Shows
Heartland Daily PodcastRFK Jr. is clamping down on removing organs from patients declared “brain dead.”HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. is clamping down on removing organs from patients declared “brain dead.” Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News and Devon Herrick, of the Goodman Institute Health Blog to find out starting new facts on, as well as the latest headlines in health care from a free market perspective. Also on tap, Minnesota is encouraging moms on Medicaid to deliver babies at home, what happened to hormone replacement therapy for women? Will FDA Commissioner Martin Makary take steps to make it more available? Sen. Josh Hawley wants to repeal limits on Medicaid provider taxes...2025-08-0548 min
Health Care News PodcastRFK Jr. is clamping down on removing organs from patients declared “brain dead.”HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. is clamping down on removing organs from patients declared “brain dead.” Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News and Devon Herrick, of the Goodman Institute Health Blog to find out starting new facts on, as well as the latest headlines in health care from a free market perspective. Also on tap, Minnesota is encouraging moms on Medicaid to deliver babies at home, what happened to hormone replacement therapy for women? Will FDA Commissioner Martin Makary take steps to make it more available? Sen. Josh Hawley wants to repeal limits on Medicaid provider taxes...2025-08-0548 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWhat is next in the fight to manage waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid now that the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is law?What is next in the fight to manage waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid now that the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is law? Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News and Devon Herrick, of the Goodman Institute Health Blog as they discuss the latest headlines in health care from a free market perspective. Will there be an effort to make states more financially responsible for their Medicaid programs outside the OBBB? How will states manage Medicaid work requirements and will work requirements ultimately eliminate Medicaid waste? Also, it appears Congress is ready to tackle “site neutral payme...2025-07-1748 min
Health Care News PodcastWhat is next in the fight to manage waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid now that the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is law?What is next in the fight to manage waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid now that the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is law? Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News and Devon Herrick, of the Goodman Institute Health Blog as they discuss the latest headlines in health care from a free market perspective. Will there be an effort to make states more financially responsible for their Medicaid programs outside the OBBB? How will states manage Medicaid work requirements and will work requirements ultimately eliminate Medicaid waste? Also, it appears Congress is ready to tackle “site neutral payme...2025-07-1748 min
Health Care News PodcastWhy don’t we have a health care reform bill yet?In this episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast, AnneMarie Schieber and economist Devon Herrick break down the latest health care debates in Washington. They discuss how promised reforms like Medicaid work requirements and health savings account expansions are being stripped from President Trump’s health care package, and what that means for patients and taxpayers. The conversation covers efforts to close costly Medicare Advantage loopholes, the push for site-neutral payments, and Minnesota’s controversial plan to incentivize Medicaid-funded home births. They also examine Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of the federal vaccine advisory committee and the growing concern about...2025-06-2454 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWhy don’t we have a health care reform bill yet?In this episode of the Heartland Daily Podcast, AnneMarie Schieber and economist Devon Herrick break down the latest health care debates in Washington. They discuss how promised reforms like Medicaid work requirements and health savings account expansions are being stripped from President Trump’s health care package, and what that means for patients and taxpayers. The conversation covers efforts to close costly Medicare Advantage loopholes, the push for site-neutral payments, and Minnesota’s controversial plan to incentivize Medicaid-funded home births. They also examine Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of the federal vaccine advisory committee and the growing concern about...2025-06-2454 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWhy Republicans Dropped the Ball on Medicaid ReformThe "Big Beautiful Act" turned into a big disappointment for Medicaid reform. Instead of adding ways to improve Medicaid benefits, like cutting non-medical spending, Republicans caved. Work requirements and eliminating provider taxes will help, but the failure to fix Medicaid spending now creates major debt headaches just a few years down the road.AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog discuss how this golden opportunity was lost in the U.S. House.Also on tap: tips beyond the obvious to bring down your prescription drug bill. Plus...2025-05-2849 min
Health Care News PodcastWhy Republicans Dropped the Ball on Medicaid ReformThe "Big Beautiful Act" turned into a big disappointment for Medicaid reform. Instead of adding ways to improve Medicaid benefits, like cutting non-medical spending, Republicans caved. Work requirements and eliminating provider taxes will help, but the failure to fix Medicaid spending now creates major debt headaches just a few years down the road.AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog discuss how this golden opportunity was lost in the U.S. House.Also on tap: tips beyond the obvious to bring down your prescription drug bill. Plus...2025-05-2849 min
Health Care News PodcastHospitals Rejecting Medicare Advantage: What's Really Going On?Are hospitals locking out Medicare Advantage enrollees? Find out the likely real reason behind the shutout and why we should be worried if MA can no longer compete with traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog as they discuss the latest headlines in health care from a free-market perspective. Also on their radar: the mad rush by states to pass assisted medical suicide bills. Is the U.S. becoming Canada? Is assisted suicide becoming a means to ration ever-escalating health care costs?Additionally, former President...2025-05-2836 min
Heartland Daily PodcastHospitals Rejecting Medicare Advantage: What's Really Going On?Are hospitals locking out Medicare Advantage enrollees? Find out the likely real reason behind the shutout and why we should be worried if MA can no longer compete with traditional fee-for-service Medicare. Join AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog as they discuss the latest headlines in health care from a free-market perspective. Also on their radar: the mad rush by states to pass assisted medical suicide bills. Is the U.S. becoming Canada? Is assisted suicide becoming a means to ration ever-escalating health care costs?Additionally, former President...2025-05-2836 min
Heartland Daily PodcastAI Doctors Are on the RiseWill AI replace your doctor? Bill Gates seems to think so. In today’s podcast, AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog discuss where AI can be a benefit—such as reducing medical error. But when it comes to replacing highly trained medical doctors to reduce the doctor shortage and save money for insurance companies, Herrick and Schieber say "nada."Also in the podcast: how tariff policy could impact the low cost of generic drugs in the U.S., and how far Trump should go in getting fore...2025-05-0251 min
Health Care News PodcastAI Doctors Are on the RiseWill AI replace your doctor? Bill Gates seems to think so. In today’s podcast, AnneMarie Schieber, managing editor of Health Care News, and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Blog discuss where AI can be a benefit—such as reducing medical error. But when it comes to replacing highly trained medical doctors to reduce the doctor shortage and save money for insurance companies, Herrick and Schieber say "nada."Also in the podcast: how tariff policy could impact the low cost of generic drugs in the U.S., and how far Trump should go in getting fore...2025-05-0151 min
