels of T3.the FDA statement on impurities, viral contamination and super physiological T3 levels. Now I will tell you, I’ve been prescribing armarithograde for 20 years. I’ve rarely seen a super physiological dose given of T3 in lab results, unless the patient takes their medication like four or five hours before you do the blood test, then you’ll see a false rise because you’re actually seeing the medication. You’re not seeing people walking aroundsuperphysiological T3 levels. Nobody would like that feeling. So anyway, I digress. Now let me pause here because this is where I need to give you some context that the FDA hasn’t quite emphasized yet. Of course, we have another connection and it is the China connection.So the FDA’s concerns about contaminated drugs and quality issues don’t exist in a vacuum. In 2024, the U.S. over 828,000 metric tons of pharmaceuticals, seven times the level from 2000. And here’s the kicker. China and India supply the majority of active pharmaceutical ingredients. APIs for U.S. generics accounting for 70 to 80 % of the total genericdrug supply. According to Reuters industry report in 2024, they state that China supplies 82 % of the APIs for critical drugs. Deb (14:08.204)Got to question that, right? Why are we giving all of our drug formulas to China and allowing them to import them into our country? In fact, roughly 20 % of the critical drugs have APIs exclusively sourced from China. And China controls 80 to 90 % of the global production for antibiotics and other key compounds. This was also cited by Reuters industry data thatcontrols 80 to 90 percent of the global production for antibiotics and other key compounds. Now just think about this. They control 80 to 90 percent of our medication. They control 20 percent of our critical drugs and we just put what kind of tariff on them? Hmm.In 2025 alone, the FDA issued multiple warning letters to foreign manufacturers for contamination issues and failure to follow good manufacturing practices. This is also cited by the FDA warning letters 2024 through 2025 and multiple citations to foreign manufacturing facilities. This is a systematic problem affecting the entire US drug supply, not just desiccated thyroid.So when the FDA suddenly became concerned about DTE quality and contamination, part of that concern was legitimate. But this is crucial. The same inconsistencies and contamination issues exist across the entire generic drug supply. And the FDA has not taken the same enforcement action against them. Let that sink in.They have not taken the same enforcement action against the other drug companies. So what’s behind all of this? Where is this all coming from? Hmm. Let’s address something directly, because you deserve to know it. And I’m going to cite my sources precisely so that when the medical boards have something to say about this, and they might, I have a documentation for every single word that I am about to speak. Deb (16:24.878)According to the court documents filed in October 2025, in the case ofa urine, a urine. I’m going to say that wrong. Pharmaceuticals versus Dr. George Tidmarsh from ABBV, the multinational pharmaceutical company that manufactures armor thyroid, reportedly petitioned the FDA in 2024, asking the agency to reclassify DTE as a biologic and to prohibit other manufacturers from selling unlicensed DTE products unless they havehad an investigational new drug application, we call this an IND, and a clinical development program aimed at eventual approval. This is cited in the court filing a Urena pharmaceuticals lawsuit versus Dr. George Tidmarsh, October 2025, reported by Fierce Pharma. Now let me explain why this matters and why this is one of the most brazen examples of regulatory capture I’ve ever seen in my career.AbbeVee is one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. In 2024, they reported over $54 billion in revenue. Drop the mic on that one.They have the resources, the regulatory expertise, the legal teams, and the financial capacity to navigate a biologics license application process that costs between $500 million and $1 billion. Let that sink in. Deb (18:07.882)A drug that’s been on the market since the 1800s that was grandfathered in 1938 that’s making plenty of money right now. They’re going to spend 500 million to $1 billion to get a biologics license application. Why would they do that? Well, we’re about to find out. Most otherDTE manufacturers, smaller companies like Acela Pharmaceuticals, which makes NP-thyroid, and RLC Labs, which made WP-thyroid, do not have those same resources. And this is cited in Pharma Voice in 2025. Why a treatment older than the FDA is getting new regulatory scrutiny. So when you petition the FDA to reclassify a drug in a way that requires this type of expensivetime-consuming biological approval, you’re not just asking for safety. You’re asking to eliminate your competitors from the marketplace. Now, I want to be very precise here. These allegations are documented in federal court filings, and it hasn’t been approved in court. It’s also been reported by multiple industry sources, including Fierce Pharma. But I’m telling you,what has been reported in legal proceedings, not stating it as an absolute fact because you deserve to know the difference and because I have to protect my license. Now, what do we know for certain?AbbeVee is working on a biologics license application for Armour thyroid through clinical trials called Avantia. This is cited by the AbbeVee corporate statement 2025 Avantia clinical trial for Armour thyroid. A cell of pharmaceuticals has been pursuing BLA approval for NP thyroid for seven years since 2017 and it completed its phase two trials successfully in 2025. They’re now moving Deb (20:15.448)into Phase 3 trials. This is also cited by the Acela Pharmaceuticals CEO statement 2025 seven-year pursuit for BLA approval completed Phase 2 trials moving to Phase 3.RLC Labs, which manufactured WP thyroid, has made no public announcement about pursuing BLA approval and really probably don’t have a plan to do this since they’ve been off the market for some time now. About five years, I think maybe a little longer. Here’s the market manipulation.If only ABBV is successful and obtains a BLA approval for Armour thyroid, that company would effectively have a monopoly on the DDT market. And in pharmaceutical markets, monopolies historically lead to price increases.We’ve seen this pattern over and over again when turning pharmaceuticals acquired Daraprim and raised their price from $13.50 to $750 per tablet overnight. When Myelin raised EpiPen increased prices by 400 % when insulin manufacturers colluded to raise prices in lockstep. This is the playbook.use regulatory barriers to eliminate your competition and then exploit pricing power. For a drug that’s been on the market since the 1800s, guess corporate greed is everywhere. They’re not making enough money on this product already and they’re taking advantage of the rules that they can manipulate their competition by. And here’s what really makes me furious. The American Thyroid Association, the professional organization Deb (22:06.672)representing endocrinologists sent letters to the FDA commissioner on October 8th of 2025 and September 18th of 2025.advocating for continued patient access to DTEs. This is cited in the American Thyroid Association statement and letter to the FDA commissioner dated October 8th, 2025 and September 18th, 2025. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists issued a statement on September 9th of 2025 supporting equitable access and personalized medicine for DTE. This was also cited in the American AssociationAssociation of Clinical Endocrinologists, AACE, statement dated September 9th, 2025. Even the medical establishment, which has historically favored levothyroxine, is saying, wait, this is going too far. Patients need access to this medication. But the FDA is moving forward anyway. Why? Well, where does it always lead us? Follow the money trail.Okay, so I need to explain what a biologics license application actually is because this is where the rubber meets the road for what’s going to happen to pricing and availability. What is a BLA?A BLA is a biologics license application. It’s a formal request submitted to the FDA to market a biologic product in the United States. A biologic is defined under the Public Health Service Act section 351 as a product derived from or made using living material, in this case, animal thyroid glands. And this is cited in the FDA definition for biologic products. So they’re putting armor thyroid right Deb (23:57.377)right up with stem cells and exosomes. Think about that. Stem cells and exosomes cost thousands of dollars per application because of how they have to be harvested, stored, freezed, all of that. But we’re talking about a thyroid gland. Good Lord, people.Unlike regular drug applications for synthetic medications which follow a simpler pathway, the BLA process is designed for complex biological products like monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, and gene therapy products. It’s a much more expensive, much more time-consuming process. The BLA processis what manufacturers have to do. And we’re going to talk about that. So according to Reprocell and Forge Biologics analysis of the FDA’s BLA process, here’s what companies need to submit. First, they need to complete a clinical trial data, phase one, two, and three trials, proving safety and efficacy for desiccated thyroid. Haven’t we done that since it’s been on the market since the 1800s? Just saying.This means they have to conduct large randomized controlled trials comparing it to levothyroxine, measuring safety outcomes, efficacy outcomes, and quality of life metrics. Second,Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls, CMC’s data. Detailed information about how the product is manufactured, quality control measures, stability testing and specifications that must be met for every batch. Third, preclinical and animal safety data. Fourth, labeling and product information. Now, I think we have labeling and product information. Deb (25:53.717)since the 1800s? But just saying. Fifth, they need Pharma Covigilance Plan, a detailed plan for monitoring safety after the product is on the market. Haven’t they had to do that since the 1800s? And they have to have a timeline. And this is the critical part. The FDA’s standard review time for a BLA is 10 months.That’s after the application is deemed complete and accepted for filing. So this is cited by the FDA standard review timeline, BLA submission, and FDA review.Now, before you even get to filing, you need to conduct the clinical trials and compile all the data that’s typically several years of work. How are you going to prove safety and effectiveness in a large clinical trial long term? What do they consider? What do they deem long term? Three months, six months, a year, two years. These companies had 10 months.Well, maybe 12. They did it a year in advance. But unless you knew this was coming, how are you going to put together a trial, enroll the people, have all the trial components set up and ready to go in less than 12 months unless you knew it was coming beforehand? Even ifhad started all their clinical trials in 2024, completing them, compiling the data, and getting a complete application ready for submission, this would likely take you through mid-2026, then add another 10 months for FDA review. We’re looking at 2027 at the earliest for most of these companies to receive a BLA application. Deb (27:54.319)But the FDA gave the manufacturers until August of 2026. That’s approximately 19 months from when the August 2025 letters were sent. Most companies cannot reasonably complete the BLA approval in that timeframe. And when I’m talking about the 19 months, I’m talking about the information they would have had earlier. Now the cost.This gets me even more frustrated. Why are we spending this kind of money? The BLL process is extraordinarily expensive. The current FDA user fee for a BLA submission is approximately $483,560 just for the filing fee. And this is cited at the FDA user fees prescription drug user fee rates for 2025.The full cost of conducting clinical trials, CMC studies, and all the supporting documentation typically ranges from $500 million to over $1 billion, depending on the scope of the trials and the complexity. And this is cited in JAMA’s network, Open2023. A cell of pharmaceuticals has been pursuing the BLA approval since 2017. That’s eight years. And it’s just now.moving into phase three trials with a planned enrollment of approximately 300 patients. This is cited by the Acela Pharmacies CEO statement of 2025. Now that’s unusual. That’s typical for this process. This is not unusual. This is typical for this process to take seven, 10 years to get approval for this. So if Abby’s the one that requested this,Abby V. And Acela started this in 2017. Was Abby V threatened by Acela that Acela might get this approval and it would be quietly done without anybody seeing it? And maybe Abby V would be left out of the market after a century? Who knows? It’s possible. Deb (30:13.112)But for smaller manufacturers without billions in revenue, this cost is completely prohibitive. And this is why this matters. When you push an old established medication through an extraordinary, expensive approval process with a compromised timeline, one of three things happen. First, only the largest companies can afford it, creating a monopoly. And when that happens, the company that holds the only approved product can set pricing withminimal competitive pressures. Two, smaller manufacturers can’t afford it and their products disappear and the market shrinks and access decreases. Three, we see a combination of both and who pays the price? Literally, patients do. Now here’s whereThere’s something I want you to really think about because this is where the regulatory argument falls apart when you look at it carefully. The FDA’s concern about DTE is that, and I’m quoting their official statement, tablets from the same manufacturing batches may not always provide the same thyroid hormone levels. This is from their FDA statement.And that’s a legitimate quality concern, right? It is. Thyroid medications have a narrow therapeutic window like any other hormone, meaning the difference between an effective dose and the dose that causes problems can be quite small. But here’s what the FDA doesn’t emphasize. Generic drugs have the exact same dosing inconsistency issue, and it’s considered acceptable and has been since we allowed generics on the market.So how does a generic drug dose work anyway? Well, for generic drugs to be approved as bioequivalent to a brand name medication, the FDA requires that the generic drugs bioavailability fall within 80 to 125 % of the brand name product. Isn’t that a dose inconsistency? Deb (32:22.894)from the brand name medication? 800 or sorry, 80 to 125%. According to the pharmacy times analysis of the FDA’s bioequivalent standards, the 80 to 125 % bioequivalence rule means that a generic drug can have 20 to 45 % variability compared to the original brand product.Now, most generics are much closer than that. The FDA study data shows that the mean difference for an AUC value between generic and reference products is about three and a half percent in the two year post-Waxman hatch period, and 80 % of the generics fall within a five percent range. But the FDA’s regulations allow for that much higher variability. And this is cited in an FDA study data mean difference for AUC.Now, let me put this in plain language. A patient could take a generic levothyroxine tablet where one batch provides, say, 75 micrograms of an active thyroid hormone. And the next batch from a different manufacturer, a different generic manufacturer, could provide up to 93.75 micrograms, 125 % of that 75. That’s an 18 microgram difference.in the same prescribed dose. Now, this is considered acceptable and patients tolerate it and this system works.Yet the FDA’s argument against DTE is that batch-to-batch inconsistency is unacceptable and requires this expensive biologic approval? That’s a double standard. So why is batch inconsistency acceptable for generic levothyroxine, but supposedly unacceptable for desiccated thyroid? I’ll give you the regulatory answer. Deb (34:29.366)because DDT is a biological product derived from an animal tissue and the FDA considers biological products to require more rigorous control. That’s the regulatory answer, but I’ll give you the real answer.because there’s no billion dollar pharmaceutical company with a patent pending on generic levothyroxine who petitioned the FDA to regulate their competitors more strictly. The inconsistency argument is legitimate, but it’s selectively applied. And that matters when you’re trying to understand whether this is really about patient safety or whether it’s about market control.Now I want to talk about something that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention in this discussion and it’s something that makes me absolutely furious. What is Armour Thyroid? According to the official prescribing information published by AbbeV and available through rxabbev.com and the FDA’s daily med database, Armour Thyroid contains the following inactive ingredients. Calcium steroid,dextrose derived from corn, mycocrystalline cellulose,sodium starch glycolate and a opadri white coating. Now let’s talk about dextrose. Dextrose is a sugar derived from corn and while manufacturers claim that the corn derived dextrose in armor thyroid is gluten free, here’s the problem. Cross contamination during corn processing can introduce gluten proteins especially if the corn is processed in facilities that also handle Deb (36:18.808)wheat, barley, or rye. Corn sensitivity is extremely common in patients with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and studies show that up to 50 % of the celiac patients react to corn proteins due to molecular mimicry, and the corn proteins look similar enough to gluten that the immune system attacks them. And this is cited by RestartMD.com.And here’s what’s documented in peer-reviewed medical literature in a 2023 case report published in Case Reports in Endocrinology. These researchers documented five patients with gluten intolerance or celiac who were taking natural desiccated thyroid. Three of those patients also reported lactose intolerance. Now these patients had to switch from DTE to liquid levothyroxine formulations to avoid the inactiveSo here’s my question. If AbbeV becomes the only manufacturer with an approved DTE product and their formulations contain corn-derived dextrose that triggers reactions in celiac patients, what are those patients supposed to do? They can’t take armor because of the corn. They can’t take compounded DTE because the FDA is banning compounding of these biologics. They can’t take NPKsor WP thyroid because those companies may not survive the BLA process. So they’re left with a synthetic version of levothyroxine which may not work for them.Now the NP thyroid and WP thyroid difference. Now here’s what’s interesting according to drugs.com comparison of inactive ingredients and P thyroid and P thyroid has calcium steroid dextrose also derived from corn, mineral oil, multi-crystalline cellulose. Deb (38:19.31)cross carmelicin sodium and a opadri to white. So NP thyroid also has corn-derived dextrose. WP thyroid on the other hand was specifically formulated to be hypoallergenic according to ROC labs, but it’s no longer available and its ingredients were inulin from chicory root and medium chain triglycerides. No corn, no gluten, no common allergies. So todayWe do not have a glandular thyroid, a DTE, that is not potentially contaminated with gluten. Yet, patients with autoimmune thyroid disease are supposed to avoid gluten.Now, some of these people can handle a DTE and many cannot, so that argument could be a mute point. But at the end of the day, the one product that we had that was designated for patients with multiple chemical sensitivities, celiac disease and coron allergies, has been off the market for a long time already.We have a monopoly problem. So if ABBV becomes the only approved manufacturer, patients with these celiac diseases and corn allergies will either be forced to take a medicine that makes them sick and triggers their immune reaction or switch to a synthetic that doesn’t adequately treat their hypothyroidism or choose to go without treatment. This is not hypothetical. This is real patients with real medical needs who are about to lose accessto the only formulation that works for their body. And the FDA’s response is silence. Deb (40:07.69)Now I want to highlight something that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention in this discussion. Compounding pharmacies. What is a compounding pharmacy? Compounded medications are custom made by licensed pharmacists to meet a patient’s specific needs. Maybe you need a different strength that was commercially available, but you have an allergy to a filler or a dye in the commercial product. Maybe you need a liquid formulation or instead of a tablet or you need a capsule. That’s when compoundingin. And the FDA’s, this is the FDA’s definition of compounding. And for decades, compounding pharmacies have been making desiccated thyroid extract for patients who needed customization. Some patients couldn’t take the commercial products because of the dyes and the fillers, and some needed strengths that were not available. And these compounding pharmacies filled the gap.But reclassification changes everything. When the FDA reclassified DTE as a biologic in 2022 and reinforced that decision in August of 2025, explicitly stated, and I’m quoting directly from the FDA’s official statement, these unapproved animal-derived thyroid medications are not eligible for compounding because these products are regulated as biologic products under the Public Health Service Act.How can that be? These products have been approved since 1938 and the Biologics Act didn’t go into effect or doesn’t go into effect until August of 2026.So how in 2022 were they able to say that the compounding pharmacies could not make these products? Anyway, what this means is after August 2026, compounding pharmacies will no longer be permitted to compound a desiccated thyroid extract, even for patients with specific medical needs. Now, compounding pharmacies can still compound T4 and T3 separately, synthetic versions of levothyroxine and liothyronine, according to Deb (42:12.728)healing dose compounding pharmacy. These pharmacists can create custom ratios of these two synthetic hormones to approximate what a patient was receiving from a DTE. But that’s not the same thing. Some patients respond better to the whole DTE preparation than to a compounded synthetic combination. And for patients with specific allergies to standard fillers like your celiac patients that I just talked about, losing the ability to get a compounded DTE alternative isreal hardship. This is going to be a ripple effect. For a subset of patients, maybe 5 to 10 percent of those on DTE compounding was their lifeline and it was their way to get a medication formulation that worked for their unique body. When compounding goes away, these patients lose that option as well and for some it will be a significant problem. Now let’s talk about what this likely means for your wallet.The current pricing right now, according to SingleCare and GoodRx, Armour Thyroid costs approximately $150 to $157 for a 90-day supply of 60-milligram tablets, about $1.67 per tablet. With discount cards, some patients can get it down to $101 to $152 for a 90-day supply.Generic levon thyroxine costs about $70 for a 90 day supply, less than half that price. And p-thyroid costs approximately $133 for a 90 day supply of 60 milligrams with a discount card about $83 to $101.What happens after we get BLA approval? Well, here’s the pharmaceuticals pricing model. When a company spends 500 million to $1 billion to bring a product to market, including conducting massive clinical trials, the cost tens of millions of dollars they recoup in that investment through pricing power. And this is cited in the pharmaceutical pricing models. If ABBIEV is the only company with an approved BLA of DTE, Deb (44:18.248)They have pricing power. They don’t have competitors. They can set their price, whatever they want. And historically, when drugs transition from grandfather status, which is basically unregulated to formal formally approved status, prices often increase significantly, not always, but often. And typically they have to get re-approval for insurance. SoTouring Pharmaceuticals acquired DARPM and raised the price again from $1,350 to $750 overnight, a 5,000 % increase. This is the playbook.Let’s talk about insurance coverage. This is the other consideration. Insurance companies sometimes have different coverage policies for approved versions versus unapproved drugs. And right now, many insurance plans cover armor thyroid or NP thyroid, even though they’re technically unapproved because they’ve been on the market for decades and patients are on them. Once a drug becomes formally approved, insurance companies may have new contractual relationships, prior authorization requirements, or preferred drugs.list that could affect your coverage. If 1.5 million people have to get a prior auth for their insurance to cover this new medication, this is going to drive the doctor’s offices crazy. We do not have the staff to man this. We do not have the manpower. We do not have the time. This is going to interrupt people’s ability to get their medications. This is going to create chaos within the system. And some patients might see better coverage, but manymost likely are going to see worse coverage and some might find themselves in a situation where they need to try to get the drug approved first or get an approval for something else like levothyroxine and they’re going to have to document that it didn’t work and the documentation that they had from 20 years ago is probably not going to be enough because it’s not documented anywhere. It’s lost in the system after 10 years. So for patients the practical takeaway is expect Deb (46:25.774)a price increase. I would say possible, but I don’t think that’s true. think you’re going to see a price increase if they get approved. Expect possible insurance complexities, budget accordingly, talk to your insurance company now about what your coverage is going to look like in 2027 if they even know. And if you want my honest assessment of what is likely to happen,I’ll give you a scenario, 30 % likelihood. The FDA enforces the August 26 deadline and DTE products not approved by then are pulled from the market. Patients will have 30 to 90 days to transition to other medications. Some patients suffer significant symptom relapse. Compounding for DTE becomes illegal and this disruptiveness of the system creates a real hardship. Scenario two.which is 50 % likely. This is actually what the FDA commissioner, Marty McCreary suggested on August 13th of 2025 when he posted on social media. The FDA is committed to pursuing the first ever approval of desiccated thyroid access pending results of the ongoing clinical trials. In the meantime, we’ll ensure access for all Americans. Hopefully that continues. What this likely means is the FDA uses enforcement discretion to allow continuedsales while approvals are being pursued and the deadline gets extended. Maybe patients get access for another two to three years while companies work on a BLA approval. This would be the least disruptive scenario, but it’s also legally uncertain because the enforcement letters have been formally rescinded. And scenario three, which is 20 % likelihood, one or two companies get BLA approval. Those products stay on the market at higher product prices and companies, products, other companiescompanies, products are pulled, the market shrinks, availability is limited, prices are higher, but patients can still get something. This is likely if a seller successfully completes phase three trials for NP-thyroid. And my assessment is based on the regulatory language and the enforcement letters that have not been rescinded yet, that the pattern of FDA enforcement, I believe scenario two enforcement discretion with an extended time frame is most likely what we’re going to see. Deb (48:49.488)doesn’t mean patients should sit back and do nothing. It means you should be prepared for change while advocating for access. If you want to keep Arm or Thigh Right on the market, 1.5 million people need to start talking about this publicly and flooding our Congress people, Bobby Kennedy, the FDA, with what you want to see happen. We have the ability to shape this and to change this with our voice. But if we sit back on our laurels and we do absolutelynothing. What is going to happen is what the FDA wants to have happen and ABV wants to have happen because they’re going to simply think people don’t give a shit. And if the American people are going to be lazy and not want to step forward and actually start using their voice for some good and instead of just going to social media and bitching and hoping something is going to happen, well, then we’re going to get what we deserve. But if you start taking someaction and you start advocating for the things that you want. Contacting your representatives, contacting your U.S. tell them the FDA has done this. Many of them may not know this, may not be on their radar. Tell them what you want. Start going after this. Start writing to the FDA Commissioner’s Office. They have a website. They have a Commissioner’s Office at fda.hhs.gov. Be responsible.respectful, but be firm. Explain your scenario. How long you’ve been on DTE. Why levothyroxine doesn’t work. What symptoms you experience when not adequately treated. How this decision will affect your quality of life and your pocketbook. Let’s do something proactive. So let’s consider this. Moving forward, work with your provider who understands the regulatory landscape around DTE. You can discuss the evidence for and against combination therapy.You can monitor for thyroid function with free T3 and free T4 testing, not just TSH. If you’re willing to try individualized approaches, you can do that. If you need help finding a functional medicine provider who understands this issue, come to serenityhealthcarecenter.com or explorethevanari.com. It’s a self-directed functional medicine support group. And right now what is happening is going to shape how history Deb (51:19.024)is made with not just armor thyroid, but many drugs to come. And it is important for you to take action. So I want to thank you for joining me today on Let’s Talk Wellness Now. This episode is about far more than thyroid medication. It’s about your right to personalized medical treatment. It’s about your regulatory capture and corporate influence. And it’s about what happens when billion dollar companies shape healthcare policy in ways that reduce patient choice and increase their profits.this episode resonates with you or you know somebody who’s going to be affected by desiccated thyroid, please share it. Post it on social media, send it to your doctor, email it to your representatives, tag AbbeVee, tag FDA. Make noise because the only way we stop this is if we make it too politically costly for them to continue. Your voice truly matters. Your health truly matters and you deserve access to treatments that work best for your unique body.If you’re ready to explore comprehensive personalized health care that puts you in control, visit us at SerenityHealthCareCenter.com. Learn more about functional medicine approaches to thyroid and beyond and explore my new platform, Venari.com, which is a self-directed functional medicine tool. Thank you for joining me today. Until next time, I’m Dr. Deb reminding you, your health is your responsibility, your choice, and your right. Be well, stay informed, fight back.and I’ll see you in the next episode. And if you’re looking for a full citation list of this episode, you can head over to letstalkwellnessnow.com and I will post all the citations for you so you have them in your arsenal as well. Thank you again.The post Episode 259 – The Desiccated Thyroid Crisis: FDA's Unseen Impact & Corporate Manipulation first appeared on Let's Talk Wellness Now.

