The Healthcare Labyrinth

President Biden has left office. He deserves credit for expanding healthcare coverage and bringing drug price negotiations to Medicare.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention,...

The latest Healthcare Labyrinth podcast outlines the 2026 rate and policy changes for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system i...

The latest Healthcare Labyrinth podcast outlines what the first 100 days or so of Trump 47 could look like from a budget perspective. The activities are hugely complex and will require delicate political negotiations.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a...

A special edition of The Healthcare Labyrinth Podcast recapping healthcare events in 2024 and with predictions for 2025.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is...

The CMS Actuary has released the 2023 National Healthcare Expenditures Data Report and it shows a huge surge in healthcare spending coming out of the COVID pandemic.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little foc...

CMS should be cautious in reforming Medicare Advantage's minimum medical loss ratio requirements.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire need of...

I help many people each year during open enrollment and it tells us a lot about the broken healthcare system in America.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is...

The Medicare Advantage and Part D Rule For 2026 is out with major changes in both the Part C and Part D worlds.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly i...

Medicare Advantage is struggling right now, but a new study shows how important MA is to Medicare's future. About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system is clearly in dire...

There are many reasons Trump and the GOP should safeguard the Affordable Care Act, including the fact it saves and is key to overall healthcare reform.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness...

Seismic changes in healthcare may be dependent on how aggressive Trump and the GOP want to be. But expect some major budgetary impacts to healthcare. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and p...

Some companies in Big Healthcare are having issues caused by both internal and external forces. External scrutiny will rise even as Big Healthcare attempts to right its finances.   About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, a...

A physician rate fix has been put off for decades and has devastated primary care and physician practices. It is time for a permanent fix to be passed by Congress. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on we...

Given the massive reductions in Medicare Advantage and standalone Part D plans, CMS should allow Medicare beneficiaries a special enrollment period to make changes in 2025. It is the least the agency could do for hiding the extent of the problems. About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs,...

For a third year in a row, we see falling Medicare Advantage Star scores and it signals a major crisis in the industry that needs to be turned around. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and pr...

JD Vance declared at the VP debate that Donald Trump helped salvage the ACA in his term in office. But that is revisionist history. Trump actually sabotaged it. Listen in – you be the judge. About The Podcast:   Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal a...

The Commonwealth Fund's latest "Mirror Mirror" report shows that the U.S. healthcare system is a huge cost and outcome outlier against the rest of the developed world. It shows a crying need for real healthcare reform – no tinkering on the fringes. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, co...

Employer healthcare coverage costs are exploding and it is being driven by drug spending. Listen in to hear why employers are concerned and what they will do about it. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus o...

A recent study of drug coverage in other developed nations shows that America is not getting the value it needs from its Medicare Part D drug spending.   About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness a...

The inability to get your GLP-1 weight-loss drug could be as much about it being in drug shortage as well as how much pharmacies get for dispensing the drug. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellne...

A new study from Third Way shows that hospitals can be more efficient and still make a profit. Hospital reform needs to happen. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordable universal access, and little focus on wellness and prevention, the system...

A number of forward-thinking Medicare Advantage executives are advocating for a more accountable and transparent MA program that gives additional value and savings back to the government and enrollees. They are right. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lac...

Big Pharma was crying apocalypse for drug innovation and the industry when Medicare drug price negotiation passed. As is the case with almost every "Chicken Little" declaration, their world and ours did not come to an end. The public just might see some drug price relief. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Betwee...

The question of whether insurers, especially those with Medicare Advantage, would fare better under a Trump or Harris administration is a tough one. Here are my pros and cons for each candidate from a health plan standpoint. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage.   Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies...

Some major benefit cuts and premium increases in Medicare Advantage and Part D could shock Medicare enrollees and the public in the upcoming enrollment season and lead to an October Surprise for Democrats. About The Podcast: Millions of Americans feel confused and frustrated in their search for quality healthcare coverage. Between out-of-control costs, countless inefficiencies, a lack of affordabl...