Health:Further

In this episode, Marcus and Vic break down the Federal Reserve’s indecision on rate cuts, mass tech layoffs accelerated by AI, and why startups no longer need as much capital. They discuss major VC moves in healthcare, including Tennr, Sword Health, and Nabla, along with General Catalyst’s hospital acquisition. The episode also covers Medicaid cuts, fractures in the Republican party, and the Supreme Court’s decision on gender-affirming care. Plus, stablecoins get a bipartisan boost, AI companions for seniors show promise, and tensions rise between OpenAI and Microsoft over cloud exclusivity and IP rights.

Links

0:51 -  The Fed Waits Out the Tariff Economy WSJ

3:50 - The Biggest Companies Across America Are Cutting Their Workforces WSJ

6:01   - Amazon CEO Says AI Will Lead to Smaller Workforce WSJ

12:19 - Microsoft Plans to Cut Thousands More Employees WSJ

13:49 - Tennr clinches $101M to build out AI that automates patient referral process Fierce Healthcare

16:30 - Sword Health lands $40M, launches AI-based mental health solution Fierce Healthcare

18:36 - Nabla banks $70M series C to build out agentic AI for clinical workflows  Fierce Healthcare

19:20 - Ohio Greenlights First-Ever Venture-Capital Hospital Acquisition WSJ

20:42 - Senate Bill Would Make Deep Cuts to Medicaid, Setting Up Fight With House NYT

27:46 - AHIP 2025: Insurer coalition vows to fight Trump budget bill to final hour Fierce Healthcare

28:44 - Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on gender affirming care for minors Fierce Healthcare

32:37 - Senate passes GENIUS Act despite crypto corruption concerns Axios

42:30 - Humana’s cautious defense of Medicare Advantage Healthcare Dive

44:59 - Episource ransomware attack leaked patient health data Healthcare IT News

45:18 - Ascension agrees to acquire Amsurg to expand ambulatory surgery reach Healthcare Dive

45:26 - Headspace Launches Insurance-Covered Therapy Direct to Consumers HIT Consultant

46:03 - Eli Lilly to Acquire Verve Therapeutics for Up to $1.3 Billion WSJ

46:25 - A Cutting-Edge Cancer Therapy Offers Hope for Patients With Lupus NYT

47:41 - The Friendly Caller Who’s Helping Seniors Feel Less Lonely WSJ

49:34 - Abridge launches gen AI tool for inpatient clinicians, adds outpatient orders feature Fierce Healthcare

50:16 - UHS partners with Hippocratic AI to launch AI agents Healthcare Dive

50:42 - OpenAI wins $200 million U.S. defense contract CNBC

52:12 - OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point WSJ

56:59 - Microsoft prepar

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In this episode, Vic and Marcus welcome back Tarun Kapoor to discuss the evolution and real-world implementation of AI in healthcare. They explore the lessons learned from Wobo, a digital therapeutic tool, and its regulatory challenges. Tarun shares insights on the future of ambient listening and vision in clinical settings, the rising need for AI infrastructure and oversight, and the shifting standard of care where not using AI could soon be seen as negligent. They also discuss workforce transformation as digital agents emerge, and Tarun reflects on his next steps after 17 years at Virtua Health.

Tarun Kapoor LinkedIn

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In this episode, Vic and Marcus discuss their recent selection committee experience, shifting political dynamics affecting tech companies like Uber and Tesla, and the implications of increasing political polarization on consumer behavior. They analyze the economic outlook, including job reports and inflation, and the potential impact on interest rates. The conversation shifts into venture news with funding rounds for health tech and wearable startups, including Guide Health, Somnia, and Eli Health. They break down major healthcare policy updates, such as Marty Makary’s FDA reforms and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s abrupt reorganization of the vaccine advisory committee. The episode wraps up with insights on AI innovation, including Google's AI missteps, Oracle's push into healthcare cloud services, the future of nuclear energy, and Meta's strategic investment in Scale AI.