Andy Ellwood is a repeat founder whose career took him from early-stage mobile startups acquired by Facebook and Google, through eight years building Basket.com, to shutting it down during the pandemic — and ultimately back into the arena with Stretch, an AI-powered grocery platform built to give families price transparency, shopping intelligence, and an advocate at checkout.In this conversation, Andy shares the through-lines connecting his entire career: curiosity as a competitive edge, falling in love with problems instead of solutions, and the hard-earned wisdom of setting non-negotiables before jumping back into founding mode. He explains why the $1.8 trillion grocery industry still lacks a single source of truth for pricing, how pre-purchase intent data is more valuable than post-purchase receipts, and why he built Stretch around shoppers first — even when the money is on the retailer side.Andy also makes a bold case that the AI moment mirrors the early app store era, and that the next wave of breakthroughs will come when AI agents start negotiating on behalf of consumers, not just serving the brands selling to them.Key Takeaways4:35 — Curiosity is a superpower Asking one more question than you're comfortable asking demonstrates understanding and opens doors that statements never could.5:43 — Right place, right time isn't enough Being at Facebook and Waze during acquisition moments taught Andy that you have to know what to do when opportunity arrives — not just show up.7:36 — One feature unlocked a trillion-dollar industry Location sharing on the iPhone made Airbnb, Uber, DoorDash, and Waze possible. Andy sees AI's current "education phase" as a direct parallel to early mobile.10:08 — Fall in love with the problem, not the solution The best entrepreneurs define success as the pain point no longer existing — not the solution they built. As technology changes, the solution has to evolve.12:01 — PTSD is real for founders After shutting down Basket.com, Andy took four years away. People kept asking who would solve the grocery pricing problem — and that pull eventually brought him back.13:48 — Grocery lacks a source of truth Every major purchase category has an aggregator (Expedia, Zillow, GoodRx) — but not groceries. Stretch is building that missing layer.15:52 — A list is not a cart Brand loyalty and substitution preferences make shopping lists deeply personal. Understanding this on the backend enables true personalization, not just price comparison.18:01 — Grocery prices are up 25% since the pandemic Consumer loyalty is now up for grabs. 84% of Americans are considering trading down on brands, nutrition, and stores.18:47 — 17% of surveyed shoppers skipped a meal In the richest country in history, food insecurity driven by pricing opacity is what makes Andy more determined than ever.21:50 — Pre-purchase intent is the missing data set The $10B grocery data industry is built entirely on post-purchase receipts. Stretch captures what shoppers intended to buy — the seven items they didn't find are more valuable than the 18 they did.23:32 — Receipt Checker: a patented AI agent for refunds 10–15% of the time, store discounts don't ring up correctly. Stretch's upcoming Receipt Checker will automatically identify overcharges and file refund claims on the shopper's behalf.26:26 — People do what they're incentivized to do Charlie Munger's principle guides all of Stretch's product design. The receipt scan behavior is unlocked by giving shoppers a reason — get your money back.28:24 — Serving shoppers is the thing nobody else is doing Most grocery tech serves brands and retailers. Andy chose the harder path — shopper first — and is walking alone for a while to get somewhere no one else has been.34:38 — People buy from people, not logos Andy put himself on TikTok as a new dad documenting grocery savings. A single screenshot of the app's price map got 150K views and 8,000 waitlist signups before launch.38:46 — The CEO has three jobs Ruthless commitment to the vision. Don't run out of money. Make sure your team is not blocked from doing their best work.40:14 — Write your non-negotiables before you get pulled back in Andy had four criteria that all had to be true simultaneously before he'd found again. Having them written down protected him from jumping into things that weren't his work.44:31 — The shopper-side AI agent The future Andy is building toward: your AI agent negotiates against retailer AI agents — finding the best deal on your specific basket within your driving radius — before you ever leave the house.Tweetable Quotes"Curiosity is a superpower. The questions you ask demonstrate more understanding than any statement ever could." — Andy Ellwood"It's not just about being in the right place at the right time. It's about knowing what to do when you're there." — Andy Ellwood"Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. The solution will have to change. The problem won't." — Andy Ellwood"Show me the incentives and I'll show you the outcome." — Charlie Munger (quoted by Andy Ellwood)"Serving the shopper is the thing that nobody else is doing with the determination that we are." — Andy Ellwood"Sometimes you have to walk alone for a little while to get to a place that nobody else has ever gone." — Andy Ellwood"The CEO has three jobs: ruthless commitment to the vision, don't run out of money, and make sure your team is not blocked from doing their best work." — Andy Ellwood"People don't buy from logos. They buy from people. They want to know who's behind this." — Andy EllwoodSaaS Leadership Lessons1. Fall in love with the problem, not the solution. Andy built Basket.com for eight years and watched it die when the pandemic wiped out their business model. What survived was his obsession with the problem — price opacity in grocery. The solution changed. The problem didn't. This is the only durable foundation for a long-building company.2. Align incentives at every layer of your model. Stretch doesn't ask shoppers to scan receipts out of the goodness of their hearts — it offers them refunds on overcharges. Every feature is built around what shoppers are actually incentivized to do. As a SaaS founder, if your users aren't adopting a feature, ask what they think their incentives are — not what you want them to be.3. Choose your non-negotiables before the pull comes. Andy spent four years away from founding after Basket. Rather than react emotionally when opportunity knocked, he had four written criteria that all had to be met simultaneously. Having those guardrails meant he didn't jump into something that was merely good enough — he waited until it was unambiguously right.4. The CEO's only three jobs: vision, money, team. Ruthless commitment to the vision. Don't run out of money. Ensure your team is unblocked. Everything else is noise. This simple framework protects founders from diffusing their energy across low-leverage activities and helps them stay in their highest-value lane.5. Forego early revenue to earn the right to build what matters. Inspired by Duolingo's founder, Andy made a deliberate commitment to B2B data revenue while resisting the temptation to monetize shoppers early. He told investors: "You're signing up to reshape a $1.8T industry — not to extract day-one ad revenue." Getting clear on what you won't do is often as strategic as knowing what you will.6. Founders build trust. Logos don't. One TikTok video with a genuine story about grocery savings led to 150K views and 8,000 waitlist signups. No ad spend. Andy showed up as a real person — a new dad, worried about costs, building something to fix it. In a world where it takes an afternoon to spin up a company, the human behind the product is often the last true differentiator.Guest Resourcesandy@stretchai.comhttps://stretchformore.com/Episode SponsorThe Captain's KeysSmall Fish, Big Pond – https://smallfishbigpond.com/ Use the promo code ‘SaaSFuel'Champion Leadership Group – https://championleadership.com/SaaS Fuel ResourcesWebsite - https://championleadership.com/Jeff Mains on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkmains/Twitter -

