ONLY HEALTHCARE

GLP-1 medications have moved from diabetes treatment to a cultural phenomenon in record time. But beyond the headlines and celebrity endorsements lies a far more complex story. In Episode 42, Dr. Randy Vogenberg breaks down what GLP-1s actually are, how they function in the body, and why they are reshaping conversations around obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular risk, and employer health p...

In this inaugural Healthcare 101 segment, Dr. Randy Vogenberg breaks down the fundamentals of the American health insurance system. From the evolution of employer-sponsored coverage to the rise of managed care and vertical integration, this episode explores why healthcare feels so complex and where the money actually flows. Listeners will gain clarity on the role of middlemen, cost shifting, site...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg welcome Lynn Hanessian , founder of Engager, for a wide-ranging discussion on why healthcare engagement has become a critical challenge for employers, providers, and consumers. Drawing on her background in economics, healthcare communications, and strategy, Lynn explains how rising costs, shifting information sources...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg welcome healthcare attorney, policy advocate, and author Chris Deacon for an in-depth conversation on how structural incentives, middlemen, and lack of transparency have reshaped the U.S. healthcare system. Drawing from her experience overseeing New Jersey’s state health benefits program and her book The Great Americ...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, hosts Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg are joined by Luke Prettol , benefits strategy leader at AT&T, for a deep dive into how employers are preparing for the growing impact of cell and gene therapies. The conversation focuses less on headline costs and more on the real risk employers face as utilization increases, therapies evolve, and benefit...

Employers are no longer waiting for healthcare costs to stabilize. In this episode, Randy Vogenberg and Michael Navin are joined by Murray Harbour to break down why advanced primary care, direct contracting, and value-based benefit design are moving from pilot ideas to core employer strategies. The conversation examines how employers are shifting away from traditional networks, why prevention and...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, hosts Michael Navin and Dr. Randy Vogenberg welcome back Jayson Slotnick for a fast-moving year-in-review of 2025 and a grounded outlook for 2026. The conversation breaks down what changed through the Inflation Reduction Act implementation, why Most Favored Nation pricing keeps resurfacing, and how these policy forces could ripple across Medicare, Me...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, hosts Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg welcome back healthcare policy veteran Deborah Williams for a candid conversation on why 2025 became such a difficult year for employers, patients, and policymakers alike. Coming off the tensions of the government shutdown and escalating healthcare costs, the discussion breaks down what is actually driving prem...

Recorded live at the Nicholas Hall North American Conference, this special episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast dives into the FDA’s new Additional Conditions for Nonprescription Use (ACNU) pathway and what it means for access, compliance, and the future of consumer healthcare. Host Randy Vogenberg is joined by industry veterans Bob Stirling and Bob Barron , with questions moderated by Mary Alic...

In this year-end episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, hosts Randy Vogenberg and Michael Navin reflect on the defining healthcare shifts of 2025 and share what they are watching as the industry moves into 2026 and beyond. The conversation looks back at the rise of consumer-driven healthcare, expanding price transparency requirements, and the growing pressure on affordability across both medical...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, host Randy Vogenberg, PhD, is joined by Carole Tremonti of ConcertAI to recap insights from the Clinical Pathways Congress in Boston and discuss the Predictable Cost of Care initiative. Carole shares how the congress reflected stronger engagement, broader perspectives, and deeper integration across clinical pathways, oncology operations, and the busi...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, host Randy Vogenberg, PhD, sits down with consultant and longtime oncology pathways leader Gordon Kuntz to explore the evolution of the Clinical Pathways Congress and a new initiative focused on predictable cost of care in oncology. Gordon reflects on how oncology pathways have matured over the last two decades, why Congress has shifted from a primar...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, co-host Randy Vogenberg, PhD moves beyond the Nicholas Hall North America Conference to break down the FDA’s new Additional Conditions for Nonprescription. Guests Mary Alice Lawless , Ted Lawless , and Chelsea Ryan explain how ACNU grew from long-standing FDA concern over chronic undertreatment in conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, asthm...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast, co-host Randy Vogenberg, PhD, sits down with Winston Wong, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Pathways , to explore the past, present, and future of one of the most influential publications in oncology care. Winston shares how clinical pathways have evolved over more than two decades—from simple treatment sequencing tools designed to reduce v...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast , hosts Randy Vogenberg, PhD , and Michael Navin unpack key insights from Health Rosetta Fest 2025 , held in Denver, Colorado. This year’s event brought together more than 1,200 leaders across the healthcare ecosystem — from employers and brokers to innovators and policymakers — all focused on transforming how healthcare is purchased, delivered, and m...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast , recorded live at the Nicholas Hall North America Conference, our panel explores how the FDA’s new Additional Conditions for Nonprescription Use (ACNU) rule could transform chronic disease management—particularly for diabetes—by empowering consumers and redefining self-care. Hosts Randy Vogenberg, PhD , and Mary Alice Lawless are joined by Joe McGove...

