Healthcare Americana

Dr. Craig Wax joins Chris on the show to discuss why 75% of physicians under the age of 45 are employed. Only 22% of medical students say they plan on owning a practice in the future. Dr. Wax is one of those rare independent physicians that accepts insurance and he’s been advocating for a return to independence for our nation’s physicians. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors...

Chris is join by Tom Yakopin , the National Marketing Director for New Era Health Plans on this episode. Tom describes his work trying to teach brokers and consumers that there is a better way to help people with risk management and using insurance as a financial tool. They also discuss problems with the way we think about health insurance and how that is changing. Support the show (https://health...

Chris is joined by David Goldhill , CEO & Founder of Sesame - a direct to patient marketplace to discuss the impact of telehealth, why this is considered a big innovation and why innovation in healthcare is continuously stymied. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

Today’s show is a warning to those doctors out there that are overworked and asked to place their trust in their employer. Our guest, Dr. Leah Houston , was a victim of professional identity theft when her previous employer continued to submit claims under her name long after she left the company and the state. As you’ll find out, there’s little recourse, as she was able to find out what was happe...

Almost a quarter of medical school graduates cannot further their education and training because of limits on the available training slot. What are these men and women supposed to do? Chris talks with Dr. Faarina Khan , Chief Assistant Physician at the Medina Clinic in Missouri about her experience attempting to find a residency match as well as her efforts to expand opportunities for our “forgott...

Chris is back hosting the podcast and speaks with author Deb Gordon about her new book, "The Health Care Consumer's Manifesto" . Deb spent years interviewing and surveying patients to understand their hidden and not-so-hidden sentiments to health insurance and doctors. She shares her insights and more. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

What is the psychological toll of a global pandemic, and how does the fallout expose systemic problems with American healthcare?  Dr. Rupali Chadha , a board certified psychiatric physician, shares insight into the pandemic’s impact on mental health and points out solutions emerging at the policy level.  She also shares some personal tips to remain well, both mentally and physically. Support the s...

The global pandemic which burst upon an unprepared world from Wuhan, China in early 2020 exposed serious problems within the American healthcare system. It also accelerated much needed innovation, such as telemedicine. Dr. Shah discusses how the disruption caused by the crisis may create space for more innovation to flourish, like competitive pricing transparency and direct care. Support the show...

President and co founder of Freedom Healthworks, Adam Habig , fills in for Chris on this episode and chats with Terry Wilcox , executive director of Patients Rising . They discuss pre-existing conditions in direct care and the impact they have on the insurance system that leads to increased cost, lack of control and more.  Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

President and co founder of Freedom Healthworks , Adam Habig , fills in for Chris on this episode and chats with Dr. Katarina Lindley . Dr. Lindley grew up in Soviet Yugoslavia and tells her story of the perils of socialized medicine in the former communist country. Adam and Dr. Lindley explore the depths of a "single payer" model. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponso...

Chris is joined by David Balat , Director of Right on Healthcare with the Texas Public Policy Foundation , to discuss the complex history of health insurance and why it is now linked with employers. They also discuss how insurance and care came to be interchangeable and why a different path is necessary for all Americans' future health care. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/s...

Chris is joined by Dr. Kimberly Legg Corba , a DPC physician, member of the board of directors of DPC Action , founder & president of Pennsylvania Direct Primary Care Association , to brainstorm ideas, successes and obstacles to getting more physicians to move into independent direct primary care.  Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

Chris is joined by John Chamberlain , chairman of the board of Citizen Health and a reformed former hospital executive. They dive into the explosive growth of administrators and bureaucrats relative to the increase in people responsible for caring for us. They also discuss what needs to change to lower healthcare costs. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

Chris is joined, again, by Dr. Marion Mass , pediatrician, writer, champion of patient care, and founder of the Practicing Physicians of America , as they discuss the taboo subject of physician suicide in the United States and ask who helps heal the healers and why do so many doctors in our country choose to take their own lives instead of risking appearing weak and asking for help. Support the sh...

Chris talks with Dr. Marion Mass, a pediatrician, founder of the Practicing Physicians of America , and writer, to get her thoughts about the physician shortage issue and whether or not proposed short term fixes are really the answer. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

David Balat , Director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation joins Chris on this episode to discuss ideas for a better healthcare industry. They discuss decoupling insurance from employers and freeing up the health insurance market to innovate on individual policies. They also discuss roadblocks to equality in healthcare and what can be done. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/spons...

Drs. Matt & Janelle Pflieger joined Chris on this episode to discuss the role doctors play in the local community. They talk about the importance of involvement in local affairs, how physicians vacated their community roles, and how to get involved. They also discussed how direct care doctors are perfectly positioned to be more involved. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponso...

Dr. Bavana Rao joined Chris on the podcast to talk about how she took back control of her career and practice. They ask and debate the topic of physicians' addiction to salary. Dr. Rao gives advice to the doctors out there who are thinking about a move to greener pastures but don't think they can do it. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

Chris talks with Dr. Randy Lovell of the Lovell Hand and Orthopedic Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Lovell struck out on his own and is performing revolutionary new surgery on hands that are cheaper, have better results and take less time. They discuss why his surgery center publishes prices and deals honestly with patients as well as what it took to start the new surgery center. Support the...

On this episode of Healthcare Americana , Chris speaks with Dr. Avi Bhar , founder of Sliiip , a direct care sleep & pulmonary medical practice in Georgia. They discuss sleep quality as a cause and a solution to many of people's ailments and how better sleep impacts quality of life. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

James Dunavant and Dr. Keith Smith join Chris to discuss the impact the coronavirus had on healthcare stakeholders across the US. They talk about how government regulations have gotten in the way of progress and what real people are seeing in their communities. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

On this episode of Healthcare Americana, Chris is joined by Evan Bruder of Sona Pharmacy . Evan discusses how his company has built a more transparent and economical pharmacy benefit program that is saving a ton of money for companies while keeping their employees healthy. They also get into why pharmaceuticals are so expensive and what can be done to lower costs. Support the show (https://healthc...

On this episode, Chris talks with Peyton Vooletich , with The Emergency Center about the gaps in the direct care environment and how her facility is helping fill the needs of non-insurance emergent care. They also talk about the things that limit access to transparent pricing and how ambulance companies really work. Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsors/)

Chris is joined by Vineeth Yeddula and Kyle Poss of KPI Ninja on this episode. They discuss how the word "data" has come to have a negative connotation to it and what efforts are underway to make information usable. They talk about how most clinicians are used to data being an obstacle to care but that shouldn't be the case.  Support the show (https://healthcareamericana.com/sponsor...

Chris is joined by Dr. Keith Smith and James Dunavant of the Free Market Medical Association . Dr. Smith is the co founder of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma and an icon in the free market medical community. James serves as the Executive Director of the FMMA. They discussed the upcoming initiatives being led by the FMMA as well as information about the FMMA's annual conference .  Support the s...