Health Affairs This Week
Health Affairs This Week places listeners at the center of health policy’s proverbial water cooler. Join host Jeff Byers, editors from Health Affairs Publishing, and guests as they discuss health policy’s most pressing news and trends.
Why Healthcare Costs Are Rising in America: The $9 Trillion Outlook for 2025 and Beyond
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Michael Chernew, professor at Harvard Medical School, back to the pod to discuss the recently released National Health Expenditures Projections for 2025–34 from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
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National Health Expenditure Projections, 2025–34: Strong Utilization Growth Initially, Legislative Impacts Later (Health Affairs)The NHE Projections Through 2034: Growth Assumptions, Policy Consequences (Health Affairs Forefront)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletter to catch up on our new articles, podcasts, and events.
Medicaid Work Requirements: Who’s Affected and What’s at Stake
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Alison Barkoff of George Washington University to the pod to explore the evolving landscape of Medicaid work requirements.
They break down who is impacted by these policies, how the requirements are structured across states, and the real-world challenges of implementation. The conversation also explores concerns about administrative burden, potential coverage losses, and what these changes mean for beneficiaries, policymakers, and providers.
Topics covered:
What Medicaid work requirements are and how they workWho qualifies—and who may lose coverageState-level variations and policy designAdministrative complexity and compliance challengesPotential impacts on ac...Will the Rural Health Transformation Fund Deliver?
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News to the pod to discuss the Rural Health Transformation Fund, highlighting how it aims to improve infrastructure and access in rural communities amid ongoing challenges like hospital closures, workforce shortages, and Medicaid cuts.
To learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Fund, join us on June 8 for a free event featuring Kate Sapra and Katherine Ornstein highlighting state initiatives focusing on improving care for older adults.
Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in heal...
Inside CVS Caremark: The Role of PBMs in Drug Costs & Access | SPONSORED
THIS SPONSORED PODCAST EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CVS HEALTH.
In this sponsored episode, James Margiotta, Chief Growth Officer at CVS Caremark, joins Health Affairs Publishing's Jessica Bylander to unpack the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), their impact on prescription drug costs, and the value PBMs bring to the health care system.
James has nearly 35 years of experience driving innovation, operational excellence, and enterprise value across the healthcare system. In his current role, James leads the team responsible for partnering with clients to identify their unique needs and bringing forward strategic solutions to...
Will the Medicare ACCESS Model Spark the Next Health Tech Gold Rush?
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Andrew Rundle of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article about Medicare’s upcoming ACCESS model and its potential to expand digital health for chronic disease management. They discuss why the program could spur rapid growth in health tech while highlighting key challenges, including serving an older population with varying degrees of digital literacy and adapting to a new, evidence-driven marketplace.
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The ACCESS Model May Set Off A Health Tech Gold Rush, But New Markets Bring Serious Obsta...Policy Changes Reshaping Family Caregiving
Welcome to a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. This episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.
In our third and final episode for the series in 2026, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Alison Barkoff of George Washington University to the program to discuss the rising economic and social importance of family caregiving, recent federal policy shifts affecting Medicaid and caregiver programs, and new interventions at the state and private‑sector levels.
Support for the Age-Friendly Health se...
Why Teens Are Turning to AI for Mental Health | Caroline Figueroa
Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of youth mental health challenges, including suicide and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised.
Health Affairs Publishing’s Kathleen Haddad welcomes Caroline Figueroa of Stanford University to the pod to discuss how teens are using AI chatbots for mental health support and the factors driving that use, including access and stigma. It also discusses emerging concerns and potential approaches to improving safety, design, and oversight of these tools.
Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the fe...
How the Healthcare Workforce Is Responding to New Aging Policies | Age-Friendly Health Series
Welcome to a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. This episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.
In our second episode, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Bianca Frogner, director of the Center for Health Workforce Studies at the University of Washington to discuss the role of direct care workers in long‑term care, workforce shortages, policy shifts affecting Medicaid, immigration, labor standards, and more.
Support for the Age-Friendly Health series is provided by The John A. Ha...