In this episode of the Only Healthcare Podcast , recorded live at the Nicholas Hall North America Conference, our panel explores how the FDA’s new Additional Condition for Nonprescription Use (ACNU) rule is reshaping the future of consumer healthcare. Hosts Randy Vogenberg, PhD , and Mary Alice Lawless are joined by experts Jim Parker and Bob Sterling to unpack the first major change to U.S. drug...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, host Randy Vogenberg welcomes William Sarraille, retired senior partner from Sidley Austin's healthcare practice and nationally recognized expert in US healthcare law. As both a legal authority and rare disease patient himself, Bill exposes how the 340B drug discount program has evolved from a modest safety net initiative into an $80 billion profit machine...

In this episode of Only Healthcare's Risk Series, hosts Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg welcome Tom Sondergeld, managing partner of TS Consulting Group with over 30 years in healthcare benefit consulting and former senior advisor to McKinsey & Company. As a national leader in benefit design strategy and cancer survivor who has personally navigated the healthcare maze, Tom provides both...

In this episode of Only Healthcare's Risk Series, hosts Michael Navin and Randy Vogenberg welcome Drew Wilkins, Managing Director at Monitor Deloitte with over 20 years of consulting experience in corporate strategy and innovation. As an expert in access and health with deep expertise in life sciences, Drew reveals how cell and gene therapies are fundamentally breaking America's employer...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, hosts Randy Vogenberg and Michael Navin welcome Tamara Thomas, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Urban Health Today, for a candid discussion about the consumer perspective on America's broken healthcare system. Drawing from her extensive background in health disparities coverage and a shocking revelation from an insurance executive years ago, Tamara exposes th...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, hosts Michael Navin and Dr. Randy Vogenberg welcome two healthcare transformation pioneers: Dave Chase, co-founder of Health Rosetta , and Steve Ditto, compliance advisor and founder of Ditto and Associates . Together, they reveal how employers can slash healthcare costs by 50% or more while improving employee benefits through strategic procurement and fiduciary...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, hosts Michael Navin and Dr. Randy Vogenberg welcome guest Deborah Williams, a leading healthcare strategy and policy expert, to explore the explosive growth and complex economics of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy.  With her extensive background working on Medicare Part D legislation and with major pharmaceutical companies, Deborah breaks down how thes...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, hosts Michael Navin and Dr. Randy Vogenberg dive deep into one of America's most pressing healthcare questions: Why are prescription drugs so expensive?  Michael, a leading expert in biotech market access and commercialization strategies, unpacks the complex web of pricing decisions, negotiations, and middleman systems that drive up drug costs for patients...

In this episode of Only Healthcare, we tackle the fundamental question: Why does the US spend more on healthcare than any other country yet rank last in outcomes?  Key Topics: The cost-outcome paradox – How $12,000 per capita spending leads to worst-in-class life expectancy and preventable death rates among developed nations System misalignment – Why emergency care dominates over preventative care...