Heartland Daily PodcastThe Consent Trap: Agreeing to Medical Bills Without Knowing PricesHow can you consent to paying for something if you don’t know the price? In today’s podcast, AnneMarie Schieber of Health Care News and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Care Blog talk about New York State’s decision to ban “consent to pay” forms at medical practices. Also on tap: reforming health care without a political fight, the RESULT Act being reintroduced, which fast-tracks successful treatments in trusted countries but comes too late for one Alzheimer’s patient, “Name it to tame it,” is over-diagnosing symptoms driving up health care utilization?—and has private equity ruined the doctor...2025-03-3153 min
Health Care News PodcastThe Consent Trap: Agreeing to Medical Bills Without Knowing PricesHow can you consent to paying for something if you don’t know the price? In today’s podcast, AnneMarie Schieber of Health Care News and Devon Herrick of the Goodman Institute Health Care Blog talk about New York State’s decision to ban “consent to pay” forms at medical practices. Also on tap: reforming health care without a political fight, the RESULT Act being reintroduced, which fast-tracks successful treatments in trusted countries but comes too late for one Alzheimer’s patient, “Name it to tame it,” is over-diagnosing symptoms driving up health care utilization?—and has private equity ruined the doctor...2025-03-3153 min
Health Care News PodcastMedicaid Reform, FDA Firestorms, and Beating Bad Medical BillsCan you beat a medical bill you feel is unfair? AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick discuss their personal experience. Can Congress rein in Medicaid? Many ideas being consider: block grants to states, changing funding rates for expanded Medicaid, work requirements. Do enrollees value Medicaid or waste it? Schieber and Herrick also discuss “gutting the FDA.” Herrick discusses why DOGE and the Trump administration might want to proceed cautiously. New parody book out critical of MI Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her pandemic lockdowns. True Gretchen is a hilarious parody of the governor’s own tome, True Gretch. Be s...2025-03-2649 min
Heartland Daily PodcastMedicaid Reform, FDA Firestorms, and Beating Bad Medical BillsCan you beat a medical bill you feel is unfair? AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick discuss their personal experience. Can Congress rein in Medicaid? Many ideas being consider: block grants to states, changing funding rates for expanded Medicaid, work requirements. Do enrollees value Medicaid or waste it? Schieber and Herrick also discuss “gutting the FDA.” Herrick discusses why DOGE and the Trump administration might want to proceed cautiously. New parody book out critical of MI Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and her pandemic lockdowns. True Gretchen is a hilarious parody of the governor’s own tome, True Gretch. Be s...2025-03-2649 min
Health Care News PodcastCDC Shake-Up, Big Pharma Influence, and the Vaccine Policy WarsHours before his confirmation hearing, former Rep. Dave Weldon’s nomination to head the CDC was withdrawn. Weldon has been a vaccine critic. How much of a role did Big Pharma play? AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick also talk about the growing focus on vaccines, and the history of vaccine policy. Most recently the Trump’s administration to nix vaccines on chickens for bird flu. Also in the podcast, state AGs take the first step in going after Anthony Fauci for violating state laws when handing the COVID-19 pandemic. A company offers indemnity style health insurance for direct primary care m...2025-03-2644 min
Heartland Daily PodcastCDC Shake-Up, Big Pharma Influence, and the Vaccine Policy WarsHours before his confirmation hearing, former Rep. Dave Weldon’s nomination to head the CDC was withdrawn. Weldon has been a vaccine critic. How much of a role did Big Pharma play? AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick also talk about the growing focus on vaccines, and the history of vaccine policy. Most recently the Trump’s administration to nix vaccines on chickens for bird flu. Also in the podcast, state AGs take the first step in going after Anthony Fauci for violating state laws when handing the COVID-19 pandemic. A company offers indemnity style health insurance for direct primary care m...2025-03-2644 min
Heartland Daily PodcastConflict of Interest: Medical Boards Serving Doctors or Patients?In this episode of Health Care News, hosts AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick dive into the critical debates shaping health care today. They discuss the potential expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), exploring proposals from Rep. Chip Roy and policy experts who argue HSAs could significantly improve coverage, especially for gig workers and those seeking direct care options.AnneMarie and Devon also highlight Ohio’s groundbreaking step to enforce price transparency at hospitals—holding institutions accountable by barring debt collection if hospitals fail to disclose clear pricing. Additionally, they examine troubling conflicts of interest within medical boards, spot...2025-02-2844 min
Health Care News PodcastConflict of Interest: Medical Boards Serving Doctors or Patients?In this episode of Health Care News, hosts AnneMarie Schieber and Devon Herrick dive into the critical debates shaping health care today. They discuss the potential expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), exploring proposals from Rep. Chip Roy and policy experts who argue HSAs could significantly improve coverage, especially for gig workers and those seeking direct care options.AnneMarie and Devon also highlight Ohio’s groundbreaking step to enforce price transparency at hospitals—holding institutions accountable by barring debt collection if hospitals fail to disclose clear pricing. Additionally, they examine troubling conflicts of interest within medical boards, spot...2025-02-2844 min
Heartland Daily PodcastUntangling Healthcare: Free Market Solutions to America's Biggest ChallengesIn this episode of The Heartland Daily Podcast, host AnneMarie Schieber is joined by health economist Devon Herrick for an in-depth discussion on the pressing issues in the U.S. healthcare system. Together, they explore the real-life implications of policies like Obamacare, the growing challenges of Medicare, and the evolving landscape of health insurance options. From short-term plans to the potential of direct primary care, they highlight innovative, free-market solutions that empower individuals and reduce costs.Discover why health insurance remains prohibitively expensive for many Americans, how government mandates distort the market, and what steps can be...2025-01-2232 min
Health Care News PodcastUntangling Healthcare: Free Market Solutions to America's Biggest ChallengesIn this episode of The Heartland Daily Podcast, host AnneMarie Schieber is joined by health economist Devon Herrick for an in-depth discussion on the pressing issues in the U.S. healthcare system. Together, they explore the real-life implications of policies like Obamacare, the growing challenges of Medicare, and the evolving landscape of health insurance options. From short-term plans to the potential of direct primary care, they highlight innovative, free-market solutions that empower individuals and reduce costs.Discover why health insurance remains prohibitively expensive for many Americans, how government mandates distort the market, and what steps can be...2025-01-2232 min
Health Care News PodcastObamacare's Olympian Premiums – "I couldn’t afford it," says Mary Lou Retton (Guest: Kansas State Sen. Beverly Gossage)Olympian Mary Lou Retton made a stunning revelation when asked why she didn’t have health insurance while she was in intensive care fighting for her life. “I couldn’t afford it,” Retton told the Today Show on January 8 when she was faced with a life threating pneumonia recently. Retton’s daughter started a “Go Fund Me” page to help her mother pay for what was likely to be tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills. Health Care News managing editor AnneMarie Schieber talked to Kansas State Senator Beverly Gossage as to why Retton may have gone with...2024-02-2926 min
