Podcasts about healthcare costs

What happens when you blend the soul of Mr. Rogers, the boldness of RuPaul, and just a pinch of Carrie Bradshaw? You get Sally Wolf.She's a Harvard and Stanford powerhouse who ditched corporate media to help people actually flourish at work and in life—because cancer kicked her ass and she kicked it back, with a pole dance routine on Netflix for good measure.In this episode, we unpack what it means to live (really live) with metastatic breast cancer. We talk about the toxic PR machine behind "pink ribbon" cancer, how the healthcare system gaslights survivors when treatment ends, and why spreadsheets and dance classes saved her sanity. Sally doesn't just survive. She rewrites the script, calls out the BS, and shows up in full color.If you've ever asked “Why me?”—or refused to—this one's for you.RELATED LINKS:Sally Wolf's WebsiteLinkedInInstagramCosmopolitan Essay: "What It's Like to Have the 'Good' Cancer"Oprah Daily Article: "Five Things I Wish Everyone Understood About My Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis"Allure Photo ShootThe Story of Our Trauma PodcastFEEDBACK:Like this episode? Rate and review Out of Patients on your favorite podcast platform. For guest suggestions or sponsorship inquiries, email podcast@matthewzachary.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Analyzing Trump's plan to roll back soaring drug prices for Americans; Sports bras eliminate bounce but may take a toll on women's backs; RFK Jr. targets the chemicals in our food; Do Americans really eat more animal protein than any other of the world's nations? Causes and treatments for pulmonary hypertension.

Blanchard Valley Health System CEO Myron Lewis explains his concern about state and federal proposals that he says would put patients' care at risk (at 14:05) --- As we head into the season of fun in the sun, it's time for a reminder about the dangers of skin cancer... and new technology that could make treatment more accessible and less invasive (at 25:27) --- For the 10th year, Bayer is the presenting sponsor of country music superstar Luke Bryan's Farm Tour, raising awareness for the issue of food insecurity and the challenges faced by the people who put meals on our table (at 46:23)

In this special episode recorded live at The College's Horizons 2025 conference, Lindsey Lewis, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, managing director and chair of the American College Center for Women in Financial Services, speaks with healthcare professional turned financial educator Carolyn McClanahan, CFP® on how financial professionals can work with clients to maximize their healthcare benefits and avoid costly mistakes. They also discuss the unique challenges facing women in situations where spouses require long-term care or other financial considerations, as well as important elements to focus on in planning with clients such as Medicare/Medicaid, deductibles, tax implications, and more. Find all episodes now at TheAmericanCollege.edu/Shares.

Dr. Bill Hennessey, Chief Integrity Officer for CareGuide, joins JMN with details on a study suggesting that 1 in 3 people can't afford health insurance or associated costs for care, prescriptions, etc. His organization advocates price negotiations, and he has tips for how patients can mitigate costs by using resources other than hospitals for care processes.

Most Americans put health problems wrecking their finances high on the list of things…

Are you one of the many Californians who needs mental healthcare but can't access it due to costs? If you're covered under UMR Insurance, you can get affordable, high-quality care at Mission Connection. Call (866) 833-1822 or visit https://missionconnectionhealthcare.com/umr-insurance/ to learn more. Mission Connection City: San Juan Capistrano Address: 30310 Rancho Viejo Rd. Website: https://missionconnectionhealthcare.com/

Most Americans put health problems wrecking their finances high on the list of things they fret about. It's with good cause. A new national survey shows that more than 31...

In Episode 474 of 'Relentless Health Value', host Stacey Richter interviews Dr. Yashaswini Singh, an economist and assistant professor at Brown University, about the growing influence of private equity (PE) in healthcare.  The conversation delves into the corporate transformation of medicine, highlighting the potential misalignment between business interests and patient care. Dr. Singh discusses the diverse strategies PE firms use to drive profitability, such as increasing negotiated prices, consolidating market share, employing real estate leasebacks, and emphasizing performance metrics that may not align with patient benefits.  The episode also examines the significant impacts these strategies have on physicians, including increased turnover and changes in practice patterns, as well as the broader implications for patients and communities. Dr. Singh stresses the importance of informed leadership, education, policy enforcement, and transparency to ensure that private investments ultimately benefit healthcare systems without compromising patient care. === LINKS ===

The Met Gala is coming up, and so is "The Debt Gala," which parodies celebrity culture and Avant Garde fashion to raise money and awareness about the issues surrounding healthcare costs. Debt Gala co-founder Molly Gaebe and comedian, writer and actor Joyelle Nicole Johnson, who got involved through her own experiences with medical debt, discuss the event, and the issue it's meant to highlight.

Ever wonder how healthcare actually works? What insurance should you actually get? And what even is an HSA? In this week's episode of Networth and Chill, Vivian explores the intersection of healthcare and financial wellbeing. She demystifies HSAs, FSAs, and the hidden costs of insurance plans while offering practical strategies for negotiating medical bills and avoiding debt traps.  Follow the podcast on Instagram and TikTok! Check out the resources mentioned in the episode! https://www.fairhealthconsumer.org/ https://www.costplusdrugs.com/ https://www.goodrx.com/ https://health.amazon.com/ https://www.fighthealthinsurance.com/ Got a financial question you want answered in a future episode? Email us at podcast@yourrichbff.com Thank you to our sponsors: Amazon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this week's episode: Are you prepared for market ups and downs in your retirement? Gold: A Safe Bet or Risky Gamble? Why You Might Pay More Taxes in Retirement Retirement isn't just about finances; it's about creating lasting memories and joy. Like this episode? Hit that Follow button and never miss an episode!