Healthcare SEO is changing fast as AI reshapes how patients search and how answers appear in Google. In this episode of Ignite, Ashley Petrochenko, Cardinal's VP of Brand Marketing sits down with John Vantine, SEO Director at GoodRx, who helped scale organic traffic from 4 million to 12 million monthly sessions. With more than 20 years of SEO experience, John explains how the rise of AI search and generative answers is forcing healthcare marketers to rethink traditional SEO playbooks. Instead of chasing massive content libraries, the future belongs to brands that focus on trust, intent, and content that actually serves the patient journey. In this episode, you'll learn: • Why publishing thousands of pages is no longer a winning healthcare SEO strategy • How AI search and Google's evolving results are changing patient discovery • The role of user experience and trust signals in modern healthcare rankings • How to build a focused content strategy that drives real business impact If healthcare SEO is part of your growth strategy, this episode will change how you think about content, search, and patient discovery in the AI era. RELATED RESOURCES Connect with John - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnvantine/ 2026 Healthcare Marketing Trends: The New Rules Redefining Growth  - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/healthcare-marketing-trends-2026/ Optimizing for AI Search: A New Era in Healthcare Marketing - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/optimizing-for-ai-search-a-new-era-in-healthcare-marketing/ How a Primary Care Provider Futureproofed Their SEO in an AI-Driven Search World - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/search-content-strategy-ai-landscape/ How to Avoid Keyword Cannibalization Between Paid Search & SEO  - https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/healthcare-resources/blog/avoid-keyword-cannibalization-between-paid-search-seo/

Send a textCostco Pharmacy Sleep Aids: Melatonin, Antihistamines, Nasal Sprays & More (No Membership Needed)Michelle and Daniel film from Costco's pharmacy and health/beauty aisles, highlighting that you don't need a Costco membership to use the pharmacy and that it participates with GoodRx, with reduced rates for GLP-1s, though hours are limited. They browse products and discuss how some relate to sleep, including melatonin (noting dosing concerns, regulation differences, and that it supports circadian shifting rather than directly causing sleepiness) and why antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl and “PM” cold/pain products) shouldn't be used regularly for sleep due to side effects, especially with age. They compare nasal products (Afrin rebound risk, saline sprays, Flonase/Nasacort, and NeilMed rinses with distilled water cautions), mention Breathe Right strips for nasal breathing, review vapor inhalers/rub, and briefly discuss magnesium and methylated B-complex vitamins.00:00 Costco Pharmacy Secrets00:48 Health Aisle Warmup02:37 Melatonin Reality Check04:09 Antihistamines Not Sleep Aids05:48 Nasal Sprays and Saline07:39 Neti Pot Safety Talk08:43 Breathe Strips and Mouth Tape09:41 Vapor Inhalers and Rubs10:49 PM Pain Relievers Warning12:28 Sleep Gummies and Supplements13:27 B Vitamins Magnesium Wrap✨ Real rest isn't just about falling asleep, it's about feeling at ease again. I'm Dr. Daniel Baughn, sleep psychologist and co-host of Sleep Takeout. I help professionals and high-achievers who seem to have everything together on the outside but can't quite turn off their minds at night.

