The Gist Healthcare Podcast

Medicare Advantage star ratings drop for the 2025 plan year, as expected. Walgreens plans to close more stores as the company continues to right its finances. And, the largest maker of IV fluid in the United States looks to import fluid from abroad to mitigate a hurricane-related shortage. We’ll get that story—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

Nearly 80 percent of registered voters in the United States say that healthcare is either an extremely or very important issue, according to a recent Gallop poll. On today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast, we take a look at some of the healthcare issues that have become platforms for the presidential tickets, as well as how some down ballot races are approaching healthcare policy. Dan Diamond, national healthcare reporter for the Washington Post, joins us to talk healthcare policy and politics.  

The nation’s largest producer of I-V fluids is expanding allocations of its products to meet demand from hospitals in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. UnitedHealth Group, Cigna, and CVS have asked a judge to remove FTC Chair Lina Khan and two other commissioners from the agency’s insulin price antitrust suit. And, interviews are making their return to the podcast. Stay tuned to learn about what’s on the docket. These stories—and more—coming upon today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris proposes an expansion of Medicare’s home healthcare policy. The Government Accountability Office says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should be more diligent in ensuring hospitals are compliant with price transparency rules. And, some hospitals in Florida prepare to close facilities and evacuate patients as Hurricane Milton barrels through the Gulf. We’ll get that story—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

Hospitals around the country are reporting shortages of crucial IV fluid in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  Not-for-profit hospitals add ten times their value to communities relative to their tax breaks, according to a new report. And, the Federal Trade Commission could wade into the legal fight between startup Particle Health and the nation’s largest EHR vendor Epic. That story—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

The Vice Presidential candidates squared off this week and healthcare policy took center stage. Humana’s stock drops following news that federal regulators slashed the number of the company’s enrollees in high-star Medicare Advantage plans. And, the number of reported whooping cough cases has spiked this year. We’ll get that story--and more--coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

CVS is rumored to be weighing breaking up its retail and insurance businesses amid investor pressure. Johnson & Johnson is abandoning its controversial 340B drug discount rebate plan.  And, The Biden Administration is no longer pursuing its push for greater Medicaid drug price transparency, according to a report.  We’ll get that story--and more--coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

New legislation is introduced in the United States Senate that sets standards for healthcare cybersecurity. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finalizes national Medicaid renewal compliance deadlines. And, Novo Nordisk’s CEO blames health insurers and PBMs for the high cost of its blockbuster weight loss drug Ozempic. We’ll get that story—and more—coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast. 

New legislation introduced this week in the US Senate would make ACA expanded subsidies permanent. Employers expect an increase in per employee healthcare benefit spend in 2025, according to a new survey. And, EHR giant Epic sued over allegations of anticompetitive business practices. We’ll get that story and more coming up on today’s episode of the Gist Healthcare podcast.