Health or Consequences

The gubernatorial race between Minogue and Healey is heating up as the candidates head into the November election. In July, medtech billionaire Minogue released his “Patients First” plan for improving health care outcomes in Massachusetts. John and Paul sat down with Minogue to drill down into the details of his plan and his broader vision for the future of the state.

Guest:

Mike Minogue, republican nominee for Mass. governor, former CEO of Abiomed

Hosts:

John McDonough of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Paul Hattis of the Lowne Institute

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CommonWealth Beacon is collecting listener questions regarding the November ballot for an upcoming podcast episode: https://commonwealthbeacon.org/uncategorized/ballotquestions/

We all need care as we age. Adam Scott leads New England’s largest nonprofit provider of senior care and living communities. He says demand is rising as the Commonwealth’s average age continues to increase. This week on Health or Consequences, Scott discusses how the broader health care crisis is impacting long-term care.

Guest:

• Adam Scott, president and CEO of Hebrew SeniorLife

Hosts:

• Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute
• John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public health

America's Wrong Turn: US Health Care in the Neoliberal Era by John McDonough is available now:

https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53872/americas-wrong-turn

Question or comment for Health or Consequences [email protected]

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America's health system is uniquely expensive and uniquely underperforming. On this month's edition of Health or Consequences, John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health discusses his upcoming book, America's Wrong Turn: U.S. Health Care in the Neoliberal Era, and traces the political and economic forces that reshaped American medicine. From the Chicago School and Milton Friedman's free-market philosophy to Ronald Reagan's antitrust policies, McDonough argues that decades of neoliberal policymaking laid the groundwork for today's soaring health care costs, industry consolidation, and the growing influence of private equity.

Pre-Order America's Wrong Turn: US Health Care in the Neoliberal Era

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Publishes August 11th, 2026

https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/53872/americas-wrong-turn?srsltid=AfmBOopF7X-M0BXT1fSZffPmeezISVx0CNkt5oJ14yAOfxO722xcR2nM

Host:

Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute

Guest:

John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

https://hsph.harvard.edu/profile/john-e-mcdonough/

Have a question or comment for Health or Consequences? Reach out to [email protected]

https://commonwealthbeacon.org/codcast/

Patrick Gilligan has a lifetime of experience in health care. One year ago, he accepted the role of CEO of Point32Health, a regional nonprofit health insurance provider. On this month's edition of Health or Consequences, hosts John McDonough and Paul Hattis ask Gilligan to take a deep dive into the current state of health insurance. Are patients getting what they're paying for? How are health insurers cutting costs while remaining competitive? How is market consolidation contributing to rising healthcare costs? And what policies might help stem the tide?

Guest:

Patrick Gilligan, CEO of Point32Health

Hosts:

• John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Paul Hattis of the Lowne Institute

Have a question or comment for Health or Consequences? Reach out to [email protected]

Hosts John McDonough and Paul Hattis are joined by Victoria Pulos, a health law attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, to discuss the fallout of OB3, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” for Massachusetts residents. Who is likely to lose coverage? How has the state responded to federal cuts? And if Democrats win the midterms, can any of these actions be reversed?

Hosts:

• John McDonough of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
• Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute

Guest:

• Victoria Pulos, senior health law attorney at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI)

On April 12, 2006, at Faneuil Hall, Gov. Mitt Romney signed the Massachusetts Health Insurance Reform Act, commonly known as Chapter 58 or "RomneyCare." The groundbreaking legislation established the Massachusetts Health Connector, it expanded Medicaid, it required employers to provide insurance, it subsidized health care insurance for low income residents, and ultimately drastically reduced the number of uninsured. In this month’s installment of Health or Consequences, John McDonough moves into the interviewee seat, along with Cheri Andes, the former Lead Organizer of Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, to tell the story of how they built and led the coalition behind the historic bill, and how RomneyCare laid the foundation for the Affordable Care Act.

Host:

Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute

Guests:

• John McDonough of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, former Director of Health Care for All
• Cheri Andes, Independent Consultant, former Lead Organizer of the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO)

After 28 years at the helm of Mass. Health Quality Partners, Barbra Rabson is stepping down. MHQP provides data on patient experiences of primary care. They bring stakeholders and patient representatives together to further their shared mission, improve healthcare quality and equity. On this months episode of Health or Consequences, John McDonough and Paul Hattis ask Rabson about the impact of MHQP's approach in the midst of a primary care crisis. What do stakeholders need to improve patients' experience of primary care? How can we attract more primary care physicians? And, most importantly, how do we get out of the crisis?

Guest:

Barbra Rabson, President & CEO of Mass Health Quality Partners

Hosts:

• Paul Hattis, Lown Institute
• John McDonough, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health

Michael Caljouw, the state commissioner of insurance discusses new regulations for insurers, concerns about the stability and solvency of the Massachusetts health insurance system, and insurer consolidation.

Hosts:

John McDonough of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health

Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute

Guest:

Michael Caljouw, Commissioner of Insurance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

On the monthly Health or Consequences episode, John McDonough of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute talk with Zirui Song, associate professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School and a physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. They discuss Song’s research and thoughts about the primary care crisis nationally and in Massachusetts, and dive into the promise and issues with private equity in health care.

On the monthly Health or Consequences episode of The Codcast, John McDonough of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and Paul Hattis of the Lown Institute talk Matt Selig, the executive director of Health Law Advocates (HLA). They discuss the blur between medical and legal access issues, the group’s history and capacity, and their current litigation focuses.