5:00 - Hiring Slowed in May, With 139,000 New Jobs WSJ

7:09 - Muted May Inflation Defies Tariff Fears WSJ

9:29 - Bonds Rally, Stocks Slip After Inflation Data WSJ

10:28 - Ryght AI raises seed to shrink clinical trial timelines Axios

11:36 - Autonomize AI gets $28M for health agents Axios

12:53 - Emory Healthcare invests $10M in Guidehealth as it ramps up value-based care collaboration Fierce Healthcare

13:31 -  Somnee raises $10M for smart sleep wearable Axios

15:21 - Eli Health raises $12M for hormone tracking Axios

16:43 - Priorities for a New FDA JAMA

20:00 - RFK Jr.: HHS Moves to Restore Public Trust in Vaccines WSJ-Op

25:33 - RFK Jr. names 8 new members to CDC's vaccine advisory committee after purging entire panel Fierce Healthcare

32:10 - Hospitals rail against 'inadequate' pay bump, mandatory TEAM participation in IPPS comments Fierce Healthcare 

33:10 - Humana to Back Curbs to Medicare Advantage Billing Practices WSJ

35:10 - Cigna rolling out new tech tools to simplify the member experience Fierce Healthcare

35:54 - HHS watchdog accuses CVS Medicare Advantage plan of upcoding Healthcare Dive

37:37 - BCBSM eliminates 600 jobs; Molina lays off Virginia health plan employees Fierce Healthcare 

39:00 - For Patients With Rare Blood Cancer, New Drug Offers Relief WSJ

40:30 - These Diabetes Drugs Are Finding New Life as an Antiaging Hack WSJ

42:33 - IBM Has a Roadmap to a ‘Fault-Tolerant’ Quantum Computer by 2029 WSJ

43:59 - The Audacious Reboot of America’s Nuclear Energy Program WSJ

47:08 - Google Expands Buyout Program in Push to Ramp Up AI Spending WSJ

53:47 - Oracle Shares Jump as CEO Targets ‘Dramatically Higher’ Revenue Growth WSJ

55:10 - News Sites Are Getting Crushed by Google

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Vic and Marcus break down the public feud between Elon Musk and Donald Trump, its impact on politics, social media power dynamics, and the fracture between tech elites and MAGA conservatives. They analyze market reactions, including crypto drops and investor concerns, and discuss the broader implications for the Republican party. The episode covers potential risks to Tesla and SpaceX, the debt ceiling crisis, recession indicators from ISM and Beige Book data, concerns over inflation data accuracy, and major venture capital updates across healthcare, insurance, and AI startups. They also examine healthcare policy impacts of the GOP bill, hospital layoffs, UnitedHealth’s ongoing legal battles, Epic’s TEFCA expansion, Amazon Pharmacy’s Medicare push, Apple’s App Store legal setback, FDA’s AI cancer screening approval, Quantum Health’s acquisition of Embold Health, and Anthropic’s alarming AI safety experiments.

1:33 - Elon and DJT Fight - X

23:13 - JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon Predicts ‘Crack in the Bond Market,’ Citing U.S. Fiscal Mess WSJ

24:25 - US Economic Activity Ebbs, Prices Rise in Fed’s Beige Book Bloomberg

25:35 - Bond Yields Fall After Weak Data Spurs Hopes of Rate Cut WSJ Economists Raise Questions About Quality of U.S. Inflation Data WSJ

31:13 - Clara Home Care Raises $3.1M in Seed Funding FINSMES 

32:47 - Texas Health Resources Among Investors in ArcheHealth Healthcare Innovation

33:49 - Reserv nabs $25M to fix insurance claims tech Axios

34:49 - Outcomes4Me Raises $21M in Funding FINSMES

35:49 - Prepared raises $80M to expand AI-powered emergency response platform Silicon Angle

38:29 - Omada Health aims to raise $158M in IPO, targeting valuation of $1.1 billion  Fierce Healthcare

39:11 - Nearly 11M would become uninsured under GOP reconciliation bill: CBO Healthcare Dive

42:51 - Apple loses bid to pause app store reform order in Epic Games case Reuters

47:03 - UnitedHealth posts shareholder FAQ that offers greater detail on C-suite strategy Fierce Healthcare

49:01 - UnitedHealth files defamation suit over report that it paid kickbacks to nursing homes Fierce Healthcare

51:04 - Ascension nears $3.9B AmSurg acquisition Fierce Healthcare

52:30 - 38 hospitals, health systems cutting jobs Beckers

54:09 - Amazon Pharmacy’s PillPack expands to Medicare patients Healthcare Dive

54:54 - Epic charts growth in provider TEFCA adoption Healthcare Dive

56:44 - Novartis’s Cancer Treatment Pluvicto Shows Positive Results in Trial WSJ

57:20 - Facing a Cancer Diagnosis? Exercise and Diet Could Make a Difference WSJ

59:36 - FDA clears first AI tool for breast cancer risk prediction from startup Clairity Fierce Healthcare

1:0

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Marcus is joined by Emily Evans to break down the sweeping changes proposed under the “Make America Healthy Again” initiative and the "One Big Beautiful Bill." They discuss the healthcare system’s shift from treating sickness to promoting long-term health, the political disruption caused by these policies, the overmedicalization of children, pharma industry challenges, obesity drugs, the role of agriculture and environmental toxins, vaccine policy reform, mental health in youth, and how these reforms will impact healthcare supply, Medicaid, and biotech industries.