In this episode, Tudor and Tim Murtaugh discuss the implications of the Biden pill penalty, a provision in the Inflation Reduction Act that negatively impacts the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare costs. They explore how this legislation discourages the development of cheaper, more effective medications, leading to increased healthcare costs and lost life years. The conversation also touches on the role of China in pharmaceutical development, the unintended consequences of legislation, and the importance of intellectual property laws in protecting creators. The Tudor Dixon Podcast is part of the CLay Travis & Buck Sexton Podcast Network. For more visit TudorDixonPodcast.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

POTUS Folds and You Need to Know Why✅ Subscribe to Jae's Corner on Substack: https://bit.ly/3u8TR8sWe dive into back-to-back tariff reversals in under a week, exposing how Washington's 90-day pause, funding maneuvers, and bond-dollar breakdowns are reshaping global finance. Tune in for the poker-style folding strategy you need—and stick around for cost-control tips on healthcare and retirement. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and follow Jae's Corner!In This Video00:00:00 Fault Framing & Double Reversals00:01:00 90-Day Pause & Tariff Exceptions00:03:00 Tariffs Funding Tax Cuts & Political Control00:06:00 Stocks for Show, Bonds for Dough Explained00:08:00 Bond Market & Dollar Defy Traditional Flows00:11:00 Euro's Big Figure Move: Global Alarm Bell00:16:00 Poker Decision Analogy: Folding Over Fighting00:19:00 Fed's Watchful Restraint Amid Market Tumult00:21:00 Why Elections Can't Solve This Economic Crisis00:30:00 Healthcare Costs & Retirement Realities

This episode of Relentless Health Value features Dr. Kenny Cole from Ochsner Health System. The discussion emphasizes the critical role of trusted relationships and excellent primary care teams in keeping patients out of the emergency room, thus reducing healthcare costs. Stacey Richter revisits this conversation to highlight the importance of care teams building trust with patients and the concept of primary care as an investment in health and wellness. The episode outlines four key points for delivering great primary care, including accountability for outcomes, belief in clinical goals, standardized care flows, and building patient trust. Dr. Cole also discusses the real-world challenges and strategies for achieving clinical and financial success in primary care. The episode serves as a guide for plan sponsors, clinicians, and healthcare executives looking to improve primary care delivery and align it with financial viability. The discussion is further enriched with insights on digitizing care pathways and the importance of measuring and sharing best practices to achieve high standards of care.I Stacey revisits, in a take two, this episode with Dr. Kenny Cole because she's listening to it this time with a new focus. That focus is the theme that keeps coming up over and over and over again on Relentless Health Value these past few months. === LINKS ===

How One Leader Came Out of Retirement to Transform Home Healthcare Jasper Freeman, Director of National Accounts at SC Pharmaceuticals, didn't just return to medical sales—he came back with a mission to change it. In this episode, Jasper shares how he helped launch Ferosix, a revolutionary heart failure treatment designed to keep patients out of the hospital and improve care at home. But that's just the beginning. We dive into: The untold story of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and their massive influence over drug pricing and access Why the insurance-sales-patient triangle is the key battleground in healthcare innovation What the U.S. can learn from other countries about lowering costs and improving care Bold reform ideas—from slashing med school tuition to rethinking drug distribution This is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the business of healthcare, guided by someone who's lived it at the highest levels. If you're in medical sales—or trying to break in—this episode is a masterclass on what's next and how to lead the change. Connect with Jasper: LinkedIn Connect with Me: LinkedIn Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here's How » Want to connect with past guests and access exclusive Q&As? Join our EYS Skool Community today!

Many fully insured employers are seeing sharp increases in healthcare premiums - some reporting hikes of 15%, 20%, even 30%. A major driver behind these rising costs? Overpriced and specialty medications continue to strain benefit budgets and impact long-term sustainability.In the latest episode of The Health Literacy 2.0 Podcast, Doug Roehm, President and Lead Strategic Consultant at Strategic Services Group, shares strategies to address this challenge. He highlights innovative ways to engage employees, from gamification to virtual care, and offers fresh insights on managing cost inflation while improving health literacy.Seth and Doug also discuss:☑️ Strategies used to engage Native American tribes and unions in health and wellness programs, emphasizing cultural sensitivity and trust-building.☑️ The current challenges employers face in managing rising healthcare costs, especially concerning pharmacy benefits and high-cost specialty medications.☑️ Medicare reference-based pricing as a cost-control strategy, and how employers can apply it to negotiate better healthcare rates.☑️ Techniques for increasing employee engagement in health literacy efforts, including simplified communication, relatable content, and incentives.☑️The role of gamification - using tools like Edlogics - to make health education interactive and appealing, boosting participation and knowledge retention.☑️ Integrating EAP (Employee Assistance Program) with behavioral health services to create a more cohesive, accessible support system for employees.☑️ The use of health care navigation services to relieve HR teams and empower employees with clearer benefit guidance and smarter healthcare decisions.☑️ And much more.Tune in to discover how engagement can transform your organization's health outcomes and make informed choices.Learn About EdLogicsWant to see how EdLogics' gamified platform can boost health literacy, drive engagement in health and wellness programs, and help people live happier, healthier lives?Visit EdLogics.

Rea Hederman of The Buckeye Institute covers a range of ideas including A.I. in lowering Healthcare costs

The American healthcare system is complex, but two of the most urgent cost drivers offer places to start exploring possible reforms: prescription drug pricing and how providers are paid. In this episode, we examine the conflicting incentives at the heart of the U.S. healthcare system between insurers, providers, pharmaceutical companies, and patients. These competing priorities shape everything from access to care to drug affordability. Through conversations with healthcare experts, we unpack the role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and compare fee-for-service and capitated payment models. PBM diagram referred to in the podcast: https://www.healthcarehuddle.com/p/drug-supply-chain. Healthcare policy articles by ScriptsPro CEO and journalist Ken Perez: https://www.hfma.org/author/ken-perez/.

In Episode 472, Stacey Richter speaks with Dr. Eric Bricker about the impactful strategies hospital systems use to maximize revenue from high-cost patients. They explore the financial complexities and contracting tactics that enable hospitals to profit significantly from a small percentage of high-cost claimants. Key points include the negotiation of provider stop-loss contract provisions, strategic adjustment of charge masters, and the intentional steerage of patients to high-revenue service lines. This episode highlights the intricacies of hospital finance and the hidden mechanisms that drive healthcare costs for self-insured employers and other plan sponsors. We could have 0.5% to 1% of total plan members costing upwards of 40% of total plan dollars. And I bring this up just to highlight the magnitude of the money here. In that show from last week, we take the issue of high-cost claimants from the standpoint of the plan sponsor. Today, however, we're gonna be looking at this from the standpoint of the hospital system. If we were to come up with a motto for the show today with Dr. Eric Bricker, it's that all costs are somebody else's revenue. And when it's revenue and profit of the magnitude that we're talking about with many high-cost claimants, it starts to be less of an accidental “Oh, wow! How did that CABG patient wind up in our clinic? What are the odds?” and more of a “Whoever is not steering patients is letting someone else with a big profit incentive lock down that steerage in deeply embedded ways.”  === LINKS ===