Heartland Daily PodcastObamacare's Olympian Premiums – "I couldn’t afford it," says Mary Lou Retton (Guest: Kansas State Sen. Beverly Gossage)Olympian Mary Lou Retton made a stunning revelation when asked why she didn’t have health insurance while she was in intensive care fighting for her life. “I couldn’t afford it,” Retton told the Today Show on January 8 when she was faced with a life threating pneumonia recently. Retton’s daughter started a “Go Fund Me” page to help her mother pay for what was likely to be tens of thousands of dollars in hospital bills. Health Care News managing editor AnneMarie Schieber talked to Kansas State Senator Beverly Gossage as to why Retton may have gone with...2024-02-2926 min
Plan For AmericaAnneMarie Schieber #15AnneMarie Schieber is a healthcare expert with Heartland Institute and writes their healthcare newsletter. She is our first guest on the healthcare side of Plan For America, which is important because Medicare represents about 85% of the unfunded liability problem facing our country, while Social Security only represents about 15%. Ms. Schieber has endorsed our book: Plan For America: How to Place the American Dream on a Sure Foundation Forever and has interviewed plan founder Terry Nager on her podcast.2023-11-0736 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWoke Lawsuits Target Affordable Healthcare (Guest: Hal Frampton)Join us as Hal Frampton, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, delves into a pivotal legal case in Michigan's Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. He's representing Christian Healthcare Centers (CHC) and Sacred Heart Academy as they navigate the expanded civil rights protections in Michigan, which now encompass "gender" and "sexual preference." Both institutions could potentially be compelled to hire individuals who don't align with their religious principles. Established in 2018, the Grand Rapids-based Christian Healthcare Centers offers a unique, direct-pay primary care model that also caters to patients' spiritual well-being. While they serve all p...2023-10-1812 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWas Obamacare Designed to Fail?Is it possible that Obamacare was intentionally set up to falter, leading frustrated Americans to implore the federal government to assume control of health care? Devon Herrick posits this theory, having recently explored the topic on the Goodman Health Blog. He highlights that without the crutch of subsidies, Obamacare is destined to collapse — a prediction echoed by many during the 2009-2010 debates surrounding the inception of the Affordable Care Act.Herrick delves into various topics, including the expansion of Medicaid, and the concept of Medicare for All — or as he terms it, “Medicaid for All.” Since the enactmen...2023-10-0426 min
Health Care News PodcastWas Obamacare Designed to Fail?Is it possible that Obamacare was intentionally set up to falter, leading frustrated Americans to implore the federal government to assume control of health care? Devon Herrick posits this theory, having recently explored the topic on the Goodman Health Blog. He highlights that without the crutch of subsidies, Obamacare is destined to collapse — a prediction echoed by many during the 2009-2010 debates surrounding the inception of the Affordable Care Act.Herrick delves into various topics, including the expansion of Medicaid, and the concept of Medicare for All — or as he terms it, “Medicaid for All.” Since the enactmen...2023-10-0426 min
Heartland Daily PodcastObamacare’s Dirty Little Secret (Guest: John C. Goodman, Ph.D.)Hidden within the intricacies of Obamacare lies an unsettling truth that many are unaware of. Dive deep with us as we uncover how this renowned health care reform might not be the safety net for the genuinely ill as it's often portrayed. Join Host AnneMarie Schieber and guest John C. Goodman, Ph.D., co-publisher of Health Care News and founder of the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research, to learn the layers behind this revelation.Goodman shed light on the problems with Obamacare in his recent article for the Wall Street Journal. He delves into the financial...2023-09-2120 min
Health Care News PodcastObamacare’s Dirty Little Secret (Guest: John C. Goodman, Ph.D.)Hidden within the intricacies of Obamacare lies an unsettling truth that many are unaware of. Dive deep with us as we uncover how this renowned health care reform might not be the safety net for the genuinely ill as it's often portrayed. Join Host AnneMarie Schieber and guest John C. Goodman, Ph.D., co-publisher of Health Care News and founder of the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research, to learn the layers behind this revelation.Goodman shed light on the problems with Obamacare in his recent article for the Wall Street Journal. He delves into the financial...2023-09-2120 min
Health Care News PodcastHow Cancer Exposes Obamacare’s Flaws (Guest: Robert Fioretti)On this episode of "Health Care News," former Chicago and Illinois politician Robert "Bob" Fioretti shares his experience as a cancer survivor and highlights the challenges he faced navigating the healthcare system, even with "Cadillac" health care coverage. Fioretti discusses his cancer diagnosis and how he was never formally informed of it. He also shares the difficulties he faced in making treatment decisions and how rising costs impacted his mental health. His book, My Cancer Journey, documents his experiences and offers insights into how the healthcare system could be improved, including the use of "center o...2023-09-1526 min
Heartland Daily PodcastHow Cancer Exposes Obamacare’s Flaws (Guest: Robert Fioretti)On this episode of "Health Care News," former Chicago and Illinois politician Robert "Bob" Fioretti shares his experience as a cancer survivor and highlights the challenges he faced navigating the healthcare system, even with "Cadillac" health care coverage. Fioretti discusses his cancer diagnosis and how he was never formally informed of it. He also shares the difficulties he faced in making treatment decisions and how rising costs impacted his mental health. His book, My Cancer Journey, documents his experiences and offers insights into how the healthcare system could be improved, including the use of "center o...2023-09-1526 min
Heartland Daily PodcastPersonalized Care Act Could Open the Door for Direct CareDirect primary care (DPC) gets rave reviews from patients and doctors. So why aren’t more people gravitating to this affordable, no-hassle care that provides care outside that of the health insurance maze? Dr. Lee Gross, a direct primary care physician in southwest Florida, discusses how the Personalized Care Act can open the market for more choice, including better access to DPC. Dr. Gross describes how small business were the ones who encouraged him into opening a DPC practice for their employees, and he has not looked back. The Personalized Care Act, reintroduced in Congress by R...2023-09-1419 min
Health Care News PodcastPersonalized Care Act Could Open the Door for Direct CareDirect primary care (DPC) gets rave reviews from patients and doctors. So why aren’t more people gravitating to this affordable, no-hassle care that provides care outside that of the health insurance maze? Dr. Lee Gross, a direct primary care physician in southwest Florida, discusses how the Personalized Care Act can open the market for more choice, including better access to DPC. Dr. Gross describes how small business were the ones who encouraged him into opening a DPC practice for their employees, and he has not looked back. The Personalized Care Act, reintroduced in Congress by R...2023-09-1419 min
Heartland Daily PodcastIndependent vs Corporate Medicine (Guest: Dr. Hal Scherz)It's not hard to find someone not complaining about healthcare these days, but it's not because we lack talented health professionals, it's the delivery system. There is an ongoing battle going on in healthcare that many patients might not realize, and that battle is independent practice versus corporate medicine.Dr. Hal Scherz, Fonder of Docs for Patient Care Foundation and a doctor at Georgia Urology, where 24 physicians were ranked "best" by Atlanta Magazine joins Health Care News Podcast to discuss the difference between small independent private practice and large corporate health care.
In The T...2023-08-1022 min
Health Care News PodcastIndependent vs Corporate Medicine (Guest: Dr. Hal Scherz)It's not hard to find someone not complaining about healthcare these days, but it's not because we lack talented health professionals, it's the delivery system. There is an ongoing battle going on in healthcare that many patients might not realize, and that battle is independent practice versus corporate medicine.Dr. Hal Scherz, Fonder of Docs for Patient Care Foundation and a doctor at Georgia Urology, where 24 physicians were ranked "best" by Atlanta Magazine joins Health Care News Podcast to discuss the difference between small independent private practice and large corporate health care.2023-08-1022 min
Health Care News PodcastIf You’re Incapacitated, Will the Hospital Save You? (Guest: Dr. Heidi Klessig)Starting July 21, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) will be meeting to consider two options that would expand the legal definition of death. The first option is what currently exists in the Uniform Determination of Death Act and includes loss of total brain function, not just the brain stem. Dr. Heidi Klessig, a retired anesthesiologist and authority on clinical death, explains what the options are and how families and patients can best prepare themselves. The American Academy of Neurology has petitioned the ULC to revise the legal definition of death. Option one uses the word “irreversible,” and Op...2023-07-3120 min
Heartland Daily PodcastIf You’re Incapacitated, Will the Hospital Save You? (Guest: Dr. Heidi Klessig)Starting July 21, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) will be meeting to consider two options that would expand the legal definition of death. The first option is what currently exists in the Uniform Determination of Death Act and includes loss of total brain function, not just the brain stem. Dr. Heidi Klessig, a retired anesthesiologist and authority on clinical death, explains what the options are and how families and patients can best prepare themselves. The American Academy of Neurology has petitioned the ULC to revise the legal definition of death. Option one uses the word “irreversible,” and Op...2023-07-3120 min
Health Care News PodcastIs the Government Changing HIPAA to Block State Law Enforcement?The Biden administration recently proposed a new rule to change health care privacy protections under the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). The rule would limit access to medical records if inquired in the interest of “reproductive health.” The proposed rule has created huge blowback because it is seen as a way to get around state laws regulating abortion and transgender procedures. Twila Brase says the change reveals what a myth HIPAA is in protecting health data and only now in the interest of protecting abortion and child transgender treatments, does it decide to beef up HIPAA. 2023-07-1721 min
Heartland Daily PodcastIs the Government Changing HIPAA to Block State Law Enforcement?The Biden administration recently proposed a new rule to change health care privacy protections under the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). The rule would limit access to medical records if inquired in the interest of “reproductive health.” The proposed rule has created huge blowback because it is seen as a way to get around state laws regulating abortion and transgender procedures. Twila Brase says the change reveals what a myth HIPAA is in protecting health data and only now in the interest of protecting abortion and child transgender treatments, does it decide to beef up HIPAA. 2023-07-1721 min
Health Care News PodcastDid the FDA Sabotage a Non-Addictive Pain Killer? (Guest: Charles L. Hooper)Did the FDA destroy what could have been a non-addictive pain killer that might have staved off the opioid crisis before it ever stood a chance? Several decades ago, the agency approved the drug Toradol, the first non-addictive pain killer that had pain killing effects of morphine without the addictive potential. However, the FDA set the desired peak dosage, known as the loading dose, far higher than manufacturer Syntex desired. The company reluctantly complied. 97 people prescribed Toradol dies within the first few years as a result. With their drug no longer used in it’s orig...2023-07-1235 min
Heartland Daily PodcastDid the FDA Sabotage a Non-Addictive Pain Killer? (Guest: Charles L. Hooper)Did the FDA destroy what could have been a non-addictive pain killer that might have staved off the opioid crisis before it ever stood a chance? Several decades ago, the agency approved the drug Toradol, the first non-addictive pain killer that had pain killing effects of morphine without the addictive potential. However, the FDA set the desired peak dosage, known as the loading dose, far higher than manufacturer Syntex desired. The company reluctantly complied. 97 people prescribed Toradol dies within the first few years as a result. With their drug no longer used in it’s orig...2023-07-1235 min
Heartland Daily PodcastKilling “Certificate of Need” Laws (Guest: Marcello Hochman, M.D.)This episode of Health Care News focuses on the recent repeal of the Certificate of Need and financial credentialing in the healthcare industry by Governor Henry McMaster on May 17. Dr. Marcello Hochman, a surgeon in Charleston and president of the organization "IndeDoc," has been advocating for healthcare market reforms since 2019. In an interview, Hochman explains the process of passing the bill and how it will enhance competition in the healthcare market, ultimately leading to reduced prices.The discussion covers various topics such as: 1. The need for patience in passing healthcare reforms, as it some...2023-06-2626 min
Health Care News PodcastKilling “Certificate of Need” Laws (Guest: Marcello Hochman, M.D.)This episode of Health Care News focuses on the recent repeal of the Certificate of Need and financial credentialing in the healthcare industry by Governor Henry McMaster on May 17. Dr. Marcello Hochman, a surgeon in Charleston and president of the organization "IndeDoc," has been advocating for healthcare market reforms since 2019. In an interview, Hochman explains the process of passing the bill and how it will enhance competition in the healthcare market, ultimately leading to reduced prices.The discussion covers various topics such as: 1. The need for patience in passing healthcare reforms, as it some...2023-06-2626 min
Heartland Daily PodcastDid This Hospital Intend to Kill Grace Schara?In early spring of 2021, the family of Grace Schara, a 19-year-old young woman with Down’s Syndrome, brought their daughter to an emergency room at the direction of an urgent care clinic due to wavering blood oxygen levels from COVID-19. According to her father Scott Schara, this was a grave mistake. Schara claims the hospital, St. Elizabeth’s in Appleton, Wisconsin, became an adversary, not an ally, in treating Grace. The relationship broke down when the Schara's were not convinced Grace needed to be put on a ventilator, a treatment encouraged by the federal government with financial incent...2023-06-1435 min
Health Care News PodcastDid This Hospital Intend to Kill Grace Schara?In early spring of 2021, the family of Grace Schara, a 19-year-old young woman with Down’s Syndrome, brought their daughter to an emergency room at the direction of an urgent care clinic due to wavering blood oxygen levels from COVID-19. According to her father Scott Schara, this was a grave mistake. Schara claims the hospital, St. Elizabeth’s in Appleton, Wisconsin, became an adversary, not an ally, in treating Grace. The relationship broke down when the Schara's were not convinced Grace needed to be put on a ventilator, a treatment encouraged by the federal government with financial incent...2023-06-1435 min
Heartland Daily PodcastMilton Friedman's Vision: A ‘Plan for America’ and the Future of EntitlementsMilton Friedman was a staunch advocate for privatizing Medicaid and Social Security, relying on the free market to regulate healthcare. The 'Plan for America' (PFA) is a proposal to bring this vision to life. Terry Nager, one of the co-authors of this plan, aimed to fortify the nation's entitlement programs, alleviate the country's deficits, debts, and unfunded liabilities, and provide Americans with personal accounts that they could grow using compound interest. These accounts would grant individuals the freedom and resources to purchase private lifetime health insurance. Nager provides an in-depth discussion on how the PFA w...2023-06-0728 min
Health Care News PodcastMilton Friedman's Vision: A ‘Plan for America’ and the Future of EntitlementsMilton Friedman was a staunch advocate for privatizing Medicaid and Social Security, relying on the free market to regulate healthcare. The 'Plan for America' (PFA) is a proposal to bring this vision to life. Terry Nager, one of the co-authors of this plan, aimed to fortify the nation's entitlement programs, alleviate the country's deficits, debts, and unfunded liabilities, and provide Americans with personal accounts that they could grow using compound interest. These accounts would grant individuals the freedom and resources to purchase private lifetime health insurance. Nager provides an in-depth discussion on how the PFA w...2023-06-0728 min
Health Care News PodcastWill the U.S. Supreme Court be the Arbiter of Drug Safety? (Guest: Rik Mehta)How is it that Mifepristone was approved in the first place? The drug has high risk implications and because of that was authorized under a specific protocol that the Biden administration is now trying to change after the Dobb’s decision last year that reversed Roe v. Wade. Guest Rik Mehta comes onto the podcast to discuss the legal nature of it all.2023-04-2615 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWill the U.S. Supreme Court be the Arbiter of Drug Safety? (Guest: Rik Mehta)How is it that Mifepristone was approved in the first place? The drug has high risk implications and because of that was authorized under a specific protocol that the Biden administration is now trying to change after the Dobb’s decision last year that reversed Roe v. Wade. Guest Rik Mehta comes onto the podcast to discuss the legal nature of it all.