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In this episode, Vic and Marcus cover a wide-ranging set of topics shaping today’s healthcare and economic landscape. They discuss Vic’s personal milestone of becoming an empty nester before diving into Marcus’s experience at a roundtable with HFMA and KPMG, where healthcare leaders confronted the friction between innovation and operational reality. They explore the challenges hospitals face in adopting change amidst massive fixed infrastructure costs, the impact of America’s downgraded credit rating on capital markets, and an alarming trend of weak U.S. government bond auctions. They also unpack the Walmart layoffs, Bitcoin’s surge, AI-driven venture capital, and IPO activity. Policy highlights include Trump’s Medicaid work requirements bill, soda bans in SNAP, and mounting financial pressure on nonprofit health systems. The episode closes with a discussion of America’s deteriorating youth health and the continued unraveling of emergency department infrastructure.

Links:

6:14 - U.S. Loses Last Triple-A Credit Rating WSJ

10:12 - Weak Auction of Government Debt Jolts Markets WSJ

12:04 - America’s Fiscal Situation Threatens the Good Mood on Wall Street WSJ

13:37 - Walmart to Cut 1,500 Corporate Jobs in Restructuring WSJ

14:31 - Bitcoin hits new record high above $111,000 as rally marches on CNBC

17:32 - Dazos raises $25M for customer relationship management platform Mobi Health News

19:00 - Rad AI: $8 Million Raised To Develop Generative AI Solutions For Radiology Pulse 2.0

19:59 - Biostate AI raises $12M Series A Axios

20:52 - Hinge Health raises $437 million in its IPO Axios

21:58 - Austin’s Reign as a Tech Hub Might Be Coming to an End WSJ

25:14 -  - SEC Chair Signals Investor Access to Private Markets Could Soon Broaden WSJ

28:53 - Revolut CEO raises $250m for AI-powered VC firm QuantumLight Sifted

36:20 - Trump’s ‘beautiful’ bill spans more than 1,000 pages. Here’s what’s inside it  AP

39:52 - Here are some of the changes to the House bill unveiled Wednesday night. NYT

46:56 - These Democratic governors are trying to curb health care for unauthorized immigrants NPR

48:54 - 4 Key Takeaways from a New White House Report on Children’s Health NYT

53:29 - In Approving Soda Ban for Food Stamps, U.S.D.A. Reverses Decades of Policy NYT

55:11 - CMS deploying more coders, 'advanced systems' to audit all Medicare Advantage contracts Fierce Healthcare

56:15 - Senators reintroduce bill that seeks to reform prior authorization in Medicare Advantage Fierce Healthcare

59:23 - Judge shuts down drugmakers’ 340B rebate plans, for now Healthcare Dive 

1:00:35 - New Evernorth program to cap out-of-pocket costs for Wegovy, Zepbound a

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In this episode, Vic speaks with Mark Durante, founder of RiseUP Medical, about the cutting-edge world of biologics and regenerative medicine. They explore how biologics like PRP, PRF, stem cells, and exosomes are being applied in areas such as neuropathy, orthopedic injuries, aesthetics, and sexual health. Mark explains the science behind cell therapies, including mesenchymal stem cells and Wharton's Jelly, and discusses RiseUP’s role in bridging labs and physicians to expand treatment options. They also review recent peer-reviewed studies focused on diabetic and chemo-induced neuropathy and discuss how regenerative treatments may complement or reduce the need for pharmaceuticals and surgery. Mark shares his personal journey from heart failure and near-disability to recovery through biologics, turning his experience into a mission to advance access and innovation in this space.