CrowdHealth is revolutionizing healthcare by creating a community-funded alternative to traditional insurance, where members pay cash for medical services at significantly lower rates while maintaining high-quality care.KISMETWhile most would assume large insurance companies like UnitedHealthcare (the 7th largest company by revenue globally) would negotiate the best rates, CrowdHealth members are actually securing medical procedures at about 50% of what insurance companies pay - typically around 130-140% of Medicare rates compared to insurance companies' 250-300%.EPISODE SUMMARYIn this compelling interview, Andy Schoonover, founder of CrowdHealth, explains how his company is disrupting traditional healthcare financing. After a personal experience with insurance denying coverage for his daughter's medical procedure, Schoonover discovered that paying cash for healthcare services often costs significantly less than using insurance. CrowdHealth now serves 10,000 members who fund each other's healthcare needs, having processed 20,000 bills over three years. Members typically pay half what traditional insurance costs, without networks or complex paperwork. The company has successfully handled major medical events, including a $1 million emergency that was negotiated down to $200,000. CrowdHealth is also pioneering a new approach to wellness by offering discounts to metabolically healthy members, creating financial incentives for maintaining good health. The community aspect encourages members to make cost-conscious healthcare decisions, as they're helping fellow members rather than faceless insurance companies.Contact info for Andy SchoonoverInvitee Email: andy@joincrowdhealth.comTwitter: https://x.com/JoinCrowdHealthInstagram: @joincrowdhealthWebsite: www.joincrowdhealth.comLinkedIn: CrowdHealthSend Dr. Ovadia a Text Message. (If you want a response, include your contact information.) Dr. Ovadia can not respond here. To contact his team please email team@ifixhearts.com Joburg MeatsKeto/Carnivore-friendly meat snacks. Tasty+Clean. 4 ingredients. Use code “iFixHearts” to save 15%. Chances are, you wouldn't be listening to this podcast if you didn't need to change your life and get healthier. So take action right now. Book a call with Dr. Ovadia's team. One small step in the right direction is all it takes to get started. Stay Off My Operating Table on X: Dr. Ovadia: @iFixHearts Jack Heald: @JackHeald5 Learn more: Stay Off My Operating Table on Amazon Take Dr. Ovadia's metabolic health quiz: iFixHearts Dr. Ovadia's website: Ovadia Heart Health Jack Heald's website: CultYourBrand.com Theme Song : Rage AgainstWritten & Performed by Logan Gritton & Colin Gailey(c) 2016 Mercury Retro RecordingsAny use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Dr. Philip Ovadia.

Prof. Jon Stone, Dr. Laura Strom, and Meagan Watson discuss functional seizures and healthcare costs related to the functional seizure program at the University of Colorado. Show reference: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/CPJ.0000000000200393 

Tripp Limehouse discusses the current economic climate, focusing on recession fears and their implications for retirement planning. They emphasize the importance of having a solid financial plan, especially during market volatility. Tripp introduces the Green Line Principle as a safe money strategy to help retirees navigate uncertain times. The conversation also covers risk tolerance, market corrections, and the need for expert guidance in financial planning. The conversation also includes listener questions about qualified charitable distributions and inherited annuities, emphasizing the need for personalized financial advice. Visit Limehouse Financial to learn more. Call 800-940-6979See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prof. Jon Stone talks with Dr. Laura Strom and Meagan Watson about changes in total emergency department and inpatient visits and costs before and after referral to a specialized, comprehensive functional seizure treatment clinic. Read the related article with Neurology® Clinical Practice. Disclosures can be found at Neurology.org.   

Can the gender of your surgeon influence your outcome after surgery? New research says yes. In this episode of BackTable Urology, Dr. Christopher J.D. Wallis, a prominent urologic oncologist and health services researcher in Toronto, joins guest host Dr. Casey Seideman for a pivotal conversation at the intersection of surgical outcomes, gender, and health equity. This episode was developed in collaboration with the Society of Women in Urology (SWIU). --- SYNPOSIS Drawing from extensive studies and meta-analyses, Dr. Wallace highlights a significant mortality benefit for patients treated by female surgeons. The episode explores how these findings have sparked discussions on surgeon practices, patient care, and gender equity in medicine. Dr. Wallace also shares personal experiences to underline the importance of diversity and inclusive practices in healthcare. Finally, the two urologists discuss challenges faced when supporting diversity efforts and opportunities for future progress. --- TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Introduction 04:01 - Personal Experience with Gender Bias in Surgery 07:05 - Groundbreaking Data on Surgeon Sex and Patient Outcomes 12:23 - Long-Term Outcomes and Consistency in Data 14:14 - Hypotheses and Underlying Reasons for Better Outcomes with Female Surgeons 20:18 - Impact on Healthcare Costs and Productivity 26:14 - Challenges and Pushback in the Medical Community 35:05 - Conclusion --- RESOURCES Society of Women in Urology https://swiu.org/home.aspx

"If you know how a PBM gets paid, that's the best transparency you can ask for.” - Julie WassermanJulie Wasserman, VP of Sales for VerusRx, joined me this week to discuss the PBM industry in 2025. If you're a PBM, how do you gain trust with employers and build plans that work for them? We talk about what every PBM should be doing for their employers, what true transparency looks like, how to reach employees directly through software, and how GLP1s are changing the industry.If you're a PBM or work with them, or are just curious about one of the biggest industries in healthcare, make sure to tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer to hear from Julie on what the best practices need to look like.Chapters:00:00:00 What The PBM Industry Should Focus On In 2025 | with Julie Wasserman00:15:07 Increasing Employee Engagement00:20:16 Complexity in the PBM Industry00:25:03 Data-Driven Health Savings for Employers00:31:27 What Does True Transparency Look Like00:49:36 Global Drug Price Discrepancies00:56:38 Incentivizing Cost-Effective Healthcare Decisions in PBMs01:01:11 Financial Risks of Covering GLP1s for Weight LossKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: VerusRx, PBM, PBMs, Rebate, Rebates, Pharmacy Rebates, Transparency, PBMIndustry, GLP1, GLP1s, Ozempic, Wegovy, pharma, Reference Based Pricing, RBP, Healthcare Costs, julie wasserman, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#VerusRx #PBM #PBMs #Rebate #Rebates #PharmacyRebates #Transparency #PBMIndustry #GLP1 #GLP1s #Ozempic #Wegovy #pharma #ReferenceBasedPricing #RBP #HealthcareCosts #juliewasserman #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

