Podcasts about Health Affairs

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Derek T. Lake on his recent paper exploring new research on Optum's acquisitions, finding the company tended to buy physician practices already using ambulatory surgery centers and that its ASC acquisitions were followed by higher prices for competing insurers.Order the February 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Brown University's Andrew Ryan to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article that explores whether value-based payment and managed care can lead to addressing the core drivers of spending.Related Links:Value-Based Payment And Managed Care Will Not Solve The Affordability Crisis (Health Affairs Forefront)“All I Do Is Win”: Why Beating Benchmarks Doesn't Mean That ACOs Are Reducing Costs (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews So-Yeon Kang of Georgetown University about her recent paper exploring trends in biopharmaceutical clinical trials after The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 authorized Medicare to negotiate prices for selected drugs. Order the January 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Christina Farr, CEO and editor-in-chief of Second Opinion Media, back to the pod to discuss her book, The Storyteller's Advantage: How Powerful Narratives Make Businesses Thrive. The conversation explores the value of storytelling in the health care and health policy space, how to invest in posting, the catch 22 of "spicy takes," recommendations for the reluctant poster, and Christina shares a quick look into what's interesting in the digital health investment space. 

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Jane Zhu of Oregon Health & Science University about her recent paper exploring how many physicians enrolled in Medicaid see few or no Medicaid beneficiaries as patients, highlighting a greater need for targeted policies to boost participation and improve access.Order the February 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Georgetown University's Katie Keith back to the podcast to break down the newly proposed HHS rule that could bring major changes to the ACA beginning in 2027.They discuss the proposal's biggest shifts, including a major push toward expanding catastrophic plans, new marketplace eligibility restrictions tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and potential impacts on premiums, marketplace enrollment, insurers, and consumers.Related Links:HHS Proposes Sweeping Changes for 2027 Marketplace Plans (Part 1) (Health Affairs Forefront)HHS Proposes Sweeping Changes for 2027 Marketplace Plans (Part 2) (Health Affairs Forefront)Trump Team's Planned ACA Rule Offers Its Answer to Rising Premium Costs: Catastrophic Coverage (KFF Health News)CMS proposes sweeping ACA exchange rule (Healthcare Dive)

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes dietitian Jenny Lo from Wellness and Sports Dietetics to discuss the recently revised dietary guidelines for Americans. They discuss what's changed, the emphasis on protein, the ambiguity over ultraprocessed foods, and the best advice she gives to new clients looking to make dietary changes. Related Articles:Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries (Stat News)Experts Who Advised on Diet Guidelines Say RFK Jr.'s Version Is Full of Errors (MedPage Today)A Multilayered Public Policy Approach To Ultraprocessed Foods (Health Affairs Forefront)MAHA says its new food pyramid is affordable and healthy. We asked experts (Stat News)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews John Scott of the University of Washington about his recent paper exploring findings on the financial fallout from traumatic injuries, highlighting persistent medical debt burdens and the policy gaps that leave many patients unprotected. Order the February 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to discuss the recently passed $1.2 trillion spending appropriations bill, its included reforms for pharmacy benefit managers, the latest round of drugs slated for the Medicare Drug Negotiation program, TrumpRx, the upcoming flat rate for Medicare Advantage plan rates, and more recent health policy news.Related Articles:Congress Reins In Drug Middlemen In Effort to Lower Prescription Prices (The New York Times)Analyzing The Drugs Selected For The 2028 Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Cycle (Health Affairs Forefront)The No UPCODE Act: Considering A Simple Start To A Complex Problem (Health Affairs Forefront)PRESS RELEASE: CMS Announces Selection of Drugs for Third Cycle of Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, Including First-Ever Part B Drugs

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Dr. Robert Wachter, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF, about his new book A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future. Wachter reflects on his own daily use of AI as a clinician, the reasons he has grown optimistic about its potential, and the challenges of regulating fast‑evolving technologies. Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming to the pod to discuss what to watch out for in 2026 for health policy. The conversation touches on Affordable Care Act subsidies, Medicaid eligibility, guidance for pharmacy benefit managers, drug price negotiations, and more.This week, we announced that Health Affairs has become Health Affairs Publishing, LLC, a single-member limited liability company wholly owned by Project HOPE. To find out more about this exciting new chapter, check out this Forefront piece.Join us for the following events:2/17: The FDA and Its Changing Relationship to Industry2/25: What Excites Insiders About Health Care in 2026?Become an Insider today to get access to these exclusive events.Related Links:Health Policy At A Crossroads: What To Watch In 2026 (Health Affairs Forefront)Prescription Drug Policy, 2025 And 2026: The Year In Review And The Year Ahead (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Sayeh Nikpay of the University of Minnesota about her recent paper exploring how The Medicaid Drug Rebate Program and the 340B Program interact in ways that can unintentionally increase costs, the adoption of cost-saving strategies to mitigate these interactions, and how policymakers can act to balance Medicaid savings with revenue impacts on 340B-participating safety-net providers.Order the January 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Gabriel Perna, Deputy Editor of Digital Health Business & Technology at Modern Healthcare, to the pod to discuss Epic Systems, how they became one of the leading American health care EHR companies, a recent antitrust lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Epic Systems, and even touch on ChatGPT's entrance into health care.Related Articles:Texas files antitrust suit against Epic over health data (Modern Healthcare)Texas hits Epic with an antitrust suit: Here's what to know (Modern Healthcare)