Rize UpMedical: website

Mark Durante: LinkedIn

Published Research discussed in the show:

• Exploring the Role of Mesenchymal Stem Cell–Derived Exosomes in Diabetic and Chemotherapy‐Induced Peripheral Neuropathy, Molecular Neurobiology (2024).
• Improvements in Diabetic Neuropathy with Topical Human Mesenchymal Stem Cell Conditioned Media, American Journal of Biomedical Science & Research (2024).
• Wharton’s Jelly Tissue Allograft for Connective Tissue Defects Surrounding Nerves in the Tarsal Tunnel: A Retrospective Case Series, Reports by MDPI (2024).

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In this episode, Vic and Marcus cover a sweeping range of major developments in healthcare, policy, and the economy. They dive deep into the UnitedHealth Group crisis, discussing the CEO resignation, DOJ investigation, and stock collapse. They analyze inflation data, Microsoft layoffs, and U.S.-China trade pauses, while also breaking down emerging trends in biotech, AI-driven drug development, hospital discharge tech, and venture capital movement. The hosts explore RFK Jr.'s impact on CMS policy, Medicaid cuts, Roundup controversies, IPO market challenges, and gene-editing breakthroughs—all framed by their signature lens on innovation, impact, and policy shifts.

Links:

6:13 - Surprise U.S.-China Trade Deal Gives Global Economy Reprieve WSJ

9:07 - Mild April Inflation Captures Early Stages of Tariff Effects WSJ

9:57 - Microsoft Slashing Thousands of Workers, Including Management Jobs WSJ

11:16 - Clarium lands $27M to fortify hospital supply chains Axios

12:09 - Olio Secures $11M to Scale Care Coordination Platform HIT

13:30 - J&J, Eli Lilly join $85M financing for newly unveiled gene editing biotech Stylus Fierce Healthcare

15:19 - Somite, a developer of foundation models for the human cell, raised $47m in Series A. X

16:35 - Cohere Health lands $90M series C round to expand AI use cases Fierce Healthcare

17:24 - Pathos AI raises $365M at $1.6B valuation Axios

18:21 - State of Private Markets: Q1 2025 Carta

23:07 - CMS proposes crackdown on 'money laundering' provider tax policies Modern Healthcare

24:25 - Drugmakers Avoid Worst-Case Pricing Scenario for Now WSJ

25:14 - Trump Leadership: If You Want Welfare and Can Work, You Must NYT-Op

28:15 - $715B Medicaid cut passes House committee in reconciliation bill Healthcare Finance

30:23 - Trump Officials Balk at RFK Jr.’s Attack on Pesticides WSJ

31:17 - CMS Innovation Center Strategy to Make America Healthy Again CMS website

36:48 - UnitedHealth CEO Is Out, Sending Shares Plummeting WSJ

40:08 - UnitedHealth Group Is Under Criminal Investigation for Possible Medicare Fraud WSJ

51:25 - Kaiser Permanente sees 16.1% year-over-year Q1 revenue growth following Risant acquisitions Fierce Healthcare

51:46 - Omada Health Files to Go Public: Will It Be Successful? MedCity

53:06 - Eli Lilly Says Trial Patients Lost More Weight on Zepbound Than Rival’s Wegovy WSJ

53:44 - Bayer Shares Jump After Results Beat Expectations on Pharma Strength WSJ

54:10 - GSK Makes a Big Liver Disease Move With $1.2B Deal for Phase 3-Ready MASH Drug 54:10 - MedCity News

54:57 -

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In this episode, Vic Gatto and guest host Rick Abramson, a physician and healthcare strategist, cover the latest in AI regulation, economic indicators affecting healthcare, recent venture deals in senior living and food-as-medicine startups, and growing momentum behind the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement. They discuss controversial federal appointments, shifts in FDA policy, the balance between prevention and treatment, Medicare Advantage fraud allegations, state Medicaid funding loopholes, drug manufacturing regulation, and pressures facing the nursing workforce and academic medical centers.

Previous Guest Show: 

#73 - AI and Healthcare Innovation: A Conversation with Dr. Rick Abramson YouTube

Links

3:27 - U.S. nonfarm jobs grow by 177,000 in April, beating expectations UPI

4:28 - Powell rules out a preemptive rate cut to blunt any tariff impact CNBC

6:12 - U.S. and U.K. Unveil Framework for Trade Deal WSJ

7:09 - U.S. and Chinese Officials to Meet for Trade Talks WSJ

8:08 - TSOLife Secures $43M to Revolutionize Senior Living Experience HIT

10:11 - FoodHealth Company corrals $7.5M Series A to support pivot Axios

12:03 - Deerfield Management raises $600M fund in "constrained" market Axios

12:53 - Trump Picks a ‘MAHA’ Movement Leader for Surgeon General WSJ  

13:38 - Biotech Stocks Fall After FDA Names Vinay Prasad To Succeed Marks at CBER BioSpace