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"If you know how a PBM gets paid, that's the best transparency you can ask for.” - Julie WassermanJulie Wasserman, VP of Sales for VerusRx, joined me this week to discuss the PBM industry in 2025. If you're a PBM, how do you gain trust with employers and build plans that work for them? We talk about what every PBM should be doing for their employers, what true transparency looks like, how to reach employees directly through software, and how GLP1s are changing the industry.If you're a PBM or work with them, or are just curious about one of the biggest industries in healthcare, make sure to tune in this week to Self-Funded with Spencer to hear from Julie on what the best practices need to look like.Chapters:00:00:00 What The PBM Industry Should Focus On In 2025 | with Julie Wasserman00:15:07 Increasing Employee Engagement00:20:16 Complexity in the PBM Industry00:25:03 Data-Driven Health Savings for Employers00:31:27 What Does True Transparency Look Like00:49:36 Global Drug Price Discrepancies00:56:38 Incentivizing Cost-Effective Healthcare Decisions in PBMs01:01:11 Financial Risks of Covering GLP1s for Weight LossKey Links for Social:@SelfFunded on YouTube for video versions of the podcast and much more - https://www.youtube.com/@SelfFundedListen on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1TjmrMrkIj0qSmlwAIevKA?si=068a389925474f02Listen on Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/self-funded-with-spencer/id1566182286Follow Spencer on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencer-smith-self-funded/Follow Spencer on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/selffundedwithspencer/Key Words: VerusRx, PBM, PBMs, Rebate, Rebates, Pharmacy Rebates, Transparency, PBMIndustry, GLP1, GLP1s, Ozempic, Wegovy, pharma, Reference Based Pricing, RBP, Healthcare Costs, julie wasserman, spencer smith, podcast, healthcare, health insurance, self funded, self funding, self funded health insurance, self funded insurance#VerusRx #PBM #PBMs #Rebate #Rebates #PharmacyRebates #Transparency #PBMIndustry #GLP1 #GLP1s #Ozempic #Wegovy #pharma #ReferenceBasedPricing #RBP #HealthcareCosts #juliewasserman #spencersmith #podcast #healthcare #healthinsurance #selffunded #selffunding #selffundedhealthinsurance #selffundedinsurance

Rob Main helps people of all ages at Rob Main Health and Wellness. That puts him deep into the world of Health coverage and Medicare. Learn what you need to know about the ups and downs of Medicare. Like this episode? Hit that Follow button and never miss an episode!

Tripp Limehouse discusses the multifaceted challenges of retirement planning, emphasizing the importance of being proactive about potential risks such as longevity, inflation, and healthcare costs. He highlights the necessity of creating a comprehensive financial plan that includes guaranteed income streams and addresses long-term care needs. The conversation also features listener questions, providing personalized insights into retirement strategies. Visit Limehouse Financial to learn more. Call 800-940-6979See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this podcast episode ... It's National Public Health Week April 7th to 13th so what better time to talk about the healthcare industry here in the US And Sarah Worthy CEO of Door Space gives us her frank opinions about where it's going and why we need to stop it. Plus we take a look at other stories from around the region.

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Tripp Limehouse discusses the various curveballs that can impact retirement planning, including financial instability, healthcare and long-term care costs, tax planning, and estate planning oversights. They emphasize the importance of proactive financial management and working with professionals to navigate these challenges effectively. The conversation highlights the need for realistic budgeting, understanding healthcare costs, tax implications, and the necessity of having a solid estate plan to ensure a smooth transition into retirement. Call 800-940-6979. Visit Limehouse Financial to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Retirement Talk Podcast, Kevin talks about the current market volatility, inflation concerns, and the importance of having a solid retirement plan. Kevin emphasizes the need to reduce uncertainties in retirement planning, focusing on guarantees and preparing for potential market downturns. The conversation also highlights critical estate planning mistakes, such as failing to designate beneficiaries, and the necessity of comprehensive planning that includes taxes, healthcare costs, and legacy considerations. Get your Complimentary Portfolio Review TODAY! Social Media: Facebook I LinkedIn See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health insurance costs are rising, and most CEOs feel trapped in a system that seems impossible to control. But what if there was a way to cut costs, improve employee benefits, and take back control?In Part 2 of our conversation with Chris Hamilton, partner at Hotchkiss Insurance, we dive into practical strategies that business owners can use to build a high-performance, cost-saving health plan—without sacrificing quality care.

Medicare decisions can be overwhelming, and with rising costs and policy changes, making the right choice is more important than ever. In this episode, Bryan Gay, owner of Boomer Insurance Group, shares his insights from helping over 20,000 clients navigate Medicare enrollment, insurance options, and the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act. He explains why working with his team can be a game-changer and how choosing the wrong plan could cost you in the long run. Access the full show notes at Mason & Associates, LLC Resources Mentioned: Tommy Blackburn: LinkedIn John Mason: LinkedIn Bryan Gay: LinkedIn | Website Blue Cross Blue Shield Compare

