The Gist Healthcare Podcast

It’s November and that means open enrollment season for ACA plans. The Texas Medical Association challenges new surprise billing rules in court. And as vaccines become available for kids, when will we return to normal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bids to add dental coverage to Medicare seem to be out of President Biden's new social spending framework. With the Medicare population is expected to grow by a third over the next decade as Baby Boomers turn 65, Oregon dentist Dr. Kaz Rafia says not adding dental coverage was a missed opportunity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dental and vision benefits for seniors and prescription drug pricing reforms are out of President Biden’s social spending plan. Senators in Brazil want to charge the country’s president with crimes against humanity for how he has handled COVID-19. And the FTC is cracking down on smaller M&A deals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LifePoint Health and Kindred Healthcare are spinning off a new hospital company. Merck signs a licensing deal to let companies countries produce its antiviral covid pill. And health systems are starting new ventures to compete with electronic health record giants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elementary school kids are one step closer to getting COVID vaccines. Utah hospitals call on people to donate unused crutches amid supply shortages. And two new players launch pharmacy benefit managers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today an FDA panel is deciding whether to recommend Pfizer’s covid vaccine for young kids. Northeastern states pass new laws limiting nursing home profits. And several states reject bids to expand advanced practice providers' scope of practice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the final episode of our series exploring investor acquisitions of physician practices, we’ll look at the hospital-based physician market, including emergency physicians, hospitalists, and anesthesiologists, which private equity firms started rolling up in the early 2000s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Democrats pare down their social spending package some healthcare benefits are on the chopping block. Pediatric providers declare a national mental health emergency for kids. And Amazon Care is expanding to five more cities. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of regulatory approval, the Biden Administration lays out plans to distribute COVID vaccine plans to young kids. The FDA kicked off the process of making hearing aids available over the counter. And more than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente employees authorized a strike. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where will healthcare workers who refuse to get vaccinated work after mandates are implemented? Despite warnings that ivermectin doesn’t help treat COVID, overseas generic drug makers are making big bucks off the medication. And UnitedHealthcare launches a virtual-first primary care plan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Instead of spotlighting the importance of the local public health officials, the pandemic has led to a public backlash against them. Large health systems are joining forces to lobby for hospital-at-home waivers to become permanent. And Walmart enters the employer-sponsored coverage market. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some have warned that the rapid growth of PE-backed practices is reminiscent of the rise and fall of physician practice management companies of the 1990s. In the second part of our series about the impact of private equity investment in physician practice on the healthcare market, we’ll hear from Peter Kindrachuk, a former PhyCor executive, on how today’s trend compares to what happened back then. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walgreens moves further into care delivery and launches a new health division. The FDA’s vaccine panel recommends Moderna booster shots. And the agency authorizes its first e-cigarette, but only the tobacco flavor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Medicare open enrollment starts Friday, but once signed up few seniors change plans. Companies are ignoring Texas’ vaccine mandate ban. And in California, Governor Newsom hasn’t delivered on his big healthcare reform promises. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best Buy makes another move into healthcare with plans to buy Current Health. The US Preventive Services Task Force is narrowing guidance on who should take aspirin to prevent heart disease. And nurses say patients are increasingly hostile and violent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merck asks the Food and Drug Administration to approve its antiviral COVID pill. Get ready for the wave of physician retirements. And there’s a lot of activity among revenue cycle management companies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Private equity firms are fueling a physician practice buying frenzy that’s heated up over the last year, with just about half of practices now owned by hospitals or other corporate entities. In the first part of a series about private equity's impact on the market, Anthony D’Eredita, founder and CEO of TrustWorks Collective, discusses how younger physicians and health systems are being outbid by deep-pocketed investors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henrietta Lacks’ family sues biotech company Thermo Fisher Scientific for unfairly profiting from her cells. 2021 is the year of the mega-hospital merger. And Pfizer officially asks the FDA to extend emergency use for its COVID vaccine to include young kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The WHO backs the first malaria vaccine. The Wall Street Journal writes about what is believed to be the country’s first cybercrime-related patient death. And increasing labor costs will continue to be a key concern for hospitals into next year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Missouri’s Medicaid expansion goes into effect. A group of health systems launches Graphite Health, a healthcare app marketplace. And long-serving NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins steps down. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Merck’s new antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 shows a lot of promise. CMS lays out how the No Surprises Act dispute resolution process will work. And non-covid research is still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sanford Health's Chief Physician Dr. Jeremy Cauwels discusses how the Sioux Falls, SD-based health system is building a virtual care center to consolidate its telemedicine offerings and deliver virtual care at scale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Healthcare worker shortages are problematic now, but a study project they’ll get worse in several states. This week Pfizer shared data with regulators on its COVID vaccine efficacy in young kids. Coast-to-coast healthcare worker vaccine mandates are working. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hospital-backed healthcare data company Truveta announces a deal with Microsoft. The American Medical Association's annual report finds a single insurer had at least half of the market in 46 percent of metro areas. And in response to a rise of attacks on healthcare workers, one Missouri hospital is adding panic buttons to employee badges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Look across the pond to France for more evidence that vaccine mandates work. Walmart Health adopts Epic’s electronic health record system. And regulators ask for more info about a merger between two Michigan hospital systems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York state’s COVID vaccine mandate goes into effect. Devoted Health could be the most valuable insurtech with a valuation at more than $11B. And states start rolling out COVID vaccine booster shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Capacity and staffing challenges from ongoing COVID surges are creating a domino effect, delaying access to other medical care and backing up emergency departments. Dr. Gregg Miller, Chief Medical Officer of hospital staffing company Vituity, says that these compounding factors are bringing sicker patients into overwhelmed and understaffed emergency departments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As vaccine mandates go into effect hospitals and nursing homes worry staffing shortages will get worse. There are renewed calls for more oversight over Medicare Advantage plans. And the FDA recommends seniors and adults with underlying medical conditions should get COVID booster shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