Episode Summary By Concierge Medicine Today JANUARY 2026 - Concierge medicine and direct primary care didn't just grow — they surged more than 80% in five years. Headlines are spinning this as a threat to access and equity. But is that the full story? In this episode, the Editor-In-Chief of the industry's trade publication, Concierge Medicine Today, author and Host, Michael Tetreault, breaks down the latest national research and explains what's really happening beneath the surface. This isn't about luxury medicine. It's about physician burnout, broken reimbursement models, administrative overload, and doctors quietly redesigning their careers to survive. You'll hear why this shift is less about "escaping responsibility" and more about reclaiming sustainability, why corporate ownership is rising fast, and why concierge medicine didn't create the primary care shortage — it exposed it. If you care about the future of medicine, physician retention, and building healthcare that actually works, this conversation matters.

On an emergency pod episode, Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University Medical Center to breakdown the recently unveiled The Great Healthcare Plan from the Trump administration.Related Articles:The Great Healthcare Plan (White House)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Roslyn Murray of Brown University to discuss her paper exploring how Oregon's 2019 hospital payment cap saved $50 million annually while having little impact on hospital finances, operations, or patient care. Order the December 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Michael Chernew from Harvard Medical School to explore the recent 2024 health care spending report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).To kick off the new year, we are offering podcast videos of A Health Podyssey. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch those episodes. Let us know what you think about the videos by emailing us at communications@healthaffairs.org.Join us on January 21 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring the latest drug policies with the University of Utah's Joey Mattingly. Become an Insider to get access to this event.Related Articles:National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated (Health Affairs)Growth In National Health Expenditures: It's Not The Prices, Stupid (Health Affairs Forefront)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Sherry Glied of New York University on her paper that explores how U.S. health spending growth slowed to less than half its historical rate, driven by lower utilization, slower price growth, and shifts in care delivery and administration.Order the January 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

The Faculty Factory Podcast is back for its Year 7/Season 7 debut this week, and we couldn't be more excited! Lilly Marks, a respected voice and distinguished leader in our field, is our featured guest, with Susan Chubinskaya, PhD, MS, joining alongside to add insights and further questions that ultimately provide a deep-seated exploration of several leadership traits and styles that are essential for success and building a healthy culture. Among the leadership topics we dive into: Communication Adapting to change and challenges Transparency Lilly Marks is a frequently sought-after national speaker on topics regarding medical school economics, healthcare practices, clinical practice management, and leadership in academic medicine. She was the longtime Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and has spent more than 25 years in academic medicine in various administrative and leadership positions.  Dr. Chubinskaya is the Senior Vice President, Provost, and Chief Academic Officer at the University of Texas Medical Branch. She also serves as a Professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery & Rehabilitation in the John Sealy School of Medicine. Her previous two appearances on our podcast can be found here: Episode 11 – A Faculty Factory Interview with Susan Chubinskaya, PhD Episode 160 – Pearls of Wisdom for Faculty to Build a Career with Susan Chubinskaya, PhD "If you want faculty to trust and respect you, you have to trust and respect them. And that means sharing information, because black box decision-making doesn't work. I think it's critical to give faculty good data and information that is timely, accurate, relevant, and understandable," Lilly said. We want to thank Dr. Chubinskaya for her unwavering support of the Faculty Factory, as our hearts are filled with gratitude to be entering Year 7 with such incredible momentum ushered in with this episode.

