The Gist Healthcare Podcast

The Department of Justice is reportedly investigating UnitedHealth Group over its Medicare Advantage billing practices. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cancels—indefinitely—a meeting of vaccine advisors . And, fatal drug overdoses are down nationwide. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See ac...

Budget Committee Republicans have tasked the Energy and Commerce Committee with finding $880 billion in cuts to federal healthcare spending. Though the committee has jurisdiction over many programs, it notably oversees Medicare Part B and Medicaid spending. Matthew Fiedler, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, joins host J. Carlisle Larsen to talk about the news and why most of those potent...

Biden-era merger guidelines jointly established by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice remain in place for now.  A new study finds that the United States could face a critical hospital bed shortage within the decade. And, the number of measles cases in Texas continues to grow. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare...

The Trump Administration to lays off thousands of the Department of Health and Human Services employees, including more than 1,000 at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The administration cuts around 90 percent of the budget meant for Affordable Care Act marketplace navigators. And, flu deaths surpass those related to COVID-19 for 1st time since the beginning of the pandemic...

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, UMass Memorial Health in Worcester, Massachusetts began to pilot a new hospital-at-home program: one for postpartum patients. Benjamin Hamar, MD, Director of the Maternity Center at UMass Memorial and a member of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division, joins the podcast to tell host J. Carlisle Larsen more about the first-in-the-nation model.  This episode origi...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Is confirmed as the next Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  House Republicans outline $880 billion in healthcare cuts. And, the American Hospital Association calls on the Trump Administration to exempt medical devices from tariffs. That's coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

A federal judge has issued a temporary stay on funding cuts to research institutions from the National Institutes of Health. The Department of Health and Human Services has been ordered to restore health information webpages following a lawsuit. And, a new study finds that using a popular weight loss drug can help patients lower their need for blood pressure medications. We’ll get those stori...

A recent $10 million endowment to Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management will establish a new Healthcare Leadership Center in partnership with Northwestern Medicine. The goal of the center is to train the next generation of healthcare leaders in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape. Craig Garthwaite, Professor of Strategy and the Director of Healthcare at Kellogg, joins host J. Carlisle Lars...

Elon Musk’s aides at the Department of Government Efficiency are reportedly probing Medicare payment systems for fraud. Physicians sue the Trump Administration over the scrubbing of health information from federal websites. And, maternal mortality is declining except among Black women. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.  Hos...

Members of the Senate Finance Committee have advanced Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services to the full Senate. New legislation introduced in Congress would raise Medicare physician pay if it’s passed.  And, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first non-opioid prescription painkiller in more than 20 years. We'll get those stories—...

On today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast, we hear the second half of host J. Carlisle Larsen’s conversation with Modern Healthcare’s Michael McAuliff about a document making the rounds on Capitol hill that outlines potential federal healthcare spending cuts.     You can find the first part of their conversation here .    And, you can read Michael’s recent article about...

The Trump Administration reverses course on a federal funding freeze memo that threw healthcare programs into chaos nationwide. Cigna announces plan to lower out-of-pocket prescription costs for members. And, the FDA approves Ozempic to treat diabetic kidney disease. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.  Hosted on Acast. See a...

UnitedHealth Group reveals that the number of Americans impacted by last year’s Change Healthcare breach has nearly doubled. The University of Minnesota and Essentia Health announce a plan to form a new nonprofit healthcare entity.  And, Walgreens rumored sale of itself to a private equity firm is reportedly called off. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the...

A document making the rounds in Congress outlines trillions of dollars in potential federal spending cuts to pay for an extension of tax cuts put into place during President Trump’s first term. And Healthcare makes up a sizable part of the proposed cuts. Michael McAuliff , politics and policy reporter for Modern Healthcare, joins host J. Carlisle Larsen to talk more about what healthcare programs...

The Trump Administration has paused federal health agencies’ external communications, pending a review.  The Affordable Care Act saw record enrollment for the 2025 plan year on the exchanges, but that growth could be stymied if enhanced tax subsidies expire at the end of the year.  And, RSV antibody shots given to mothers during pregnancy have been found to significant cut infe...

Newly inaugurated President Trump has issued sweeping initial healthcare orders for his second term. The Department of Health and Human Services releases the next 15 Medicare Part D drugs chosen for negotiations with a blockbuster GLP-1 weight loss drug at the top of the list.  And, a new report from a federal watchdog raises red flags over the Food and Drug Administration’s accelerated appro...

The Biden Administration finalizes rule allowing practitioners to prescribe certain drugs for opioid use disorder via telehealth appointments. Fewer new Black and Hispanic students are enrolling in medical school following Supreme Court ruling that effectively stuck down Affirmative Action. And, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services retracts recently released Medicare Advantage enrol...

The Supreme Court says it will consider a broad lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act’s preventive care mandate. The Biden Administration will crack down on health insurance exchange brokers in a final rule issued this week.  And, Walgreens’ CEO confirms plans to sell VillageMD. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.  Hosted on...

The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been extradited to New York on murder charges. National healthcare spending hit $4.9 trillion in 2023, likely due to increased utilization and intensity. And, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports first severe human case of bird flu in the United States tied to a backyard flock. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up o...

Congress is another step closer to finalizing a year-end spending package to keep the government operating, and the plan includes some significant healthcare related spending. The Health Resources and Services Administration demands the French drugmaker Sanofi abandon its controversial 340B credit model.  And, fewer children are being vaccinated against the flu. We’ll get those stories—and mo...

President-elect Donald Trump has named a number of high-profile individuals to lead federal healthcare agencies. These include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. To lead the Department of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. On today’s episode, host J. Carlisle Larsen speaks with POLITICO’s Ben Leonard to talk more about his healthcare choices, th...

United States Senators introduce legislation that would break up healthcare giants’ pharmacy benefit managers. Walgreens is reportedly looking into a sale to a private equity firm and going private. And, a new poll finds fewer than one in five Americans are satisfied with the cost of healthcare. We’ll get those stories—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast....

Police arrest suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield backtracks on a controversial planned cap on anesthesia payments. And, dozens of Nobel laureates write to the US Senate urging lawmakers to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. We’ll get those stories coming up on today’s epis...

Since January 2021, hospitals and health systems have been required to post the prices of standard charges publicly. The goal of the Hospital Price Transparency Rule has been to increase competition and bring down the cost of healthcare for consumers. Since the regulation went into effect three years ago, researchers at Turquoise Health wanted to see if the market had responded.     Caro...

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing in Manhattan this week sends shockwaves through the industry. Cone becomes the latest health system to join Kaiser Permanente’s Risant Health system. And, CMS proposes new guidelines regulating Medicare Advantage prior authorizations and advertisements. We’ll get that story—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast....