Shows
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 294- Inside America’s Access Crisis And Why Wait Times Keep Rising. With Rich Helppie.Host Nate Kaufman brings Rich Helppie back for a discussion about healthcare access. A 30-day wait for a first oncology visit after hearing the word leukemia is not an edge case—it’s the new normal in a system where demand outpaces supply and incentives reward the wrong behaviors. Nate opens with a personal story that reveals how access feels when the stakes are life and death, then pulls back the lens to explain why it happens: a 12-year training pipeline for specialists, uneven reimbursement that pushes clinicians toward concierge and direct primary care, and payer tactics that encourage conso...
2025-11-0316 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 293- Subsidies, Shutdowns, And The Healthcare Squeeze. With Nate KaufmanPoliticians argue about subsidies while families face premiums that can top $26,900 and deductibles big enough to delay basic care. We step past the slogans to map how the ACA exchanges actually work today—standardized benefits that reduce real choice, narrow networks that hide access problems, and a pricing spiral that subsidies struggle to catch. Along the way, we unpack ghost networks in mental health, why out-of-network showdowns hit consumers hardest, and how pharmacy benefit manager rebates can reward drug utilization even as patients fight for approvals.With Nate Kaufman of the Healthcare Bridge, we press on a pr...
2025-10-3125 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 291- How A Neurosurgeon Heals Broken Spines With A Broken Health System. With Dr. Rod OskouianSpine surgery sits at the crossroads of need, nuance, and noise—and few people explain that terrain better than Dr. Rod Oskouian, a high-volume neurosurgeon who has led a complex spine program and also navigated care as a patient. Dr. Oskouian and Healthcare Bridge host, Nate Kaufman pull back the curtain on how consolidation, denials, and a flood of administrative demands reshape daily practice, why “low value” labels miss the mark, and what truly predicts safer outcomes when your back—or your future mobility—is on the line.The conversation starts with the evolution of neurosurgery from community c...
2025-10-2037 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 281- Medicare Disadvantage: Nate Kaufman and Rich Helppie Pt. 2Are you getting what you pay for with your Medicare plan? This eye-opening conversation between healthcare insiders Nathan Kaufman and Rich Helppie pulls back the curtain on what they provocatively call "Medicare Disadvantage" plans.When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Medicare Advantage plans tempt seniors with zero premiums, dental coverage, vision benefits, and even gym memberships. But these apparent perks mask a troubling reality: significantly restricted healthcare options when serious illness strikes. Our experts explain how insurance companies profit from delaying and denying care while creating increasingly narrow provider networks that limit...
2025-08-2512 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 279- The Problem with Employer-Sponsored Healthcare. Nate Kaufman's conversation with Rich Helppie.The fundamental flaw in American healthcare might be hiding in your benefits package. In this compelling conversation, host Nathan Kaufman and Common Bridge's Rich Helppie challenge the very foundation of how most Americans receive health coverage."It needs to go the route of the company car," argues Helppie about employer-sponsored health insurance. The hosts dissect how the current system creates profound inequalities – where two neighbors with similar jobs can receive drastically different coverage quality while enjoying the same tax benefits. They explore the troubling reality that when you're too sick to work or too old to remain em...
2025-08-1310 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 278- The Crisis of Healthcare Economics: A Conversation between Nate Kaufman and Brandon EdwardsWhen did healthcare marketing become so disconnected from the people it needs to reach? Brandon Edwards, founder of Unlock Health and a 30-year veteran in healthcare marketing, joins us for a provocative conversation about why traditional approaches are failing in what he calls "the post-truth era."Edwards reveals a startling reality: roughly half the population deeply distrusts institutions and experts – the very foundation of most healthcare marketing. "There's about half the population that has a heavy distrust of institutions and experts, and if you're a healthcare provider, you're marketing on behalf of an institution and featuring experts in...
2025-07-2834 min
JR Afternoon with Ryan ErmanniHealth Care Headaches: Are Profit-Hungry Silos Making You Sick?June 24, 2025 ~ Richard Helppie interviews health care expert Nate Kaufman. Kaufman discusses the problems with America’s health care “non-system,” including insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com
for information about our collection and use of personal data for
advertising.
2025-06-2511 min
Richard Helppie's Common BridgeRichard Helppie on WJR Radio- A Deep Dive on Education and HealthcareGet ready for two power-packed days of essential conversations when I take over hosting duties at WJR, the Great Voice of the Great Lakes! Mark your calendars for June 23rd and 24th, from 2-4pm Eastern Time, as we spotlight the critical issues shaping Michigan's communities.We'll dive deep into healthcare challenges and opportunities with renowned expert Nate Kaufman, whose insights have guided healthcare institutions nationwide. Michigan's Lieutenant Governor Garland Gilchrist joins us to discuss his vision as he campaigns to become the state's next governor. The connection between housing policy and community wellbeing takes center stage...
2025-06-2102 minRichard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 260- United Healthcare, Villain or Victim? Systemic Challenges in Medical Economy. A Conversation with Nate KaufmanUnlock the secrets of healthcare economics with renowned expert Nate Kaufman of Kaufman Strategic Advisors. Join us as we explore the powerful role played by UnitedHealthcare—the largest private healthcare conglomerate in the U.S. Discover how UnitedHealthcare shapes insurance coverage, pharmacy benefit management, and healthcare services. We'll examine the complexities of employer-sponsored healthcare and discuss the ethical dilemmas tied to profit incentives in healthcare spending. Nate's insights shed light on how these factors impact patient care and the broader healthcare system.We dive into the intricacies of the Affordable Care Act, unraveling the challenges faced by he...
2024-12-1434 minRichard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 112- Health Insurance Business Harms Doctors, Patients and Hospitals - Inside Healthcare with Nate Kaufman.Rich brings back healthcare expert and consultant, Nathan Kaufman, Managing Director of Kaufman Strategic Advisors. Rich and Nate talk about the current policy issues surrounding healthcare, and why the United States' approach to health insurance, care, and finance, are woefully inadequate in today's landscape.Support the showEngage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!
2021-07-2542 minRichard Helppie's Common BridgeEpisode 18- Rich Helppie Quick Take on ImpeachmentThe mics were still on after our podcast with Nate Kaufman (which airs tomorrow) and I forced Rich into talking about the Impeachment hearings that wrapped up two days ago. He wasn't ready for it, but delivered all the same.Support the showEngage the conversation on Substack at The Common Bridge!
2020-02-0214 min