Healthcare Matters

Dr. Robert Popovian and Conner Mertens dive into the problematic practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) that prioritize profits over patient access to affordable medications. Focusing on the case of a generic asthma medication offered at a discount yet overlooked by PBMs, the hosts explore the deep-seated issues of misaligned incentives in health care. They also discuss innovative solutions...

Join our hosts as they explore the substantial impact of COVID-19 vaccines. They discuss a groundbreaking study by the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) revealing how rapid vaccine development and distribution saved millions of lives and prevented hospitalizations, leading to a significant $500 billion economic saving. The episode delves into vaccine efficacy, the importance of boosters, and stra...

Dr. Robert Popovian and Conner Mertens, along with guest Catherine Hicks, a patient diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis as a child, dive into the complex world of formulary exclusions. They discuss how these exclusions impact patient care and the hidden consequences they bring, including how Catherine was personally impacted. Dr. Popovian also shares learnings from GHLF’s research w...

Our hosts delve into the complex and concerning rise in drug shortages affecting patients in the U.S. and around the world. They explore the intricate economics driving the scarcity of essential medicines, from the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act to the raw material supply disruptions tied to over-reliance on China.  Listen as they discuss the severe repercussions on patient care, including...

In this episode of Healthcare Matters, join our hosts as they dive into the intricacies of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While the act has brought about significant benefits like the annual cap on out-of-pocket costs, zeroing out costs for vaccines, and the insulin cap, it's not without its challenges.  Join Dr. Popovian and Conner Mertens as they explore the benefits and risks associated wit...

In this week’s episode of Healthcare Matters, co-hosts Dr. Robert Popovian and Conner Mertens are joined by special guest, Dr. Shilpa Venkatachalam, Director of Patient-Centered Research Operations and Ethical Oversight at GHLF. Dr. Venkatachalam’s personal story sheds light on the systemic barriers that hinder patients from accessing crucial vaccines, even when recommended by their health care pr...

In this episode of "Healthcare Matters," join hosts Dr. Robert Popovian and Conner Mertens as they unravel the shady practice known as “copay accumulator adjustors.” Joined by JP Summers, a patient advocate and chronic disease patient herself, they’ll shed light on this practice employed by pharmacy benefit management companies and insurers. You’ll learn how these policies adversely affect patient...

Join our hosts as they tackle the critical issue of hospital price transparency in the U.S. health care system. Their guest, David Balat, founder of the Healthcare Finance Specialists and an expert in health care finance, sheds light on the impact of hidden costs and the benefits of empowering patients through transparent pricing. Discover how consumerism in health care can lead to lower costs and...

At the Global Healthy Living Foundation, we know the value of grassroots advocacy. Tune in to this week's episode to hear how trained patient-advocates proactively connect with local, state, and federal health policy stakeholders to share their perspectives and influence change. This week features guests, Corey Greenblatt, Associate Director of Policy and Advocacy, and Patient Advocate and Communi...

We may be on the verge of an enormous shift in how drug prices are set. It’s been led by a dramatic decline in insulin prices, but it’s spreading to other brand drugs as well. Join our hosts for the first episode of our 4th season as they dive head-first into this important topic. They’ll discuss how this new paradigm is the unintended but welcome result of legislative, regulatory, and market pres...

Join our hosts in this special compilation episode as they revisit some of the most informative and engaging segments from past episodes. They'll discuss drug formulary exclusions and their impact on patients, cash pharmacy models disrupting the industry, and the safety of biosimilars. Tune in to hear valuable insights and advice to help you better understand the ever-changing landscape of health...

We are developing policy solutions based on innuendos, gossip, and erroneous modeling assumptions instead of actual data. To help patients with out-of-pocket costs, we need our policymakers to step up, do the brave thing, and improve drug affordability by implementing policies based on accurate data. In this episode, our hosts dive deeper into the important discussion surrounding transparency in d...

Over the last 20 years, the United States has made good progress in expanding access to care, yet millions of patients are still struggling to pay for their health care. In this episode, our hosts discuss current legislation advancements that help protect patient assistance programs concerning their out-of-pocket costs and how patients are being taken advantage of through insurer-initiated program...

2023 will be marked by the introduction of several biosimilars for Humira (adalimumab) on the U.S. market. While biosimilars can generate savings for the health system, many questions remain with decisions to be made by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), and health insurers, all of which will impact patients themselves. In this episode, our hosts discuss the many implications of introducing competi...

The COVID-19 pandemic led to an increased role of pharmacies in the overall immunization process, as they served as key sites of administration for COVID-19 vaccines. The IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science and the Global Healthy Living Foundation (GHLF) released a report today to better understand the trends in vaccine administration in the United States. “[The report is] built into the eviden...

This week, our hosts sit down for a special ‘mailbag episode’ to answer questions from our listeners. They are joined by the podcast’s producer, Ben Blanc, Manager of Programs and Special Projects at GHLF, who moderates the discussion. Our hosts cover a wide variety of topics, including everything from patient spendings to vaccines. Our hosts also share more about their advocacy work and the impor...

As of the recording of this episode, control of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives has not yet been determined, which means that like many other issues the future of health care policy for the coming years remains unknown. Could a change in the balance of power mean changes to existing programs? What will be the focus of Congress in the coming years regarding health care? “At th...

As the third winter of the coronavirus pandemic looms, more waves of COVID-19 are expected with few masking or social distancing restrictions in place. However, death and hospitalization rates are expected to be less severe compared to past pandemic winters largely due to vaccination drives, natural immunity, and the increasing availability of effective COVID-19 treatments. In this episode, Dr. Ro...

Since its creation in 1992, the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program allows qualifying health care providers who treat low-income and uninsured individuals to buy discounted prescription drugs. The program has grown significantly - due to an increase in the number of eligible health care providers and the higher volume of drugs purchased through the program. However, as the program has grown beyond i...

In the United States, nine out of 10 prescriptions issued are for generic, instead of brand-name medications. While Pharmacy Benefit Managers negotiate drug prices on behalf of Americans, an increasing number of patients are choosing to bypass these intermediaries – as well as their insurance – altogether and pay for prescription drugs in cash instead. “Generics are supposed to be very low-cost al...

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a sweeping climate, health care and tax bill was signed into law this summer. While the IRA undeniably brings some great wins for patients, there are some significant complexities to consider regarding the health care financing and delivery system in the U.S. and the many ways in which this bill will impact patients. Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Offi...

We are a nation of working, playing, and yes, even getting sick and injured at all hours of the day and night. That’s why it is so vital to have access to quality health care beyond the weekday, 9-to-5 paradigm that our system is set up for. In this episode, we explore a new study that points to the need for pharmacies and pharmacists to play a greater role in expanding access to health care...

Biosimilars are equally as safe and effective as brand biologic medicines. Plus, they are less expensive, which means they save patients money. So why are there still hurdles for the U.S. health care system to adopt them? “Patients are saving money and the system is saving money. So what we need to do is introduce policies in the marketplace that really enhance the adoption of biosimilars,&r...

Mary’s story is familiar to far too many senior citizens who are living on fixed incomes. They have no choice but to pay thousands of dollars a year on medications that are not covered by insurance. What could be done to help them? In the Medicare program, "we tend to cover everything cheap, which is basically the generic medicines. When patients require more expensive drugs. the coverage be...

Getting diagnosed and properly treated for a mental health condition is grueling enough without having to deal with non-medical switching, or having to change your medication for no other reason than money, says Dr. Robert Popovian, Chief Science Policy Officer at the Global Healthy Living Foundation. In the second of two episodes on this topic, we examine what can be done to change this practice...