Abortion Access In The High Court, Again | Katie Keith
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Georgetown University’s Katie Keith and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming back to the podcast to unpack a new court case over mifepristone that could alter telehealth access to medication abortion and test the boundaries of FDA authority.
Join us on June 23 for an exclusive Insider virtual event examining how antitrust policy in health care is evolving at both the federal and state levels, featuring insights from Katherine Gudiksen, Leemore Dafny, and Nathan Hostert.
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Supreme Court Temporarily Blocks Ruling Barring Telehealth And Pharmacy Access To Mifepristone (Heal...How the One Big Beautiful Bill Changes Medicaid for Older Adults and State Health Policy
Welcome to the first episode in a new, limited podcast series exploring major policy changes affecting older adults. The episode is part of our Age-Friendly Health series, which explores topics at the intersection of aging, health, health care, and health policy.
In our first episode, host Katherine Ornstein welcomes Hemi Tewarson of the National Academy for State Health Policy how the The Big Beautiful Bill will impact Medicaid and state health policies affecting older adults. Their conversation explores work requirements, Medicaid financing changes, rural health investments, the sustainability of age‑friendly services, and more.
Support fo...
When Screening Guidelines Shift: Impacts on Healthcare Access & Use
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Duke University School of Medicine's Mike Pignone to the pod to explore the new cholesterol screening guidelines, how evolving screening and treatment guidelines (including colon cancer and breast cancer screening guidelines) influence care, and the broader cost implications for the health system.
Join Health Affairs Publishing on May 13 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) with Urban Institute’s Jason Levitis.
Related Articles:
Generic cholesterol drugs save Medicare billions of dollars, study finds (UT Southwestern Medical Center)Trends in Utilization and Cost of...Healthcare Price Transparency 2.0: Proposed Federal Updates Explained
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Stacey Pogue of Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy about her recent Forefront article examining proposed updates to health plan price transparency rules, focusing on efforts to improve data usability and the ongoing challenges in making healthcare costs more accessible and actionable.
Join Health Affairs Publishing on May 13 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring individual coverage health reimbursement arrangements (ICHRAs) with Urban Institute’s Jason Levitis.
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New Prior Authorization Proposals: Implications for Prescription Drug Access
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Michael Gerber back to the pod to discuss recent federal action on prior authorization, including CMS’s proposal to expand response-time requirements to prescription drugs. The conversation also covers insurer efforts to reduce prior auth volume, the promise of AI and prior authorization, and what increased transparency could reveal about costs.
To learn more, check out our recent Insider trend report on the current prior authorization landscape. And if you haven't already, join Insider today to get access to exclusive events, newsletters, cheat sheets, and reports.
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The FY 2027 HHS Budget Proposal: Changes, Cuts, and Investments
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Jessica Bylander back to the pod to explore the White House’s proposed FY 2027 HHS budget, outlining major cuts to health agencies and research programs and the emphasized investment on the Make America Healthy Again initiative.
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Celebrating Big Wins of the Trump Administration (HHS)President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Proposal Released (NAWDP)White House seeks 12% cut to HHS in 2027 (Healthcare Dive)Sign up for Health Affairs' free newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analysis.
Health Policy Roundup: ACA Reform, MedPAC & Conversion Therapy in the Courts
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to discuss recent health policy developments, including a Supreme Court ruling on conversion therapy, renewed Democratic interest in Affordable Care Act reform, and key findings from MedPAC’s latest Medicare payment report.
On April 20th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event exploring the evolution of the Medicare Advantage market featuring Sachin Jain, David Meyers, and Grace Mackleby.
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2027 Medicare Advantage Final Payment Rule: Key Changes Explained | David Meyers (Health Affairs This Week)Chiles v. Salazar (Conversion Therapy) (SC...2027 Medicare Advantage Final Payment Rule: Key Changes Explained | David Meyers
On an emergency pod episode, Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Brown University's David Meyers to the pod to unpack the 2027 Medicare Advantage final payment rule, including the higher-than-anticipated rate increase, changes to risk adjustment models, what is V28, and the tradeoffs between market stability and long-term program sustainability.
On April 20th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event exploring the evolution of the Medicare Advantage market featuring Sachin Jain, David Meyers, and Grace Mackleby.