The total "Care Economy," which includes both paid and unpaid care, is currently valued at roughly $6 trillion (nearly a quarter of U.S. GDP), and experts warn it is at risk of significant contraction due to these labor shortages. Today, we talk with Mary Helen Crowder, Home Health Aide Instructor, at the ACE Center at Hermitage, about what Henrico County Schools are doing to do their part to close the healthcare labor gap. We were visited by one of Mary's outstanding students and spoke with her about her experiences in the program.When professional home health aides are unavailable or unaffordable, the burden shifts to family members. As of late 2025, the estimated economic value of unpaid caregiving in the U.S. has climbed to over $1 trillion annually. A study in Health Affairs estimated the personal cost of unearned income for family caregivers at roughly $67 billion per year, a figure expected to double by 2050 as the "silver tsunami" of aging retirees intensifies.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 18, 2025) – Across the Commonwealth, the University of Kentucky fulfills its land-grant mission through teaching, research, service and health care — from students discovering their passions, to researchers making breakthroughs, to clinicians providing critical care in communities of every size. But behind the work that most Kentuckians see is a complex network of decisions, partnerships and operational systems that keep the university and UK HealthCare running every day.  This week, we're launching a new recurring feature on "Behind the Blue" called The Business of UK, designed to take listeners inside that part of the institution. The Business of UK will break down major business questions and explore the principles and processes that guide UK's financial and operational decisions.  Leading this new feature is UK Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and Co-Executive Vice President  for Health Affairs, Dr. Eric Monday. From large-scale partnerships to everyday budget decisions, Monday will spotlight topics and welcome guests to help listeners better understand the frameworks behind the university's most significant business relationships and strategic choices.  Future installments of The Business of UK will explore the university's relationship with JMI Sports, the development of BBNIL (UK Athletics' Name, Image & Likeness strategy), and other topics including budget structure, tuition setting, capital projects and more.  Listeners are invited to participate in shaping the series by submitting questions and topic suggestions via email to businessofUK@uky.edu.   "Behind the Blue" is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university.  "Behind the Blue" is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of "Behind the Blue" can be downloaded from the show's blog page.   To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 18, 2025) – Strategic partnerships play a critical role in supporting the University of Kentucky's mission, particularly in athletics, where revenue generation, fan engagement and long-term planning are increasingly complex. These complexities are well understood by Paul Archey, president of JMI Sports, the multimedia rights partner for UK Athletics and the university.  On this week's episode of "Behind the Blue," Archey joins UK Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and Co-Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, Dr. Eric Monday, on another installment of The Business of UK, a recurring feature designed to give listeners a look inside the principles and processes that guide UK's financial and operational decisions.  Originally from Greenup, Ky, Archey speaks on how the partnership was formed, why it has continued to evolve, and how its structure supports both UK Athletics and the university as a whole. The conversation also highlights the deep Kentucky roots that underpin the relationship, including the legacy of Jim Host, founder of Host Communications and longtime UK partners who helped shape the modern multimedia rights landscape for college athletics.  Listeners are encouraged to submit questions and suggestions for future installments of The Business of UK by emailing businessofUK@uky.edu. Upcoming episodes will further explore the changing landscape of college athletics, including a conversation with Archey and UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart about the development of BBNIL (UK Athletics' Name, Image & Likeness strategy), and other topics including budget structure, tuition setting, capital projects and more.  "Behind the Blue" is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university.  "Behind the Blue" is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of "Behind the Blue" can be downloaded from the show's blog page.   To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. 