In The Tank broadcasts LIVE every Thursday at 12pm CT on on The Heartland Institute YouTube channel. Tune in to have your comments addressed live by the In The Tank Crew. Be sure to s...2023-04-2615 min
Health Care News PodcastWhy Are There Prescription Drug Shortages? (Guest: John Goodman)Have you ever visited a pharmacy only to discover that your prescription medication was out of stock? This issue is not limited to drug stores; it also occurs in hospitals and medical clinics, and the cause is rarely due to a lack of raw materials. John Goodman, the president of the Goodman Center for Public Policy Research and co-publisher of Health Care News, testified about prescription drug shortages before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security. He argued that the primary source of the problem lies in flawed public policy that constrains the pharmaceutical market. 2023-04-1917 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWhy Are There Prescription Drug Shortages? (Guest: John Goodman)Have you ever visited a pharmacy only to discover that your prescription medication was out of stock? This issue is not limited to drug stores; it also occurs in hospitals and medical clinics, and the cause is rarely due to a lack of raw materials. John Goodman, the president of the Goodman Center for Public Policy Research and co-publisher of Health Care News, testified about prescription drug shortages before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security. He argued that the primary source of the problem lies in flawed public policy that constrains the pharmaceutical market. 2023-04-1917 min
Heartland Daily PodcastCan You Trust Your Hospital Doctor? (Guest: Twila Brase)Can the doctor taking care of you in the hospital be trusted? In this episode of "Health Care News," Twila Brase, R.N., a leading voice on patient advocacy and privacy, explains how hospitals are employing "hospitalists" who are more accountable to the hospital corporation than to patients. While physicians cannot mistreat patients or neglect their care due to liability and licensing concerns, those employed by hospitals may have to follow standardized treatment protocols that may not be tailored to individual patients. Minnesota is considering a bipartisan "Trusted Doctor" bill, the first of its kind i...2023-04-0417 min
Health Care News PodcastCan You Trust Your Hospital Doctor? (Guest: Twila Brase)Can the doctor taking care of you in the hospital be trusted? In this episode of "Health Care News," Twila Brase, R.N., a leading voice on patient advocacy and privacy, explains how hospitals are employing "hospitalists" who are more accountable to the hospital corporation than to patients. While physicians cannot mistreat patients or neglect their care due to liability and licensing concerns, those employed by hospitals may have to follow standardized treatment protocols that may not be tailored to individual patients. Minnesota is considering a bipartisan "Trusted Doctor" bill, the first of its kind i...2023-04-0417 min
Health Care News PodcastCancer Can Expose the Health Care Shortcomings Under ObamacareIn this episode, host AnneMarie Schieber dives into the story of Robert "Bob" Fioretti, an influential figure in the world of Chicago and Illinois politics and cancer survivor. Bob's journey through the healthcare system in the last decade, specifically during treatment for throat cancer, sheds light on the challenges faced by many in the age of Obamacare. Despite having "Cadillac" health coverage, Bob was overwhelmed with over $100,000 in out-of-pocket costs for his treatment. He also explains how he was never formally notified of his cancer diagnosis and how the system made him feel like just a dollar sign.2023-03-3026 min
Heartland Daily PodcastCancer Can Exposes the Health Care Shortcomings Under ObamacareIn this episode, host AnneMarie Schieber dives into the story of Robert "Bob" Fioretti, an influential figure in the world of Chicago and Illinois politics and cancer survivor. Bob's journey through the healthcare system in the last decade, specifically during treatment for throat cancer, sheds light on the challenges faced by many in the age of Obamacare. Despite having "Cadillac" health coverage, Bob was overwhelmed with over $100,000 in out-of-pocket costs for his treatment. He also explains how he was never formally notified of his cancer diagnosis and how the system made him feel like just a dollar sign.2023-03-3026 min
Heartland Daily PodcastWill Biden Declare Abortion a Public Emergency? (Guest: Rik Mehta)In this episode of Health Care News, we explore the possibility of the Biden administration declaring a public health emergency to override state regulation of abortion. Our guest, Rik Mehta, a former consumer safety officer at the Food and Drug Administration and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, sheds light on this contentious issue.Mehta discusses how the public health emergency declaration has gone beyond its original mission, and what authority the Public Health Services Act gives the federal government. He explains the potential implications of this decision and how it could impact...2023-03-2025 min
Health Care News PodcastWill Biden Declare Abortion a Public Emergency? (Guest: Rik Mehta)In this episode of Health Care News, we explore the possibility of the Biden administration declaring a public health emergency to override state regulation of abortion. Our guest, Rik Mehta, a former consumer safety officer at the Food and Drug Administration and an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, sheds light on this contentious issue.Mehta discusses how the public health emergency declaration has gone beyond its original mission, and what authority the Public Health Services Act gives the federal government. He explains the potential implications of this decision and how it could impact...2023-03-2025 min
Heartland Daily PodcastHow the AARP Works Against, Not For, Seniors (Guest: Chris Jacobs)Most people recognized the acronym AARP. It’s for the American Association of Retired Persons. But few realize that rather than represent the interests of seniors, AARP acts to promote the interests of the health insurance industry at the expense of retirees and their pocketbooks. Chris Jacobs, founder of Juniper Research, has been investigating the AARP’s cozy deals with health insurance companies for years. Jacobs joins the podcast to discuss his new analysis of the AARP as well as the organization’s support of anti-Medicare policies. He also highlights the hidden surcharges the AARP collects...2023-03-1615 min
Health Care News PodcastHow the AARP Works Against, Not For, Seniors (Guest: Chris Jacobs)Most people recognized the acronym AARP. It’s for the American Association of Retired Persons. But few realize that rather than represent the interests of seniors, AARP acts to promote the interests of the health insurance industry at the expense of retirees and their pocketbooks. Chris Jacobs, founder of Juniper Research, has been investigating the AARP’s cozy deals with health insurance companies for years. Jacobs joins the podcast to discuss his new analysis of the AARP as well as the organization’s support of anti-Medicare policies. He also highlights the hidden surcharges the AARP collects...2023-03-1615 min
Health Care News PodcastThe Expansion of Government Power Through Social Determinants in Health (Guest: Matt Dean)Join us for a thought-provoking episode as Matt Dean, Senior Fellow on Health Care Policy Outreach at The Heartland Institute, delves into the latest developments in the federal government's increasing control over healthcare. In this episode of Health Care News, we will explore the recent guidance issued by the Biden administration encouraging states to spend money on "social determinants" affecting health. Is this merely a transfer of wealth? How does this information get embedded into electronic health records?We will also discuss the definition of social determinants, how they may affect tax dollars, the validity of their...2023-02-0621 min