Here's my new idea for an episode. Welcome to it. I want to talk about a major theme running through the last few episodes of Relentless Health Value. And this theme is, heads up, going to continue through a few upcoming shows as well. 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. We have Matt McQuide coming up, talking about patient engagement, and Christine Hale, MD, MBA, talking about high-cost claimants. And we also have an encore coming up with Kenny Cole, MD, talking about a lot of things; but patient trust is one of them. But before I get to the main theme to ponder here, let me talk about what gets selected to talk about on Relentless Health Value. I will freely admit, how topics for shows get picked, it's not exactly a linear sort of affair. And furthermore, even if it were, I can't always get the stars to align to get a specific cluster of guests to all come on like one after the other. So, for sure, it might be less than obvious at times where my head is at—and sometimes, admittedly, I don't even know. This may sound incredibly scattershot (and it probably is), but in my defense, this whole healthcare thing, in case you didn't know, it's really complicated. Every time I get a chance to chat with an expert, I learn something new. I feel like it's almost impossible to sit in a vacuum and mastermind some kind of grand insight. Very, very fortunately, I don't need to sit in a cave and do all this heavy thinking all by myself. We got ourselves a tribe here of like-minded, really smart folks between the guests and you lot, all of you in the tribe of listeners who are here every week. Yeah, you rock! And I can always count on you to start teasing out the themes and the through lines and the really key actionable points. You email me. You write great posts and comments on LinkedIn and elsewhere. Even if I am a little bit behind the eight ball translating my instinct into an actual trend line, it doesn't slow this bus down. It's you who keeps it moving, which is why I can confidently say it's you all who are to blame for this new idea I came up with the other day after the podcast with Al Lewis (EP464) triggered so much amazing and really deep insight and dot connecting back and forth that hooked together the past six, I'm gonna say, or so shows. Let's just start at the beginning. Let's start with the topics that have been discussed in the past several episodes of the pod. Here I go. Emergency room visits are now costing about 6% of total plan sponsor spend on average. That was the holy crap moment from the episode with Al Lewis (EP464). Emergency room volume is up, and also prices are up. In that show with Al Lewis, I did quote John Lee, MD, who is an emergency room doctor, by the way. I quoted him because he told a story about a patient who came into the ER, winds up getting a big workup in his ER. Dr. Lee says he sees this situation a lot where the patient comes in, they've had something going on for a while, they've tried to make an appointment with their PCP or even urgent care, they could not get in. It's also really hard to coordinate and get all the blood work or the scans and have that all looked at that's needed for the workup to even happen. I've spoken with multiple ER doctors at this point, and they all say pretty much the same thing. They see the same scenario happen often enough, maybe even multiple times a day. Patient comes in with something that may or may not be emergent, and they are now in the ER because they've been worried about it for weeks or months. And the ER is like the only place where they can get to the bottom of what is going on with their body. And then the patient, you know, they spend the whole day in the ER getting what amounts to weeks' worth of outpatient workup accomplished and scans and imaging and labs. And there's no prior authing anything down. It's also incredibly expensive. Moving on from the Al Lewis show, earlier than that I had had on Rushika Fernandopulle, MD (EP460) and then also Scott Conard, MD (EP462). Both are PCPs, both talking about primary care and what makes good primary care and what makes bad primary care and how our current “healthcare marketplace,” as Dr. Conard puts it, incentivizes either no primary care and/or primary care where volume driven throughput is the name of the game—you know, like seeing 25 patients a day. These visits or episodes of care are often pretty transactional. If relationships are formed, it's because the doctor and/or the patient are rising above the system, not the other way around. And none of that is good for primary care doctors, nurses, or other clinicians. It's also not good for patients, and it's not good for plan sponsors or any of the ultimate purchasers here (taxpayers, patients themselves) because while all of this is going on, those patients getting no or not good primary care are somebody's next high-cost claimant. Okay, so those were the shows with Rushika Fernandopulle and Scott Conard. Then this past week was the show with Vivian Ho, PhD (EP466), who discusses the incentives that hospital leadership often has. And these incentives may actually sound great on paper, but IRL, they wind up actually jacking up prices and set up some weird incentives to increase the number of beds and the heads in them. There was also two shows, one of them with Betsy Seals (EP463) and then another one with Wendell Potter (EP384), about Medicare Advantage and what payers are up to. Alright, so let's dig in. What's the big theme? What's the big through line here? Let's take it from the top. Theme 1 is largely this (and Scott Conard actually said this flat out in his show): Primary care—good primary care, I mean—is an investment. Everything else is a cost. And those skyrocketing ER costs are pure evidence of this. Again, listen to that show with Al Lewis earlier (EP464) for a lot of details about this. But total plan costs … 6% are ER visits. Tim Denman from Premise Health wrote, “That is an insane number! Anything over 2% warrants concern.” But yeah, these days we have, on average across the country, 200 plan members out of 1000 every single year dipping into their local ER. That number, by the way, will rise and fall depending on the access and availability of primary care and/or good urgent cares. Here's from a Web site entitled ER Visit Statistics, Facts & Trends: “In the United States, emergency room visits often highlight gaps in healthcare accessibility. Many individuals turn to ERs for conditions that could have been managed through preventative or primary care. … This indicates that inadequate access to healthcare often leads to increased reliance on emergency departments. … “ED visits can entail significant costs, particularly when a considerable portion of these visits is classified as non-urgent. … [Non-urgent] visits—not requiring immediate medical intervention—often lead to unnecessary expenditures that could be better allocated in primary care settings.” And by the way, if you look at the total cost across the country of ER visits, it's billions and billions and billions of dollars. In 2017, ED visits (I don't have a stat right in front of me), but in 2017, ED visits were $76.3 billion in the United States. Alright, so, the Al Lewis show comes out, I see that, and then, like a bolt of lightning, François de Brantes, MBA, enters the chat. François de Brantes was on Relentless Health Value several years ago (EP220). I should have him come back on. But François de Brantes cemented with mortar the connectivity between runaway ER costs and the lack of primary care. He started out talking actually about a new study from the Milbank Memorial Fund. Only like 5% of our spend going to primary care is way lower than any other developed country in the world—all of whom, of course, have far higher life expectancies than us. So, yeah … they might be onto something. François de Brantes wrote (with some light editing), “Setting aside the impotence of policies, the real question we should ask ourselves is whether we're looking at the right numbers. The short answer is no, with all due respect to the researchers that crunched the numbers. That's probably because the lens they're using is incredibly narrow and misses everything else.” And he's talking now about, is that 5% primary care number actually accurate? François de Brantes continues, “Consider, for example, that in commercially insured plans, the total spend on … EDs is 6% or more.” And then he says, “Check out Stacey Richter's podcast on the subject, but 6% is essentially what researchers say is spent on, you know, ‘primary care.' Except … they don't count those costs, the ER costs. They don't count many other costs that are for primary care, meaning for the treatment of routine preventative and sick care, all the things that family practices used to manage but don't anymore. They don't count them because those services are rendered by clinicians other than those in primary care practice.” François concludes (and he wrote a great article) that if you add up all the dollars that are spent on things that amount to primary care but just didn't happen in a primary care office, it's conservatively around 17% of total dollars. So, yeah … it's not like anyone is saving