How Much Longer Will Americans Wait for Real Health Reform?
The episode examines the deepening crisis in U.S. health care, highlighting recent data that shows health insurance costs now outrank basic necessities for two‑thirds of Americans and that 1.2 million households lost coverage after premium subsidies were cut. Host Trudy Lieberman discusses the historical context—from the failed Clinton reforms to the ACA’s impact—and warns that Medicaid funding cuts threaten the safety net for millions. The conversation underscores the persistent gap between America’s fragmented, profit‑driven system and the universal models of peer nations, questioning how long the public will tolerate escalating bills and denied care.
In FTC Settlement, Cigna Agrees to Change Some PBM Business Practices, Charge Customers Less for Insulin
The episode examines Cigna’s settlement with the FTC over its Express Scripts PBM, which was accused of inflating insulin prices through opaque rebate deals. Key provisions require Cigna to prioritize lower‑cost drug versions, base patient copays on net prices, increase...
UnitedHealthcare Tightens Specialist Access for Medicare Advantage Enrollees
The episode examines UnitedHealthcare's new policy requiring primary‑care referrals for specialist visits in its Medicare Advantage HMO and HMO‑POS plans, a change that will fully take effect after April 30. Through the stories of seniors like Theresa Schwartz and Pamela...
University of Minnesota Medical School Nixes Its Classroom “Partnership” With UnitedHealth Group After HEALTH CARE Un-Covered’s Expose
The episode examines the University of Minnesota Medical School’s decision to discontinue a UnitedHealth Group‑sponsored course after investigative reporting by Dr. Allison Leopold exposed the curriculum as corporate propaganda rather than unbiased medical education. Leopold, a participant in the pilot,...
Private Insurance Is Seeping Into Every Public Health Program: Warning Signs From the Veterans Health Administration
The episode examines how private insurance is infiltrating the Veterans Health Administration via the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP) and the proposed Community Care Network (CCN) Next Generation, a move that could channel up to $1 trillion of taxpayer money into...
ICYMI: Patients Vs. Profits, Exposing the Insurance Middlemen (The Chad Prather Show)
In this episode of The Chad Prather Show, host and health‑care writer discuss the recent congressional hearing on big‑insurance CEOs, exposing how insurers have built vertically integrated conglomerates that drive up premiums, deductibles, and Medicare Advantage denials. They highlight the...
Hawley and Warren Introduce “Break Up Big Medicine Act” To Force Separation of Insurers, PBMs and Providers
Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren introduced the Break Up Big Medicine Act, a "Glass‑Steagall"‑style bill that would prohibit common ownership of health‑care providers with insurers, PBMs, or drug/medical device wholesalers, forcing divestiture within a year. The legislation targets vertically...
The Misleading Chart That Killed the ACA Subsidies
The episode dissects a misleading chart promoted by the Paragon Health Institute that Senate Majority Leader John Thune used to argue against extending ACA subsidies, claiming Obamacare premiums have skyrocketed. Health policy experts, including Brookings senior fellow Matthew Fiedler, explain that the...