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Tiffany Lemon of Arizona State University on her recent paper exploring the concept of job-lock as it pertains to employer-sponsored health insurance and its impacts on adult physical and mental health.Order the November 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Bonesteel of Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy to the pod to discuss her recent Forefront article focused on how ACO REACH enabled ACOs to participate in an advanced, global-risk, population-based payment model.Related Articles:ACO REACH 2023 Performance Results Indicate A Pathway To Sustainable Accountable Care (Health Affairs Forefront)Opportunities To Enhance Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH's Core Payment Model Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Enhancing Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH's Equity-Focused And Beneficiary Engagement Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Future Of Accountable Care: Lessons Learned And Potential Paths Forward During A Time Of Transition (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare Accountable Care Organizations In 2023: Large Savings With Increasing Value-Based Programmatic Competition (Health Affairs Forefront)Medicare ACOs In 2024: Increased Participation And Evolving Policy Impacts (Health Affairs Forefront) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Dan Arnold of Brown University to discuss his recent paper exploring higher payments within UnitedHealth's Optum network, which found UHC Paid Optum providers more than non-Optum Providers using price transparency data. Order the November 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Prenatal substance use is often misunderstood, oversimplified, and met with stigma instead of support. In this conversation, Christina Dent and Meghann Perry explore the complex realities facing mothers who use substances during pregnancy—from trauma and addiction to healthcare barriers and the fear of criminalization. Together, they reflect on the importance of compassionate care, the power of bonding and attachment, and what it looks like to invest in families so both moms and babies can thrive. This episode invites us to move beyond judgment and toward curiosity, connection, and systems that heal rather than harm. About Meghann: Meghann Perry, CARC, RCPF, is an award-winning keynote speaker, storyteller, theatre educator, curriculum developer, harm reductionist and addiction recovery coach. She creates innovative learning experiences blending Theatre, Storytelling, and Coaching and is an international educator of the behavioral health workforce. Meghann is the author of two groundbreaking programs, Recovery Storytelling and Embodied Storytelling, and a global keynote speaker and presenter on peer support, storytelling, and stigma for organizations like NIH, NAADAC, FAVOR, PRCoE, HRSA, Hazelden, and the recent Lisbon Addictions Conference. Meghann is a person who used drugs who passionately supports people in prevention, harm reduction and recovery and leads a team of dedicated facilitators redefining education and intervention in the substance and mental health field.  Links:  Meghann's paper in Health Affairs: www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.00647 Meghann Perry Group website: www.meghannperry.com   Keywords: prenatal substance use, maternal health, addiction, recovery, healthcare, bonding, criminalization, compassionate care, systemic issues, early childhood trauma.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Nathan Hostert of The Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research at Brown University to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article on how states are utilizing hospital price caps to save money.Become an Insider today to get access to our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.Related Articles:How States Are Using Hospital Price Caps To Save Money (Health Affairs Forefront)Hospital Payment Cap Simulator (Brown University)Hospital Facility Prices Declined As A Result Of Oregon's Hospital Payment Cap (Health Affairs)Hospital Payment Caps Could Save State Employee Health Plans Millions While Keeping Hospital Operating Margins Healthy (Health Affairs)How Massachusetts's New Health Care Reform Takes Aim at Private Equity (Health Affairs Forefront) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Matthew Rae, Associate Director of the Health Care Marketplace Program at KFF, about his recent paper exploring the findings from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey, reporting on benefits in 2025. Order the November 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Sachs from Washington University in St. Louis and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming back to the pod to discuss CMS' final guidance for the latest round of the Medicare drug price negotiation program. Related Articles:Administration Releases Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Final Guidance For 2028 (Health Affairs Forefront)The Role of Combination Drugs in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (JAMA)Articulating policy options regarding implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program's renegotiation provision (Brookings Institution)Eye on The IRA (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Since Democrats decided to shut down the government over Affordable Care Act subsidies, now's a good time for a deep dive into what they're even talking about. John Hopkins professor Dr. Ge Bai walks us through the ACA subsidies, the hidden mechanics behind the Affordable Care Act, and its illusion of "affordability." Dr. Bai shows us how regulations and subsidies have quietly reshaped the healthcare market - and how the free market can make it work for patients again. Ge Bai, PhD, CPA is a Professor of Accounting at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and Professor of Health Policy & Management (joint) at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. An expert on health care accounting, finance, and policy, Dr. Bai has testified before the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate HELP Committee, written for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and published her studies in leading academic journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs. Find her on X at @GeBaiDC and read her recent WSJ oped here: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/let-the-obamacare-enhanced-premium-subsidies-expire-16ef7e1b

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Michael T. Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), about the future of U.S. public health, the politicization of vaccine oversight, and why fragmented state guidance threatens pandemic preparedness. He also discusses his new book, The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics. Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Allison Oakes, Chief Research Officer of Trilliant Health, to the pod to discuss Trilliant's recent health care trend report highlighting the health economy and breaking down the big trends, including price and affordability, demographics and lifestyle, care settings and therapies, and more.Join us for this upcoming event:11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to this event and our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.Related Articles:2025 Trends Shaping the Health Economy (Trilliant Health) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.In this episode, Rob Lott interviews Jennifer Kao of the UCLA Anderson School of Management in front of a live audience about her paper in the October 2025 issue of Health Affairs exploring the impact of risk evaluation and mitigation strategies on generic approvals of US pharmaceutical products.Order the October 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

