Good health care depends on good health coverage, particularly for the most vulnerable. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid eligibility and created exchanges where many Americans could access health insurance, often at a subsidized price. These new pathways to affordable coverage led to the uninsured rate dropping to record lows. Unfortunately, those recent gains in coverage and access now face new hurdles. After the end of the Covid public health emergency, states began a process of redetermining Medicaid eligibility which caused tens of millions to lose coverage. Many were forced to f ..read more

The Change Healthcare cyberattack on February 21st upended a huge slice of the U.S. health care system, virtually crippling all aspects of the patient care continuum when the clearinghouse’s services were hacked. That is because Change Healthcare processes 15 billion claims totaling more than $1.5 trillion a year and may handle 50 percent of all medical claims in the country. The impact has been devastating for many patients, hospitals, and providers, particularly those already operating under financial constraints.  Having an understanding of the size and scale of this cyberattack has be ..read more

There are two Americas - rural and urban – particularly when you look at access to health care.   With roughly 60 million people, or one in five Americans, living in small communities from coast to coast, how do we ensure patients have access to the care they need when they need it? And what policies can help bridge the gap?  Former Senator Heidi Heitkamp has dedicated her life to representing the interests of rural America and fighting to save this way of life. She currently serves as founder and board chair of the One Country Project, an organization dedicated to advancing rural Am ..read more

IN THIS EPISODE: For the past 15 years, drug shortages have been a persistent problem for hospitals and the patients they serve – and extreme cases can even lead to rationing, delaying, or canceling treatments or procedures. Tackling the drug shortage crisis is a complicated issue requiring creative solutions. That’s where Civica comes in – a non-profit pharmaceutical company created by hospitals and health systems to address these critical shortages. In this episode, Chip speaks with Civica’s Senior Vice President for Public Policy Allan Coukell about why the company was formed, the challenge ..read more

Guest: Phillip Morris, Partner & Leads Strategic Insights Practice, LSG In this episode: It is only January, but the campaign season is already in full swing. From the White House to control of Congress - power in Washington is up for grabs. In this episode, Chip Kahn talks with Phillip about what issues matter most to voters and where health care fits into that list of priorities. Topics they examine include: Most important issues to likely voters in this year's election - inflation, the economy, and immigration. Views on health care – voters point to big insurance and pharmaceut ..read more

Chip and Dr. Liz Fowler, Deputy Administrator of CMS and Director of the agency’s Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), discuss CMMI’s mission to improve health outcomes, overcome the obstacles to health equity, and reduce care costs. They look back on what CMMS has accomplished in its first 10 years, what we have learned from this experimentation, and the future of care and payment innovation. Topics they examine include: CMMI’s successes over the last decade and what programs have resonated most. Controversial CBO report that says CMMI’s programs have increased federal spendin ..read more

In this episode:   As we recognize Rural Hospital Week 2023, Chip and Alan Morgan, CEO of the National Rural Health Association, discuss the importance of having medical care 30 miles or 30 minutes away and the battle to maintain patients’ access to vital services in small communities across the country. They also examine the ways lawmakers can throw a lifeline to hospitals struggling to keep their doors open. Topics include:  Growing health care workforce shortage in rural areas Rural hospital closure crisis Impact so-called site-neutral policies would have on access to care Uninte ..read more

In this episode:  Chip and Dr. Sammie Mosier, SVP & Chief Nurse Executive at HCA Healthcare, discuss the growing health care workforce crisis in health systems – from how it is affecting care at the bedside to developing cutting-edge programs aimed at training the next generation of nurses. Topics they examine include:  COVID-19’s lasting impact on nursing Using innovative care models and virtual nursing to improve patient care  Ways to increase enrollment at nursing schools Prioritizing nurse retention and caregiver continuity Future of nursing GUEST:  Dr. Sammi ..read more

In this episode: Chip and Marty Bonick, President and CEO of Ardent Health Services, discuss how cutting-edge technology is reshaping the health care system - by treating patients like consumers, and doing it while improving quality and cutting costs. Topics they examine include: Prioritizing patient centered care and cost containment  Embracing disruptors - Using technology to make care more accessible  Impact of AI, machine learning on the patient experience Transforming from a hospital system to a health service organization Utilizing virtual nursing to mitigate current workforce ..read more

In this episode:  Chip sits down with Wendell Primus, former Senior Policy Advisor on Budget and Health Issues to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to discuss:    The current state of the Affordable Care Act – have the effects met the expectations when the law passed 13 years ago?  The lasting impact of recently passed drug reform legislation on Medicare and beneficiaries  Many are pushing for health care price transparency – will it be transformative?    How insurer consolidation – both vertical and horizontal – will affect the nation’s health care system.  Rami ..read more