Tired of thyroid meds eating into your budget every month? You're not stuck with high prices—especially with Hashimoto's or hypothyroidism. This episode breaks down three real options to how to save money on thyroid medication so you can stay consistent with your levothyroxine (or other thyroid needs) without the stress. The core message: A quick comparison puts you back in control as the CEO of your health. You'll discover: How GoodRx coupons stack up against Cost Plus Drugs' transparent generics and TrumpRx's brand discounts (with actual price examples for common doses). Why generics often win on cost, but sticking to one manufacturer matters for feeling stable. How to pick the best fit for your life—local pharmacy loyalty, mail-order ease, cash vs. insurance, or whatever season you're in. No overwhelm, just practical RN advice (including my small-town pharmacy wins). Hit play and check prices on your next refill—you've got this!   Links: TrumpRx - https://trumprx.gov  GoodRx - https://www.goodrx.com  Cost Plus Drugs - https://www.costplusdrugs.com    JOIN THE HEALTH WITH HASHIMOTO'S COMMUNITY Unlock your wellness journey with the free Health with Hashimoto's community! Join a supportive community that's here for you every step of the way. The Health with Hashimoto's community is on Skool: https://www.skool.com/health-with-hashimotos/about   Find all links on my resource page: https://healthwithhashimotos.com/resources/   ABOUT THE PODCAST & ESTHER: The Health with Hashimoto's podcast will help you explore the root causes of your autoimmune condition and discover holistic solutions to address your Hashimoto's thyroiditis. It is hosted by Esther Yunkin, a registered nurse, holistic health educator, and Hashimoto's warrior.   This podcast is for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss any questions or concerns with your healthcare professional. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Welcome to Ozempic Weightloss Unlocked, where we dive into the latest news and updates on Ozempic, from its medical uses to its effects on lifestyle and health.Ozempic, containing semaglutide, mimics a natural hormone called GLP-1 to release insulin, steady blood sugar, slow digestion, and curb appetite, helping listeners feel full longer. GoodRx reports that studies show people on Ozempic lose six to seven percent of body weight, while Wegovy users average fifteen percent.Recent Cochrane reviews commissioned by the World Health Organization, released February eleventh, twenty twenty-six, confirm GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic deliver meaningful weight loss. Semaglutide leads to about eleven percent reduction after six to seventeen months, with benefits lasting up to two years if continued. Tirzepatide in Mounjaro and Zepbound shows even higher losses around sixteen percent, though more research is needed. Liraglutide offers four to five percent loss.Real-world evidence from Applied Clinical Trials highlights heterogeneous results, typically four to twelve percent loss at six to twelve months. For a twelve percent drop, the drug accounts for sixty-three percent, with context like persistence, lifestyle, and care making up thirty-seven percent. Improving persistence could boost outcomes further.Many hit an Ozempic plateau after twelve months, per GoodRx. Factors include dose, timing, diet, exercise, stress, and other meds like sulfonylureas or antidepressants. Pair it with avoiding fried foods, high-fat items, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed foods for best results.Rutgers Health research in the Journal of Medical Internet Research finds sixty-seven percent of users report weight loss or less appetite despite side effects like nausea, prioritizing effectiveness to keep going. However, stopping leads to regain, though half maintain some loss after a year.Watch for Ozempic face, gauntness from facial fat loss, as noted in a PMC study, so discuss screening and diet with doctors.These updates show Ozempic transforms lives when combined with healthy habits, but long-term independent data is key.Thank you listeners for tuning in. Subscribe for more insights. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Welcome to Ozempic Weightloss Unlocked, where we dive into the latest on Ozempic from medical breakthroughs to real-life health impacts.Recent research from the University of Cambridge highlights a key nutrition risk with Ozempic and Wegovy. These drugs slash calorie intake by sixteen to thirty-nine percent by mimicking glucagon-like peptide-one, curbing appetite and boosting fullness. But without proper guidance, users risk muscle loss up to forty percent of total weight shed and deficiencies in protein, vitamins, and minerals, leading to fatigue, hair loss, or weakened immunity. Experts like Doctor Marie Spreckley urge structured nutrition support, drawing from bariatric surgery principles: prioritize nutrient-dense foods and high-quality protein spread across meals. Doctor Adrian Brown from University College London notes most users, about ninety-five percent in the United Kingdom, get these privately without follow-up, unlike National Health Service programs pairing them with diet and exercise.Sex differences are emerging too. A study in PubMed Central reports glucagon-like peptide-one receptor agonist use surged from twenty nineteen to twenty twenty-two, especially among women, where obesity links strongly to prescriptions and yields greater weight loss, like fifteen point three kilograms in semaglutide trials.Looking ahead per GoodRx projections for twenty twenty-six, Ozempic is under Food and Drug Administration review for peripheral artery disease, improving walking in diabetes patients, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Higher Wegovy doses up to seven point two milligrams could hit nearly twenty-one percent weight loss. Exciting combos like CagriSema show twenty-three percent loss in trials, outpacing rivals. Oral options expand too: Wegovy pills launched this year, and orforglipron may approve mid-year, easing access without needles.The Food and Drug Administration warns against unapproved versions mimicking semaglutide, sold illegally online. Experts from George Mason University, like Martin Binks and Raedeh Basiri, stress holistic care: pair drugs with dietitians, exercise, and mental support to avoid regain, as a twenty twenty-six BMJ review notes two-thirds weight return within a year off meds.Ozempic transforms lives but thrives with lifestyle integration for lasting health.Thanks for tuning in, listeners. Subscribe for more updates. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out Quiet Please dot ai. Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.aiThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Join Clay Edwards for a riveting segment from Episode #1148 of The Clay Edwards Show, where listener favorite Kingfish calls in to drop truth bombs on hot-button issues. Kingfish breaks down the unanimous death of the school choice bill in the Senate Education Committee, challenging misconceptions about legislative processes and highlighting why conservatives voted it down—including its massive size, welfare-like income provisions, and separate bills for key elements like ACT access for homeschoolers. He also teases an update on the infamous Hartfield Academy brawl video, then defends big-box pharmacies for their extended hours, weekend availability, and price transparency via apps like GoodRx, sparking a lively debate on convenience versus supporting independents. Strap in for unfiltered insights and no-holds-barred commentary fighting for Mississippi's future.