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Assessing Recent Regulatory Action On Medicare Advantage (Health Affairs Forefront)Abandon High‑Deductible Health Plans Linked to Health Spending Accounts | Jeanne Lambrew
Health Affairs Publishing's Jeff Byers welcomes Jeanne Lambrew of The Century Foundation to discuss her recent Forefront article exploring whether high deductibles and health spending accounts achieve their intended goals and how alternative approaches could improve healthcare affordability and access.
On April 20th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event exploring the evolution of the Medicare Advantage market featuring Sachin Jain, David Meyers, and Grace Mackleby.
Also, check out our newest trend report focusing on the current state of prior authorization.
Become an Insider today.
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Innovation, Consumers, and How We Get to Better Health Care | Halle Tecco
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Halle Tecco, investor, founder of Rock Health and professor at Columbia Business School, to the pod to discuss her new book, Massively Better Healthcare: The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest Challenges. Their conversation explores why consumers are becoming a powerful force in healthcare, how innovation happens within complex systems, and what it takes to align technology, evidence, and incentives to drive meaningful change.
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Order Massively Better Healthcare: The Innovator's Guide to Tackling Healthcare's Biggest ChallengesCheck out Halle's podcast, The Heart of Healthcare PodcastMedicare Advantage Payment & Coding Fights Intensify
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Ben Ippolito of the American Enterprise Institute to the pod to discuss the growing debate over Medicare Advantage (MA) payments and coding intensity. They break down why MA plans typically receive higher federal payments than traditional Medicare, how diagnostic upcoding factors into that gap, and what a new study in Health Affairs Scholar reveals about policy changes aimed at reducing inflated coding.
On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.
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An updated...FDA & Rare Disease Drugs: Why Policy and Politics Are Heating Up
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Deputy Editor Leslie Erdelack back to the pod to break down recent turbulence at the FDA following the departure of Vinay Prasad, whose decisions around rare‑disease gene therapies courted controversy. They explore the fast‑growing rare disease therapeutics market, why traditional clinical trials often don’t work for ultra‑rare genetic conditions, and the new FDA draft guidance for rare disease drug development.
On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.
Become an Insider to get a...
State of the Union Healthcare Policy Breakdown
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Margaret Winchester to the pod to discuss Trump's recent State of the Union Address and unpacking its health care and health policy talking points, including most-favored nation drug pricing, health savings accounts, and if there's a path toward codification for either.
On March 24th, join us for our upcoming Insider exclusive event focusing on pharmacy benefit manager reform with Harvard Medical School's Benjamin Rome.
Related Articles:
National Health Care Spending Increased 7.2 Percent In 2024 As Utilization Remained Elevated (Health Affairs)Trump’s State of the Union trumpets healthcare gre...Is Value-Based Payment Failing U.S. Healthcare? | Andrew Ryan
Health Affairs’ Jeff Byers welcomes Brown University's Andrew Ryan to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article that explores whether value-based payment and managed care can lead to addressing the core drivers of spending.
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Healthcare Storytelling and Digital Health Investment Trends | Christina Farr
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Christina Farr, CEO and editor-in-chief of Second Opinion Media, back to the pod to discuss her book, The Storyteller's Advantage: How Powerful Narratives Make Businesses Thrive. The conversation explores the value of storytelling in the health care and health policy space, how to invest in posting, the catch 22 of "spicy takes," recommendations for the reluctant poster, and Christina shares a quick look into what's interesting in the digital health investment space.
Sweeping Affordable Care Act Changes Proposed for 2027 (Katie Keith)
Health Affairs’ Jeff Byers welcomes Georgetown University’s Katie Keith back to the podcast to break down the newly proposed HHS rule that could bring major changes to the ACA beginning in 2027.
They discuss the proposal’s biggest shifts, including a major push toward expanding catastrophic plans, new marketplace eligibility restrictions tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and potential impacts on premiums, marketplace enrollment, insurers, and consumers.
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2025 Dietary Guidelines: Protein, Policy, and the Ultra-Processed Foods Problem
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes dietitian Jenny Lo from Wellness and Sports Dietetics to discuss the recently revised dietary guidelines for Americans. They discuss what's changed, the emphasis on protein, the ambiguity over ultraprocessed foods, and the best advice she gives to new clients looking to make dietary changes.