money by not making sure that every plan member or patient across the country has a relationship with an actual primary care team—you know, a doctor or a nurse who they can get on the phone with who knows them. Listen to the show coming up with Matt McQuide. This theme will continue. But any plan not making sure that primary care happens in primary care offices is shelling out for the most expensive primary care money can buy, you know, because it's gonna happen either in the ER or elsewhere. Jeff Charles Goldsmith, PhD, put this really well. He wrote, “As others have said, [this surge in ER dollars is a] direct consequence of [a] worsening primary care shortage.” Then Dr. John Lee turned up. He, I had quoted on the Al Lewis show, but he wrote a great post on LinkedIn; and part of it was this: “Toward a systemic solution, [we gotta do some unsqueezing of the balloon]. Stacey and Al likened our system to a squeezed balloon, with pressure forcing patients into the [emergency room]. The true solution is to ‘unsqueeze' the system by improving access to care outside the [emergency room]. Addressing these upstream issues could prevent patients from ending up in the [emergency room]. … While the necessary changes are staring us in the face, unsqueezing the balloon is far more challenging than it sounds.” And speaking of ER docs weighing in, then we had Mick Connors, MD, who left a banger of a comment with a bunch of suggestions to untangle some of these challenges that are more challenging than they may sound at first glance that Dr. Lee mentions. And as I said, he's a 30-year pediatric emergency physician, so I'm inclined to take his suggestions seriously. You can find them on LinkedIn. But yeah, I can see why some communities are paying 40 bucks a month or something for patients without access to primary care to get it just like they pay fire departments or police departments. Here's a link to Primary Care for All Americans, who are trying to help local communities get their citizens primary care. And Dr. Conard talked about this a little bit in that episode (EP462). I can also see why plan sponsors have every incentive to change the incentives such that primary care teams can be all in on doing what they do. Dr. Fernandopulle (EP460) hits on this. This is truly vital, making sure that the incentives are right, because we can't forget, as Rob Andrews has said repeatedly, organizations do what you pay them to do. And unless a plan sponsor gets into the mix, it is super rare to encounter anybody paying anybody for amazing primary care in an actual primary care setting. At that point, Alex Sommers, MD, ABEM, DipABLM, arrived on the scene; and he wrote (again with light editing—sorry, I can't read), “This one is in my wheelhouse. There is a ton that could be done here. There just has to be strategy in any given market. It's a function of access, resources, and like-minded employers willing to invest in a direct relationship with providers. But not just any providers. Providers who are willing to solve a big X in this case. You certainly don't need a trauma team on standby to remove a splinter or take off a wart. A great advanced primary care relationship is one way, but another thing is just access to care off-hours with the resources to make a difference in a cost-plus model. You can't help everybody at once. But you can help a lot of people if there is a collaborative opportunity.” And then Dr. Alex Sommers continues. He says, “We already have EKG, most procedures and supplies, X-ray, ultrasounds, and MRI in our clinics. All that's missing is a CT scanner. It just takes a feasible critical mass to invest in a given geography for that type of alternative care model to alter the course here. Six percent of plan spend going to the ER. My goodness.” So, then we have Ann Lewandowski, who just gets to the heart of the matter and the rate critical for primary care to become the investment that it could be: trust. Ann Lewandowski says, “I 100% agree with all of this, basically. I think strong primary care that promotes trust before things get so bad people think they need to go to the emergency room is the way to go.” This whole human concept of trust is a gigantic requirement for clinical and probably financial success. We need primary care to be an investment, but for it to be an investment, there's got to be relationships and there has to be trust between patients and their care teams. Now, neither relationships nor trust are super measurable constructs, so it's really easy for some finance pro to do things in the name of efficiency or optimization that undermine the entire spirit of the endeavor without even realizing it. Then we have a lot of primary care that doesn't happen in primary care offices. It happens in care settings like the ER. So, let's tug this theme along to the shows that concern carriers, meaning the shows with Wendell Potter (EP384) on how shareholders influence carrier behavior and with Betsy Seals (EP463) on Medicare Advantage plans and what they're up to. Here's where the primary care/ER through line starts to connect to carriers. Here's a LinkedIn post by the indomitable Steve Schutzer, MD. Dr. Schutzer wrote about the Betsy Seals conversation, and he said, “Stacey, you made a comment during this fabulous episode with Betsy that I really believe should be amplified from North to South, coast to coast—something that unfortunately is not top of mind for many in this industry. And that was ‘focus on the value that accrues to the patient'—period, end of story. That is the north star of the [value-based care] movement, lest we forget. Financial outcome measures are important in the value equation, but the numerator must be about the patient. As always, grateful for your insights and ongoing leadership.” Oh, thank you so much. And same to you. Grateful for yours. Betsy Seals in that podcast, though, she reminded carrier listeners about this “think about the value accruing to the patient” in that episode. And in the Wendell Potter encore that came out right before the show with Betsy, yeah, what Wendell said kind of made me realize why Betsy felt it important to remind carriers to think about the value accruing to patients. Wall Street rewards profit maximization in the short term. It does not reward value accruing to the patient. However—and here's me agreeing with Dr. Steve Schutzer, because I think this is what underlies his comment—if what we're doing gets so far removed from what is of value to the patient, then yeah, we're getting so removed from the human beings we're allegedly serving, that smart people can make smart decisions in theoretical model world. But what's being done lacks a fundamental grounding in actual reality. And that's dangerous for plan members, but it's also pretty treacherous from a business and legal perspective, as I think we're seeing here. Okay, so back to our theme of broken primary care and accelerating ER costs. Are carriers getting in there and putting a stop to it? I mean, as aforementioned about 8 to 10 times, if you have a broken primary care system, you're gonna pay for primary care, alright. It's just gonna be in really expensive care settings. You gotta figure carriers are wise to this and they're the ones that are supposed to be keeping healthcare costs under control for all America. Well, relative to keeping ER costs under control, here's a link to a study Vivian Ho, PhD, sent from Health Affairs showing how much ER prices have gone up. ER prices are way higher than they used to be. So, you'd think that carriers would have a huge incentive to get members primary care and do lots and lots of things to ensure that not only would members have access to primary care, but it'd be amazing primary care with doctors and nurses that were trusted and relationships that would be built. It'd be salad days for value. Except … they're not doing a whole lot at any scale that I could find. We have Iora and ChenMed and a few others aside. These are advanced primary care groups that are deployed by carriers, and these organizations can do great things. But I also think they serve—and this came up in the Dr. Fernandopulle show (EP460)—they serve like 1% of overall patient populations. Dr. Fernandopulle talked about this in the context of why these advanced primary care disruptors may have great impact on individual patients but they have very little overall impact at a national scale. They're just not scaled, and they're not nationwide. But why not? I mean, why aren't carriers all over this stuff? Well, first of all—and again, kind of like back to the Wendell show (EP384) now—if we're thinking short term, as a carrier, like Wall Street encourages, you know, quarter by quarter, and if only the outlier, mission-driven folks (the knights) in any given carrier organization are checking what's going on actually with plans, members, and patients like Betsy advised, keep in mind it's a whole lot cheaper and it's easier to just deny care. And you can do that at scale if you get yourself an AI engine and press Go. Or you can come up with, I don't know, exciting new ways to maximize your risk adjustment and upcoding. There's an article that was written by Sergei Polevikov, ABD, MBA, MS, MA