HCA Healthcare expands into fast-growing Utah. The official American death toll from the COVID pandemic has now surpassed that of the 1918 flu pandemic. And with seniors spending hundreds of dollars on dental and hearing care out-of-pocket, expanding Medicare to cover these benefits is hugely popular. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amid booster shot limbo, decisions are falling to doctors. With insurers rolling back COVID waivers patients are getting big bills. And Walgreens acquires a majority stake in specialty pharmacy company Shields Health. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Intermountain Healthcare plans to merge with Colorado-based SCL Health. Pfizer says its vaccine elicited a strong immune response in 5-to-11-year olds. And health apps need to tell consumers if their data was exposed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although the center of excellence model has been around for years, it has been mainly used by mega-employers. San Francisco-based Carrum Health is making this more accessible to smaller companies through its digital marketplace that connects self-insured employers with a network of providers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As booster debate intensifies in the US, the UK moves forward with its rollout. Hospitals are under pressure to add psychiatric beds. And Buzzfeed News traced the ivermectin as a covid treatment craze back to a questionable study out of Argentina. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As COVID becomes endemic, we need to learn to live with the virus. The federal government accuses Aetna of operating ghost networks to secure Medicaid contracts. Medicare Advantage plans support adding dental, vision, and hearing benefits to traditional Medicare as long as they get higher payments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hospitals continue to postpone non-emergent surgeries to preserve capacity for COVID patients. Stimulus dollars and government programs helped keep Americans out of poverty last year. And top vaccine regulators say there’s not enough evidence for booster shots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hospitals react to Biden’s new vaccine requirement for healthcare workers. New transparency rules are released for air ambulance companies and insurers. And nursing homes prescribe antipsychotic medications to far more residents than reported. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Biden Administration plans to release another $25 billion in provider relief funding. Spreading false information about covid vaccines could cost physicians their license. And physician groups in Texas say the state’s new abortion law interferes with their ability to practice medicine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Biden extends COVID vaccine mandates to cover 100 million Americans. And the Biden Administration's plan to reduce prescription drug prices backs top Democratic policy plans, including allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As kids go back into the classroom, COVID cases rise. The FDA is set to decide which e-cigarette products can stay on the market. And as state vaccine requirements for healthcare workers go into effect, there are concerns it could wrosen staffing shortages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

British digital-first value-based care company Babylon went from being virtually unknown in the US to managing the cost of care for more than 100,000 lives in a year. Babylon's Chief Business Officer Paul-Henri Ferrand discusses how the company is partnering with health plans, medical groups, and health systems to expand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A judge approves Purdue Pharma’s controversial bankruptcy settlement and some states vow to appeal. What is more effective at encouraging vaccination: full vaccine approval, mandates, or incentives? And adding dental to Medicare could take years. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two of the FDA’s top vaccine regulators are leaving as the COVID booster decision looms. Nurses are getting higher pay and more favorable contracts as hospitals are desperate for staff. And Apple is working on health tools that can track your fertility and blood pressure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a troubling trend, a few judges have ruled hospitals need to treat COVID patients with ivermectin. Sutter Health settles an antitrust lawsuit and Medicare Advantage fraud suit. And telehealth giant Amwell completes its acquisition of two smaller digital health companies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new study in The Lancet finds the Delta variant may actually cause more severe disease than previous strains. Jury selection starts in the trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. And CVS and Walmart’s latest move into care delivery is offering mental healthcare in store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oregon hospitals are struggling to handle the influx of COVID patients, partly because the state has the fewest hospital beds per capita in the nation. In this episode, we'll hear how National Guard troops are helping one Oregon hospital inundated with COVID patients and short on staff. To take the 5 question survey go to Gisthealthcare.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During this Delta surge, more pregnant women are ending up severely ill with COVID and physicians urge vaccinations. Religious groups and affiliated hospitals require the COVID-19 vaccine. And insurers expand marketplace offerings. To take the 5 question survey go to Gisthealthcare.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Doctors beg people to get their first vaccine doses, while companies ask for booster shot approval. Mental health apps Ginger and Headspace merge. And desperate for staff, places in Nebraska say no COVID vaccine necessary. To take the 5 question survey go to Gisthealthcare.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The House advances the $3.5 trillion social spending package. Despite job losses from the pandemic, the uninsured rate stayed about the same. And the US Preventive Task Force is lowering the recommended age for Type 2 diabetes screening. To take the 5 question survey go to Gisthealthcare.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the FDA gave full approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, a flood of new requirements followed. Google and Apple’s health initiatives struggle. And the latest groups to fight price transparency are businesses and pharmaceutical benefit managers. To take the 5 question survey go to Gisthealthcare.com/survey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More companies are mandating COVID vaccines every day, but not all mandates are created equal. Just as patients were returning to hospitals the Delta wave hit. And Anthem strikes a partnership with senior-focused primary care company CareMax. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.