Related Articles:
Panel behind new dietary guidelines had financial ties to beef, dairy industries (Stat News)Experts Who Advised on Diet Guidelines Say RFK Jr.'s Version Is Full of Errors (MedPage Today)A Multilayered Public Policy Approach To Ultraprocessed Foods (Health Affairs Forefront)MAHA says its...Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reforms Are (Finally) Afoot
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Kathleen Haddad back to the pod to discuss the recently passed $1.2 trillion spending appropriations bill, its included reforms for pharmacy benefit managers, the latest round of drugs slated for the Medicare Drug Negotiation program, TrumpRx, the upcoming flat rate for Medicare Advantage plan rates, and more recent health policy news.
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Congress Reins In Drug Middlemen In Effort to Lower Prescription Prices (The New York Times)Analyzing The Drugs Selected For The 2028 Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Cycle (Health Affairs Forefront)The No UPCODE Act: Considering A Simple Start...What Health Policy Katie Keith Is Watching In 2026
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming to the pod to discuss what to watch out for in 2026 for health policy. The conversation touches on Affordable Care Act subsidies, Medicaid eligibility, guidance for pharmacy benefit managers, drug price negotiations, and more.
This week, we announced that Health Affairs has become Health Affairs Publishing, LLC, a single-member limited liability company wholly owned by Project HOPE. To find out more about this exciting new chapter, check out this Forefront piece.
Join us for the following events:
2/17: The FDA...Behind Epic's Latest Antitrust Lawsuit (Gabriel Perna)
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Gabriel Perna, Deputy Editor of Digital Health Business & Technology at Modern Healthcare, to the pod to discuss Epic Systems, how they became one of the leading American health care EHR companies, a recent antitrust lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against Epic Systems, and even touch on ChatGPT's entrance into health care.
Related Articles:
Texas files antitrust suit against Epic over health data (Modern Healthcare)Texas hits Epic with an antitrust suit: Here’s what to know (Modern Healthcare)The Great Health Care Vision Board (Stacie Dusetzina)
On an emergency pod episode, Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University Medical Center to breakdown the recently unveiled The Great Healthcare Plan from the Trump administration.
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The Great Healthcare Plan (White House)It's Not the Prices, Stupid. Michael Chernew on US Health Expenditures
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Michael Chernew from Harvard Medical School to explore the recent 2024 health care spending report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
To kick off the new year, we are offering podcast videos of A Health Podyssey. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch those episodes. Let us know what you think about the videos by emailing us at communications@healthaffairs.org.
Join us on January 21 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring the latest drug policies with the University of Utah’s Joey Mattingly. Become an In...
BEST OF: Power and Its Impact on Medicaid w/ Jamila Michener
In the wake of Medicare and Medicaid's 60th anniversary, Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Jamila Michener of Cornell University to the pod to discuss her recent Forefront article on organized power and its impact on the future of Medicaid.
Also, join us for these upcoming events:
8/26: Provider Prices in the Commercial Sector: Independent Dispute Resolution (FREE TO ALL)9/3: Theme Issue Briefing: Insights About The Opioid Crisis (FREE TO ALL)9/23: Prior Authorization: Current State and Potential Reform (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to exclusive events like the ones highlighted above.
...
BEST OF: What's Happening with Value-Based Insurance Design? w/ Mark Fendrick
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Mark Fendrick of The University of Michigan's Center for Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) to discuss the recent announcement from CMS that the Medicare Advantage VBID model would be ending after 2025, and what the future holds for VBID moving forward with the new Trump administration.
Check out a recently released Health Policy brief from Nathaniel Tran and Gilbert Gonzales exploring LGBTQI+ policies.
Join Health Affairs on February 25 for an exclusive Insider virtual event featuring Stacie Dusetzina and Laura Tollen discussing HHS’s announcement of the 15 additional drugs selected for Medicare drug pr...
BEST OF: Medicare Physicians Are Getting a Raise...But At What Cost?
