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A Health Podyssey

A Health Podyssey

Health Affairs 304 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

Each week, Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews leading researchers and influencers in health policy and the health care industry. The podcast explores the stories behind research published in Health Affairs, examining how academics and economists frame their research questions. It covers policy implications and the intersection of health, health care, and policy. Ideal for health policy enthusiasts.

Episodes

Health Care Acquisitions: What Happens to Patient Care Intensity?
Health Care Acquisitions: What Happens to Patient Care Intensity? Aug 18, 2026 1240 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Jiebing Wen of The University of Texas at Austin about her recent paper exploring how hospice acquisitions by investor-owned firms were associated with lower care staffing intensity and fewer patient visit minutes, especially in patients' final days. Order the August 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters
How Inflation Skewed State Health Care Spending Targets
How Inflation Skewed State Health Care Spending Targets Aug 11, 2026 1102 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Keith Ericson of Boston University about his recent paper exploring how inflation-adjusted spending benchmarks would provide a more accurate picture of state health care cost growth. Order the August 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analysis.
Why Are Wealthy Americans Spending So Much More on Healthcare?
Why Are Wealthy Americans Spending So Much More on Healthcare? Aug 4, 2026 1190 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Betsy Cliff from the University of Chicago about her paper in the July 2026 issue of Health Affairs exploring trends in US healthcare spending by income. Order the July 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analysis.
BEST OF: Michael Chernew on Medicare Advantage Benchmarks
BEST OF: Michael Chernew on Medicare Advantage Benchmarks Jul 28, 2026 1788 A Health Podyssey is on vacation in July. We will return with new episodes in August 2026.This episode originally aired on April 18, 2023Health Affairs Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Michael Chernew from the Harvard Medical School on his recently-published paper examining the effects of lower Medicare Advantage benchmarks on plan generosity and benefits. The authors found that a $1,
BEST OF: A Health Podyssey x Policy Spotlight w/ Meena Seshamani
BEST OF: A Health Podyssey x Policy Spotlight w/ Meena Seshamani Jul 21, 2026 3528 A Health Podyssey is on vacation in July. We will return with new episodes in August 2026.This episode was originally aired on August 15, 2023.In a crossover episode with Health Affairs' Policy Spotlight event series, Editor-in-Chief Alan Weil interviews Meena Seshamani, director at the Center for Medicare at CMS. They discuss the evolution of Medicare Advantage, value-based programs, and
BEST OF: What Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing Would Mean for the US
BEST OF: What Most Favored Nation Drug Pricing Would Mean for the US Jul 14, 2026 1435 A Health Podyssey is on vacation in July. We will return with new episodes in August 2026.This episode originally aired on April 14, 2026.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews James Robinson of the University of California Berkeley about his recent paper exploring most favored nation drug pricing, weighing its feasibility, likely effects on drug launch prices, and implications for global ph
BEST OF: Will AI Fix Health Care? Robert Wachter Weighs In
BEST OF: Will AI Fix Health Care? Robert Wachter Weighs In Jul 7, 2026 1745 This episode originally aired on February 3, 2026.Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Dr. Robert Wachter, Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF, about his new book A Giant Leap: How AI Is Transforming Healthcare and What That Means for Our Future. Wachter reflects on his own daily use of AI as a clinician, the reasons he has grown optimistic about its potential, and th
How ACO Conveners Are Changing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Behind the Scenes
How ACO Conveners Are Changing the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) Behind the Scenes Jun 23, 2026 1487 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Adam Markovitz of the University of Michigan about his recent paper exploring the growing role of third-party firms in Medicare ACOs, highlighting how they have contributed to wider participation and more geographically dispersed networks while raising questions about how these structures relate to shared savings outcomes.Order the June 2026
Why Medicare’s Hospital Wage Index Exceptions Jumped 60%
Why Medicare’s Hospital Wage Index Exceptions Jumped 60% Jun 16, 2026 1360 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Geoffrey Hoffman of the University of Michigan about his recent paper exploring the structure of Medicare’s hospital wage index and discusses the growth of exceptions over time, exploring their implications for how the system functions and whether it meets its intended policy objectives. Order the June 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Sign up for
Private Equity in Primary Care: Costs, Care, and Impact
Private Equity in Primary Care: Costs, Care, and Impact Jun 9, 2026 1231 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Yashaswini Singh of Brown University about her recent paper that explores how private equity acquisitions in primary care are associated with changes in utilization, spending, and workforce composition.Order the June 2026 issue of Health Affairs.Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters to stay up to date on health policy news and analy
Inside CVS Caremark: The Role of PBMs in Drug Costs & Access | SPONSORED
Inside CVS Caremark: The Role of PBMs in Drug Costs & Access | SPONSORED Jun 3, 2026 1521 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
Inside CMS: How Medicare Innovation Models Are Working to Lower Costs & Scale Digital Health
Inside CMS: How Medicare Innovation Models Are Working to Lower Costs & Scale Digital Health Jun 2, 2026 1882 Health Affairs Publishing’s Rob Lott speaks to Abe Sutton, Director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, about the ACCESS model and broader efforts to test payment and delivery reforms aimed at improving affordability, expanding digital health, and generating real-world evidence in Medicare. Sign up for our free Health Affairs newsletters to stay up to date on health policy

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