Third-party sites capture traffic by explaining what brands actually do. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built cross-functional generative search frameworks over seven years that power discovery across Google and ChatGPT. He reveals how About Us and FAQ pages become critical ranking assets when they proactively address common brand misconceptions in plain language. Vantine demonstrates how predictive search volume around questions like "how does [brand] make money" signals untapped content opportunities that competitors exploit when brands fail to clearly explain their value proposition.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google's AI overviews now appear for 90% of informational queries. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built cross-functional frameworks that drive visibility across Google, ChatGPT, and emerging AI platforms while competing directly with WebMD and Healthline in the high-stakes healthcare space. The discussion covers his 50-50 collaboration model between SEOs and subject matter experts, traffic-based content update signals as the primary performance indicator, and strategic positioning of SEO teams within product organizations rather than marketing to enable direct partnership development with AI platforms.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Content updates drive measurable traffic recovery for enterprise SEO teams. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built cross-functional frameworks powering discovery across Google and ChatGPT over seven years of proven results. He outlines traffic-based content refresh signals that consistently deliver higher performance than original articles, plus systematic monitoring approaches that alert teams when content falls off performance cliffs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Most SEO teams lack dedicated product-focused roles despite technical implementation challenges. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built cross-functional generative search frameworks over 7 years that drive discovery across Google, ChatGPT, and emerging platforms. He advocates for hiring SEO professionals in product management roles who can maintain technical roadmaps, collaborate directly with engineering teams, and execute strategies that manifest as user-focused features with search optimization built-in. This product-led SEO approach bridges the gap between strategic planning and technical execution at enterprise scale.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Enterprise SEO teams struggle to optimize for AI-driven traffic patterns. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built a cross-functional generative search task force over 7 years that powers discovery across Google, ChatGPT, and emerging AI platforms. He discusses the critical need for product-led SEO roles that execute strategic roadmaps through engineered features, and shares frameworks for building cross-functional teams that maintain SEO strategy while developing user-focused products optimized for both traditional and AI-powered search engines.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google's AI Overviews now appear in 90% of informational queries. John Vantine, Director of SEO at GoodRx, has built cross-functional frameworks that drive visibility across Google, ChatGPT, and emerging AI platforms while competing directly with WebMD and Healthline in the high-stakes healthcare space. The discussion covers establishing 50/50 collaboration models between SEO teams and subject matter experts, implementing back-to-basics technical foundations for less sophisticated AI crawlers, and developing content integrity systems that scale across hundreds of thousands of pages in YMYL categories.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Co-hosts Ryan Piansky, a graduate student and patient advocate living with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and eosinophilic asthma, and Holly Knotowicz, a speech-language pathologist living with EoE who serves on APFED's Health Sciences Advisory Council, interview Beth Morgan, a medical billing advocate and consultant, on navigating your medical bills. Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is designed to support, not replace, the relationship between listeners and their healthcare providers. Opinions, information, and recommendations shared in this podcast are not a substitute for medical advice. Decisions related to medical care should be made with your healthcare provider. Opinions and views of guests and co-hosts are their own.   Key Takeaways: [:51] Co-host Ryan Piansky introduces this episode, brought to you thanks to the support of Education Partners GSK, Sanofi, Regeneron, and Takeda. Ryan introduces co-host Holly Knotowicz.   [1:12] Holly introduces today's topic, Medical Billing, and today's guest, Beth Morgan, a medical billing advocate and consultant.   [1:31] Beth says a medical billing consultant is an individual who assists someone with medical bills to make sure that they are accurate and correct, and that they match the medical records, which are notes that the provider makes.   [1:48] The medical billing consultant or advocate can make sure the bills are paid correctly and that the charges are within the reasonable prices for the treatment area.   [2:19] Beth explains how medical insurance covers healthcare costs. It protects the patients and providers from very high expenses. It can also possibly help with the stress of navigating healthcare systems.   [2:36] The goals of medical insurance are to help cover patient costs for treatments, preventive care, and prescriptions. It can also provide resources for telehealth visits or support visits, if needed.   [2:48] With a telehealth visit, you, the patient, have to make sure that your insurance plan covers and allows it. Sometimes, the cost of a telehealth visit can be more than if you were to go to the office.   [3:27] Beth says most people look at what insurance will cost them per month. They fail to look at their yearly deductible, per person or per family, their prescription costs, or what it will cost to see a specialist. They don't consider what therapies will cost them.   [4:08] Beth had a client whose insurance company would only cover in-state providers. If she went out of state, she wouldn't be covered; even an emergency might not be covered. You have to look at the "nitty-gritty" of the policy.   [4:32] Beth says the biggest things are the deductible and copay, or co-insurance. Don't just look at the cost. Most people will take out the $10,000 or $5,000 deductible plans, saying it only costs $75 for the entire family. What does it actually cover?   [5:00] You don't want sudden surprises when you get to the emergency room. You want to know what your copay will be when you go into an emergency room.   [5:11] Holly agrees with Beth and notes that Real Talk listeners have chronic illness. Some have multiple illnesses. When you're selecting insurance plans, those are the things you have to look into.   [5:27] Patients with EoE often need endoscopies and other specialized procedures. Holly asks for tips on how someone can know what an endoscopy or other procedure will potentially cost.   [5:41] Beth says to ask the doctor what the CPT code is. That's the code that describes the treatment. Then look up that CPT code on the insurance company website. They will show an estimated cost for that treatment, for a rough idea of the cost.   [6:10] Keep in mind that it will not tell you what the providers will charge or what the hospital fee will be.   [6:21] Holly says she has EoE and MS. She asks a social worker for the CPT code for every procedure so she has a record to double-check when the bill comes. The CPT code is the key.   [6:50] Holly is a speech pathologist who does feeding therapy. She says to look at your plan to see if therapy is a copay or if it goes toward your deductible. If it goes toward your deductible, it will be very expensive until you meet that deductible.   [7:10] People living with an eosinophilic disorder may find themselves in the ER for a variety of reasons. Holly was there this week with a food impaction. For others, it could be a pain flare or an asthma attack.   [7:26] Holly asks how families can be prepared for medical bills related to emergency care.   [7:40] Beth replies, You also have on that bill the ER doctor and the ambulance fee, including mileage, which must be accurate or rounded up to the next mile. Track the mileage in your car.   [8:43] Who will be transporting you: volunteers from the fire department, a hospital ambulance, or an outside ambulance? Are you going under Basic Life Support or Advanced Life Support?   [9:05] Once you get to the ER, have someone else with you who can advocate for you. Sometimes, staff will bring you forms to sign before they treat you. If you're in a lot of pain, you're not in your right mind to sign those forms; you're only thinking of your pain.   [9:53] Ryan says a friend of his went to his doctor's office for a prescription refill. Typically, he pays a $25.00 copay per visit. This prescription refill visit was not covered in the same way as other visits, and he received a bill for over $200. The insurance company only covers maintenance appointments.   [10:48] Beth says an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) comes from your insurance company. It shows what the doctor charged, what the insurance company paid, and what you owe.   [11:07] A medical bill is what your provider sends you. Beth always asks the provider to send the bill after the insurance company has paid. That way, you know the insurance company has paid on the bill, and there are no surprises.   [11:25] When the provider bills you, the insurance company may have paid something on it, or it may have applied the bill toward your deductible or copay.   [11:44] When a patient receives a provider bill, Beth says they can go to a company called FAIR Health to see today's rates of what should be charged. Insurance companies negotiate rates with providers.   [12:04] Beth says that an out-of-network provider of physical therapy can charge, for example, $160 a visit, and you have to pay out-of-pocket. They can send it to your insurance company, and the insurance company may only pay 30% of the charge.   [12:20] Call the insurance company to ask questions about your insurance. Utilize the estimated costs feature on your insurance company's website.   [12:32] Beth says she always keeps the page of her health insurance booklet that shows what a PCP office visit, or outpatient specialist visit, will cost. Most people get the book and toss it out, but that page is very helpful.   [12:53] If you go into the emergency room, you might have a $300 copay just to be seen, but if you ask them to bill you after they bill your insurance company, most places should respect that.   [13:11] Beth says that most of the time, the red flags that she looks for on medical bills are supply items. Most supply items are included in the cost of the hospital visit. She says a surgical hospital visit is like an oil change.   [13:42] Beth compares a surgery to an oil and filter change. When you go in for surgery, the drape they put over you is included. You only pay for the supply items you walk out with.   [15:15] Beth says, If there's something wrong on your medical bill, your insurance rep may not know the answer. Most insurance companies have outsourced their billing questions. Start with the billing department of the hospital.   [15:35] Ask, "Why did you bill me for an X, Y, Z, when I didn't have an X, Y, Z? I had an A, B, C. Can we re-examine this, please?" Another thing is to go back to your provider.    [15:52] The provider can request medical notes, which are part of your patient record, and you can look at them yourself. Beth says, for hospital stays, she always tells people to ask for a completely itemized bill.   [16:12] Holly agrees.   [16:20] Beth says you have to look at the itemized bill. Does something make sense to you? Does it look a little unreasonable? That's easy to see.   [16:26] Ryan says when you call your insurance company, it can be time-consuming to reach the person who can answer your question, but it's important to do so, especially for expensive things like hospital stays. Doctor's office visits can also be expensive.   [16:58] Something else that can be tricky is medications. Especially for those of us with chronic illnesses and the rare diseases that we work with here at APFED, costs can be quite high for some of the medications patients take.   [17:20] Beth says, When you call the insurance company, ask for the name of the person you are talking to. Write down the name, date, and time that you spoke to the person. Ask them for a call reference number, where they are located, and what was discussed so you have record of that information.   [18:04] For medications, you can look up prices through GoodRx or other prescription websites that might give you an estimate of what the possible cost could be.   [18:20] If your provider states on the prescription, Do not substitute or give generics, you might be paying full price. Otherwise, most pharmacies will offer you the generics.   [18:35] Holly asks, If someone feels overwhelmed by billing or insurance issues, where can they go for help? Are there resources that you recommend?   [18:45] Beth says, There is a patient advocate group, with individuals across all 50 states, that will help you with medical bills and advise you on everything else. Your provider's office or the facility also might have someone who could help you.   [19:11] Beth says she would look for patient advocates like social workers. Make sure whoever you work with has medical knowledge.    [19:26] Ryan says, talking with the billing department can feel a little antagonistic, but they are there to help you. If you talk to the right people and ask the right questions, you can figure out what's going on and get some answers.   [19:40] Beth agrees and says, Always write down your questions. Ryan adds, Always write down the answers and ask the name of the person you are talking to. Beth reminds you to ask for the call reference number. They keep a record of every call.   [20:09] Beth's last words about medical billing: "The most important thing is keeping track of what's going on. I recommend using a calendar, like a planner, that you can write 'I saw Dr. J. Smith, EoE Specialist. Discussed flare-ups,' and the time and date."   [20:30] "Keep a record. That way, in this planner, you can go back to it and match it up. If possible, have someone with you or on the phone with you when you talk with them. The other person can take notes, which is very important."   [20:39] "You need to have the backup and the understanding. If you don't understand something, ask questions." Ryan says, Those are good tips for everyone.   [21:14] For our listeners who would like to learn more about eosinophilic disorders, please visit apfed.org.   [21:20] To learn more about navigating healthcare in the United States with eosinophilic disorders, please check out NavigateEOSCare.org. We'll include links to both of those in the show notes below.   [21:29] Ryan thanks Beth Morgan for joining us today. This was an insightful conversation for everyone. Beth thanks Ryan and Holly for having her on.   [21:35] Holly also thanks APFED's Education Partners GSK, Sanofi, Regeneron, and Takeda for supporting this episode.   Mentioned in This Episode: Beth Morgan, President & CEO of Medical Bill Detectives NavigateEOSCare.org Patient Advocate Foundation   APFED on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram Real Talk: Eosinophilic Diseases Podcast Apfed.org apfed.org/specialist apfed.org/connections apfed.org/research/clinical-trials   Education Partners: This episode of APFED's podcast is brought to you thanks to the support of GSK, Sanofi, Regeneron, and Takeda.   Tweetables:   "Medical insurance covers healthcare costs. It protects the patients and caregivers from very high expenses. It can also possibly help with the stress of navigating the healthcare systems." — Beth Morgan   "Most people look at what insurance will cost them per month. They fail to look at what their yearly deductible might be, per person or per family." — Beth Morgan   "Ask the doctor what the CPT code is. That's the code that describes the treatment. Then go to the insurance company's website. Most insurance plans have it. They will give you an estimated cost for that." — Beth Morgan   "Keep a record. That way, in this planner, you can go back to it and match it up. If possible, have someone with you or on the phone with you when you talk with them. The other person can take notes, which is very important." — Beth Morgan   "For hospital stays, I always tell people to ask for a completely itemized bill." — Beth Morgan   "I would look for patient advocates like social workers. Make sure whoever you work with has medical knowledge." — Beth Morgan    Guest Bio: Beth Morgan, President & CEO of Medical Bill Detectives, has been a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Compliance Specialist (MCS-P) since 2004. Over the past 20 years, she has worked in several areas of the medical profession, doing billing and coding for all sorts of providers. Her knowledge and expertise have enabled her to not only reduce providers' accounts receivable but also medical bills by 51%. She has access to a broad base of insurance company policy information and is an information contributor to radio and TV shows, as well as magazine articles. Medical Bill Detectives reviews medical bills for errors and overcharges, reducing them to Usual Reasonable and Customary charges, for negotiating discounts on medical bills. We are able to review bills for all 50 states.   Aphadvocates.org/speakers/beth-morgan/ Seakexperts.com/members/7326-beth-morgan 

GoodRx (GDRX) CEO Wendy Barnes discusses the company's new partnership with Surescripts, which promises to revolutionize how consumers access prescription pricing. Looking ahead, GoodRx plans to expand its direct-to-employer offerings, providing cash pricing alongside traditional benefits to combat abandoned prescriptions and enhance efficiency in the healthcare system.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day.Options involve risks and are not suitable for all investors. Before trading, read the Options Disclosure Document. http://bit.ly/2v9tH6DSubscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Broadcast from KSQD, Santa Cruz on 1-01-2025: An emailer asks about omega-3 supplementation for memory at age 72. Dr. Dawn advises checking that fish oil capsules contain adequate DHA—at least 1,000 mg—since many omega-3 products have low DHA levels. She notes Medicare covers the same testing at standard labs as proprietary labs like OmegaQuant that charge patients directly. Beyond omega-3s, she emphasizes glucose control (hemoglobin A1c below 5.6) since the enzyme that breaks down insulin also clears beta-amyloid, and weight training to raise brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which promotes new synapse formation essential for memory. Dr. Dawn reviews Popular Science's top 2025 health innovation: eye drops from Lens Therapeutics containing aceclidine that correct age-related farsightedness for 10 hours. The drops shrink the pupil to increase depth of field, improving near vision by three or more lines on eye charts within 30 minutes without affecting distance vision. Side effects include eye irritation, dimmed night vision, and headache. She describes Duke University's breakthrough allowing heart transplants from circulatory death donors using an on-table reanimation technique. This could expand the pediatric donor pool by 20%—critical since up to 20% of children die waiting for transplants. Dr. Dawn celebrates CAR-T immunotherapy for multiple myeloma, which saved her husband's life. Of 97 heavily pretreated patients, 38% achieved complete remission still present at five years, with over 50% total survival. The therapy removes T-cells, uses CRISPR to add receptors targeting cancer cell antigens, then reinfuses the modified cells. She highlights a UC Davis study showing remote blood pressure monitoring with home technology, education, and coaching dropped patients' average blood pressure from 150/80 to 125/74 in months—low-tech with high impact. Dr. Dawn explains the Nano Knife for prostate cancer, which uses localized electrical pulses delivered through thin wires to destroy tumors while sparing surrounding nerves. This minimally invasive approach could reduce erectile dysfunction and incontinence common with traditional surgery. She describes Gilead's Sunlenca, a twice-yearly injection for HIV prevention that's 99% effective. At $14,000 per injection in the US, proceeds help fund access in resource-limited countries where it can be distributed like a vaccination. Dr. Dawn discusses Journavx (suzetrigine), a new non-opioid pain medication working on sodium channels to block pain signals before reaching the brain. At $30 for 50 pills on GoodRx, it offers an alternative for surgical pain in patients with addiction history or genetic vulnerability to opioid dependence. She details the landmark case of Baby KJ, the first person to receive personalized CRISPR gene therapy. Born with a CPS1 enzyme deficiency causing toxic ammonia buildup, KJ was too small for liver transplant. Scientists identified his specific mutation and used CRISPR base editing delivered via lipid nanoparticles to correct a single DNA letter—changing an A to G—in his liver cells which restored enough function to be discharged home. Dr. Dawn reports surprising findings that COVID mRNA vaccines amplify cancer immunotherapy. Lung cancer patients who received COVID vaccination within 100 days of checkpoint inhibitor treatment had 56% three-year survival versus 31% for unvaccinated patients. The mechanism is unknown but may involve mRNA generally alerting the immune system. She revisits research showing Zostavax shingles vaccination reduced dementia risk by 20% over seven years. A natural experiment in Wales—where an age cutoff created comparable vaccinated and unvaccinated groups—provided strong evidence that preventing herpes zoster inflammation protects brain health. Dr. Dawn concludes with Huntington's disease breakthrough: microRNA therapy delivered by virus directly into the brain slowed disease progression by 75% over three years. The microRNA binds to Huntington protein mRNA, preventing ribosome translation and toxic protein production. Some patients returned to work; others expected to need wheelchairs are still walking.