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Senior Editor Leslie Erdelack back to the pod to discuss the proposed rule change to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule for 2026, which includes payment conversion factors for doctors, alternative payment models, add-on codes for Advanced Primary Care Management services, a new mandatory value-based payment model, and more.
Order the August 2025 issue of Health Affairs.
Join us for a live taping of A Health Podyssey on Tuesday August 12 where Rob Lott will discuss recent findings about changes in clinician's participation across Medicare value-based payment models with Kenton Johnston.
Upcoming...
BEST OF: US Health Spending Projections Back on the Rise w/ Michael Chernew
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers is joined by Michael Chernew from Harvard Medical School to discuss the recently released National Health Expenditures Projections for 2024–33 from the Office of the Actuary (OACT) at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Related Articles:
National Health Expenditure Projections, 2024–33: Despite Insurance Coverage Declines, Health To Grow As Share Of GDPCMS National Health Expenditure DataBEST OF: The Big Beautiful Bill: A New Era for Health Policy? w/ Katie Keith
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Katie Keith of Georgetown Law and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming to the pod to discuss Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill and how this will affect Medicaid, Medicare, health savings accounts, rural hospitals, and more.
Become an Insider today to get access to our trend reports, events, and exclusive newsletters.
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The 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' Now Law, Does Not Protect Rural Hospitals (Health Affairs Forefront)Rural Health Transformation Program Won’t Shield Hospitals And Other Rural Providers From OBBBA’s Fallout (Health Affairs Forefront)With Budget Reco...Keeping ACO Models Accountable
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Bonesteel of Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy to the pod to discuss her recent Forefront article focused on how ACO REACH enabled ACOs to participate in an advanced, global-risk, population-based payment model.
Related Articles:
ACO REACH 2023 Performance Results Indicate A Pathway To Sustainable Accountable Care (Health Affairs Forefront)Opportunities To Enhance Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH’s Core Payment Model Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Enhancing Design And Implementation Of ACO REACH’s Equity-Focused And Beneficiary Engagement Design Elements (Health Affairs Forefront)Future Of Accountable Care: Lessons Learned And Pote...How Are States Even Affording Health Care Costs?
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Nathan Hostert of The Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research at Brown University to the pod to discuss a recent Forefront article on how states are utilizing hospital price caps to save money.
Become an Insider today to get access to our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.
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How States Are Using Hospital Price Caps To Save Money (Health Affairs Forefront)Hospital Payment Cap Simulator (Brown University)Hospital Facility Prices Declined As A Result Of Oregon’s Hospital Payment Ca...CMS Drug Price Negotiation Guidance Updates with Rachel Sachs
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Rachel Sachs from Washington University in St. Louis and Deputy Editor Chris Fleming back to the pod to discuss CMS' final guidance for the latest round of the Medicare drug price negotiation program.
Related Articles:
Administration Releases Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program Final Guidance For 2028 (Health Affairs Forefront)The Role of Combination Drugs in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program (JAMA)Articulating policy options regarding implementation of the Medicare drug price negotiation program’s renegotiation provision (Brookings Institution)Eye on The IRA (Health Affairs)Why the U.S. Healthcare System Is Unwell | Allison Oakes
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Allison Oakes, Chief Research Officer of Trilliant Health, to the pod to discuss Trilliant's recent health care trend report highlighting the health economy and breaking down the big trends, including price and affordability, demographics and lifestyle, care settings and therapies, and more.
Join us for this upcoming event:
11/5: Health Benefits in 2025: Insights from the KFF Employer Health Benefits Survey (INSIDER EXCLUSIVE)Become an Insider today to get access to this event and our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.
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Pharmaceutical Tariffs Explained: The Will-They-Won’t-They Story of 2025
Health Affairs' Jeff Byers welcomes Stacie Dusetzina of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and David Simon of the University of Connecticut back to the pod to the current state of drug prices, how proposed tariffs may impact the pharmaceutical industry, that Pfizer deal, what consumers can expect if tariffs are added to prescription drugs, what exactly TrumpRx is, and more.
Become an Insider today to get access to our third trend report focusing on the influence of private equity in health care.
Related Articles:
Trump admin readies 'imminent' probe into other nations' drug pricing, raising...