The Doctor's Lounge

Episode Title: The Medicaid Data Dump: $1.7 Billion in Billing From Shell Companies and Why Nobody Stopped It Guest: Samir Unni | Biomedical Engineer, former Palantir healthcare data lead, currently working on federal data modernization efforts Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Technical Difficulties 02:47 Reflections on Jay Bhattacharya's Insights 06:04 Navigating Polarization in Science 08:50 Mode...

In this engaging conversation, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya discusses his unique perspective as a health economist and the impact of his training on his approach to public health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He reflects on the Great Barrington Declaration, the importance of dissent in science, and the need for reform within the NIH to foster innovation and address the replication crisis in...

Benjamin Ryan was the only journalist in the courtroom for every day of the first detransition lawsuit to reach a jury verdict. In January 2025, a White Plains jury awarded $2 million to Fox Varian, who received a double mastectomy at age 16 after being diagnosed with gender dysphoria. Years later, she detransitioned and sued her psychologist and plastic surgeon. What happened in that courtroom te...

Guest: Ed Gaines, JD, CPC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Zotec Partners Honorary Member, American College of Emergency Physicians Episode Summary: If you're a hospital-based physician and you don't understand the No Surprises Act, you're missing the biggest shift in payment leverage in decades. Insurance companies estimated there would be 17,000 disputes. The actual number? Over 2.5 million...

What happens when a spine surgeon who's been in private practice since the Obamacare era sits down with doctors across the political spectrum? You get one of the most honest conversations about healthcare reform we've had. Brian Gantwerker doesn't fit neatly into anyone's box. He's a private practice capitalist who thinks breaking up insurance companies is essential. He believes in "just pricing"...

Guest: Josh Umbehr, MD | Co-founder & CEO, Atlas MD | DPC Pioneer Summary: In 2010, Josh Umbehr launched Atlas MD charging $50/month for unlimited primary care with no insurance billing. Other doctors said it wasn't sustainable. Fourteen years later, he runs a platform serving 1,800+ practices and built his own insurance company. This conversation covers the full journey: wholesale medication...

Keywords Alex Berenson, COVID vaccine, Medicaid fraud, autism services, healthcare, investigative journalism, MCOs, AI in healthcare, public health, healthcare policy Summary In this conversation, Anish Koka and Alex Berenson delve into critical issues surrounding the COVID vaccine, Medicaid fraud, and the financial incentives within autism services. They discuss the implications of investigative...

Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Doctor's Lounge, hosts Anish Koka, Anthony DiGiorgio, and Sanat Dixit delve into the complexities of healthcare policy, particularly focusing on recent statements made by former President Trump regarding healthcare reform. They discuss the implications of Trump's proposed 'Great Healthcare Plan,' which aims to lower drug prices and insurance premiums w...

Send us a text Keywords healthcare, ACA subsidies, vaccine schedule, AI in healthcare, concierge medicine, food pyramid, healthcare policy, public health, physician autonomy, healthcare costs Summary In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of healthcare, discussing the ongoing saga of ACA subsidies, recent changes to vaccine schedules, and the implications of AI in healthcare. They...

Send us a text Keywords healthcare policy, Medicaid, ACA, fraud, social media, bureaucracy, primary care, immigration, healthcare reform, insurance Takeaways The One Big Beautiful Bill aimed to reform Medicaid and tighten eligibility checks. Fraud in Medicaid has been highlighted by recent cases, particularly in Minnesota. Work requirements for Medicaid recipients are seen as a reasonable eligibil...

Send us a text Keywords electronic medical records, healthcare technology, EHR challenges, physician experience, digital health, healthcare regulations, EMR usability, healthcare innovation, patient care, medical technology, EHR, healthcare efficiency, physician ownership, diversity in medicine, medical education, healthcare bureaucracy, DEI, patient care, healthcare systems, physician burnout Sum...

Send us a text Keywords healthcare, MAID, patient autonomy, economic implications, GOP healthcare proposals, health savings accounts, dynamic pricing, Instacart, ethical dilemmas, healthcare systems Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss pressing issues in healthcare, focusing on the Canadian MAID program, the implications of patient autonomy, economic factors influencing healthcare decisions,...