In this episode of the Glowing Older podcast, host Nancy Griffin interviews Dr. Kenneth Pelletier, a clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at UCSF, about the science of longevity and the role of epigenetics. Dr. Pelletier shares insights into the importance of healthspan over lifespan, and the impact of diet, stress, exercise, and social support on longevity. He also discusses the potential and limitations of biohacking and the growing field of integrative medicine. About Dr. Pelletier Kenneth R. Pelletier, PhD, MD is a Clinical Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine; Department of Family and Community Medicine; and Department of Psychiatry at the University of California School of Medicine (UCSF) in San Francisco; and a Clinical Professor of Medicine in the Department of Medicine and Department Family and Community Medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine in Tucson. At the present time, Dr. Pelletier is a medical and business consultant to the US Department of Health and Human Services, the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Business Group on Health, the Federation of State Medical Boards, the Wild Dolphin Project, and major corporations including Cisco, IBM, American Airlines, Prudential, Dow, Disney, Ford, Mercer, Merck, Pepsico, Ford, Pfizer, Walgreens, NASA, Microsoft ENCARTA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Health Net, the Pasteur Institute of Lille, France, the Alpha Group of Mexico, and the Singapore Ministry of Health. He also serves on the boards of the Rancho la Puerta (Mexico), Nova Institute, Fries Foundation, American Institute of Stress (AIS), American Journal of Health Promotion (AJHP), as a Founding Board Member of the American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM), and as a peer reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM), Annals of Internal Medicine, Health Affairs, and webMD.  Dr. Pelletier is listed in Who's Who in America and in Who's Who in the World. He has been featured on ABC World News, the Today program, Good Morning America, Dr Oz, the CBS Evening News, 48 Hours, the McNeil-Lehrer Newshour, CNN, FOX News, and CBS Sunday Morning.Dr. Pelletier is the author of 15 major books including the international bestseller Mind as Healer, Mind as Slayer; Holistic Medicine: From Stress to Optimum Health; Longevity: Fulfilling Our Biological Potential; Healthy People in Unhealthy Places; Stress and Fitness at Work; Sound Mind – Sound Body: A New Model for Lifelong Health; The Best Alternative Medicine: What Works? What Does Not?; Stress Free for Good: Ten Scientifically Proven Life Skills for Health and Happiness; New Medicine: How to Integrate Conventional and Alternative Medicine for the Safest and Most Effective Treatment and Change Your Genes – Change Your Life: Creating Optimal Health with the New Science ofEpigenetics.Key TakeawaysEpigenetics is a relatively new science, developed in the last 15 years. Epigenetics are all of the influences that determine our health, wellbeing, and life expectancy after the sperm and ovum unite. Epigenetics plays a crucial role in determining health and life expectancy – 95 % of health, illness, and life expectancy are due to factors other than our genes. The role of diet, stress, physical activity and social support significantly influence genetic expression.There are no longitudinal studies for biohacking. Don'tgo into the periphery and engage in questionable practices. Sort hope from hype.Equal criteria for evaluating the outcomes of alternative and conventional medicine must be applied; both should be held to the same rigorous scientific standards to ensure their acceptability and effectiveness.

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.

Dr. Dipen J. Parekh is a globally renowned urologic oncologist, healthcare innovator, and leader in academic medicine. He was appointed Executive Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Miami and Chief Executive Officer of its health system (UHealth) on June 1, 2025. He remains Founding Director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute and is an accomplished researcher and professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine who holds the Victor A. Politano Endowed Chair in Urology and is widely celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of robotic-assisted urologic oncology. Having served as Chief Operating Officer of UHealth from 2020-2025, Chief Clinical Officer from 2017-2020, Chairman of the Department of Urology since 2012, Executive Dean of Clinical Affairs at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Director of Robotic Surgery for UHealth, Dr. Parekh brings a wealth of academic, clinical, administrative, and institutional experience to the role.Over the course of his career, Dr. Parekh has performed more than 6,000 robotic urologic cancer surgeries, making him one of the most experienced practitioners worldwide. He led the groundbreaking RAZOR trial, published in The Lancet in 2018, which established the efficacy of robotic-assisted radical cystectomy as comparable to open surgery for bladder cancer. He is an NCI funded surgeon scientist with over 200 peer reviewed publications in urologic oncology. His dedication to innovation has also included establishing advanced robotic surgery programs in academic centers across the globe.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Matthew Maughan of Brown University about his paper exploring how commercial insurers paid more for procedures at hospital outpatient departments as compared to ambulatory surgical centers. Order the October 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to take a look at the recent government shutdown, how health policy plays into it, HHS layoffs, the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, the ACA marketplace, and more.Join us for this upcoming event:11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events and our upcoming third trend report.Related Articles:Judge pauses shutdown layoffs at more than 30 federal agencies (NPR)Medicare backs off plan to pause doctor payments amid shutdown (STAT)White House: Shutdown layoffs will be ‘north of 10,000' (Politico) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Alexander Soltoff of Emory University about his recent paper exploring how private equity-owned hospices reported higher profits and lower patient care spending when compared to other ownership models.Order the October 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Troyen A. Brennan of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and former CMO at CVS Health to the pod to discuss his new book, Wonderful and Broken: The Complex Reality of Primary Care in the United States. The conversation touches on themes within the book, including the current state of primary care, the diffusion of ideas in the health care space, the paradox of value-based care driven by Medicare Advantage, innovation in the Medicaid space, and what opportunities there could be to improve health care outcomes. Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Tris Dyson, Founder of Challenge Works on his efforts in cultivating challenge prizes as an opportunity to nurture innovation in science and health care, the newly launched Longitude Prize on ALS, the transformation of drug discovery, and more.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Dr. Yul Ejnes of Brown University Health to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article he authored about the trend of deprofessionalization in the health care workforce and potential antidotes to address these issues.Learn more about the topic of the health care workforce with a Health Affairs Insider trend report.Join us for this upcoming Insider exclusive events:10/15: Immigration Policies and Their Impact on Health CareBecome an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Deprofessionalization: An Emerging Threat To The Physician Workforce (Health Affairs Forefront)The Health Care Workforce: A Challenge In Sustainability (Health Affairs) Subscribe to UnitedHealthcare's Community & State newsletter.