Send us a textIn this poignant episode of the Japanese America Podcast, hosts Koji and Michelle delve into the incredible story of Grace Obata-Amemiya, a Japanese American woman whose resilience during World War II serves as a testament to strength and hope. Grace's journey from an aspiring public health nurse to enduring the hardships of the concentration camps highlights the often-overlooked contributions of Japanese American women during the war. Through personal anecdotes, Grace shares her unwavering positive outlook amidst adversity, embodying the philosophy of "shikata ga nai" or "it cannot be helped." As the episode honors Women's History Month, it pays tribute to the bravery of women who served in the Women's Army Corps and Army Nurses Corps, while also weaving in moments of humor and gratitude. Join this heartfelt exploration of the enduring spirit of women who faced unimaginable challenges with grace and strength.You can watch Grace's public program here: https://youtu.be/wSD_1VuNeWIFor more information about the Japanese American National Museum, please visit our website at www.janm.org. CREDITSThe music was created by Jalen BlankWritten by Koji Steven SakaiHosts: Michelle Malazaki and Koji Steven SakaiEdited and produced by Koji Steven Sakai in conjunction with the Japanese American National Museum

Hey friend!   Here is the last episode in our 4-part series on tips to save money on the top 5 expenses for most families. Today we go over 20 tips to help reduce expensive healthcare costs. Check out the entire series to SAVE BIG!   Blessings to your family, Mandy Thank you for helping this show rank in the top 1.5% globally! I appreciate you so much!

This time on Code WACK!  How did desegregation impact Black patients in America? What hasn't changed? What does racism in medicine look like today? And what should we do when we see it?  To break it down, we spoke to Dr. Barbara Berney, project creator and producer of the documentary “Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution.” She's also an emeritus professor at City University of New York School of Public Health and a distinguished scholar in public health, environmental justice, and the U.S. healthcare system. This is the second of two episodes with Dr. Berney. Check out the Transcript and Show Notes for more!  Keep Code WACK! on the air with a tax-deductible donation at heal-ca.org/donate.

This week on the Retirement Quick Tips Podcast, I'm talking about longevity risk -  the risk that you'll outlive your retirement savings because you lived too long. Today, I'm wrapping up with one more way to reduce longevity risk in retirement:  Planning for health care costs in retirement. 

N.C. Sen. Benton Sawrey, R-Johnston, landed an influential role in his second term this session as co-chair of the Senate's committees on healthcare. He joined WUNC's Colin Campbell to talk about efforts to address the unusually high costs of healthcare in North Carolina, including a recent bill to limit insurance coverage mandates and some other proposals in the works for later this year. Sawrey also discussed the prospects of federal Medicaid cuts, the upcoming state budget process and a new sports caucus.

This episode has three chapters. Each one answers a key question, and, bottom line, it all adds up to action steps directly and indirectly for many, including plan sponsors probably, community leaders, and also hospital boards of directors. Here's the three chapters in sum. 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. Chapter 1: Are commercial insurance premiums rising faster than the inflation rate? And if so, is the employee portion of those premiums also rising, meaning a double whammy for employees' paychecks (ie, premium costs are getting bigger and bigger in an absolute sense, and also employees' relative share of those bigger costs is also bigger)? Spoiler alert: yes and yes. Chapter 2: What is the biggest reason for these premium increases? Like, if you look at the drivers of cost that underpin those rising premiums, what costs a lot that is making these premiums cost a lot? Spoiler alert: It's hospitals and the price increases at hospitals. And just in case anyone is wondering, this isn't, “Oh, chargemasters went up” or some kind of other tangential factor. We're talking about the revenue that hospitals are taking on services delivered has gone up and gone up way higher than the inflation rate. In fact, hospital costs have gone up over double the amount that premiums have gone up. Wait, what? That's a fact that Dr. Vivian Ho said today that threw my brain for a loop: Hospital costs have gone up over double the amount that premiums have gone up. Chapter 3: Is the reason that hospital prices have rocketed up as they have because the underlying costs these hospitals face are also going up way higher than the inflation rate? Like, for example, are nurses' salaries skyrocketing and doctors are getting paid a lot more than the inflation rate? Stuff like this. Too many eggs in the cafeteria. Way more charity care. Bottom line, is an increase in underlying costs the reason for rising hospital prices? Spoiler alert: no. No to all of the above. And I get into this deeply with Dr. Vivian Ho today. But before I do, I do just want to state with three underlines not all hospitals are the same. But yeah, you have many major consolidated hospitals crying about their, you know, “razor-thin margins” who are, it turns out, incentivizing their C-suites to do things that ultimately wind up raising prices. I saw a PowerPoint flying around—you may have seen it, too—that was apparently presented by a nonprofit hospital at JP Morgan, and it showed this nonprofit hospital with a 15.1% EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) in 2024. Not razor thin in my book. It's a, the boards of directors are structuring C-suite incentives in ways that ultimately will raise prices. If you want to dig in a little deeper on hospital boards and what they may be up to, listen to the show with Suhas Gondi, MD, MBA (EP404). Vivian Ho, PhD, my guest today, is a professor and faculty member at Rice University and Baylor College of Medicine. Her most major role these days is working on health policy at Baker Institute at Rice University. Her work there is at the national, state, and local levels conducting objective research that informs policymakers on how to improve healthcare. Today on the show, Professor Vivian Ho mentions research with Salpy Kanimian and Derek Jenkins, PhD. Alright, so just one quick sidebar before we get into the show. There is a lot going on with hospitals right now. So, before we kick in, let me just make one really important point. A hospital's contribution to medical research, like doing cancer clinical trials, is not the same as how a hospital serves or overcharges their community or makes decisions that increase or reduce their ability to improve the health and well-being of patients and members who wind up in or about the hospital. Huge, consolidated hospital networks can be doing great things that have great value and also, at the exact same time, kind of harmful things clinically and financially that negatively impact lots of Americans and doing all of that simultaneously. This is inarguable. Also mentioned in this episode are Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy; Baker Institute Center for Health Policy; Suhas Gondi, MD, MBA; Salpy Kanimian; Derek Jenkins, PhD; Byron Hugley; Michael Strain; Dave Chase; Zack Cooper, PhD; Houston Business Coalition on Health (HBCH); Marilyn Bartlett, CPA, CGMA, CMA, CFM; Cora Opsahl; Claire Brockbank; Shawn Gremminger; Autumn Yongchu; Erik Davis; Ge Bai, PhD, CPA; Community Health Choice; Mark Cuban; and Ferrin Williams, PharmD, MBA. For further reading, check out this LinkedIn post.   You can learn more at Rice University's Center for Health Policy (LinkedIn) and Department of Economics and by following Vivian on LinkedIn.   Vivian Ho, PhD, is the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics, a professor in the Department of Economics at Rice University, a professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and a nonresident senior scholar in the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. Ho's research examines the effects of economic incentives and regulations on the quality and costs of health care. Her research is widely published in economics, medical, and health services research journals. Ho's research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the American Cancer Society, and Arnold Ventures. Ho has served on the Board of Scientific Counselors for the National Center for Health Statistics, as well as on the NIH Health Services, Outcomes, and Delivery study section. She was elected as a member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2020. Ho is also a founding board member of the American Society for Health Economists and a member of the Community Advisory Board at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Ho received her AB in economics from Harvard University, a graduate diploma in economics from The Australian National University, and a PhD in economics from Stanford University.   05:12 Are insurance premiums going up? 05:59 What is the disparity between cost of insurance and wage increases? 06:21 LinkedIn post by Byron Hugley. 06:25 Article by Michael Strain. 06:46 How much have insurance premiums gone up for employers versus employees? 09:06 Chart showing the cost to insure populations of employees and families. 10:17 What is causing hospital prices and insurance premiums to go up so exponentially? 12:53 Article by (and tribute to) Uwe Reinhardt. 13:49 EP450 with Marilyn Bartlett, CPA, CGMA, CMA, CFM. 14:01 EP452 with Cora Opsahl. 14:03 EP453 with Claire Brockbank. 14:37 EP371 with Erik Davis and Autumn Yongchu. 15:28 Are razor-thin operating margins for hospitals causing these rising hospital prices? 16:56 Collaboration with Marilyn Bartlett and the NASHP Hospital Cost Tool. 19:47 What is the explanation that hospitals give for justifying these profits? 23:16 How do these hospital cost increases actually happen? 27:06 Study by Zack Cooper, PhD. 27:35 EP404 with Suhas Gondi, MD, MBA. 27:50 Who typically makes up a hospital board, and why do these motivations incentivize hospital price increases? 30:12 EP418 with Mark Cuban and Ferrin Williams, PharmD, MBA. 33:17 Why is it vital that change start at the board level?   You can learn more at Rice University's Center for Health Policy (LinkedIn) and Department of Economics and by following Vivian on LinkedIn.   Vivian Ho discusses #healthinsurance #premiums and #hospitalpricing on our #healthcarepodcast. #healthcare #podcast #changemanagement #healthcareleadership #healthcaretransformation #healthcareinnovation   Recent past interviews: Click a guest's name for their latest RHV episode! Chris Crawford (EP465), Al Lewis, Betsy Seals, Wendell Potter (Encore! EP384), Dr Scott Conard, Stacey Richter (INBW42), Chris Crawford (EP461), Dr Rushika Fernandopulle, Bill Sarraille, Stacey Richter (INBW41)  

Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino joins John Williams to talk about his office’s new report that shows that Governor JB Pritzker’s administration underestimated the cost of programs providing health care to undocumented immigrants. Auditor General Mautino explains what his audit looked at, how the state screwed up the cost so badly, and the recommendations he […]

Illinois Auditor General Frank Mautino joins John Williams to talk about his office’s new report that shows that Governor JB Pritzker’s administration underestimated the cost of programs providing health care to undocumented immigrants. Auditor General Mautino explains what his audit looked at, how the state screwed up the cost so badly, and the recommendations he […]

March 6, 2025 - Ever wonder why New York's health care system is so expensive? Well we've got answers for you, courtesy of Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives for the Community Service Society of New York, which recently studied the issue.

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter In this quarterly podcast summary (QPS) episode, Peter summarizes his biggest takeaways from the last three months of guest interviews on the podcast. Peter shares key insights from his discussions on diverse topics such as aerobic efficiency and VO2 max with Olav Aleksander Bu; insulin resistance with Ralph DeFronzo; economics of the US healthcare system and cost-saving strategies with Saum Sutaria; diagnosis and treatment of autism, ADHD, and anxiety in children with Trenna Sutcliffe; and strength training with Mike Israetel. Additionally, Peter shares any personal behavioral adjustments or modifications to his patient care practices that have arisen from these fascinating discussions. If you're not a subscriber and are listening on a podcast player, you'll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you're a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or our website at the episode #338 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here. We discuss: Overview of topics to be discussed [2:00]; Olav Aleksander Bu Pt.2 episode: metrics to track aerobic efficiency and insights about VO2 max, and the ability of increased carbohydrate consumption to boost performance [4:30]; The best practices for performing a VO2 max test, the differences between VO2 max training and all-out efforts, and the role of energy intake in endurance performance [14:45]; Ralph DeFronzo episode: the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes—how they impact different organs, flaws in conventional diabetes treatment, and more [24:30]; Understanding type 2 diabetes beyond the traditional triumvirate of features: the “ominous octet” describes changes in other organs [31:45]; Pharmacological treatments for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes [41:30]; The importance of early detection and intervention in insulin resistance [50:30]; Saum Sutaria episode: the economic and systemic drivers of high healthcare costs in the U.S. [54:00]; Reducing health care costs: redefining health insurance, lowering drug prices while maintaining innovation, leveraging AI for efficiency, and more [1:07:15]; Trenna Sutcliffe episode: insights on autism, ADHD, and anxiety in children—definitions and diagnosis [1:11:45]; Exploring the rising prevalence of autism spectrum disorder [1:17:15]; Trenna's views on caring for children with autism [1:21:15]; Misconceptions around vaccines and autism [1:26:00]; Mike Israetel episode: insights about strength training, minimum effective dose, troubleshooting plateaus, tips for beginners, and more [1:28:15]; Topics Peter is interested in exploring in future podcasts [1:40:15]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube

Governor JB Pritzker of Illinois is not your average progressive. He is a billionaire with an activist upbringing, in a family that prioritized advocating for the people who need it most. MSNBC's Jen Psaki wanted to get a sense of his approach to governing in this second Trump term and why priorities like raising the minimum wage and ending his state's grocery tax are front of mind for him. They also talk about the reality of a rigged system and the dangerous precedent set when an unelected citizen like Elon Musk is running much of our government. And the Governor is not shy about reminding Democrats to revive a core principle of making things just a little bit easier for everyday Americans.Want to listen to this show without ads? Sign up for MSNBC Premium on Apple Podcasts.