Heartland Daily PodcastThe Expansion of Government Power Through Social Determinants in Health (Guest: Matt Dean)Join us for a thought-provoking episode as Matt Dean, Senior Fellow on Health Care Policy Outreach at The Heartland Institute, delves into the latest developments in the federal government's increasing control over healthcare. In this episode of Health Care News, we will explore the recent guidance issued by the Biden administration encouraging states to spend money on "social determinants" affecting health. Is this merely a transfer of wealth? How does this information get embedded into electronic health records?We will also discuss the definition of social determinants, how they may affect tax dollars, the validity of their...2023-02-0621 min
Health Care News PodcastMore Fake COVID Deaths to Create Fear (Guest: Joel Hirshhorn)Details are now emerging just how much the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overstated deaths from COVID-19. Joel Hirschhorn, the editor of the Pandemic Blunder Substack and author of the book, Pandemic Blunder, dug deep into the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to see just how brazen the hype had been. Many of the deaths listed as “COVID” were very obvious accidents, suicides, and homicides. Hirschhorn says this was no accident but an orchestrated campaign to ramp up fear among the public, preparing people to receive the vaccines. Hirschhorn believes the deaths from the vaccines may now...2023-02-0116 min
Heartland Daily PodcastMore Fake COVID Deaths to Create Fear (Guest: Joel Hirshhorn)Details are now emerging just how much the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overstated deaths from COVID-19. Joel Hirschhorn, the editor of the Pandemic Blunder Substack and author of the book, Pandemic Blunder, dug deep into the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to see just how brazen the hype had been. Many of the deaths listed as “COVID” were very obvious accidents, suicides, and homicides. Hirschhorn says this was no accident but an orchestrated campaign to ramp up fear among the public, preparing people to receive the vaccines. Hirschhorn believes the deaths from the vaccines may now...2023-01-3116 min
Heartland Daily PodcastThe White House Covid Censorship Machine (Guest: Jenin Younes)Social media companies have defended their close relationship with the government to control the COVID narrative by saying it was voluntary and protected under the First Amendment. This raises a number of Constitutional red flags, says Jenin Younes, a litigator with the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Younes is representing the private plaintiffs in a First Amendment case filed by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana against the Biden administration. Yeones discusses why this is unconstitutional, why it needs to end and how can be done. In this case, Younes is representing Jay Bhattacharya, Aaron Khe...2023-01-2012 min
Health Care News PodcastThe White House Covid Censorship Machine (Guest: Jenin Younes)Social media companies have defended their close relationship with the government to control the COVID narrative by saying it was voluntary and protected under the First Amendment. This raises a number of Constitutional red flags, says Jenin Younes, a litigator with the New Civil Liberties Alliance. Younes is representing the private plaintiffs in a First Amendment case filed by the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana against the Biden administration. Yeones discusses why this is unconstitutional, why it needs to end and how can be done. In this case, Younes is representing Jay Bhattacharya, Aaron Khe...2023-01-2012 min
Heartland Daily PodcastMedicaid Expansion Moves Low-Income Children to the Back of the Line (Guest: Charles Blahous)Now that Obamacare has been in effect for eight years, data is showing that Medicaid spending on low-income children has not kept pace with states that decided against expanding their programs to able-bodied adults. Charles Blahous, the J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Chair and senior research strategist at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Health Care News to discuss this development. In addition to writing several books and publishing many studies on public policy issues, Blahous served as the deputy director of the National Economic Council under George W. Bush.On D...2023-01-1015 min
Health Care News PodcastMedicaid Expansion Moves Low-Income Children to the Back of the Line (Guest: Charles Blahous)Now that Obamacare has been in effect for eight years, data is showing that Medicaid spending on low-income children has not kept pace with states that decided against expanding their programs to able-bodied adults. Charles Blahous, the J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Chair and senior research strategist at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins Health Care News to discuss this development. In addition to writing several books and publishing many studies on public policy issues, Blahous served as the deputy director of the National Economic Council under George W. Bush.On D...2023-01-1015 min
Health Care News PodcastRepublican Controlled House Must Fix These Health Care Policies (Guests: Brian Blasé and Drew Keyes)The Republicans will be in control of the U.S. House starting next month. Brian Blasé and Drew Keyes, both health care policy and administration and legislative veterans now at the Paragon Health Institute, say Congress should focus on four key areas: more affordable health care, ending the COVID-19 health emergency, eliminating waste and abuse at Medicaid, and restoring trust in the CDC and NIH. 1. The Republicans in Congress will have a long list of priorities. Can something meaningful happen on health care policy?2. “Anti-inflationary” agenda: Many people think the solution is more govern...2022-12-2420 min
Heartland Daily PodcastRepublican Controlled House Must Fix These Health Care Policies (Guests: Brian Blasé and Drew Keyes)The Republicans will be in control of the U.S. House starting next month. Brian Blasé and Drew Keyes, both health care policy and administration and legislative veterans now at the Paragon Health Institute, say Congress should focus on four key areas: more affordable health care, ending the COVID-19 health emergency, eliminating waste and abuse at Medicaid, and restoring trust in the CDC and NIH. 1. The Republicans in Congress will have a long list of priorities. Can something meaningful happen on health care policy?2. “Anti-inflationary” agenda: Many people think the solution is more govern...2022-12-2420 min
Health Care News PodcastVeterans Affairs Is Failing on Suicide Prevention (Guest: Sally Pipes)The latest report from the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that more than one in ten staffers have yet to complete mandatory suicide prevention training. Sally Pipes, CEO, president, and health care policy fellow at the Pacific Research Institute discusses the report and why the VA needs to move to a voucher system quickly. Read the report: https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-22-00813-253.pdf Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms America stands for. The...2022-12-1215 min
Heartland Daily PodcastVeterans Affairs Is Failing on Suicide Prevention (Guest: Sally Pipes)The latest report from the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that more than one in ten staffers have yet to complete mandatory suicide prevention training. Sally Pipes, CEO, president, and health care policy fellow at the Pacific Research Institute discusses the report and why the VA needs to move to a voucher system quickly. Read the report: https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-22-00813-253.pdf Our veterans put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms America stands for. The...2022-12-1215 min