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Stephen Crystal of Rutgers University about his recent paper exploring how states with substantial increases in buprenorphine uptake as an opioid use disorder treatment response grew alongside increased Medicaid prescribing from 2018–24.Order the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Ellen Bayer back to the pod to discuss the release of a HHS' new strategy document focusing on childhood chronic disease as part of the Make America Healthy Again initiative, specifically the goals surrounding food, diet, and nutrition.Join us for these upcoming Insider exclusive events:9/29: Prior Authorization: Current State and Potential Reform10/15: Immigration Policies and Their Impact on Health CareBecome an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Make Our Children Healthy Again Strategy ReportThe MAHA Report - Assessment DocumentPrevalence and Trends in Pediatric-Onset Chronic Conditions in the United States, 1999–2018 (Academic Pediatrics)Food, Nutrition, and Health Theme Issue from Health AffairsU.S. Seeks New Limits on Food Ads for Children (New York Times)

AI is going to transform healthcare - but how do we ensure it does so responsibly, equitably and ethically? Google's former Chief Health Officer, Dr. Karen DeSalvo, says that AI could be public health's new best friend - if we use it in the right ways. Karen sits down with Claudia at Aspen Ideas Health to talk about her longtime career as a public health leader and where she sees a role for AI in helping to take some heat off public health communicators. She's interested in how AI can support - not replace - our human values. We discuss:How AI health agents could personalize and simplify care, especially for patients navigating complex health challengesWhy government should act as both regulator and convener to shape the future of how we use AI in healthOur failure to scale and implement big ideas because we keep adding new layers instead of simplifyingKaren underscored that AI-enabled robots will bring new ethical challenges:“I think when robotics becomes more commonplace, that also raises some of the need for us to be very thoughtful as a society about the ethical challenges when there's a physical manifestation of the models that's not just in a computer screen or even through your glasses, but as the robots get more and more humanoid.”Relevant LinksRead the Forbes article on Karen's tenure at Google Watch a Video where Karen introduces “Check Up”Read the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials' spotlight on KarenRead Karen's article about “Public Health 3.0”Check out Karen's Health Affairs article on the future of public health About Our GuestDr. Karen DeSalvo is a physician executive working at the intersection of medicine, public health, and information technology to help everyone, everywhere, live a healthier life. She leads a team of experts at Google who build helpful products, develop AI solutions focused on some of the biggest health challenges and bring information and insights to consumers, caregivers and communities with the aim of democratizing access to health and healthcare. She provides clinical leadership for Google employee health, including as part of the company COVID response team. Prior to joining Google, Dr. DeSalvo was National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and Assistant Secretary for Health (Acting) in the Obama Administration. Dr. DeSalvo served as the New Orleans Health Commissioner following Hurricane Katrina and was previously Vice Dean for Community Affairs and Health Policy at the Tulane School of Medicine where she was a practicing internal medicine physician, educator, and researcher. She is co-founder of the National Alliance to Impact the Social Determinants of Health. Dr. DeSalvo serves on the Council of the National Academy of Medicine and the Board of Directors for Welltower.SourceConnect With UsFor more information on The Other 80 please visit our website -

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Elizabeth Van Nostrand of Temple University about her recent paper exploring how Indiana adults participating in treatment court program tended to have better health outcomes than individuals who applied and were accepted but chose not to participate.Order the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Carmel Shachar of Harvard Law School to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article she co-authored that broke down the Kennedy v. Braidwood Management case focusing on access to preventive care and how the Supreme Court's framing of the relationship between the HHS Secretary and advisory bodies recommending preventive care might set a precedent worth noting.Join us for these upcoming Insider exclusive events:9/29: Prior Authorization: Current State and Potential Reform10/15: Immigration Policies and Their Impact on Health CareBecome an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.Related Articles:Braidwood's Double-Edged Sword and The Dismantling of Preventive Care (Health Affairs Forefront)Kennedy v. Braidwood Management, Inc.Kennedy v. Braidwood: The Supreme Court Upheld ACA Preventive Services but That's Not the End of the Story (KFF)Insurance Coverage Without Cost Sharing for Preventive Health Care Restored by the Supreme Court (JAMA)