Paul has trouble with his hearing and shares a story about earwax.  Which companies are selling Medicare Advantage plans?  Kaiser Workers on strike.  New prescription drug website: TrumpRX.com.  GoodRx and generic drugs.  Real life couple suffers from health issues.  

Choosing a health insurance plan can feel overwhelming—especially if you're living with a chronic illness like inflammatory arthritis. In this episode, Dr. Isabelle Amigues breaks down insurance in simple, practical terms so you can stop guessing and start choosing confidently. She explains how to compare plans, what “max out-of-pocket” really means, and how expensive medications (like biologics) can actually work in your financial favor. If you've ever stared at open enrollment options and felt lost, this conversation is for you.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Who this episode is forWhen this guidance applies (not for Medicaid; partially for Medicare).How it helps people with chronic conditions, especially rheumatologic diseases.Heath insurance basis explained clearlyThe difference between premium, deductible, and maximum out-of-pocket.Why Dr. Amigues focuses more on max out-of-pocket than on deductibles.Why planning as if you'll hit your max out-of-pocket can actually protect you.Plans for healthy vs. chronically ill individualsWhen a shared health plan or emergency-only style plan might be reasonable.Why people over ~35 or with chronic conditions should think differently.Using high-cost medications to your advantageHow biologics and other expensive medications often trigger drug company copay programs.How these copay programs can help you hit your max out-of-pocket early in the year.Why this can mean you pay mostly just your monthly premium while insurance covers more.How to compare insurance plans step-by-stepSetting up a simple spreadsheet with:Plan nameMonthly premiumMaximum out-of-pocketCalculating your true annual cost: (12 × monthly premium) + max out-of-pocket.Comparing plans realistically instead of just chasing the lowest deductible.If you're trying to minimize your total costsHow some drug companies provide medications for free if you're uninsured (and why she still recommends having insurance).Why insurance should be viewed as protection and peace of mind, not just an expense.Smart ways to invest in your health careWhy pairing insurance with direct primary care and direct-care specialists (like Dr. Amigues) often leads to better care and long-term savings.Using tools like GoodRx, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, and copay programs to reduce medication costs.Bonus: Using HSAs strategicallyHow high-deductible plans + HSA can be a tax-advantaged way to prepare for health costs.Why every dollar in your HSA is essentially worth more because it's pre-tax and can roll over year to year.Upcoming free webinar & resourcesDr. Amigues introduces her free webinar on the autonomic nervous system and inflammation—how understanding your nervous system can help you reach remission faster.Encouragement to register, ask questions, and use education as a form of empowerment.If you've ever wondered “Which plan should I actually pick?” or “How do my meds affect what I choose?”, this episode gives you a concrete, physician-backed roadmap to make the smartest choice for your health and wallet.#UnabridgedMD #HealthInsuranceTips #RheumatologyCare 

Only 15% of brand assets are truly distinctive. GoodRx broke their industry's mold with a prairie dog sidekick and singing cowgirl. But behind the bold creative lies a data-driven philosophy that challenges everything performance marketers think they know.This week, Elena, Angela, and Rob sit down with Ryan Sullivan, CMO of GoodRx. Ryan shares his evolution from hardcore performance marketer to someone who questions the very foundations of digital attribution. Learn why he's skeptical of multi-touch attribution, how GoodRx measures success through triangulation, and why increasing "surface area" matters more than hyper-targeting.Topics covered: [05:00] Why brand search attribution is misleading[08:30] The hidden costs of programmatic display advertising[15:00] GoodRx's unique challenge of reaching out-of-market consumers[19:30] Creating distinctive brand assets with the Savings Wrangler[32:00] Building confidence through triangulated measurement[36:00] The concept of "free marketing" and reducing control To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.  Resources: 2025 eMarketer Article: https://www.emarketer.com/content/goodrx-s-new-feel-good-campaign-seeks-break-through-healthcare-advertising-noiseRyan Sullivan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjsullivan/GoodRx Website: https://www.goodrx.com/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In Episode 1114 of The Clay Edwards Show, host Clay Edwards shares practical health tips for saving money on insurance amid rising costs. He recommends switching to a "major medical" or emergency-only policy (e.g., through agents like Jamie Creel at Shelter Insurance) to cover catastrophic events like cancer or hospital stays, while ditching comprehensive plans with copays for routine care, which he calls a "big rip-off" since cash prices are often cheaper. For everyday needs, he suggests a $200/month membership at Men's Health and Women's Wellness of Mississippi (or similar clinics like New Care) for unlimited doctor's visits, prescriptions, and low-cost treatments (e.g., $10-30 for shots like Decadron, Rocephin, and B12 for sinus infections). He advises using independent pharmacies (e.g., Brandon Discount Drugs or Flora Drugs) as cash customers for better deals on meds, avoiding big chains, and utilizing free GoodRx cards or coupons to beat insurance prices—potentially saving hundreds monthly by piecing together these options for a total around $400/month all-in. Edwards emphasizes shopping around, assuming good health, and building personal doctor relationships for a more efficient, less "assembly-line" experience, noting it's not ideal for those on expensive specialty meds like cancer treatments.

What does it take to lead and excel as a product leader in the age of AI? In this podcast hosted by NEOGOV CPO Denise Hemke, GoodRx former VP of Product Sandy Huang speaks on people sense, discovery, execution, and the judgment required to build great products in an AI-accelerated world. She shares insights from two decades across Amazon, GoodRx, Flipboard, Minted, and Shutterfly, offering a grounded look at how product leaders can stay sharp, adaptable, and customer-obsessed as the pace of building accelerates.

Great brands don't just promise value; they prove it where it matters most. In healthcare, that moment happens at the pharmacy counter, where millions of Americans face a confusing and often emotional question: What is this medication going to cost me today? Episode 47 explores how GoodRx is transforming that moment from anxiety into confidence. The company has built a brand on trust, clarity and humanity, showing that when people feel in control of their healthcare decisions, loyalty follows. It's a powerful case study in how simplifying real-world complexity can unlock massive brand value. In this episode, Joe Kayata and guest host Mary Sadlier sit down with David Graziano, Head of Retail Network for GoodRx, to examine how a company that does not manufacture drugs, own pharmacies or operate insurance plans became one of the most recognized healthcare brands in America. With more than a decade of healthcare marketing experience, including seven years at CVS Health, David reveals how GoodRx builds partnerships, removes friction and keeps consumers at the center of every decision. GoodRx was created to fix a critical moment: when a patient discovers the cost of their medication only after they have reached the counter. David breaks down how the platform works behind the scenes with retailers and pharmacy benefit managers to deliver transparency and meaningful savings. The result is a rare healthcare trifecta: lower costs for consumers, increased foot traffic for pharmacies and a more informed, confident experience for everyone involved. From demystifying drug pricing to strengthening consumer trust, Episode 47 shows how GoodRx has rewritten the script on value. And it offers every marketer a reminder: when you solve a real human problem and do it consistently, you don't just earn customers; you earn believers. Have an idea for a guest? Reach out at brandslam@addventures.com.

Our conversation with  Dan Jaenicke, Director of B2B Strategy for MacPaw, starts out with how CleanMyMac for Business is evolving to serve SMB and enterprise customers. Dan discusses patch and policy management, security and compliance challenges, fast deployment with tools like Jamf, preserving a friendly Mac-native interface, and how customer feedback and a new Mac admin survey are shaping the future of the product.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Setting the stage: MacPaw, B2B strategy, and enterprise focus[0:30] Introducing Dan Jänicke and his new role in B2B marketing[2:00] Launch of CleanMyMac business and early customer feedback[2:55] Consumer vs. B2B pain points and why enterprises are different[3:32] Fleet visibility, device health, and compliance needs at scale[6:01] Patch management as a key differentiator in the business product[7:22] Roadmap for group policies and staged rollouts for IT admins[8:44] Security expectations in enterprise environments[10:07] Fragmented policies across roles, departments, and access levels[11:55] Moving from SMB and mid-market into true enterprise capabilities[15:17] Competing with MDMs by focusing on simplicity and differentiation[17:21] Logistics of deploying to 1,000 devices and Jamf integration[20:08] Why quick, hours-level rollout is a competitive advantage[22:05] Complexity vs. usability in security and compliance tools[22:46] Preserving CleanMyMac's visual design and enjoyable UX for admins[24:08] Balancing simplicity with the depth enterprises demand[26:44] Design philosophy: making maintenance pleasant, not painful[27:53] Rising cyberattacks on SMBs and why every business is a target[29:05] Using Moonlock, patching, and good practices to reduce attack surface[31:07] Hidden costs of breaches for smaller organizations[33:24] Listening to customers and iterating the product weekly[33:38] Upcoming Mac admin survey and why MacPaw wants feedback[36:06] Being part of the Apple community, not just marketing to it[37:04] Closing thoughts, invitation to contact Dan, and future ambitions[38:02] Outro, support options, and how to stay connected Links: CleanMyMac CleanMyMac Business Guests: Dan Jaenicke is a seasoned Product Leader with over a decade of experience solving user challenges, leading global and local teams, and partnering with executive leadership to build impactful B2B and B2C SaaS products.  He has driven initiatives behind products launched in more than 125 countries, reaching over 50 million active users and 45,000+ paying businesses, and generating hundreds of millions in revenue.  Before joining MacPaw, Dan served as Director of Product Management at GoodRx. As MacPaw's Director of B2B Product Strategy, he now leads solutions such as CleanMyMac Business, driving innovation and growth across the company's business offerings. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon     http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:     http://macvoices.com      Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner     http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:     https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:     http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:     https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:     https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes     Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Our conversation with  Dan Jaenicke, Director of B2B Strategy for MacPaw, starts out with how CleanMyMac for Business is evolving to serve SMB and enterprise customers. Dan discusses patch and policy management, security and compliance challenges, fast deployment with tools like Jamf, preserving a friendly Mac-native interface, and how customer feedback and a new Mac admin survey are shaping the future of the product.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: [0:00] Setting the stage: MacPaw, B2B strategy, and enterprise focus [0:30] Introducing Dan Jänicke and his new role in B2B marketing [2:00] Launch of CleanMyMac business and early customer feedback [2:55] Consumer vs. B2B pain points and why enterprises are different [3:32] Fleet visibility, device health, and compliance needs at scale [6:01] Patch management as a key differentiator in the business product [7:22] Roadmap for group policies and staged rollouts for IT admins [8:44] Security expectations in enterprise environments [10:07] Fragmented policies across roles, departments, and access levels [11:55] Moving from SMB and mid-market into true enterprise capabilities [15:17] Competing with MDMs by focusing on simplicity and differentiation [17:21] Logistics of deploying to 1,000 devices and Jamf integration [20:08] Why quick, hours-level rollout is a competitive advantage [22:05] Complexity vs. usability in security and compliance tools [22:46] Preserving CleanMyMac's visual design and enjoyable UX for admins [24:08] Balancing simplicity with the depth enterprises demand [26:44] Design philosophy: making maintenance pleasant, not painful [27:53] Rising cyberattacks on SMBs and why every business is a target [29:05] Using Moonlock, patching, and good practices to reduce attack surface [31:07] Hidden costs of breaches for smaller organizations [33:24] Listening to customers and iterating the product weekly [33:38] Upcoming Mac admin survey and why MacPaw wants feedback [36:06] Being part of the Apple community, not just marketing to it [37:04] Closing thoughts, invitation to contact Dan, and future ambitions [38:02] Outro, support options, and how to stay connected Links: CleanMyMac CleanMyMac Business Guests: Dan Jaenicke is a seasoned Product Leader with over a decade of experience solving user challenges, leading global and local teams, and partnering with executive leadership to build impactful B2B and B2C SaaS products.  He has driven initiatives behind products launched in more than 125 countries, reaching over 50 million active users and 45,000+ paying businesses, and generating hundreds of millions in revenue.  Before joining MacPaw, Dan served as Director of Product Management at GoodRx. As MacPaw's Director of B2B Product Strategy, he now leads solutions such as CleanMyMac Business, driving innovation and growth across the company's business offerings. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Study from GOODRX on kidney disease as heard on OneLegUpAlex : https://www.goodrx.com/conditi... Story on Gov. Hochul : https://nypost.com/2025/12/04/...

Medicare Advantage Minute:                                                                                                  Stop the Health Insurers' Raid on the Treasury! Your Medicare Benefits 2025:                                                                                                  Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Shot Stalker Suzy reviews Hey Moe's Melinda Caughill's appearance on the MLM Podcast! Prescription Drug Coverage Options are Shrinking for Medicare Shoppers Ozempic & Wegovy are now sold at Sam's Club for $500, joining Costco, GoodRx  and Novocare Pharmacy.    Contact me at: DBJ@MLMMailbag.com (Most severe critic: A+)                   Visit us on: BabyBoomer.ORG Inspired by: "MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN 2025; SIMPLEST & EASIEST GUIDE EVER!" "MEDICARE DRUG PLANS: A SIMPLE D-I-Y GUIDE" "MEDICARE FOR THE LAZY MAN: BARE BONES!" For sale on Amazon.com. After enjoying the books, please consider returning to leave a short customer review to  help future readers. Official website: https://www.MedicareForTheLazyMan.com.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and David Simon of the University of Connecticut back to the pod to the current state of drug prices, how proposed tariffs may impact the pharmaceutical industry, that Pfizer deal, what consumers can expect if tariffs are added to prescription drugs, what exactly TrumpRx is, and more.Become an Insider today to get access to our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.Related Articles:Trump admin readies 'imminent' probe into other nations' drug pricing, raising new tariff threat: FT (FiercePharma)President Trump's Executive Orders On Prescription Drug Prices: What The Evidence Says (Health Affairs Forefront) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Political persuasion lessons and funny stories based on today's news~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Politics, Sean Duffy, Katie Porter, JD Vance, Privatizing Student Loan Debt, Poll Response Heart Rate, Dr. Carmen Simon, Malaria Cure, Tu Youyou, Intentionally Flawed Census Data, Census Secretive Algorithm, Obamacare, President Obama, President Trump, Bernie Sanders Shutdown Leverage, Illegal Alien Healthcare, Gell-Mann Amnesia, Anti-Trump Tim Miller, Trump's 3rd Term, Bill Kristol, Authoritarian Leadership, Jack Smith, Arctic Frost Investigation, Don Jr. Trump, BlinkRx, Cost Plus Drugs, GoodRx, Rand Paul, 6 Penny Budget Plan, Pam Bondi Congressional Testimony, Adam Schiff, Scott Jennings Technique, National Guard Deployment, Democrat Somalia-Style Leadership, Hungary's Tax-Free Mothers, Charlie Kirk Texts, Ukraine War, Scott Adams~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~If you would like to enjoy this same content plus bonus content from Scott Adams, including micro-lessons on lots of useful topics to build your talent stack, please see scottadams.locals.com for full access to that secret treasure.

Philip Morris International is investing $37 million in a manufacturing facility. GoodRx is partnering with Kroger to implement its RxSmarterSaver platform. And more than half of political Independents believe groceries are more expensive now than a year ago.

He became CMO of GoodRx in just five years, then started taking big swings: reviving nostalgic jingles, building an audio-first brand strategy, and proving that sound can punch through today's visual overload.Ryan Sullivan joins Marketing Trends to share how he moved from performance marketer to CMO at record speed, why he's betting on radio and podcasts, and how a singing prairie dog and memorable earworms can do serious brand-building work.Ryan and Stephanie dig into balancing art and science in measurement, evolving a beloved brand without throwing away equity, launching the “Savings Wrangler” platform largely in-house, and the PR and discoverability strategies built for an AI-driven search world. If you care about growth that lasts longer than a dashboard refresh, this conversation is for you.Listen for: how to rise to CMO in five years, making audio an advantage, crafting jingles that stick, designing a multi-horizon measurement system, and scaling brand salience without a costly rebrand. Key Moments: 00:00 Introduction to GoodRx's Marketing Strategy01:37 How Ryan Sullivan Became a CMO in Five Years05:34 Measurement and Marketing Efficacy10:57 The Savings Wrangler Campaign29:50 Balancing B2C and B2B Marketing32:40 The Importance of Brand Consistency36:38 Contrarian Marketing Bets37:21 The Power of Audio in Marketing41:32 Leveraging Third Party Content for AI Brand Discovery45:15 Balancing Data and Intuition in Marketing51:26 Building a Robust Measurement System01:00:55 Lightning Round: Quickfire Questions For GoodRx's CMO Mission.org is a media studio producing content alongside world-class clients. Learn more at mission.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss how “The Savings Wrangler” campaign was dreamt up, how GoodRx will measure its success, and what new spaces the medication savings company is moving into. Join Senior Director of Podcasts and host, Marcus Johnson, Senior Analysts, Rajiv Leventhal and Beth Snyder Bulik, and Chief Marketing Officer at GoodRx, Ryan Sullivan. Listen everywhere and watch on YouTube and Spotify.   To learn more about our research and get access to PRO+, go to EMARKETER.com   Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/   For sponsorship opportunities, contact us: advertising@emarketer.com   For more information, visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/   Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com    For a transcript of this episode, click here: https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-idea-impact-goodrx-s-savings-wrangler-road-ahead-with-cmo-ryan-sullivan-behind-numbers     © 2025 EMARKETER   Consumer attention is fragmented across multiple platforms and making informed advertising decisions is more critical—and complex—than ever. With Nielsen Ad Intel, you can streamline your strategy, minimize wasted spend, and identify opportunities to differentiate your brand, empowering you to stay ahead in an ever-changing market. Discover more today. https://www.nielsen.com/

On this episode host Fred Goldstein invites Aaron Crittenden, President of Rx Marketplace at GoodRx, to discuss Community Link, a new program from GoodRx that empowers independent pharmacies through direct contracting, predictable pricing, and access to over 90 brand medication deals. Aaron explains how Community Link helps pharmacies stay competitive, provide affordable prescriptions for patients, and build more sustainable economics in today's challenging marketplace. Find all of our network podcasts on your favorite podcast platforms and be sure to subscribe and like us. Learn more at www.healthcarenowradio.com/listen

In this episode, Scott Becker examines GoodRx's 30% surge after entering the weight loss drug market, the rapid growth of hims and hers, and Novo Nordisk's move to cut prices on Ozempic as competition in the GLP-1 space intensifies.

Learn how to cut prescription costs and prepare for steep health insurance hikes if ACA tax credits expire. How can you make prescription drugs more affordable? What can you do if subsidies in the Affordable Care Act expire and health insurance costs spike? Hosts Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss rising prescription costs and looming changes to health insurance premiums to help you find ways to save and protect your budget. Joined by Dan Weissmann, host of the podcast An Arm and a Leg, they begin with a discussion of the structural problems in the U.S. prescription drug system, with tips on comparing prices across pharmacies, using discount programs like GoodRx, and checking for manufacturer coupons. Then, personal finance Nerd Kate Ashford joins Sean and Elizabeth to discuss how ACA premium tax credit changes could impact your wallet. They explore strategies such as comparing marketplace plans carefully, shifting to different tiers of coverage, considering employer-based insurance, and preparing for open enrollment. They also highlight the risks of going uninsured, ways to use preventive care benefits to save money, and why America's healthcare system ended up so tied to employment. Want us to review your budget? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header In their conversation, the Nerds discuss: prescription drug costs, how to save on prescriptions, GoodRx, Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drugs, pharmacy benefit managers, drug manufacturer coupons, ACA subsidies, ACA premium tax credits, Affordable Care Act healthcare costs, ACA marketplace plans, health insurance open enrollment, formulary, health insurance tiers, high deductible health plan, bronze vs silver plan ACA, health savings account, ACA premium increases, ACA subsidies expiring, ACA tax credits 2025, how to compare health insurance plans, employer sponsored health insurance, self-employed health insurance options, preventive care coverage, avoiding medical debt, risks of going uninsured, Vermont ACA costs, ACA premium increase by state, ACA cost saving strategies, how to check if prescriptions are covered, negotiating prescription costs, medical bankruptcy risk, Medicare and Medicaid differences, US vs UK healthcare costs, ACA income thresholds, ACA marketplace eligibility, losing ACA subsidies impact, choosing an ACA plan, and ACA open enrollment dates. To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Like what you hear? Please leave us a review and tell a friend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

**We say it a million times in this chat, but we are going to say it again….we are not against any injections/supplements/aids. If they work for you and are right for your journey, then that is wonderful! There world should be a more healthier place, so if they help the collective it is a beautiful thing. The only push back we express is when the celebrity status hides their usage and tells a false narrative to the many followers they have. That is deception and that is what gives these drugs a bad name.**If you are anything like us you are seeing these 3 letters all over your algorithm…GLP-1 and many promises to lose weight fast without changing any of your current habits. The clickbait is so enticing and there frequency of these types of products are wild….but what is it really? We know it is connected to rapid weight loss, but how? We found some great sources breaking down the ins and outs of it all! We are with you on this one, we have no idea, but we want to be more educated! Check out the reference links below to read up on your own! Your favorite podcast is now live streamed for that little extra goodness! Watch live and chat with us each week. Don't forget to Subscribe & Like! ————If you want to workout with us, at home or in person, check us out www.CFITfitness.com We would love to have you join the CFIT Community :)F2BR Insta: https://www.instagram.com/fittoberealpodcast/ CFIT Insta: https://www.instagram.com/cfitfitness/CFIT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cfitfitness/CFIT Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@cfitfitness?lang=enWatch us on our Youtube Channel! https://youtube.com/@fittoberealpodcast?si=mPS5PgKAkiFt7_pGEmail us! FITtobeRealPodcast@gmail.comReferences: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/glp-1-diabetes-and-weight-loss-drug-side-effects-ozempic-face-and-more , Harvard Health Publishinghttps://www.healthline.com/health-news/natural-ozempic-alternatives-quiet-food-noise, Healthlinehttps://www.goodrx.com/conditions/weight-loss/how-to-increase-glp-1-naturally , GoodRx