Send us a text Keywords healthcare, primary care, ER, cost reduction, pharmacy reform, 340B program, healthcare access, bureaucratic reform Summary The conversation focuses on the need to shift healthcare from emergency rooms to primary care, emphasizing cost reduction and improved access through reforms in pharmacy practices and bureaucratic processes. Takeaways Shifting healthcare to primary car...

Send us a text Keywords healthcare, Medicaid fraud, DEI, vaccine safety, Eli Lilly, ACA, healthcare policy, trust in medicine, social determinants of health, healthcare reform Summary In this episode, the hosts discuss various pressing issues in healthcare, including Medicaid fraud, the impact of fraud on legitimate healthcare needs, and the ongoing debate about healthcare as a human right. They a...

Send us a text Summary Dr. Anahita Dua is a vascular surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital who joins Dutch Rojas, Anish Koka, and Anthony Digiorgio to discuss her views on women's health and cardiovascular disease, the need for a broader understanding of women's health issues beyond reproductive health, and the problems female physicians face in medicine. We discuss the challenges of research...

Send us a text Summary In this episode of the Doctors' Lounge, the hosts discuss a range of topics centered around healthcare, including personal experiences with medical procedures, the importance of trust in healthcare providers, the economics of office-based surgeries, and the role of insurance companies in driving up costs. They reflect on the need for a more patient-centered approach to healt...

Send us a text  🎯 Why Listen: Dive into a heated discussion on the future of healthcare, where leading physicians debate the merits of free market principles versus centralized healthcare planning. Discover why the current system may be failing and what can be done to steer it in a better direction. 👥 Co-Hosts: Dutch Rojas – Founder, Bliksem Health Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF...

Send us a text 📌 Episode Overview: In this episode, the co-hosts dive into the complexities of healthcare policy, discussing the impact of ACA subsidies, the role of insurance companies, and the potential for HSAs to empower patients. They explore the challenges of healthcare costs, the influence of government subsidies, and the need for a competitive marketplace. 👥 Co-Hosts: Anthony DiGiorgio,...

Send us a text Show Link: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/0003-4819-153-8-201010190-00274 Why Listen 👥 In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of the healthcare system, discussing the impact of large hospital systems as major employers, the broken window fallacy in healthcare, and the challenges of high premiums. They explore the historical context of certificate of need la...

Send us a text Why Listen 👥 In this episode, the hosts delve into the complexities of healthcare costs, the impact of policy decisions, and the role of market forces in shaping the healthcare landscape. They discuss the consolidation of healthcare providers, the influence of insurance companies, and the challenges faced by independent practices. The conversation also touches on the COVID-19 pande...

Send us a text 📌 Why Listen Explore the complexities of the 340B program, its impact on healthcare systems, and the implications for both hospitals and independent clinicians. Understand the need for transparency and potential reforms to align the program with its original goals. 👥 Co-Hosts Anthony DiGiorgio, DO, MHA – Neurosurgeon, UCSF; health policy researcher Anish Koka, MD – Cardiologist, P...

Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen When Senator Chuck Schumer joined Dr. Mike’s podcast to discuss “The Truth About the Government Shutdown,” the talk quickly became a lesson in political spin. In this episode, the co-hosts of The Rojas Report dissect Schumer’s claims, challenge Dr. Mike’s deference, and unpack the policy mechanics behind Medicaid, ACA subsidies, and America’s trillion-dollar healthcare...

Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen This episode is a no-holds-barred takedown of how hospitals manipulate billing codes, exploit DRG loopholes, and increase patient risk—all while squeezing out independent physicians. Whether you’re a patient, policymaker, or healthcare insider, you’ll walk away questioning everything you thought you knew about how hospitals operate behind the scenes. 👥 Co-Hosts Dutch...

Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen In this fiery and insightful episode, the doctors dissect the political and economic fault lines behind the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the looming government shutdown, and the multi-billion-dollar subsidies keeping America’s healthcare afloat. From insurance distortions and Medicaid loopholes to why the system rewards bureaucracy over care, this is an unfiltered conver...

Send us a text 🎯 Why Listen This episode of The Doctor’s Lounge cuts straight into one of the most polarizing questions in U.S. healthcare: Did the Affordable Care Act (ACA) fix the system—or hand it to corporate interests? The doctors debate how government mandates, corporate lobbying, and political theater have created a bloated insurance economy that benefits everyone but patients and doctors....