34:31 - Justice Department Sues Big Medicare Insurers Alleging Kickbacks WSJ

36:20 - G.O.P. Targets a Medicaid Loophole Used by 49 States to Grab Federal Money NYT

41:07 - Trump orders FDA to help speed building of new drug factories Healthcare Dive

42:16 - N.I.H. Bans New Funding From U.S. Scientists to Partners Abroad NYT

44:20 - U.S. to Overhaul Curbs on AI Chip Exports After Industry Backlash WSJ

45:45 - CVS Beats Wall Street Expectations, Plans to Withdraw From ACA Business WSJ

47:22 - Clover Heath raises guidance, revenue jumps 33% Fierce Healthcare

48:29 - Vanderbilt Medical Center implements hiring freeze, layoffs amid federal funding cuts WTVF

50:33 - OHSU, Legacy Health's 10-hospital, $8B merger is no more Fierce Healthcare

52:37 - Helping nurse managers tend to their frontline workers Fierce Healthcare        

53:28 - Nurse managers: The backbone of a strong nursing workforce McKinsey Report

56:38 - Virtual MSK provider IncludeHealth rebrands as LainaHealth supercharged with AI and computer vision  Fierce Healthcare

57:04 -  Health reports Q1 growth Axios

1:00:07 - Hims & Hers' Q1 revenue doubles to $586M, boos

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In this episode, Vic and Marcus cover a wide range of pressing topics including layoffs at UPS, economic instability, and the implications of AI in healthcare and commerce. They discuss new AI-powered voice agents from companies like Zocdoc and Cedar, explore the role of Meta and surveillance technology, and criticize loose AI guardrails on social platforms. The hosts also examine AI’s impact on the audit and pharmaceutical sectors, M&A activity, and the growing use of GLP-1 drugs by athletes. The episode closes with a powerful conversation on mental health, residency burnout, and the suicide crisis among young doctors

Links

3:43 - U.S. Economy Shrank in First Quarter as Imports Surged Ahead of Tariffs WSJ

5:39 - U.S. Hiring Slows as Employers’ Concerns Mount, ADP Data Show WSJ

7:07 - UPS to Cut 20,000 Jobs After Amazon Breakup WSJ

8:15 - Beijing Doesn’t Want America to See Its Trade-War Pain WSJ

10:27 - Canada’s Election Challenges Trump’s Theory of Trade War WSJ

12:25 - Plenful Raises $50M in Series B Funding FINSMES

13:24 - HealthPlan Data Solutions Secures $15M With MK Capital CityBiz

14:25 - Trek gets $11M to unlock health care's pricing black box Axios

15:37 - Blooming Health raises $26M for social services access Axios

17:06 - Senators introduce RPM Access Act to increase rural payment rate for remote monitoring Fierce Healthcare

18:19 - Supreme Court rules against hospitals in DSH case Modern Healthcare

19:37 - CMS explores limiting insurers' use of prior authorizations Modern Healthcare

21:16 - Humana bucks Medicare Advantage cost trend Modern Healthcare

22:20 - Backstopped by Q1 overperformance, Tenet Healthcare will stay aggressive amid policy uncertainties Fierce Healthcare

23:09 - UHS sees behavioral health volumes drop in Q1 Healthcare Dive

24:26 - Teladoc Health acquires UpLift for $30M, doubling down on virtual mental health despite BetterHelp's struggles Fierce Healthcare

26:20 - Novartis to buy Regulus Therapeutics for up to $1.7B Axios

27:25 - Pfizer Expands Cost-Cutting Measures, Reaffirms Outlook WSJ

28:05 - Hims & Hers, Novo Nordisk partner on GLP-1s Modern Healthcare

32:09 - Merck to Spend $1 Billion on New Factory to Make U.S. Supplies of Blockbuster Drug WSJ

33:21 - Amateur Athletes Are Turning to Ozempic to Raise Their Game WSJ

35:01 - Suicide Reverberates Among Young Doctors WSJ

41:31 - Cedar rolls out AI voice agent to tackle patients' medical billing questions Fierce Healthcare

43:46 - Zocdoc launches voice AI agent Zo to streamline bookings by phone Fierce Healthcare

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