Join the conversation with the ChooseFI community on the brand NEW ChooseFI Members Site and participate in discussions about budgeting, travel rewards, and obviously all things financial independence! Register Your Free Account See the Group Discussion Ginger Mentioned in this Episode Hi, all! Ginger here. Brad and I discussed minimalism a bit, and what we'd re-buy if we started over from scratch. We are both really curious about everyone else's answers to this little thought experiment. So I'll go first. If all my things disappeared, ...Go To Thread Episode Summary: In this episode, Brad and Ginger discuss the significance of community at financial independence (FI) events, with insights from the economy conference. They explore how travel and experiences enrich one's ideal life, along with actionable budgeting tips, mindful spending strategies, and the importance of health and fitness routines. Listeners are reminded of the fulfilling connections that come from attending FI events and the concepts surrounding financial independence. Podcast Description: Dive into community insights, travel rewards, mindful spending, and health strategies. Learn how FI events can enrich your financial journey and explore practical advice on budgeting and lifestyle design. Key Highlights: Timestamp 00:02:02 - Highlights from the Economy Conference Ginger shares insights from the economy conference, which serves as a significant gathering for the FI community. The community is described as welcoming and open, with events providing opportunities for networking and meaningful connections. Timestamp 00:07:06 - The Importance of Community Key Quote: “The FI community is incredibly welcoming and inclusive.” Discussion on the significance of attending FI events for personal enrichment. Timestamp 00:14:59 - Mindful Spending Tips Key Quote: “Food costs can be the second largest expense for most individuals.” Importance of mindful shopping and meal planning to minimize food waste and budgeting efficiently. Timestamp 00:21:30 - Health & Fitness Discussion Brad discusses his workout routine emphasizing proper form and mindful exercise. Key insight: Focusing on the last reps during workouts is crucial for muscle growth. Timestamp 00:40:25 - Travel Insights Ginger shares upcoming travel plans and experiences with travel rewards. Key Quote: “Maximize your travel rewards and travel for less!” Timestamp 00:43:20 - Actionable Travel Rewards Strategies Ginger's tips on using free night certificates efficiently. Discussion of strategies for getting refunds on credit card annual fees and other charges. Actionable Takeaways: Attend FI events to expand your network and learn from others. 00:07:06 Practice mindfulness with your food purchases and meal planning to reduce waste. 00:14:59 Focus on proper form in workouts to prevent injuries and maximize gains. 00:29:03 Evaluate your travel rewards strategies before booking future trips. 00:43:20 Join a local FI group to meet like-minded individuals. 00:48:05 Discussion Questions: How does attending events impact your financial journey? 00:07:06 What strategies do you use to minimize food waste? 00:14:59 How important is community in achieving financial independence? 00:07:06 FAQs: What is the value of attending FI events? FI events provide a platform for networking, sharing experiences, and insights into financial independence. 00:07:06 How can I reduce food waste? Practice mindful shopping and meal planning to minimize food waste effectively. 00:14:59 What workout strategies can help build muscle? Focus on form and ensure your last reps of a set are challenging to stimulate muscle growth. 00:29:03 What are the best travel rewards strategies? Utilize free night certificates and plan ahead to maximize your travel rewards efficiently. 00:43:20 Related Resources: Monarch Money - Budgeting app discussed in the episode. 00:17:16 GoodRx - Tool for saving on prescriptions. 00:39:28 MD Save - Resource for obtaining medical procedure costs. 00:36:30 ChooseFI Member Site - Your Home for Financial Independence Online Key Quotes: “Consider if an experience will truly enrich your life before diving in.” 00:11:36 “Working out doesn't have to be miserable; find what works for you.” 00:26:10

A Journey of Redemption: Branden Terrell's Path to Accountability and Transformation In this week's raw and powerful episode, Marcus and Melanie meet with Branden Terrell, a man whose life has been defined by both profound tragedy and transformation. Branden's journey began with a devastating crime—the voluntary manslaughter of his friend, Ryan Roth, in 2012. After serving over a decade in prison, Branden is now committed to rebuilding his life and advocating for restorative justice, but his path to redemption is far from simple. Branden gets real about the night he took Ryan's life—a night marked by a dangerous mix of drugs, alcohol, and emotional turmoil. He shares how this tragedy has shaped his current mission to support victims' families, advocate for survivors, and push for more effective rehabilitation programs for incarcerated individuals. Branden takes full responsibility for his actions, acknowledging the pain and devastation caused to Ryan's family and the community. He also discusses the impact of substance abuse on his behavior that night, but emphasizes that no excuse can absolve him of his actions. Throughout the episode, Branden shares his struggles, regrets, and efforts to make amends for the harm he caused. His commitment to transformation is clear, but he acknowledges that healing, for both himself and the Roth family, is a long and complex journey. This episode is not just about Branden's personal redemption; it's about understanding the broader impact of crime, the importance of accountability, and the possibilities for growth and healing within the justice system. In This Episode You Will Hear: • I've seen a lot of poverty and the impact of drugs. My hopes and dreams was to play professional football or baseball. (12:30) • By the time I was expelled in my junior year after football season, I had been to 17 different schools. (12:46) • I knew my family loved me, but the only place I had that real validation was playing sports. (13:02) • I started hanging around all the wrong people, all the wrong places, seeking validation, wanting to be accepted, covered myself with tattoos. (15:29) • The only time I've ever had handcuffs on me was when I was under the influence of alcohol. (18:08) • By the time I was 18, I was living a full-on criminal lifestyle. (19:35) • My mom – even if I'm doing something wrong, she's gonna have my back. (25:49) • All the folks I was running with [would say] “You're the biggest liability when you start drinking.” (34:54) • We went out to dinner with some of the folks that were trimming. I remember sitting at the table, waitress is taking orders and everybody's ordering drinks, and I'm having this internal conversation with myself: “Brandon don't do it. You don't need to drink.” They get to me: “What the heck, 1 drink ain't gonna kill nobody. I ordered a drink. Within hours after that, I was arrested for murder. (38:10) • Me and Ryan had some words. He punched me and then from there, I went into a blackout. I grabbed a knife and ended up taking his life. (39:01) • When I was drinking and I got into something, I'd just go into a rage.(47:45) • I had this vision of “I'm gonna use this to help people be sober one day. I'm gonna help people live their best life through sobriety.” (53:59) • I didn't know that was okay, as a man, to talk about feelings. (55:32) • There's a lot of strong guys in prison, but there's a lot of weak individuals too. (57:55) • I was a closet cowardly christian. (75:48) • So I get on my knees, and promised God never to use alcohol again.(80:24) • That's what life's all about. Finding the God-given strength, ability and purpose and using it to help people. (91:11) • I knew I had a problem with alcohol, but I was afraid to ask for help. (119:45) Socials: - Website: ElevateImpact.com - IG: Brandenterrellcoaching - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13 -  https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors:    - Navyfederal.org           - GoodRX.com/TNQ    - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]   -  kalshi.com/TNQ    - PXG.com/TNQ   -  joinbilt.com/TNQ    - Tonal.com [TNQ]   - greenlight.com/TNQ   - PDSDebt.com/TNQ   - drinkAG1.com/TNQ   - Shadyrays.com [TNQ]   - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]   - Hims.com/TNQ   - Shopify.com/TNQ   - Aura.com/TNQ   - Moink.com/TNQ   - Policygenius.com   - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]   - usejoymode.com [TNQ]   - Shhtape.com [TNQ]

Warrior of God: The Spiritual Battle with Dom Raso This week's Team Never Quit guest is Dom Raso, a former Navy SEAL Team Six operator who is renowned for his elite military service and deeply inspiring journey of faith and personal transformation. Dom's name is synonymous with the highest levels of military excellence, but beyond his unparalleled contributions to the U.S. military, his story is one of profound spiritual resilience, unwavering commitment to family, and a fierce devotion to spreading the Gospel. Dom served with distinction as part of Navy SEAL Team Six, a unit known for its elite status and high-risk operations. Throughout his career, he contributed to the development of military techniques that are still in use today. But in this episode, Dom reveals the deeper side of his journey—how he has navigated grief, loss, and intense physical and spiritual battles while remaining anchored in his faith. Now a devoted Catholic, husband, father of five, and entrepreneur, Dom is leveraging his platform to lead others into deeper encounters with God. With an Instagram following of over 175,000 people, he is a bold evangelist, sharing scriptural reflections, his devotion to the Rosary, and his love for the Eucharist. As the founder of Crush Everything, a company focused on equipping individuals to defend themselves and their loved ones, Dom embodies the philosophy that the physical and spiritual are intertwined in the life of a warrior. In this conversation, Dom reflects on his experiences as a Navy SEAL, the power of prayer, and the concept of spiritual warfare. He shares how the Rosary, a tool he has cherished since his military days, has become his most powerful weapon. Dom also explores the importance of living a disciplined life, staying close to the Lord, and using one's unique gifts to evangelize and spread virtue in the culture. In This Episode You Will Hear: • Most people have enough children around them where really you could spend the majority of your time teaching them. (17:57) • If we're not taking those moments we had as a kid and really expounding on them and making them better for our children, we're missing a key point in the gifts we can give them.(19:34) • I had a lot of people speaking very positively [to me]. (21:42) • At about 8 or 9, I would say that was a sure sign of like:”That's it. Now I know what I'm doing.” (23:07) • The Holy Spirit just put it on my heart and said: That's the path.” (23:21) • I believe God has a deep purpose for everybody. (25:10) • Life is made up of choices.(25:22) • I love my father. I love my mother - to death. They knew what was right, but they didn't live it out themselves. (29:07) • What I was missing was a guy like us, or man – a real man, that grabbed me on the shoulders and said “Son, you're not walking on the right path.”(30:43) • I always felt the closeness of God in my life, whether I was on an operation, or going through a challenging time in in my life. You're trying to make sense of what's going on. But you know that God's presence is with you. (33:27) • I meet a lot of team guys who either: A-they know they really need God, or they think that they are God.(34:06) • We're going to go through challenging moments in our lives. We're gonna get our butt kicked. It's though those challenges that form us and forge us to have the faith we have today. (36:27) • There's no way I'd be the man I am today without God's help. (38:26) • Everybody has opportunities to have God work in their life. (39:22) • One of my major call to actions to other men is” Do you want to into the fight and be part of the solution, or are you just gonna point your finger at the bad and never do anything about it?” • Everybody listening: We're all stewarding something. (60:12) • We're really to at the physical part, we're really goo at the mindset part. But it's the Spirit that we're lacking. (85:40) Socials: - Website: https://crusheverything.com - IG: https://www.instagram.com/domraso?igsh=MXZnOHl0ZzI0OW9hMQ==  - IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13 -  https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit Sponsors:    - Navyfederal.org           - GoodRX.com/TNQ    - ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]   -  kalshi.com/TNQ    - PXG.com/TNQ   -  joinbilt.com/TNQ    - Tonal.com [TNQ]   - greenlight.com/TNQ   - PDSDebt.com/TNQ   - drinkAG1.com/TNQ   - Shadyrays.com [TNQ]   - qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]   - Hims.com/TNQ   - Shopify.com/TNQ   - Aura.com/TNQ   - Moink.com/TNQ   - Policygenius.com   - TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]   - usejoymode.com [TNQ]   - Shhtape.com [TNQ]