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Aimee Moulin of the University of California Davis about her recent paper exploring a model for low-barrier treatment of opioid use disorder that could increase emergency department patient navigation and Buprenorphine use.Order the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health, to discuss addiction as a brain disorder, treatments for opioid use disorder, and what's next in addiction research. Order the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs, which focuses on insights on the opioid crisis.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

Right up front here, let me just state loudly that there are some amazing independent TPAs (third-party administrators) out there who have the expertise, the scrappy willfulness, and the deep desire to do right by their clients, their self-insured employer clients. For a full transcript of this episode, click here. If you enjoy this podcast, be sure to subscribe to the free weekly newsletter to be a member of the Relentless Tribe. And look, they may be facing some of the same headwinds that plan sponsors themselves face, like anticompetitive contracts, brokers who are up to no good, etc. So, just keep that in mind as you listen. And the main point of all of this if you are a plan sponsor is, find a good TPA partner, which, as Bryce Platt has said about consultants but same rules apply about TPAs here, the difficulty is being informed enough to tell the difference. So, the goal of this show is to help with that, the “be informed enough to tell the difference.” All of this being said, this is technically a Take Two; but we trimmed it down and welcome to a whole new intro. So, call this a refresher and an update about a really, really important topic from last year that is becoming extremely (maybe even more) relevant this year. Really relevant. Consider, for example, the show with Claire Brockbank (EP453) about carrier/TPA RFPs (requests for proposal) and all of the landmines that are really expensive, that are buried in some of these contracts. Then there was the Cynthia Fisher show (EP457) from last year about the millions, maybe billions of dollars in aggregate going missing in medical (ie, TPA or ASO [administrative services only]) spread pricing. We had “The Mystery of the Weekly Claims Wire” show with Justin Leader (EP433), again, revealing money that's being disappeared when the TPA is withdrawing dollars from plan sponsor checking accounts. And then there's the payment integrity episode with Kimberly Carleson (EP480) from a few weeks ago with just another wrinkle on this, namely TPAs or ASOs who insist on auditing themselves and how that turns out for members and plan sponsors. Oh, and last, but certainly not least, is the whistleblower show with Ann Lewandowski (EP476) on how a TPA arm of an EBC (employee benefit consultant) allegedly pocketed $20 million—$20 million of their client's pharma rebates—and used that $20 million to fund their executive bonus pool. What a time to be alive! All of this just highlights the huge stakes for plan sponsors to really understand what their TPA is all about. And when I say high stakes, I mean from both a legal standpoint and also just vast dollars in play here. But this episode with Elizabeth Mitchell is also, I'm gonna say, extremely relevant given just a few ripped from the headlines and news articles such as these. I'm gonna start actually with a post from Kimberly Carleson, and I like the comment by Jeff Evans, who wrote, “How does $8,710 equal $104,266?” Spoiler alert, it doesn't. Lots of missing dollars there. Someone's hands are in the cookie jar. Oh, look, the TPA has entered the chat. In a nutshell, and I'm quoting something Peter Hayes wrote, he wrote, “TPAs have received relatively little public attention. [There's an article in Health Affairs] that describes how TPAs impose hidden fees, benefit from their own form of spread pricing, and otherwise prioritize their own financial interests over those of their plan clients.” Also, here's a totally other issue. Let me quote Luke Prettol highlighting something Jason Shafrin had written about a paper by Jeff Marr, Daniel Polsky, and Mark Meiselbach. Let me slightly rephrase what Luke said. He wrote, “Employers pay, on average, a 4.7% [so almost 5%] price markup when hospitals are in their TPA's [Medicare Advantage] network.” Right? Dr. Eric Bricker talked about this in that episode (EP472) just how TPAs with MA (Medicare Advantage) business negotiate their commercial clients to pay higher rates so that then they can pay lower rates for their own MA members. As Luke wrote, “On its face, this overpayment does not appear to be solely in the interest of participants.” No kidding. Now, let's spin the wheel here. There are barriers for TPAs themselves, even the ones who have a deep desire to do the right thing. As Patrick Moore wrote, “Most TPAs still can't do [many of the things that employers might want because there are] PPO contracts.” So, is it a rock in a hard place situation? I mean, if the TPA has no other options than using a carrier's PPO (preferred provider organization) network with all its attendant contractual issues, then yeah, that is one definite challenge. Along these lines, let me read a post by Rina Tikia, because I think she sums up this really well. “When independent TPAs … push for transparency, they're blocked under the banner of ‘fiduciary risk.' “Meanwhile, the largest carriers and PBMs, with Cayman shell subsidiaries, DOJ kickback probes, [huge] hedge fund ties, [$10 million-plus] lobbying budgets, and antitrust violations continue unchecked. They are not only allowed to operate but celebrated as mainstream options. “Why the double standard? Political donations? Foundation smokescreens? Nonprofit status as a PR shield?” These are excellent questions. And here's another challenge: brokers. Ramesh Kumar Budhani wrote about this one, just how hard it is sometimes to find—for TPA, an independent TPA, trying to do the right thing—to find brokers who prioritize doing the right thing for employers and helping their clients save money. The summary of all of this: There are TPAs and there are ASOs who aren't even trying. They are going to ride the flywheel, the gravy train, and catch all of the dollars flying off of it for as long as they can manage to cling to it with all 10 of their fingers. Then there are TPAs, mostly indies, trying super hard to do the right thing. But how successful they are is going to depend on how boxed in they are by the PPO networks or the carriers that the brokers or even plan sponsors may insist on. Just how courageous they are and just how smart they are and experienced they are about the market and how it actually operates. So, the show that follows is about all of this, including how we can inspire TPAs, which, in the show that follows, subsumes ASOs kind of into it. But in the show that follows, I hope it's inspiring to create an environment so that the market demands TPAs that do all of the things, and we make inertia not a viable business strategy. Elizabeth Mitchell, my guest today, currently serves as the president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health. Also mentioned in this episode are Purchaser Business Group on Health; Bryce Platt; Claire Brockbank; Cynthia Fisher; Justin Leader; Kimberly Carleson; Ann Lewandowski; Jeff Evans; Peter Hayes; Luke Prettol; Jason Shafrin; Jeff Marr; Daniel Polsky; Mark Meiselbach; Eric Bricker, MD; Tom Nash; Patrick Moore; Rina Tikia; Ramesh Kumar Budhani; Mark Cuban; Harold Miller; Chris Deacon; Moby Parsons, MD; Benjamin Schwartz, MD, MBA; Mishe Health; Rik Renard; and Cora Opsahl. You can learn more at PBGH and by connecting with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.   Elizabeth Mitchell, president and CEO of the Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH), advances its strategic focus areas of advanced primary care, functional markets, and purchasing value. She leads PBGH in mobilizing health care purchasers, elevating the role and impact of primary care, and creating functional healthcare markets to support high-quality affordable care, achieving measurable impacts on outcomes and affordability. At PBGH, Elizabeth leverages her extensive experience in working with healthcare purchasers, providers, policymakers, and payers to improve healthcare quality and cost. She previously served as senior vice president for healthcare and community health transformation at Blue Shield of California, during which time she designed Blue Shield's strategy for transforming practice, payment, and community health. Elizabeth served as the president and CEO of the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI), a network of regional quality improvement and measurement organizations. She also served as CEO of Maine's business coalition on health (the Maine Health Management Coalition), worked within an integrated delivery system (MaineHealth), and was elected to the Maine State Legislature, serving as a State Representative. Elizabeth served as vice chairperson of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory Committee, board and executive committee member of the National Quality Forum (NQF), member of the National Academy of Medicine's “Vital Signs” Study Committee on core metrics, and a guiding committee member for the Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network. Elizabeth holds a degree in religion from Reed College and studied social policy at the London School of Economics.   08:06 What is the overarching context for health plans in healthcare purchasing? 11:31 Why is it important to reestablish a connection between the people paying for care and people providing care? 13:47 What are the needs of a self-insured employer when managing employee benefits? 19:00 Is it doable for employers to set their own contracts? 21:24 Is transparency presumed? 22:39 Will the new transparency upon us actually expose wasted expense? 24:23 EP408 with Chris Deacon. 25:58 “This is not about individual bad actors. … The systems … that is not aligned.” 27:39 Are there providers who want to work directly with employers? 30:53 Why is it important that incentives need to be aligned? 32:42 EP427 with Rik Renard. 33:51 What's missing from the conversation on changing health plans?   You can learn more at PBGH and by connecting with Elizabeth on LinkedIn.   @lizzymitch2 of @PBGHealth discusses #TPA and #healthplan vs. #jumboemployer inertia on our #healthcarepodcast. #healthcare #podcast #financialhealth #patientoutcomes #primarycare #digitalhealth #healthcareleadership #healthcaretransformation #healthcareinnovation   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Dave Chase, Jonathan Baran (Part 2), Jonathan Baran (Part 1), Jonathan Baran (Bonus Episode), Dr Stan Schwartz (Summer Shorts), Preston Alexander, Dr Tom X Lee (Take Two: EP445), Dr Tom X Lee (Bonus Episode), Dr Benjamin Schwartz, Dr John Lee (Take Two: EP438), Kimberly Carleson, Ann Lewandowski (Summer Shorts)