Heartland Daily PodcastIs Long COVID the Next Excuse for Expanding Government and Mask Mandates? (Guest: Rik Mehta)Reports have a knack for becoming public policy, and the latest report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Long COVID could be the next case in point. The report, more a marketing document than a medical report, recommends to “encourage or mandate policies and protocols regarding masking and social distancing in public spaces.” (emphasis added). Today’s guest is Rik Mehta, Pharm.D., J.D., biotech entrepreneur, and former consumer safety officer at the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Mehta, who knows first-hand how politics and public policy are intertw...2022-12-0517 min
Health Care News PodcastIs Long COVID the Next Excuse for Expanding Government and Mask Mandates? (Guest: Rik Mehta)Reports have a knack for becoming public policy, and the latest report released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Long COVID could be the next case in point. The report, more a marketing document than a medical report, recommends to “encourage or mandate policies and protocols regarding masking and social distancing in public spaces.” (emphasis added). Today’s guest is Rik Mehta, Pharm.D., J.D., biotech entrepreneur, and former consumer safety officer at the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Mehta, who knows first-hand how politics and public policy are intertw...2022-12-0517 min
Health Care News PodcastThink Twice Before Signing that Organ Donation Card (Guest: Heidi Klessig, M.D.)You may want to rethink checking that box making you an organ donor. Unlike tissue donation, organs often need to be harvested from a live person in order to be viable for a transplant. Heidi Klessig, M.D., retired anesthesiologist, pain management specialist, and co-founder of respectforhumanlife.com, highlights how hospitals have harvested organs from live patients for the last few years. This procedure makes the person brain dead and then resuscitates their heart to keep blood flowing to the organs. According to Klessig, this goes against the Uniform Definition of Death Act (UDODA).UDODA, passed in 1981...2022-11-2823 minHealth Care News PodcastDoes Eugenics Exist in U.S. Health Care? (Guest: Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.)Many people think the field of eugenics disappeared after the Nazi’s were defeated in WWII. But eugenics, a controversial program to perfect the human race, exists in various forms in modern times. Robert Graboyes, economist, journalist, consultant at RFG Counterpoint, decided to write about the topic. Graboyes was also a panelist that covered the topic in a webinar hosted by The Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.Eugenics has a long history going back way before the Nazi’s practiced it in World War Two. It really got its origins in Victorian England and it got some cove...2022-11-1722 minHealth Care News PodcastShould This Non-mRNA Vaccine Have Been Authorized Early in the Pandemic? (Guest: Raymond March)The FDA recently gave emergency use authorization (EUA) to the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. Unlike the vaccines Americans received as a result of Operation Warp Speed, Novavax is not an mRNA vaccine. It was bypassed for EUA early in the pandemic because of a decision to put all resources into mRNA vaccines as it was thought this provided the best approach to get a vaccine out quickly. Our guest today, Raymond March, a research fellow for the Independent Institute and assistant professor of agribusiness and applied economics at North Dakota State University, says this was a costly m...2022-11-1214 minHealth Care News PodcastHow Medicaid Compromised Long-Term Care (Guest: Stephen Moses)Poverty is no longer a requirement to qualify for long-term care under Medicaid. An entire industry has cropped up over the years instructing families on how to maximize Medicaid’s loose financial guidelines. While families save a bundle of money by having the government now pay for this care, the system has had a negative impact on the long-term care market. Reimbursement rates under Medicaid do not cover the actual cost of care which impacts quality and supply. Families no longer save for long term care knowing that Medicaid can come to the rescue. Stephen Moses, president of the Cente...2022-11-0120 minHealth Care News PodcastBiden Wants More Money for COVID-19 Relief (Guest: Chad Savage, M.D.)President Biden told 60 Minutes in October that COVID-19 was essentially over. If that's true, why is he still lobbying Congress for billions of dollars in more COVID-19 relief? Biden also extended the emergency declaration another 90 days, further going against his stated position. Dr. Chad Savage, founder, Your Choice Direct Care, thinks the spending is not only unhealthy for the American economy, but “unnecessary, harmful, and blind to Americans’ real needs and problems.Savage says there is plenty of COVID-19 relief money unspent, just sitting on the sidelines. As a physician, Savage worries how more government spending will driv...2022-10-2620 minHealth Care News PodcastCVS Fires Employee for Religious Beliefs (Guest: Kevin Theriot)Late this summer, CVS fired a nurse practitioner for refusing to prescribe ‘Plan B’ ‘Morning After’ pills at the “Minute Clinic” where she had worked for 2 ½ years. CVS had been aware of Paige Casey’s religious objections to prescribing the abortifacients, exempted her from doing so, and even gave her favorable job reviews. In August, CVS changed its mind and told Casey she would no longer be given an exemption. Casey is suing CVS and is being represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom.Increasingly, health care professionals are being reprimanded, attacked and even fired for refusing to perform procedu...2022-10-1918 minHealth Care News PodcastThe New York Times Runs a “Hit Piece” on Medicare Advantage Plans (Guest: John C. Goodman)Increasingly, the private component of Medicare, Medicare Advantage (MA), is coming under attack. The latest salvo was a front-page article on October 8, 2022 in the New York Times, titled “The Cash Monster Was Insatiable – How Insurers Exploited Medicare for Billions.” The article claims “most large insurers in the program have been accused in court of fraud.” Today’s guest, John C. Goodman, points out that the “fraud” insurers are accused of is not the typical fraud seen in Sixty Minutes exposes in which the perpetrators are sent to prison. Rather, the “fraud” alleged often involves the risk payments MA plans receive for taking c...2022-10-1316 minHealth Care News PodcastAre Doctors Ignorant, Cowards, or Just Biased? (Guest: Joel Hirschhorn)Can we trust doctors today to act in our best interest? Joel Hirschhorn, editor of the Pandemic Blunder Newsletter and author of Pandemic Blunder, returns to the podcast to discuss how the corporate takeover of healthcare is impacting patient care. This reached a pinnacle during the pandemic when doctors pushed investigational vaccines, discredited alternative therapies, and supported measures such as masks, lockdowns, and mandates which have done little to stop COVID-19. Hirschhorn reminds listeners that COVID is NOT over. People are still dying from the virus, and some continue to have side effects. Hirschhorn presents a list of questions...2022-10-0417 minHealth Care News PodcastDid Pharma Royalty Payments Influence Government COVID-19 Policies? (Guest: Adam Andrzejewski)On September 14, Sen. Rand Paul grilled Dr. Anthony Fauci on royalty payments government scientists receive from private third-party entities. The non-profit watchdog, Open the Books has been relentlessly investigating these private royalty payments because the public has been drastically impacted by public health guidance. Adam Andrezejewski, CEO and founder of Open the Books, says it is important to understand how government health agencies make their decisions when decision makers have personal wealth gains on the line. He believes the payments over the past ten years come close to $400 million. Fauci announced he is retiring from the National Institutes of Hea...2022-09-2220 minHealth Care News PodcastTwo Bills Are About to Become Law in California and Why We Should All be Concerned – Marilyn Singleton, M.D., J.D.SB 107 would allow California to become a “sanctuary state” for a parent and minor to pursue gender altering surgery and care against the wishes of another parent. AB 2098 redefines the meaning of “unprofessional conduct” to now included the dissemination of COVID-19 misinformation or disinformation. Physicians and Surgeons could potentially lose their license if found to be in violation. Singleton discusses the ramifications of these bills and how variations could spread to other states.Singleton and Schieber discuss: 1. Who will determine what COVID “misinformation” is 2. The possibility that a physician could lose their medical license over COVID misinformation...2022-09-1318 minHealth Care News PodcastWhat the U.S. Can Really Do to Bring Down the Costs of Biotech Drugs (Guest: Gregg Girvan)Americans have a right to complain that some prescription drugs are unaffordable. But the answer is not to have the government (taxpayers) pick up more of the tab. A better solution is to get costly regulatory obstacles out of the way. Gregg Girvan, a scholar at The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity (FREOPP), says it is a myth that brand name drugs have to be excessively priced to guarantee future research and development. He also says regulatory obstacles are standing in the way of making biosimilars, a cheaper alternative to biologic drugs, more available. Europe outpaces the U.S...2022-09-0636 minHealth Care News PodcastCDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky Calls for Overhaul of the Agency (Guest: Dr. Marilyn Singleton)On August 17, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently stated that the CDC needs a complete overhaul. How serious is her call? As director, can she fix all that is wrong with the agency? Or, is this something Congress needs to address?Our guest for today’s episode of Health Care News is Dr. Marilyn Singleton. Dr. Singleton previously served as president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. She’s also written and spoken extensively on how the CDC and other government health agencies politicized COVID-19. She says that at t...2022-08-2218 minHealth Care News PodcastDoug Seaton: Covid Vaccine LawsuitsAttorney Doug Seaton joins Health Care News managing editor Anne Schieber to discuss a $10.3 million settlement involving hospital employees who were forced to take Covid vaccines against their wishes. 2022-08-1118 minHealth Care News PodcastDemocrats Go After Medicare to Shore up Obamacare (Guest: Phil Kerpen)Congressional Democrats are pushing through a plan that shift $288 billion away from Medicare drug spending and into Obamacare plans and Green New Deal ventures. Extended Obamacare plans from the pandemic expire around the midterm elections. Premiums will likely skyrocket at a critical time: the midterm elections.The plan will authorize the federal government, through Medicare Part D and B spending, to hit drug makers with a 95 percent tax on total sales if they fail to lower drug prices to the satisfaction of federal regulators. One economic study found drug research and development fell by 18.5 percent. This tax...2022-08-0222 minHealth Care News PodcastIs Medicare Advantage a Bad Deal? (Guest: John Goodman)Medicare Advantage (MA) is under attack after a report by the Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General. John Goodman, a health care economist, president of the Goodman Institute for Public Policy Research, and co-publisher of Health Care News, is a champion of MA plans. Goodman says the report looks at a tiny fraction of enrollees and fails to consider the overall popularity of MA. Not only can MA save Medicare enrollees a significant amount of money; they are the closest thing to doing what all health care plans should do: cover the essentials when people really need the...2022-07-2519 minHealth Care News PodcastWhy Is Biden Pushing Medical Debt Relief if the Affordable Care Act Is Working?Obamacare was supposed to be affordable, but on April 11, the White House announced new actions to “lessen the burden of medical debt and increase consumer protection.” Why are consumers being flanked with extra medical bills if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was doing its job? Devon Herrick, a health care economist, discusses Obamacare’s narrow networks and high deductibles as being a big part of the problem and how a free market in health could solve the problem of “medical debt.”This is the fact sheet the White House released describing the need for medical debt relief and the acti...2022-07-2119 minHealth Care News PodcastCould Too Much Telehealth Drive Up Medicare Costs? (Guest: Josh Gordon, Ph.D.)Telehealth soared in popularity soon after Medicare started covering telehealth claims during the pandemic. There is a five-month time limit on reimbursing claims after the pandemic emergency declaration ends, which is now expected after the mid-term election. Before making reimbursements permanent, Josh Gordon, Ph.D., Director of the Health Policy Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, recommends putting guard rails in place to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse of telehealth claims, especially in a fee-for-service model such as Medicare. Congress will also have to reconsider pay parity, since telehealth should cost less than a physical visit.To...2022-07-0121 minHealth Care News PodcastShould We Give the COVID-19 Shot to Infants and Toddlers? (Guest: Dr. Jane Orient)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved emergency use authorization of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 shots for infants and toddlers six months and older. Should parents get them for their young children? The shots have been in use among the general population for 1.5 years. There have been 60,442 adverse events related to the shots on the FDA’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. More, millions of people have gotten the shots and COVID is still with us.Jane Orient, M.D. is the executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. She minces no...2022-06-2318 minHealth Care News PodcastWoke Culture Infects Health Care (Guest: Dr. Marilyn Singleton)In a recent article, a physician used the terms “assigned male at birth (AMAB)” and “assigned female at birth (AFAB)” instead of male and female. The article was published by The Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Marilyn Singleton, a board-certified anesthesiologist in California and former president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, discusses why use of such language in health care should set off alarm bells. AFAB, AMAB, and other terms such as “pregnant persons” are increasingly being used by health care institutions, experts, and writers to show deference to woke ideology. Dr. Singleton also weighs in on t...2022-06-2116 minHealth Care News PodcastIf the Public Had More Say, Could We Have Avoided COVID Lockdowns? (Guest: Hugh McTavish)Hugh McTavish, gubernatorial candidate in Minnesota of the Independence Alliance Party, is an outspoken critic of COVID-19 lockdown measures. These lockdowns prompted him to make a bid to be Minnesota’s next governor, unseating Gov. Tim Walz (D). McTavish, a Ph.D. immunologist, biochemist, patent attorney, entrepreneur, and author, is proposing an innovative “jury democracy” system. Before McTavish signs any important or controversial bill into law, he will submit it to a statistically significant citizen jury of at least 500 people. “If the jury approves the bill, I will sign it into law; if it rejects the bill, I will veto it...2022-06-0620 min